We go to one of top Universities in the country with one of the most selective admission standards. It can be great to be surrounded by other smart, academically inclined-peers who push us see the world in different ways. However, our position as University students also blinds us. Never has this been more apparent than with the results of the presidential election. It is clear that we need to work to harder to actively recognize the political and cultural biases of our community so that we can understand why we view things so differently than a county only 30 miles away. This process needs to not only be theoretical but also practical — students should go out and try to engage with people who have differing worldviews.
University students were far off of the actual result in both presidential primary and national election. Bernie Sanders and Marco Rubio were by far the most popular candidates for University students, yet they both failed to make it past the primary. According to our survey, before the presidential election, Clinton received more than two-thirds of University students’ votes, and Donald Trump did not even gain more support than Gary Johnson. College students in general are more liberal and we do nothing to buck that trend. However, we need to acknowledge that even though many of University students may be liberal, we are still surrounded by a sea of conservative counties.
But we don’t just differ in our political outlooks. Economically, the average University student comes from a family that makes much more than the national average. Growing up in a wealthier family does not just mean many of us had access to additional opportunities; it also profoundly shapes our worldview. Family income is not a definitive factor in how a person sees the world, but it does instill a tendency we need to acknowledge.
We also have access to many more career opportunities than the average American. University students are lucky enough to have the Career Center to provide an overwhelming amount of help to get them the jobs they want. On top of this, we have access to excellent advisors and a degree from an elite university.
From these few reasons it is clear University students enjoy a unique position. But everyone hold a unique position, and it’s important to understand the reason we differ. This requires direct action — to really understand and challenge your biases you have to go out and find people who don’t share them. The best way to do this is to start reaching out in our own community, a topic I have written on previously. Volunteering as part of a Charlottesville organization is a great way to not only help people but also meet people from all different backgrounds. You can also look within our University for understanding. Baffled at how anyone could support Donald Trump for President? I have no doubt you could reach out to College Republicans and they would be happy to explain to you their views; the same goes for people who are wondering how someone could support Hillary Clinton.
The important thing when having these encounters is to show respect for the other person. Genuinely try to understand their view instead of quickly fitting them into a preconceived box. There are so many practical and straightforward ways for us to challenge our beliefs. Especially after this election, we have no excuse to hide within the bubbles of our biases.
Bobby Doyle is an Opinion columnist for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at b.doyle@cavalierdaily.com.
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