This week’s editorial I devote to the topic of disagreement and different perspectives in light of recent controversies and this week’s Editor’s Picks.
An argument in the wild
The value in being friends with people who disagree with you is great. With this week’s Editor’s Picks, I am raising a theme of a culture of refusing friendship to people who have different opinions to you, whether it be on politics, student culture, lifestyle differences, etc.
There will always be some people with whom it will be too hard to actively like and equally I’m not condoning the acceptance of views which are extreme or go against the essential grain of what you believe in. But I think, for the most part, we have more in common than we have not, and we can stand firmly for our beliefs without automatically hating those who don’t stand with us. I feel we can always be more informed on a given topic if we listen to the views of the other side. And I think at this university age where few of us are world leaders or public figures yet, we should be looking for what we share; disagreeing with people’s views, standing up to them, but not hating them for it. Some of my closest friends have the very antithesis of my political views, and I can find it frustrating – but they’re still my friends, and I don’t value them by who they vote for.
They also provide me with valuable criticism. Criticism, though no-one really likes it, is the impetus to make us evolve as people. What’s difficult is deciphering between what is fair and a good critique, and what is said to bring you down. But for those whose intent is to maim, the very best thing you can do in defiance is to become happy and successful, in whatever form that takes for you. And to continue to stand for what you believe in.
Don’t agree? That’s fine
On that note, there are many finely articulated views and differing voices to showcase in The Bubble this week. Eleanor Warden gives some great advice for second-term freshers now things have settled down, and tells you not to be afraid to be individual. Siobhan McShane raises the important and topical issue of immigration by telling us about a local trafficked boy who is being deported – and seeks signatures for a petition to appeal this decision. The petition can be found here.
Harriet Willis shows us art from a different perspective…literally in her article about an innovative new Van Gogh exhibition in Paris, utilising technology to place the observer almost within the paintings. Less artistic and more polemical, our The Bubble editors examine two figures of recent controversy; Patrick Williamson examines the latest debate around Jordan Peterson and Sam Berry lands an insightful interview with Roger Stone.
Here’s to another week of debate,
