Olivia: What if the scariest thing you ever did turned out to be the very thing that set you free? Hey everyone, and welcome to When It Happened. I'm Olivia. Olivia: Today we're looking at "Good Arguments" by Bo Seo. Imagine Bo: a quiet, thoughtful kid who moves from South Korea to Australia. He feels lost, overwhelmed by the new language and culture, especially struggling with disagreement. He describes feeling alienated on the playground, his attempts at mock arguments falling flat. "Good Arguments" charts his journey from this paralyzing silence to becoming a two-time world debate champion, exploring how arguing well isn't about winning, but understanding. He needed a different kind of arena... which leads us to the moment it all changed. Olivia: Picture young Bo in his bustling Australian school assembly, usually shrinking back, terrified of saying the wrong thing. Then comes the call for debate volunteers. Instead of retreating, something clicks. His hand shoots up. He describes the terror not vanishing, but twisting into ambition. It hit him: this wasn't messy playground squabbling or defending personal beliefs. It was a structured 'battle of wits,' a chance to craft the best argument, a chance to finally speak and maybe, just maybe, be heard within safe guardrails. Olivia: This single moment is the book's heartbeat. It’s Bo stepping onto the path that leads him from that silent, awkward kid to a world champion. It perfectly captures his central idea: that structured disagreement, like debate, isn't just conflict. It’s a tool for finding your voice and learning to truly listen. He discovers that good arguments aren't about winning, but about connection and understanding, transforming disagreement from a source of fear into a pathway for growth. Everything else hinges on this first, brave 'yes'. Olivia: So, what can we take away? First, maybe leaning into discomfort, raising your hand even when terrified, can unlock potential. And second, perhaps seeing disagreement not as a fight to win, but as a structured chance to truly listen and understand, is a skill worth practicing in our own lives. That’s all for this week on When It Happened. I'm Olivia, catch you next time.