Vigor and Vitriol: The Trump Era

When asked to define the Academy’s central values, many refer to the iconic line from the Deed of Gift: “Goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous.” We Exonians strive to fulfill this mission statement in our daily lives. From social service to athletics to academics, I cannot help but be amazed by what my peers have accomplished for themselves and for others. I am also eternally grateful for the numerous opportunities the Academy provides for us to embody these attributes of both knowledge and goodness.

But when it comes to activism and political culture on campus, the Academy has already defined political goodness for us. In pursuit of this goodness, the knowledge students are exposed to is inherently limited.

I lived abroad before coming to Exeter and had little exposure to American politics. I had a vague understanding of the 2016 presidential election candidates’ platforms. I found myself agreeing more with Hillary Clinton’s platform than Donald Trump’s.

During my prep fall, my liberal views were affirmed every time politics was brought up in assembly, discussions and class. I was delighted to see everyone agree with me. I did not hear a word about valid reasons why people would vote for Trump, but instead heard multiple disparaging comments about Trump supporters. These opinions came not only from students, but from faculty members as well. 

A mission statement found on the Academy website further reads: “The challenges that students meet at Exeter and the support they receive have a common purpose: to stimulate their development as individuals and as members of society.”

Exeter challenged me academically and emotionally during my prep fall. I just wish the Academy had further honored the mission statement and challenged my political views, as well. I still harbor liberal beliefs; I believe in gun control, climate change and a woman’s right to decision on matters that affect her own body. But I would have thought more critically and would have bolstered my resolve in my opinions if I was exposed to differing viewpoints, rather than receiving constant affirmation.

A year and a half later, the political culture on campus has not changed at all. Even after the election, we have not had a single assembly speaker express support for Trump, despite him being the President of the United States.

During my time at Exeter, we have had only one conservative speaker; The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, who we invited not once, but twice. But he, too, openly stated that he was not a Trump supporter. Instead of being exposed to unique perspectives, Exonians stand and applaud the same, recycled political sentiments from different people.

Students came to the Academy to be challenged and intellectually stimulated. How can our “development as individuals and as members of society” be achieved if we are never exposed to opposing views?  How are we supposed to strengthen our opinions if we never have to defend them? How are we supposed to develop tolerance towards opposing viewpoints if they are not given proper attention?

This is where the danger of the “Exeter bubble” becomes apparent. No matter how much one would like it to be, the political one sidedness of Exeter is not a reflection of the polarized world outside Exeter. It is the Academy’s duty to equip us with critical thinking skills to navigate today’s complex, diverse political environment. On a campus that fosters liberalism, it is ironically the conservative students who receive the best education.

That being said, the Academy has espoused liberalism with positive intentions. In the minds of many on campus, including my own, liberal beliefs culminate in a more constructive, inclusive society. However, the problem arises when other views, regardless of their merit, are disregarded in order to perpetuate one’s own idea of “goodness.”

It is time for the Academy to step up and educate us about the other side of the political spectrum, because, as John Phillips said, “Goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble.”