For those of you who follow my weekly articles, you are well aware of the fact that I am not afraid to write about the most controversial of issues. As such, it should be of no surprise to anyone that I have received a lot of criticism. It’s tough being a writer, especially one that likes to go where others will not. Yet, I enjoy every single moment of it.
Last semester, I had a wide range of different articles. Most of them were about rather popular topics, specifically those in the field of politics. Although I got a lot of good feedback from my articles, I was craving something more. I wanted heads to turn.
In America, we suffer a serious problem within our media. Every direction we turn, we are bombarded by the same old garbage: sex, drugs, celebrities, etc. I find it funny when people claim that my beliefs are simply a result of conservative indoctrination. As a self-determining human being who desires to find truth, I am just as critical of my own beliefs as you are of mine. Perhaps you are the one whose beliefs are a result of indoctrination. Indoctrination from a society that cares more about pleasure and emotion than happiness and reason. I wish to be the light in the darkness that fights back against the lies that our media is pressing against us. I may be wrong in my views, but at least it gets us talking about things that really matter.
I will be the first to admit that I don’t know everything. In fact, over time, my opinions on a multitude of issues have changed dramatically. One of the main reasons I write articles is because I want to open a dialogue on various topics. It is through this dialogue with others that I search for truth. What good is having beliefs if one is unwilling to have them challenged? In the words of Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” As a result of such endeavors, one of two outcomes will occur. Either someone will be able to cause me to doubt and rethink my beliefs about what is true, or I will find my beliefs to be even more true and my defense of them will be strengthened. In both ways, the search for the absolute truth is a win-win situation.
For many, it still may be unsettling why I must write about such controversial issues. I certainly could open a dialogue on issues that are easy to talk about and equally try to find truth in those areas, but I find it much greater to write on the difficult-to-talk-about issues.
Whether people like it or not, controversial issues are the ones that matter in the grand scheme of things. Political issues come and go week-by-week and some completely lose relevance. However, the treatment of women in our society and the use of our bodies are never out of relevancy. They are the personal level decisions which can either cause a life of triumph or ruin. As such, I find it to be a personal responsibility as a human being to try and educate those on what I believe to be true so as to improve their life and the lives of all. Whether or not my beliefs are true is beside the point; that is what opening the dialogue is all about. Rather, we must discuss together what is truth so that we may all live a proper life.
The greatest reason I write the things that I write, and this may come as a surprise to those who do not care for my views, is that I care about those to whom I am writing. My, perhaps unpopular, opinion on feminism can be easily summed up as so: The only thing more tragic than a woman being hurt by a man or another woman is that woman unknowingly hurting herself. If women believe the gender pay gap is real, I believe they are buying into a lie and false narrative, thus hurting themselves. My same view of feminism can also be applied to society at large. If society accepts the use of contraception, I believe it is unknowingly hurting itself, as seen by the societal impacts I laid out in my last piece. As seen through Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the truth can be painful for some, and I receive lots of criticism. However, I feel like it is a necessity to take a strong defense of a belief, so as to potentially improve the lives of all.
I wish I could write more on this topic as to why I write, but word counts are necessary to keep me from rambling. I would love to discuss any topic with you, the reader, so feel free to send your feedback. I will forever search for and defend the truth, and I leave you with the following: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
Ben is a freshman majoring in political science. Have Ben’s articles resonated with you as a reader? Do you agree with him? Let us know what you think. Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
