Dear Reader, With the leaves turning golden and crisp and the chill of fall hanging in the air, it’s safe to say that the fall term is fully in swing. With that comes learning in classes venturing beyond the syllabus and general classroom expectations. In such an environment, it was in Hess 123 in Dr. Austin’s Art of Political Argument class, that I, alongside my classmates, puzzled over the declarations of John Stuart Mill in his essay, “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion.”
In his writing, Mill asserts: “The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject, is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of Letter From the Editor opinion, and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind.” Mill’s quote strongly resonates with the Scroll’s goals of plurality, although we often face hurdles in the realization of this goal. While Scroll writers are encouraged to seek out all sides of an issue, the reality is that with busy schedules, the likelihood of representing every nuanced perspective within a single article is unlikely. Professional newspapers seek to combat this issue through publishing dissents, which are essentially letters to the newspaper from readers offering different opinions on featured pieces.
Recently, a student approached me while I was walking on Albany Road. Having heard about Eric Li ’24’s “Justification for Cutting Lines,” he hoped to write an article critiquing Li’s argument in support of the opposition. Unfortunately, his plan fell through, victim to the plights of a Deerfield schedule. However, if there is anything one can learn from this letter and from Mill’s, it’s that the Scroll supports open dialogue. If you’re reading this month’s issue from your dorm, classroom or happened to pick up a copy off the ground and disagree with any shared perspectives, please reach out; we want to hear your voice!
All the best,
Kaitlyn Xia