We don’t know a thing. Plain and simple.
Everywhere you look, in what’s happening at Northwestern and in wider society, there’s a whole lot of self-centered behavior going on.
Take a look at the brothel law controversy. The City of Evanston – and, to a degree, some of our administrators – were a little too quick to characterize and oversimplify the issue to the rowdy off-campus behaviors of some students. At least initially, students were asked to “get creative” regarding their options. The large assembly was a chance for students to be heard, since many of us felt that our story wasn’t being heard. Mutual understanding is part of empathy – and, at the least, imagining what it’s like to get in another person (or group’s) shoes.
The City’s initial reaction with the law reflected their lack of empathy, though it was in response to a perceived lack of empathy and understanding from some (not all) Northwestern students. Hear me out.
When a solution arose following President Schapiro’s meeting with Mayor Tisdahl, we thought it was settled. We thought wrong. The published list of addresses was released along with the promise of strict upcoming enforcement of the law. That’s when the City, in essence, mooned Northwestern students, showing us their lack of empathy.
The release of that list of addresses was an alarming, callous act that evinced no empathy from the City of Evanston with a large number of Northwestern students who are warm, neighborly and contribute to the Evanston community. I’m sure many students felt betrayed.
Aside from Evanston, there’s a large outcry for understanding and empathy along the lines of economic justice. The “Occupy” protesters are opposed to the wealthy elite and politicians who don’t acknowledge the contributions of the “other 99 percent.”
Dissatisfaction and anger characterize many of these protesters and their comments to the media. They feel taxation policy doesn’t reflect the hard work and effort of many Americans who contribute to the vitality of the economy.
Policies should provide equal access to opportunities like education and a living wage, so that people of all backgrounds can chart their own road to achievement. Though when you hear GOP candidates like Mitt Romney, who infamously said “corporations are people, too,” you wonder if they ever empathize with those who struggle to find work – those without the same access points to opportunity.
Clearly, there’s a lack of empathy from Romney and many others like him who represent the 1 percent that “Occupy” takes umbrage with. It’s not that the protestors don’t respect the work of people on Wall Street, since they, too, work hard. It’s that the protesters perceive that Wall Street doesn’t respect everyday Americans.
No empathy. No understanding. It’s at the root of most conflicts we see between individuals and groups. It also reflects on columnists and student leaders like me.
I try and see things from the other side prior to forming an opinion. Though, at times, I’m not perfect in doing so. Perhaps I could have empathized more in some cases, like with my pieces on Reagan’s presidency and Justin Bieber’s opinions.
I am human, so is our government, so are corporations, so are protestors, so are City of Evanston officials and so are NU students.
As Coldplay’s song “Square One” says: “From the top of the first page, to the end of the last day … you just want somebody listening to what you say. It doesn’t matter who you are.” For students, coming to a place like NU is a challenge to confront who we really are head on, the good and the bad.
We can understand people and issues so much better when we realize that we are all touched by our humanity, and reflect a “work in progress.”
Empathy is a simple – though often challenging – way of thinking and saying that a work in progress is “quite alright.”
It’s square one. And, the rest…well, you’ll need to talk it out with attention to empathy.
Derrick Clifton is a Communication senior.
He can be reached at [email protected].
