Nice post and great selfie!
I think we often do have more in common than we have differences. We're just tribal animals who need things to define our group from the other group. But even though we have tribal tendencies, we can still have civil discussions with others and possibly modify our opinions or agree to disagree.
Best line in here, for me, is "we got in the small groups and started talking..." I think that is important in college and university, to be exposed to a universe of ideas which can be discussed in depth to discover the nuances. I think we need more talk, more exposure to ideas that we may not agree with, if they are presented in a thoughtful manner, rather than less talk.
Thank you for your insightful comment, It's good to hear that you also see the value in discussion because it helps us to define ourselves even further. I think that exposure is so crucial to our development, and you so eloquently added that its important specifically at university! Colleges and universities are having a difficult time, I think, managing the perceived balance between political correctness and open dialogue and that comes with a disadvantage to students! The answer is simple, like you said, "More talk, more exposure".
Thanks for reading and commenting, it means a lot :)