This election is nothing sort of spectacular. Trump likes it that way; after all, he is a reality TV star. But both sides of the aisle, aside from disliking each other a little bit more than normal are deriving a particularly helpful skill that engaged college students will ultimately benefit from the most: practice smart speaking.
Think about it: we're constantly inundated with information from Facebook, Fox News, CNN, friends, and family. We study it, even as it jogs our brain sometimes, but eventually make sense of it all. And as college students who should be acquiring the greater theoretical and cultural significances of the moves of politicians, ad campaigns and speeches, we're afforded a particularly unique opportunity to engage in critical conversations that can help us make sense of this election and the greater political, economic and social issues.
Whether you're with your roommate, teacher, classmate, whomever, it can be a good idea to listen sometimes, then to speak on an issue. Don't argue, don't even really say how you feel. Just listen to someone else's viewpoints, for you may not know where they learned a particular fact or opined a statement. Understanding a source is just as valuable to understanding an opinion; in fact, sometimes, it's more important. For example, if someone says something you ardently disagree with, don't fight, but, instead, ask where that came from. Be curious, and engage in empathy.
That cycle will surely result in a more passionate and questioning world (in a good way). But beyond this practice needs to exist a method of scholarly engagement that happens external to the university classroom, which results in a greater common understanding of one another. This can happen by practicing smart speaking.
Smart speaking is where you, at least, try to engage in intelligent conversation with anyone using methods like questioning, challenging (in the sense that you become curious of statement origin, not disagreement), and learning to breakdown and understand what someone is really trying to say. It requires minimal understanding of greater, more complicated perspectives or theories; all it needs is a curious, open mind and a motivation to become better.
