Learning Through Listening

Several stories in PAW’s May issue focused on free speech and its first cousin academic freedom, but none focused on its rationale — learning. From the protesters who disrupted Naftali Bennett’s presentation, to Professor Weiss who moved his final class to the site of an anti-Israel encampment, to the current administration, which uses the cudgel of withholding funds to force Princeton to toe the Trumpian line, none was interested in furthering knowledge through reasoned discussion. Instead, they “knew” truth and therefore, sought to impose their views rather than grapple with other voices. All three stories involved antisemitism at Princeton.

That ugliness, no doubt, is on our campus. It certainly was when I was an undergrad, but in those days, it was not accompanied with such vitriol and rectitude. The eight of us in our suite, all WASPs — a term I hadn’t heard until I came to Princeton — added Jewish-sounding suffixes to our names. We thought it humorous, but now it’s a regret that I excuse as youthful ignorance and naivete. But it was Princeton’s spirit of learning that led us toward maturity. One of us became friends with Malcolm Diamond, a professor of religion. We invited him to our rooms for beer and snacks. He and his wife reciprocated by having us for dinner. Much of the discussion at those events was about his family’s punching through prejudice to mainstream America. That was a powerful lesson for this kid who came from a town that closed its synagogue because the congregation lost its minyan.

A mind-changing experience fostered by Princeton. Can today’s students and faculty regain that call to learn through listening?