Controversial Topics

The list of discussion questions on this page is part of a publication called Number One ESL Discussion Book & Reference Guide.

1. The death penalty: Should it be abolished? If yes, why? If not, for what crimes should someone get the death penalty? Does your country have the death penalty? If yes, is it enforced?

2. The legalization of recreational marijuana: Should marijuana be legalized for personal use? What benefits could legalization have? What negative consequences could there be?

3. The ethics of genetic engineering: Should prospective parents be allowed to choose from a menu of preferred traits for their offspring? Why or why not?

4. The role of social media in spreading misinformation: Should social media be absolute free speech platforms? Why or why not? Who should decide what misinformation is? What can be done when the government spreads misinformation?

5. The importance of protecting free speech: Do you believe in absolute free speech? What are the benefits and drawbacks of absolute free speech? What should people not be allowed to say in public?

6. The importance of gun control laws: Should adult citizens be allowed to own any type of handgun or rifle? Why or why not? If you think adult citizens should have limited rights to own weapons, what types of weapons should they be allowed to own?

7. The future of international relations: Cooperation or conflict? Do you think NATO would expand to include countries like Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea? Do you think it should? Why or why not? Do you think it’s good or bad that the USA has hundreds of military bases all over the world? Do you think BRICS (since 2023: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates) would become strong enough to challenge the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus the European Union)?

8. The rise of populism and nationalism around the world: What is good about nationalism? What is bad about it? What does populism mean, and why do some people consider it a problem?

9. The global refugee crisis: Why do people flee their countries? Are there many refugees in your city? Is your country popular as a destination for refugees? Why or why not?

10. The ethics of artificial intelligence in warfare: Should artificial intelligence be used to make more efficient killing machines? Why or why not? How can artificial intelligence be used to create a more peaceful world?

11. The impact of globalization on local cultures: Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the same fast-food restaurants can be found in hundreds of cities all over the world? What are the positive and negative aspects to globalization?

12. The impact of social media on mental health: Should there be an age requirement for social media? Why or why not? What can be done to counter the negative effects of social media on mental health?

13. The future of work in the age of automation: Will you still have a job five years from now, or will your job be taken over by robots or machines? How will people survive when more and more jobs are taken over by technology, programs, and robotics?

14. Universal basic income: Should every citizen receive a guaranteed income from the government? Why or why not? Would this make people lazy, or more productive in other ways?

15. Mandatory vaccinations: Should vaccinations be mandatory for all children? Why or why not? Should vaccinations ever be forced on the general public? Why or why not?

16. Animal testing: Is it ethical to use animals for scientific and medical research? Why or why not?

17. Immigration policies: Should countries have stricter or more lenient immigration policies? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a lenient immigration policy?

18. Surveillance and privacy: How much surveillance by governments and corporations is acceptable in the name of security? How many cameras are on the streets and in public places in your city?

19. Wealth inequality: Should there be policies in place to address the growing gap between the rich and the poor? Why or why not?

20. Gender equality: Are gender quotas necessary to achieve gender parity in leadership roles? Should all industries and all levels of employment have an equal number of men and women? Why or why not?

21. Cultural appropriation: Where should the line be drawn between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation?

22. Assisted suicide: Should individuals have the right to choose to end their own lives with medical assistance? Some people say legalized assisted suicide would lead to governments and health insurance companies increasingly recommending sick people ending their lives to save cost. What do you think of this possibility?

23. Nuclear energy: Is nuclear energy a viable solution to combat climate change, or does it pose too many risks?

24. Social welfare programs: Do social welfare programs encourage dependency or do they provide necessary support to those in need?

25. Censorship: Should there be limits on freedom of expression to prevent hate speech and misinformation?

26. Corporate influence in politics: What can be done to limit the influence of corporations on political decisions? Some people argue that large companies should be able to influence government decisions since they pay a lot of tax. What is your opinion on that?

27. Animal rights: Should animals have legal rights? To what extent should they be protected by law?

28. Space exploration: Should space exploration be prioritized over addressing issues on Earth, such as poverty and climate change?

29. Online privacy: Should individuals have the right to remain anonymous online, or should there be more transparency and accountability?

30. What conspiracy theories do you believe could be true? Some examples:

• The Earth is a flat disk, and there is a huge cover-up by governments and organizations like NASA to hide the truth.
• Powerful European leaders in the 10th century (or in the 7th century) added 297 years to the calendar and the years 614-911 did not actually happen. (The short version of the story is that the Holy Roman Emperor, the Pope, and possibly the Byzantine Emperor, conspired in order to place themselves at the special year of AD 1000.)
• Leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, did not kill himself in April 1945 in Berlin but escaped to South America.
• An alien spacecraft crashed near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947, and the incident was covered up by the US government.
• Lee Harvey Oswald did not assassinate President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, in 1963, or he did not act alone.
• The Moon landing in 1969 was produced in a Hollywood studio.
• Princess Diana’s death in 1997 was not an accident.
• The Twin Towers in New York did not collapse from airplanes crashing into them on September 11th, 2001.

Number One ESL Discussion Book & Reference Guide: CONTENTS