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| Colton Stinger Class of 2019 |
I have been pondering the concept of credibility. It seems like a simple concept, but what I have been trying to understand, is how one can establish credibility in the eyes of the world. How can I speak with world leaders about the philosophy of running a nation? How can I offer another questioning mind my input with some level of believability? I meet so many interesting people: authors, diplomats, scholars. But I have not been able to establish a true dialogue. And so I ask myself: what have I to offer, and what gives me the right and authority to speak on any topic?
It really is a question of identity. I am a nineteen year-old high school graduate. I lack the years of education that some of these people have. But I wonder sometimes if there are experiences I have had that may be worth sharing and afford me some credibility. For instance, I have been in seven different schools since the first grade, ranging from public, to Christian, to private. As a result, I can often shed a little light on the benefits and detriments of each system. After all, I’ve lived through them.
There are other things I’ve done in my relatively short life. And of course, if I run across someone who hasn’t had those experiences, then I feel quite at ease sharing with them and discussing the experience. But often it feels like we try to talk up on subjects that we are not masters of, with little real-world experience. What I crave is understanding of those things currently outside my purview of experience.
I have always had an open ear for other peoples’ stories, to learn from the experiences in other countries and to see their point of view on a topic. What I am trying to find for myself is a solid point of view of my own that I might be able to share with others who keep their ears and minds open. I hope that the world might then share in this practice, to live through others’ lives and share experiences to teach other and learn from each other. Soon I hope to have a voice to represent careful thought and experience that I possess, and can share with the rest of the world.
Colton Stinger is a freshman McConnell Scholar studying chemistry and political science at the University of Louisville.