After UC Berkeley relented and agreed to have our Reverse Q&A on April 19, 2022, we headed to the center of student activity, Sproul Plaza. Ironically, that’s the landmark of the 1964 Free Speech Movement.
I don't think this was a very good "debate". That's kind of the point, though. It's hard to have an interesting and stimulating conversation about an issue when everyone is on the same side. As John Stuart Mill said, "He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that."
Are these students' views being challenged by anyone at Berkeley? Do they even know other viewpoints? Granted, it was a small sample size, but this was painful to watch.
Indeed it was painful to watch. These kids were so confident yet so insecure like they wanted someone to tell them what to believe. It made me a kinda nauseous. :(
My experience with a lot of young college students and recent grads is they are pretty insulated from challenging points of view, and these are frustrating exchanges for them.
I don't think this was a very good "debate". That's kind of the point, though. It's hard to have an interesting and stimulating conversation about an issue when everyone is on the same side. As John Stuart Mill said, "He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that."
Are these students' views being challenged by anyone at Berkeley? Do they even know other viewpoints? Granted, it was a small sample size, but this was painful to watch.
Indeed it was painful to watch. These kids were so confident yet so insecure like they wanted someone to tell them what to believe. It made me a kinda nauseous. :(
My experience with a lot of young college students and recent grads is they are pretty insulated from challenging points of view, and these are frustrating exchanges for them.
Well done.