Upon accepting of my final Justice assignment, I sat at my desk contemplating the subject I wanted to address the most. There were the merits of the improving social programs at Brandeis that are significantly better than those four years ago when I matriculated. There were improvements in the academic curricula and the administration's policies on credited internships and the study abroad program that should be commended. There was reality television. The Matrix Reloaded. My fixation on the Anna Nicole Show. Clay Aiken. And somewhere between indecision clouding my will to write was Senior Week, with its promise of mind-erasing disorientation. It was not until I overheard a conversation between a girl and her friend at last Sunday's The Faint show when I tripped over my inspiration. I watched as the girl in front of me caught the attention of two rather chatty boys who seemed less flirtatious and threatening than they were talkative and social. After a brief chat, the girl turned to her friend and said, "Is it me, or is there a sign on my back that says 'Talk to me?'"

At that moment, I was so struck by the amount of disdain and disbelief in her tone that I forgot that I, like many others, have often made similar remarks when approached by unfamiliar people. As a society, most of us have been taught to be anti-social, rather than social. The art of conversation that was so celebrated and admired in Oscar Wilde's plays has been reduced in the 21st Century to nothing but mindless "What's up?" quips among acquaintances and dirty looks to strangers.

It is odd to think that in an age with such advanced information technology, most people revile personal interaction. Despite living in close proximity to one another in dormitory halls and shared housing, hall mates and suitemates often turn to e-mail and Instant Messenger in order to communicate. What is it exactly about speaking to one another, face-to-face, that we are willing to go to great lengths to avoid?

From my own experience, conversation has been the key to all of the great friendships I have had at Brandeis. I can still remember the first semester of my first year here when my roommate and I could never seem to connect, though the lack of personal interaction then was probably due to scheduling conflicts and her chemistry lab reports. Everything fell into place, however, one night when we were both stressed with class work, when we fell asleep after talking for hours in the darkness of our room. It was just a conversation, but it was also the beginning of a friendship that has lasted for four years, while other roommate and hall-mate relationships have ended.

Among some of the most rewarding experiences I had this year were conversations with my friends, not dressed up like extras in bling-bling music videos or fumbling around in a dark, hazy bar. They were conversations around a kitchen table, in sweats and pajamas, hugging our knees and wiggling our un-cool toes. Nothing else mattered, except our willingness to understand each other's views and words. Hours later, when we emerged from the kitchen, we went to bed knowing more than we did at the beginning of the day, and with a better understanding of our friends and of the world. In avoiding these conversations and discussions, as we often do with our insincere "How are you?" salutations, we make a statement that we are avoiding and in a way, in fear of the traffic of ideas.

Our nation's Bill of Rights ensures a freedom of speech, yet our society tells us to guard our speech in fear of one another. Parents teach their children to not speak to strangers, so that we all grow up thinking that every unfamiliar face is a danger. It is with an openness of mind, a willingness to listen to others, and bravery to stand up for one's beliefs that ideas can be shared and understood. If fear comes from the unknown, perhaps it is time that we make an effort to gain knowledge of the world that is beyond the readings in textbooks and class lectures. For the graduating class, and for those left with years to make a change in the community, remember that the pursuit of truth, even unto its innermost parts, can only be attained by sharing information. The next time somebody asks you, "What's up?", don't just walk past them with a smile and a salutation. Make a difference, one conversation at a time.