John. F. Kennedy gave a commencement speech to Yale University graduates in 1962 where he expressed: “Too often we…enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
Opinions are the conscious, and often unconscious, beliefs that guide one’s everyday decisions. They tell a person what kind of pasta to buy, what color shirt to wear, what political party to align with and what kind of life to lead. They shape who a person is and how she or he interacts with the world around them.
It would seem irrational for one to let these opinions drive her or his habits and choices without first putting considerable thought and consideration into the ones she or he holds and the ones that seem to contradict those.
A person forms opinions based on experiences and the groups they identify with. These are factors that most do not choose but are subjected to due to their upbringing and environment. These forms of socialization are often unconscious because they shape a person very gradually.
Opinions are also often swayed or solidified by the media outlets one chooses to consume. This type of socialization is more deliberate than the aforementioned factors because a person specifically chooses the media outlets that she or he consumes.
The Opinion Page of The Point Weekly aims to be a section of media that helps one deconstruct their conscious and unconscious opinions that they hold about the world. It is here to guide beneficial conversations that shed light on multiple sides conversations that are too often polarizing. This page will offer several opinions throughout the year that promote deep thought and meaningful discussion among your peers and professors.
The Point staff hopes that you read this section with thoughtfulness and enjoyment as we break down important conversations over the next year.
If you have a topic suggestion for the Opinion Page, or to receive information on how to submit an opinion piece for publication, please contact me at mgarrett4022@pointloma.edu.
Grace Gaines