Hello, I am Sebastian Graff.
I’m a Political Science major at Suffolk University. I’m particularly fascinated by politics, history, philosophy, psychology, and how humans relate to each other. These areas initially led me to writing, but the site has evolved into so much more. It will give voice to thoughts and ideas. It will allow us to question things we take for granted. It will help us better understand what it means to be human.
Mostly, the essays I publish here don’t start as being sure about anything. They start with curiosity. My main concern isn’t to tell you what to think; it’s to explain how you came up with that idea. Whether I’m looking at political issues, contemporary social trends, ethics, meaning, or daily living, I want to look at everything thoughtfully and honestly even if there are no comfortable answers.
The thing I like least about today’s public discourse is that it seems to reward certitude over understanding. Social media tends to promote quick responses, and most of the important questions seem to demand patience, nuance, and an openness to changing your mind. That is why this is my effort to slow that process down. Rather than trying to “win” arguments through my writing, I want to explore ideas fairly.
I have been a camp counselor and student leader outside of my writing experience. Both positions have helped me learn the value of communication, responsibility, and compassion. Additionally, both experiences have reaffirmed something that I try to bring into all of my writing: individuals are usually far more complex than their initial impressions suggest.
Alongside this blog, I produce videos on YouTube that involve the same topics, but in a more informal format. The blog provides a vehicle for me to fully develop my ideas, whereas the videos provide an opportunity for me to discuss those ideas differently. Together, they function as an encouragement for meaningful dialogue instead of furthering divisions.
This website does not intend to present solutions to everything. Instead, it presents a collection of the questions and observations that I believe merit examination. Some pieces may conflict with your views. Other pieces may support your views. In either case, I would like every piece to make you think just a little bit harder than you did previously.
If you’ve ended up reading this site, thank you for taking the time to visit. I hope you can find something here that will cause you to stop for a moment, reflect on things, or see the world differently than you were seeing it before.
- And now that’s all set in order, what were we talking about?
The Graff Journal 