How many times have you been walking into or out of Dewick when some overly aggressive freshman shoves a pamphlet in your face or asks you to complete a survey on the merits and/or drawbacks of bottled water, for instance? At Tufts, we are all simply unable to steer clear of nervy volunteers looking for signatures for a petition, more volunteers or, worst of all, donations. This campus is absolutely saturated with volunteerism and activism, which isn't a bad thing in a vacuum.
The problem at Tufts isn't the energetic and vehement spirit of activism coursing through campus, but rather the target of that activism. The campus and our world face huge, seemingly insurmountable issues that need just this energy and activism. Poverty, hunger, safe and affordable housing, public safety in general, especially around the Tufts campus: All of these are significant issues deserving of the voluminous energy that has recently been targeted at "problems" like bottled water and the Primary Source.
Now don't get me wrong; I'm no defender of the Source. I actually hate it, but I have better things to do than get all worked up about something that, if I choose not to read, has absolutely no effect on my life. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they make fun of me personally sometimes — I'm a peace activist, a pretty staunch liberal, and I'm not afraid to speak my mind — but who cares? My mom always used to tell me that the best way to deal with something (or someone) that upsets you is to just ignore it. I think it's good advice, particularly when that thing doesn't really affect you … or anyone else.
Also, when it comes down to it, I tend to agree with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign that was all the craze at Tufts last year. I realize that bottled water contributes to fossil fuel use and pollution, empowers the corporate elite, blah blah blah. But when it comes down to it, I think I speak for a rather large majority of students here when I say that I don't really care.
In the interest of constructive criticism, let me offer the Think Outside the Bottle folks some advice: A campaign against bottled water when millions of people have no access to clean water, from the tap or a bottle, really isn't good for your image. It isn't particularly useful, either. If people do in fact drink a little bit less bottled water, is that the glorious endpoint of your campaign? Will you celebrate, I mean really rejoice at, a moderate reduction in plastic usage? Get real.
You might be wondering if what I'm complaining about is all that prevalent at Tufts. Let's look at TuftsLife.com for supporting evidence. A cursory review of this week's event listings is especially revelatory on this topic. There are daily encouragements to "Find Out More About Vaginas," something I've always meant to do, really; a meeting of the Friends of Israel group, which is obviously gratuitous at a campus as saturated with Jews as Tufts is; and the Jumbo Janitor Alliance, which I support in principle but similarly don't care about.
Am I just apathetic? Perhaps, but I maintain that the activism we see at Tufts is, for the most part, poorly designed and ultimately misguided. If I've convinced you, and you want to reform, it's very easy. Work on real problems; there's a real litany of options to choose from. Against the Primary Source? Join the Tufts Democrats or write for its magazine, The Forum. Against bottled water? Advocate for clean water for all and improvements to international infrastructure. Work on real problems, don't construct new ones.
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Will Ehrenfeld is a junior majoring in peace and justice studies. He can be reached at Will.Ehrenfeld@tufts.edu.
