In Conversation with Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George Poly Event Reflection

 Event with Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George. 

On Thursday December 16, Poly had the privilege of hosting esteemed professors––and friends––Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George to engage in a thoughtful discussion about the importance of civil discourse in today’s society. Although Dr. West and Dr. George lie on opposite sides of the political spectrum, they have collaborated together a multitude of times in and out of the classroom and  maintained a strong and healthy friendship throughout. 

Overall this was an incredibly worthwhile and engaging event to be a part of. Something that deeply resonated with me was both professors' emphasis on the idea that we all should actively seek out engagement with people whose ideas diverge from our own. But with respect to this kind of open mindedness, I also appreciated the amendment that both made sure to include: that you should seek out those with diverging views who are willing to "do business in the currency of truth-seeking discourse" that is grounded in reason, evidence, and argument. In this sense, they both highlight how this kind of civil discourse is best achieved when both parties are willing. The metaphor of “doing business in the currency of truth seeking discourse” is one that really stuck with me and made it much easier to understand their message. 

Another aspect of this event and Dr. West and George’s discussion that I think was so impactful was how kind and genuine both speakers were. They spoke with such sincerity and passion and across it all, emphasized just how important it is to truly seek to listen to and understand others. To me, this was a message towards how to be a good human being as much as it was about how to engage in civil discourse.