My Political Identity

The"Others" in Our Communities

In any community, however large or small, there are social divides. These can be based on things such as race, age, gender, political affiliation, and religion; however they can also be based on groups such as fraternities and sororities, sports teams, and other clubs that one might find on a college campus. The culture at Dickinson College is fairly segmented into an “us and them” relationship. The different social organizations on campus can be very exclusive and there are even sharp tensions between different social groups, sometimes even leading to physical violence between members of the different groups. Evidence of the divisions between certain groups on campus can be seen scrawled on the desks and walls in graffiti, and can be overheard at social gatherings or in passing on the quad. The origins of these divisions are unclear, however there is now a culture on this campus of otherness.

Being a member of the Greek system, an “other” to me might generically be anyone who is unaffiliated. Someone who is unaffiliated may look at Greeks as others. There is a strong sense of otherness even within the Greek system, however, and there are rivalries between different organizations within the Greek system. These rivalries are the result of competition, just as sports teams have rivalries. Otherness is everywhere.

There have been efforts by the administration to break down these barriers by waging a war on Greek life and encouraging students to diversify their Dickinson experience, however it is unclear whether this has actually improved anything. There is still a very strong sense of otherness, regardless of the perspective one may take.

Understanding the Middle East

The circumstances under which a person grows up act as a frame or a lens through which that person may view the world. This is true of people who grow up and live in the United States and other parts of the West, as well as of people who grow up and live in the Middle East. Growing up and living in the United States provides people with a very slanted view of the Middle East, and without further investigation, a person living in the United States might never really understand the Middle East. The same is true for people living in the Middle East. The United States is portrayed and viewed a certain way in other countries, based on actions taken by the United States, its relations with other states, and its policies.

The cultures of the United States and of the Middle East are fundamentally different, and inevitably misunderstand each other. The culture of the United States is an amalgam of different cultures that have mixed together over the course of its history, and different regions within the United States have their own subcultures. The culture of the Middle East can be described similarly; there are many cultures spread across the different states and nations that are contained in the Middle East. Regardless of the region, however, the culture with which a person grows up shapes his or her view of the world.

In order to overcome these barriers and better understand each side of this, one must look beyond domestic sources of information. Getting news and information from a variety of sources rather than just one or a few is a good way to begin to overcome these barriers. Considering outside points of view with an open mind and attempting to look at issues from different angles are also good ways to try and understand other cultures and people more fully. Looking at foreign news sources, actually speaking with people from the Middle East, and traveling to the region are all excellent ways to overcome barriers and better understand.