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.