Here's the thing about college. It has always been the same. It never changes. New majors may appear, new teaching methods may develop, generation after generation will pass through the golden arches built by the founding fathers of whatever university you may attend but to the core it will always be the same. Although the education system in this country is not ideal, the educational process found in most universities is idealistic. This is a place for thinkers, yet to be doers, but ready to step out into the world--maybe not today, but certainly tomorrow.
Thinkers in centralized locations like universities think and because of their close vicinity with other thinkers they often think together. This is where the common theme of college throughout time and space comes to a head.
What I am trying to say is invariably college students discuss. And in this particular case, they discuss politics. And in this way we are cliche.
How cliche is it for college students to discuss politics? Um. As cliche as any Hugh Grant romcom or Vin Diesel action flick. So cliche.
So here I am today talking to my friend Pamela about politics. Talking the state of America, specifically. She is a good source of information and honestly a good sound board for my own ideas. The thing I like Pamela that she doesn't do pleasantries. We can jump into an involved discussion without so much as a "how're you?".
I really couldn't recount to you all that we talked about but it was in depth. What began as a conversation about what we did over the summer turned into have you heard about wall street? I had not, but I got some info on it from Pamela. Then that turned into what's happening with the American government and what's happening to two party democracy. That evolved into comparing contemporary issues with historic revolutions.
The problem with talking about politics is it's really easy. It's so easy to have an opinion. Action is the hard part. I don't think of myself as an activist. Pamela might, she certainly has activist tendencies. But for me. If I'm recruiting for anything it's probably for an open mic. I believe in the power of movements but I have trouble in getting behind them personally.
I'm a radically moderate individual. That means I fiercely believe no one should fiercely believe in anything. And I'm an individual which means I think my ideas are too unique to box up and ship prepackaged to the nearest picket line. Ideas are complex-- they can't be written on one poster.
I'm not even sure they can be written on one blog, but I'm trying.
I also have conflicting ideas. Pamela is older than I am, maybe she knows better what she believes. I don't know but it doesn't feel right imposing belief systems on people when I don't know what even I'll believe tomorrow. I have questions for the world. I still need clarification. It would be unwise to assume this will be the mind set I will have the rest of my life.
Pamela and I talked a lot in theoretical terms. Lot's of ifs. I have theories about why the world works the way it does, politically and otherwise, and I talked about them. Causes of the current status of the world, conditions for change historically, etc. All theories and none of them tested.
Oh college. Everyday you amaze me. Even the expected things are exceptional.
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