A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

OpeningMy opponent's main case revolves around the fact that the two birds in the bush would need to be of significantly greater value than the bird in the hand in order for a risk to pay off. Because the proverb already has already established the variance between amounts, we can deffer to the birds being on average double to the amount of the bird in the hand. If we don't set some form of intrinsic worth into the proverb, we can go back and forth producing multiple examples of someone risking their pasture for one with greener grass, and it ends up being full of manuer. But this is not really what the proverb is about. The proverb is about risking one bird for two birds. We already know that two birds are double the amount of one bird. The fact that my opponent says the value [of 2 birds] would need to be significantly greater [than 1 bird] in order for a risk to pay off, he already concedes the fact that two birds are more valuable than one bird. We would not risk something for nothing. Let's think about this in terms that we all can understand, money:2 dollars are significantly greater than 1 dollar. One dollar cannot even buy you a burger at Mcdonalds, due to tax. A person with two dollars gets to eat while the person with one dollar goes hungry. Would a hungry person risk their one dollar, which can't buy them much, for a chance to gain two dollars, in order to eat?1,000 dollars are significantly greater than 500 dollars. 2,000,000 dollars are significantly greater than 1,000,000 dollars. But life is more than money or numbers. Look a bit deeper into this passage and we understand that it is really talking about somoene enjoying what they have rather than demanding more. We could say this equates to greed, but it only equates to greed when we think about material possessions. There are other values in life aside from material possessions. Payoff of RisksLet's say you have a decent partner. This partner treats you with a small amount of respect and loyalty. You know they are a good person, though there is a lack in spark and desire. You think of them more as family than as a lover. But you hope for someone who will give you all that you could ask for. Do you get rid of the current partner and risk being alone to find your soulmate; someone who you can share laughter, happiness, and passion with? I say you do. You do if you want to pursue happiness. If you revel in complacency, you might stick around with the current partner and go deeper and deeper into a funk. We see that the real focus on this proverb is about hope. We hope for things that we think can bring more joy and fulfillment into our lives. We have no reason to be complacent. We only have one shot at fulfilling our lives. Faith in something greater makes you happierThe promise of hope is a powerful one. Millions of people have given up their earthly bonds in order to pursue a higher level of evolution. One example of this is Christians and the pursuit of Heaven. In the religion, it is said that those who have little in earth will have much in Heaven. Those that give away their material desires and succumb to God's will shall meet God in Heaven with open arms. This is surely a case of the bush holding a more valuable worth than the hand. Whether or not Heaven exists, or the Christians have it right, is futile. The point is that people will gladly give up what they know to pursue something of greater importance; and they will feel better from it. Someone who searches for something greater is on average more happier than someone who does not. [1] A few closing quotes on hope and complacency:"A leader is a dealer in hope." - Napolean Bonaparte "The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true." - Edgar Allen Poe"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence" - Helen Keller [3]"An audience shouldn't listen with complacency." - Peter Davis"When a great team loses through complacency, it will constantly search for new and more intricate explanations to explain away defeat." - Pat Riley [3]Final Rebuttal"On balance, it is better to retain x than to risk it for x + y. A bird in the hand really is better than two in the bush."This quote by my opponent admits that a bird in the hand is NOT equal to two birds in the bush. Our resolution is that A bird in the hand IS equal to two in the bush. ConclusionThis proverb is more than materials. It is about risking what one knows for something greater. What is greater holds more value than what we are comfortable with. Two birds in the bush are not worth one in the hand. 1. http://jerry-lopper.suite101.com...2. http://www.brainyquote.com...3. http://www.brainyquote.com...