set them up

[unpakwon]

Please make the following in red clear for me.

* Engage in heated debate.
* Set them up to fail or look stupid.

Does this just mean "make them fail or look stupid"?

Thank you.

[TheParser]

Please make the following in red clear for me.

* Engage in heated debate.
* Set them up to fail or look stupid.

Does this just mean "make them fail or look stupid"?

Thank you.

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I think that "to set somebody up for failure" can be done on purpose or not

on purpose.

(2) For example, in my American city, the school authorities have decided that

every student should go to college. This puts tremendous pressure on those

students who do not want to go to college. Maybe they want to do other important

and needed work, such as being a computer repair person. Some people say that

their "all-college" policy is setting many students up for failure. How? Well, many

American students "drop out" of secondary school. They feel that Shakespeare and

English grammar are not relevant to their lives. And many of those students who do

manage to graduate and enter college often leave college after a short time.

(3) Sometimes, of course, people set people up for failure on purpose.

Tom: (who secretly hates The Parser): Hey, everybody, my dear and wonderful friend The Parser is one of the most intelligent people I know.

The Parser (embarrassed): Not really!

Tom: Don't be so modest, my dear and wonderful friend.

Mona: How much are 2 and 2, Parser.

The Parser: Oh, 2 and 2 are 5.

The audience laughs. The Parser leaves the stage in humiliation. Tom has succeeded

in his plot to destroy The Parser.

(4) You know that the Republican Party in this country is planning to choose a

candidate for the 2012 elections. Well, some of the candidates (I say this with

complete respect) do not know very much about certain things. So it is easy to

set them up. For example, if a journalist on TV wants to embarrass them, the

journalist may ask, "Mr. X, who is the president of South Korea?" Some of the

candidates, I am pretty sure, could not answer. He would then be very much

embarrassed, and the millions of people watching on TV would think: What

an idiot! I do not want him to be my president!

[unpakwon]

Although you said you are "not a teacher," I think you are a great teacher.

Thank you for the kind explanation.