10. LISTENING POSTS

Listening Posts: Who, What, and Where are they?

  

  When I hear someone mention a listening post, the first thing that comes to my mind is my residence hall, Fincher Hall, at Southern Arkansas University. This is where I typically get most of my information because I am always around other students who hear information from all over campus. I also think of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building on campus, because usually if I am not in my room then I am at the BCM building. While these are my listening posts, they are most likely not to be the same as everyone else.

    That is the interesting thing about listening posts, they do not have to be in one central location. I would describe a listening post as anywhere that someone gets their information and even where someone might get a little bit of gossip as well. I think generally, people's listening posts are rooted in who they are around most often. For me, this includes the people in my dorm and my friends at the BCM. Being around them so much leads me to be influenced by what they say. This can include us talking about what is happening at school or even what is happening around town. 

    I think that a listening post can be so much more than just a gossip session or chatter about classes. It can also be a place where friends can talk about their personal lives or have purposeful conversations. I believe that this especially becomes more true as we grow up. If I would have been asked about my listening posts in middle school, I probably would have said that it is where my friends and I gossip about the latest middle school drama or talk about a boy one of us liked. However, in college I now find myself having more meaningful talks in my listening posts and throughout my day.

    Another thing about listening posts is that I do not think they have to necessarily be a physical place. We live now in an age of technology. Almost everyone I know is on social media or at least knows about some social media site. I would say that now, platforms like Instagram and TikTok could be considered listening posts because these sites are where many people get the bulk of their information. This is why listening posts are so interesting and fluid. Whether its online or in person, everyone gets information from somewhere and, wherever it is, that would be their listening post.