In our four short years as college students, we seek to learn many things. Some would focus on the sciences while others would pursue the humanities. After our graduation we will all enter the "real world" and take our place in society, in whatever fashion that may be - finding a cure for cancer or creating a moving work of art.
Unfortunately, the world we will enter is not a very kind one. It is plagued by murder, rape and disease - both social and physiological. We are the generation of the get rich quick, the impatient and the shortcut. Many of us have not been taught some of the ethical principles very central to any society. These include respect for others, honesty and belief in oneself.
We are seeing the negative effects of waning principles in this country. Young mothers must teach their children not to trust strangers. Women who work in the city must carry mace to protect themselves. Teenagers bring firearms to school with them every day. The theme is to trust no one and to shoot first and ask questions later.
One resource many people use as a safe haven from these problems and as a source of guidance is religion. The Judeo-Christian heritage upon which our country is based is itself founded on morals and faith. The Western religions teach, among other things, that murder, theft and adultery are sins. They teach us to love God and avoid excessive pride. But perhaps most importantly, they teach us to be virtuous not for the possible heavenly rewards, but for the sake of virtuosity itself.
I truly believe that the road to healing our society rests with the individual. When one person treats others with respect and love, those who receive that treatment are, in some way, each affected. We must all lead by example. Always treat others as ends in themselves, and never as means to your end, as Immanuel Kant directed so many years ago.
When we find no commonalties between each other, we should close our mouths for a minute and open our ears. Many of us who choose to insult and degrade rather than enlighten or debate wonder why those methods do not produce substantive change. Don't raise your fist to your enemy. Take his hand and ask him, "What can I do to change your mind?"
Instead of seeking symbolic change, aim for the substance of an issue. Consider the debate over the Greek system here at Dartmouth. Many people consider the Greek way of life unhealthy, but we see two distinct approaches among them. One is the "solution" of removing the Greek letters from campus. The other, more constructive, has been put forward by the founders of Amarna. They created a new organization which is decidedly different than the single-sex houses and attracted members who perhaps never would have taken an active role in the campus social scene. This was done without significant single-sex "bashing." They led by example. They sought the positive rather than the negative.
All of this comes down to that question which penetrates us all - "What is my purpose?" Such a question has many answers, depending on the individual. However, with millions of individuals nationwide and 4,000 on this campus alone, the consequences of the answers to that providential question are easily visible. If a great many choose to put their selfish goals to the forefront in their answer, this country will indeed continue to be a dangerous place. We must look out for ourselves, but that does not mean we should be blind to others.
If, on the other hand, we all directed ourselves to do acts of virtue and kindness, we would see a much improved society, based on trust rather than resentment. Perhaps with the addition of conscientiousness and morality to the greater American mentality, we would not have to worry about gun control or punitive measures for youthes selling crack to each other.
Because he believed human sin is inevitable, Martin Luther instructed humanity to "sin bravely." Personally, I am a bit more optimistic. There is a spirit of goodness in each of us and when the day comes that our ethical maturity reaches our level of technology, I will hopefully be proven correct. Until then, let us focus on the "we" rather than the "I" or the "you," and maybe we can begin to look to the future not with a worried smirk, but a hopeful smile.
