Bowdoin’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity (OID) started the Viewpoint Exchange series with the goal of “encouraging respectful engagement, expanded education and open dialogue” on wedge issues such as “antisemitism, Islamophobia and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” The talks have ranged from “The End of Conservatism?” by Jonah Goldberg to “Less Drama, More Impact – How Learning to Disagree Will Improve Your Life” by Julia Minson.

These talks have fostered dialogue, particularly in the Orient’s opinion section. Similarly, these conversations have only encouraged more opposing opinion articles and letter to the editor pieces. We at the Orient love the influx of articles in our inbox (orientopinion@bowdoin.edu if you feel so inclined). However, when institutional events dictate conversation, the student body does not adequately engage with them or the subsequent forums. Data from last spring’s Orient survey implied a limited awareness of the Viewpoint Exchange program. One student described the series as “a joke meant to placate real and meaningful political discussion.” We believe this dynamic is symptomatic of dialogue issues at Bowdoin.

Bowdoin sits in a unique position, with a small student body and a large endowment, a place where students are only one degree of separation from one another. We all know this comes with tremendous benefits—and drawbacks. Bowdoin’s small size ensures that students hold each other accountable, but we also see how this can stifle debate among friends and peers.

This is not to say that meaningful debate is impossible at Bowdoin. We can see examples of real dialogue in action in the classroom—where disagreement is educational and can lead toward common understanding. The classroom is a space where students are invited to speak their opinion and professors try to curate a balanced dialogue. We also see a similar type of discussion in clubs like the Peucinian Society, where students are actively invited to debate for an end resolution. Both of these cases exist as forums for criticism and analysis leading to a nuanced understanding of complex ideas.

And yet, the classroom can be improved. Some people are more comfortable than others speaking in class; hierarchies—both institutional and social—can also stifle voices. But the best way to improve these environments is adding your voice to it.

College is a space for education, but this learning is not bound to curricular or club activities. In our personal conversations with one another, it’s easy to hold our tongues in fear of saying the wrong thing or being misunderstood. This fear is valid; it’s emblematic of the political and social environment our country is currently in. It’s also a fear that grows out of empathy, where we try not to hurt one another by saying anything harmful.

But for the same reason we are afraid, we must voice our opinions. The OID structures the Viewpoint Exchange talks in a way that offers a safe space for divisive topics. In the talks, attendees can ask any question, join a dinner to discuss and exchange ideas and attend forums for students to voice concerns. Why they have not been effective is an issue with our attitudes toward dialogue as students. Students shouldn’t be afraid to speak their minds. But to foster such an environment, we must assume the best intentions in one another, beyond the classroom.

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Board.