“Exeter Confesses” Sparks Controversy
A Facebook page called Exeter Confesses has recently sparked discussion on campus, online and during advisee meetings. The page sprung up nearly two weeks ago and has since been moderated by an anonymous student; it has received widespread attention due to some controversial and even offensive posts that it has published.
The page takes the format of a simple anonymous submission forum. Students can submit posts to an open Google Doc, or can message the moderator directly. The moderator then views the submissions and looks for “things that haven’t been said already, things that are funny and things that will start a conversation.” While the initial posts are anonymous, users must use their own Facebook accounts to like or comment on posts within the page.
The page was not initially created to spark debate, but rather was born out of the curiosity of its moderator, who wished to remain anonymous. According to the moderator, who was contacted by The Exonian through Facebook Messenger, it was after the posts began to be sent in when he or she realized the potential the page had to open up new topics and start discussion.
“It appears as if some of the comments are intended to generate intellectual discussion about important and relevant topics.”
While some of the posts are intended to be jokes, the page has became a space for students to hold healthy debate and dialogue and to speak their opinions without fear of repercussions or damage to their reputation.
Some students have criticised the unbridled nature of the page, but others find this to be its redeeming quality. Senior Chris Vazan said that the website “provides an opportunity for freedom of expression that the current social climate at campus simply does not allow without anonymity.” Vazan said that, while the Exeter Confessions page might not be the best form of expressing such opinions, it is “the best option that has been explored so far.”
Senior Antonio Guanaes agreed with Vazan and said that he felt the page presented a good opportunity for discussions that needed to be held. “We should be having these conversations and I think people are afraid to have them because the environment here hasn’t been conducive to these conversations,” Guanaes said.
According to him, some students on campus shy away from expressing controversial opinions that do not align with the majority mindset on campus. “People feel like they are going to get judged or looked at in a bad light that might not agree with the consensus concerned groups,” Guanaes said.
“Under these circumstances when they can post anonymously, they feel safe to speak. And as people see others share their opinions, they feel more comfortable to do the same themselves, sometimes non-anonymously.”
Not all, however, shared the same sentiment as Guanaes. Senior Cesar Zamudio said that he was skeptical of an anonymous forum because, “being anonymous doesn’t foster good discourse because you post something, but what happens then? Who is going to be the face of that discussion?” However, Zamudio said that he was pleased to see students continuing the discourse on the posts. “Now I have seen that while people post anonymously, the comments section is not anonymous, and so people still debate about it and there is often a face on those discussions.”
However, other Exonians expressed concerns over the anonymity of the page. In the past, Exeter has had trouble with other anonymous forums such as the now banned app Yik Yak, in which students had begun posting jokes directly mocking other students. Both students and faculty have expressed apprehension about the site’s anonymous nature.
“The anonymity aspect is disconcerting to me,” math instructor Stephanie Girard said. “I think it allows folks to be more hurtful, rather than thoughtful, in the way they share their opinions with others.”
This concern motivated a mandatory discussion of the page during advisee meetings, and almost caused the moderator to close down the page. The moderator acknowledged the dangers of an anonymous forum, and claims to be working hard to maintain a respectful page. “There have been a few submissions that seemed harmless to me but turned out to be directed at certain people. I have received messages asking to take posts down, and I will almost always oblige,” the moderator said. However, the moderator defended the idea of a space to share controversial opinions without fear of retaliation.
“People have been offended by some submissions, but I have no qualms about posting provocative submissions,” the moderator said. “While some views might make people uncomfortable it is still important to know that there are people in our community who hold those views. We can’t pretend that everyone thinks the same way, and we can’t ignore or censor those who don’t.”
Guanaes added that the page presents the unique opportunity for a level discussion. “Conversations in special events or forums can often be in the form of a top down perspective.
But something like Exeter Confesses is more of an open forum where everyone is equal and where people are actually having uncomfortable conversations,” he said. While a liberal himself, Guanaes noted that many students believe the campus encourages more liberal viewpoints, and that students sometimes try to carry out their political agendas with an alarming zeal. “It seems very authoritarian, like someone saying I am the one who is right and you are ignorant. That’s not fair or democratic,” Guanaes said.
Dean of Residential Life A.J. Cosgrove said he learned about the Exeter Confessions Facebook group on Monday morning from a concerned student. “It appears as if some of the comments are intended to generate intellectual discussion about important and relevant topics,” he said. “However, I’ve heard that much of what is written is negative, and a couple of the comments I read were totally inappropriate, crude, hurtful and ignorant. I hope that any student who submits an anonymous comment thinks carefully about his/her words and the potential negative power of those words before they hit send.”