The other day I read an article in the Johns Hopkins Newsletter titled “Why we need to listen to other people’s opinions”. The article emphasized the importance of having productive discussions with people of differing perspectives. It says that while it is human nature to make instantaneous judgments, to have meaningful conversations, we must try to hold back on these conclusions before hearing a person’s entire point of view. 

This got me thinking about our own school and how people seemingly struggle to have constructive debate without accusing the opposing side of being wrong or insensitive. This is an issue within our school, and while not everyone is like this, it is a large enough number to draw attention to the problem. 

Jackson-Reed is clearly liberal school. We, as a student body, are generally accepting of all different types of lifestyles, gender identities, and sexual orientations, which is fantastic. Ideology, however, does not make this list. The moment we hear someone with slightly different  views, some students tend to disengage or make accusations, refusing to accept that an opposing perspective may be held in good faith. With that mindset, compromise is practically impossible.

I consider myself a very liberal person, but I understand that political belief is a spectrum—a spectrum that is not uniform from person to person—nor from idea to idea. As long as someone is not discriminatory or outright disrespectful, I enjoy having a conversation with them about their beliefs. We won’t often agree (and sometimes we’ll only disagree), but I try to understand where that person comes from so I can learn something from them and possibly improve my stance on that issue. 

Having had many classes at Jackson-Reed, I worry that this isn’t a mindset commonly held within our community. 

The Johns Hopkins article discussed how people are naturally most interested in the main idea of one’s argument, and tend to neglect where those beliefs came from or why that person draws that conclusion. The article goes on to credit this dangerous trend to our increasingly polarized political climate, which is characterized by huge distrust in the “other side.” We all have had experiences where we felt set on one opinion, but changed our minds after being exposed to a different perspective. This experience results in a feeling of improvement and clarity. 

Some of the most important experiences I’ve had at Jackson-Reed have been while interacting with people that are completely different from me. I find it fascinating to learn about someone else’s perspective and find where we agree and disagree on various issues. If we neglect this important part of educational and personal growth by only talking to people we agree with, we will continuously be confined to one perspective, shutting ourselves off from other ideas and any progress that may come of them.

Let me be clear—people should still stand firm in their opinions when it comes to politics, the environment, or any other issue that is at the forefront of discussion. I’m a very opinionated person myself. However, nothing would get done in this world if opinionated people alienated themselves from those who thought differently. Discussion, especially with those you disagree with, will make you a more informed, prepared, and thoughtful thinker. •