Our world has felt a great upheaval as of recent. From the wildfires in California to the recent ceasefire agreement in Gaza to the ban and subsequent re-up of Tiktok and a new president and administration entering office today, we are left reeling. The year has barely started, and already there is a huge sense of division among the population. Tons on X slammed Trump for his response to the wildfires, as the Internet turned again an objective tragedy into a pointing game. Tiktok was “saved by President Trump” 12 hours after it was banned, with little pointing to the fact that ByteDance ever planned on going away. Arguably the most contentious and notorious inauguration is occurring as I write this, an election fueled and won by fear and partisanship.
This division can seem very far away to Furman students, safe within the gated bubble off Poinsett Highway. The effects are deadened within the small, relatively close-knit community we live in here. This can be more easily seen in the criminally low level of voter participation on campus, with a 2022 midterm rate of 19.7%. Furman students either feel no obligation to participate in our precious democracy or feel as if either candidate would yield similar results to their well-being. If 80% of our student body feels indifferent to the election, then why would they educate themselves on the policy and person of the candidates?
These numbers are so discouraging not only because of the lack of young voter representation but also because of the lack of policy education it displays. At Furman, we are blessed to have a university president who champions civil dialogue through the On Discourse initiative. How is this program supposed to operate if there is no basis of knowledge to draw upon, especially knowledge of both conservative and liberal perspectives? Then, we are attempting to run without knowing how to walk. Our “dialogue” is then just regurgitation of partisan media outlets or bits of conversation taken out of proper context. We are piecing together vague opinions instead of seeking the truth ourselves, letting others think for us.
In this great period of unrest, the need for independent, competent young people is crucial. Fear and division only persist as long as misinformation and ignorance thrives. Furman and its array of wonderful faculty teach us to think for ourselves in our classes and activities, spurring on a mental independence and endurance highly valuable moving forward. Don’t let that disappear once you leave the library or take off after class. Find and mull over policies you are confused by. Research the representatives and their history before you vote for them. Because it’s ultimately up to the students whether Furman is a healthy environment for civil discourse. Only after we can educate ourselves and develop our own opinions can we truly achieve this.
