Overheard a student say "I don't need to hear the other side" and it hit me hard

I was grabbing coffee near the student union at UT Austin last Thursday and overheard two kids arguing about the guest speaker coming next week. One said flat out, "I don't need to hear the other side, I already know they're wrong." That line stuck with me all day. It made me think about how we're teaching kids to be certain before they even listen. I grew up in a house where my dad would make me argue the opposite side of whatever I believed just to see if I could. That exercise taught me more than any textbook ever did. I feel like we've lost that skill in the last 5 years. Has anyone else noticed this shift where students just refuse to engage with opposing views at all?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max1mo ago

Whoa wait, your dad made you argue the OPPOSITE side? That's wild. I've never heard of anyone doing that before, it sounds like it would be really hard but probably super helpful. No wonder you ended up thinking about that conversation so much.

lily_torres311mo agoTop Commenter

Actually having to argue the opposite side is the whole key, isn't it? It forces you to really understand the other person's argument instead of just yelling your own talking points. Most people never do that their whole lives, they just stay in their bubble and get mad at anyone who disagrees. If more families did this kind of thing at the dinner table, we might have way fewer screaming matches online. It's like strength training for your brain, you gotta work the opposite muscle group to get balanced. Makes you wonder what other conversations would change if people just tried to see the other side for five minutes.

hugos461mo ago

Oh wow, @lily_torres31 nailed it with the strength training comparison! I see this everywhere now, not just in college. Last week my neighbor was ranting about a zoning proposal and when I asked if he'd read the actual proposal he just said "I know what it is." People are making up their minds before they even look at the facts. It's like we're all speed running to conclusions and skipping the part where we actually learn something. That "I already know they're wrong" line is the same thing happening on every street corner and Facebook comment section right now.