The Last Word

 Writer Roger Martin contends that, “Other than writing itself, reading is the single greatest teacher of writing.” Reading is a form of listening. To write is to speak your mind. How does...what Lippmann characterizes as “all the speaking and listening, the give-and-take of opinions,” help us find the truth? I have noticed that if all you do is give opinions but never take any in return, you will lose the opportunity to grow because no one will want to listen to a person that does not listen in return. Personally, I go in circles with people who do not want to listen or admit that they are wrong until I apply the out-of-the-box solutions offered in The Anatomy of Peace.

It is a struggle to listen to those who oppose us but I feel like it helps you to learn the difference between right and wrong. Opposition helps me realize what exactly it is that I do or do not agree with and forces me to learn how to defend my positions. This class has taught me how to recognize and avoid bias (as best as possible), how to struggle to engage and wrestle with ethical questions, and how to research (listen) and respond in professional format. I am excited to apply what I have been taught this semester. If I could offer only one piece of advice to new writers, it is that section headings help to make an essay easier to read and less likely to be "skimmed or binned".