To be sure, the reactions have been colorful: I’ve been greeted with exaggerated sighs and arched eyebrows, with sullen scowls and malicious cackling. I’ve been offered suspicious glares and plenty of indifference. More often that not though, I’ve simply been asked: “Why? Why would you do that?”
What, you may wonder, is the offense I’ve committed? For what lowly crime have I been found guilty? The answer, dear reader, is that I have been convicted-by a jury of my peers no less-of writing for Student Life.
My involvement, I assure you, began innocently enough: in the run up to the election last semester I was inspired by our president’s war-lust to write a few heated-and decidedly un-journalistic-diatribes. I enjoyed the process and, more importantly, enjoyed seeing my name in print. On the days when my articles were published (in reality, there were only two of them) I would walk into class and immediately begin scanning the room for newspaper readers. I studied those who might be consuming my carefully-composed wisdom. On the few occasions that I noticed someone perusing my article, I was struck by waves of self-importance: the white-hot light of celebrity had found me! I was an opinion-maker, a pundit, a definer-of-the-times!
Thus, when presented the opportunity to indulge my delusions of grandeur on a weekly basis-by taking a position as Forum Editor this April-I joyfully accepted. With a beaming smile I reported my good fortune to friends. Their reactions, however, were not what I had expected: the responses ranged from a tepid “oh neat” to downright disgust.
Inspired by the lack of enthusiasm, I took some time to ask the obvious question: just what makes Student Life so bad? What has our well-meaning paper done to incur the scorn of the student body? The answers I received varied. Some contend that Student Life suffers from a shortage of diverse opinions. Given the lack of conservative thinkers featured, they argue, it can occasionally feel like Student Life has only one perspective to offer. Some told me that the problem is the lack of substance, while others maintained that it’s the coverage of world affairs that bothers them. Finally, more than a few people said that Student Life has a consistent problem with, well, writing.
While I must admit that I, too, have shared some of the above sentiments, I don’t see cause for condemnation; rather, I view it as a campus-wide call to arms. Student Life’s shortcomings, whatever they may be, should be an inspiration for you, dear reader, to get involved. For Student Life is a product of the collective student body-one that is dependent on your artfully-worded opinions. In reality, each Forum page consists of more student submissions than staff writing. So, whether you’re irritated, irate or just plain unimpressed, the solution is simple: write, write and write some more.
The fact is, Student Life can be something remarkable. Due to the size and the inherent activism of our fine campus, we have the opportunity to create the model “public.” C. Wright Mills in “The Power Elite” asserts that the strength of any democratic community is dependent on the existence of a “viable public.” A “viable public,” as he defines it, is a body in which “virtually as many people express opinions as receive them” and where “public communications are so organized that there is a chance immediately and effectively to answer back any opinion expressed in public.” The result, he theorizes, is an engaged and informed population participating in a rich dialogue. While Mills was merely musing, we can make his vision a reality. Student Life can provide the venue for this interplay-and our campus can flourish further.
And so, as this new chapter in Forum begins, my goals are clear: offer thoughtful columns, honest opinions and, most importantly, a home for your thoughts.