2019-12-09 by Daily Titan

Monday December 9, 2019 Thursday December 12, 2019

Students pay millions for parking; where does it go?

WENDY CHAVEZ / DAILY TITAN

Cal State Fullerton will pay $2.6 million annually for the new $38.8 million structure next to the Eastside parking structure.

Parking permit costs will climb from $285 to $334 by July. JESSICA RAZO Asst. Editor

WENDY CHAVEZ ARIANNA BURNS Staff Writers

Volume 106 Issue 47

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

This year alone, Cal State Fullerton students have paid $9.8 million for their campus parking, and they are set to spend millions more in the coming decade. The $9.8 million comes from the sale of roughly 39,000 semester-long parking permits. Historically, CSUF is a commuter university and at least 50% of students purchase parking permits each semester, according to the Department of

Parking and Transportation. As of this semester, there are 39,868 students enrolled at CSUF and a total of 8,047 parking spaces available for students. CSUF sold 18,880 permits this semester — over twice as many permits as there are spaces. The parking permit cost $236 last semester, then increased to $285 this semester and will climb to $334 by the 2020 summer session — an increase of over 40% in two

years. The daily parking pass will increase from $8 to $10, and the motorcycle parking permits will increase from $120 to $140. Campus officials justified the increase by stating that it will be used to finance the incoming parking structure on the east side of campus, next to the existing Eastside structure. The structure will hold 1,900 new spaces and cost $38.8 million, according to Sasha Azoqa, communications specialist for the parking and transportation department. She added that each parking spot is $20,000, which are used by two to three students each day. The new parking structure will be built north of the Eastside parking structure and is set to be completed by fall of 2020. It will include energy-efficient LED lighting, elevators, a staircase and a rooftop solar canopy. The structure is intended to help alleviate parking overflow, which is an issue that has become worse over the years. However, some students have expressed displeasure with the increase, acknowledging the parking issue on campus, but not wanting it paid for by students who already face financial hardships. “It makes me upset, and it makes me feel frustrated, because students are already food insecure. We have tenants who are homeless. We can’t afford their textbooks,” said Maria Linares, Associated Students’ board of directors vice chair. “It really isn’t the time to be raising parking permit fees.” Students opposed to the parking permit increase started a petition on the website change.org that has raised nearly 3,000 student signatures — over halfway to its goal of 5,000 signatures. Throughout the comment section, students have voiced their concerns and their disappointment about the fee increase. SEE MONEY

Losing Concluding the decade with art and style is easy money CSUF’s Grand Central Art Gallery in Santa Ana features poetry and live performance. NATHAN NGUYEN Editor

Men’s basketball made $1.3 million the past six years for away games. DANIEL BRITO Staff Writer

BILLY HUYNH Asst. Editor

KASON CLARK Editor

For five years, the Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball team has received $1.3 million from other schools for playing away games, the most out of all of the university’s athletic programs. From 2013-18 the guaranteed revenue acquired from the men’s team dwarfs even the women’s team, who had the next highest with $99,500 in the same five years. Last season, the men’s team received nearly $250,000, while the women’s team had the second-most with $20,000. In certain collegiate sports, such as basketball, visiting universities are paid by the program in which the home team is highly expected to win. While the monetary benefit is enticing, CSUF athletic director Jim Donovan is wary about scheduling too many of what he defines as “money games.” “Typically, you’re going into a game where you’re going to be an underdog, and you will likely lose the game. So we try not to play more than about four money games a year with our men’s basketball program because we’re still trying to have a winning record overall,” Donovan said. SEE AWAY

“Transdimensional dance party lit by dramatic light” and “Profound silence for devoted listeners,” were just a few of the phrases artist Chris Kallmyer used in his piece titled “All Possible Music,” but they were also words used to describe the Grand Central Art Center’s latest exhibit . The art center, which partners with Cal State Fullerton, showcased its last art walk of the decade on Saturday night, Dec. 7 — a fitting farewell to the last 20 years of art, music, live performance and celebrations held at the intimate gallery in downtown Santa Ana. After opening to the public in 1999, the center celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year in March with a special event reception. Every first Saturday of the month, the center holds an art walk with new exhibits for enthusiasts and anyone interested in what lies between the lines. Serendipitous music seeped through the gallery’s glass doors as people strolling through the streets were drawn in by the strange allure. Guests were treated with a live musical performance before they even walked through the gallery’s doors, but they would have to go inside to fully hear the music and understand the context of everything in place. Smooth strings and sounds from pedal steel guitars echoed through the night as part of Chris Kallmyer’s latest installation, “Faded Love,” which Kallmyer describes as “country western musicians playing sad songs all together.” Surrounded by stacks of hay and curious listeners, the musicians played a melancholic symphony that filled the spaces and set the mood for all those in attendance. In the next room over, Kallmyer’s short film, “All Possible Music,” played on an endless loop for viewers to immerse themselves into poetic prose. According to the exhibit title’s

NATHAN NGUYEN / DAILY TITAN

Martín Durazo’s ‘Monolith (ic),’ a stone Babylonian behemoth, is featured at CSUF’s Grand Central Art Gallery.

description, “All Possible Music” is a “film that envisions all music that could ever happen in casual handwritten descriptions.” Short notes written on paper across three panels side-by-side detailed unlimited possibilities from an “Amateur yodeling by candle light,” and a “Better than average laser light show for dogs” to a “Heartfelt production of ‘Macbeth’ in an igloo,” and a “Profound profession of love for a stranger.” For a half-hour, words and phrases mixed and matched to form idioms that intersected across spectrums of unspoken word poetry. Whether they were sitting down or standing in the back, many attendees stuck around to watch the entire duration of the film, curious to see if the pages of poetry ever ended. Kallmyer’s unconventional work incorporates everyday objects and explores the human senses, encouraging observers to question the ever-changing environment around them. John Spiak, director and chief curator of the Grand Central Art Center, said he loved Kallmyer’s pieces in the way that it changes and develops into something bigger and bigger as time goes on. Grand Central Art Center’s mission statement is dedication to the “open exploration of contemporary art, culture and creativity: locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, through socially engaged collaborations among artists,

NATHAN NGUYEN / DAILY TITAN

Steel guitarists played a melancholic symphony as part of artist-in-residence Chris Kallmyer’s piece, ‘All Possible Music,’ at the Grand Central Art Center.

students and communities.” Artist-in-Residence Martín Durazo’s “Monolith (ic)” stood out from the rest of the gallery’s pieces in more ways than one, as it towered over everything in its path. A stone behemoth stood in the middle of the room, and the Babylonian demon represented power and strength. Oddly enough, the stone monument wasn’t the strangest piece in the room. Surrounding it was also a disco ball and mirror in a boat, the alcoholic energy drink Four Loko in a clear backpack, Papa Smurf from “The Smurfs” comics and a wall of glowing abstract art. Before guests left for the night, they could spend a relaxing time under Sharon Levy’s “Canopy,”

“a mobile made of wooden dowels and handmade translucent green paper leaves,” according to the exhibit’s title description. Jennifer Enriquez, a communications major with an emphasis in advertisement at CSUF and Santa Ana resident, said the gallery’s location was a surprise to her. “I didn’t even know it was in Santa Ana, and I’m from Santa Ana. So it was interesting to see that, but I liked it. I liked the music, I liked the overall layout of the place,” Enriquez said. Spiak said that the Grand Central Art Center is still a hidden gem to those at Cal State Fullerton, and there’s still a lot of students and faculty that aren’t aware of all the things the center has to oﬀer. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

2 News

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

CSUF struggles to divert waste from landfills The CSU has a goal to divert 80% of solid waste from landfills by 2020. MARIAH SANCHEZ Editor

DIANA TRAN BRIANA TORRES Staff Writers

MARIAH SANCHEZ / DAILY TITAN

Cal State Fullerton disposes some of its waste at the Olinda Landfill in Brea.

MARIAH SANCHEZ / DAILY TITAN

ELIZABETH CASTILLO / DAILY TITAN

The falcon will fly around the landfill to scare away seagulls.

Cal State Fullerton produces about 4,000 tons of waste every year, however only a little over half of that is diverted from landfills because of improper disposal. Although CSUF has bins sideby-side that are meant to separate landfill and recyclable trash, the recycling bins are often taken to a landfill as well. “When custodians pull and they see the bag is so full of Starbucks coffee and all this other stuff that’s just totally contaminated the load, it’s got to go in the trash,” said Danny Miranda Jr., the sustainable waste management specialist at CSUF. Over the last five years, contaminated single-serve items from coffee shops, food trucks and on-campus dining restaurants have been the largest unrecycled waste material at CSUF, according to the school’s annual CalRecycle reports. Miranda has been working to mitigate the amount of waste and reach the CSU goal of diverting 80% of solid waste from landfills by 2020. This is more than the state goal of diverting 75% of waste outlined in Assembly Bill 341. However, the school’s diversion rate hovers around 60%. CSUF’s total waste output has decreased in the last few years from 5,708 tons in 2013 to 3,028 tons in 2018, according to CalRecycle reports. “I’ve actually had other organizations from the waste-hauler standpoint tell us that’s pretty good, so we’re doing well,” Miranda said. In 2016, CSUF switched from a single-stream dirty recycle material producer to a sourced-separated campus. This meant that the trash generated by CSUF would be sorted by type at the time it’s discarded. In addition to landfill and recycle bins, the campus has a receptacle in the Titan Student Union that is designated for batteries, small electronics and ink cartridges. CSUF also set goals to increase signage and education on what proper disposal means. Furthermore, there has been a CSU-wide ban of certain single-use plastics and plastic foam, which is anticipated to reduce the amount of waste even more. To increase the diversion rate, Miranda said the school will be piloting Bigbelly units, which have a capacity that is five times more than traditional bins because of the built-in compactor. The units are also solar-powered and tied to an app that will provide notifications for when the bins need to be emptied. CSUF will have seven double units, meaning they will be placed in pairs, with

one bin meant for landfill and the other for recyclables. Miranda plans to place them in front of the Humanities and Social Sciences building and near the Starbucks at the Pollak Library. “Those areas tend to be high in contamination because of the food trucks right there and Starbucks nearby,” Miranda said. “If we can mitigate contamination in those areas, then the rest of campus would be a lot easier because you won’t see such a high amount of food.” According to Bigbelly’s website its units have been successful in Orinda, California. Republic Services, Inc. reports that Orinda is providing a 93% clean uncontaminated recycling stream. Recyclables should be empty, clean and dry to ensure that they will be recycled said Cathy Nguyen, Republic Services, Inc.’s recycling coordinator. Its website also advises people to be familiar with what is recyclable or not. “The current society enables us to be wasteful, and whether it’s intentional or not is up to the consumer,” Nguyen said. The company has been the service provider for CSUF for the last 40 years, Nguyen said. She said waste is picked up at CSUF about six times a week, and recyclables three times a week. Since the summer of this year, the company began accepting food waste. CSUF has not diverted food scraps and food-soiled paper until recently because the service was not capable of processing food waste. A campus food-recycling program pilot was started in the Gastronome where food not sent out to the dining room is collected for compost. Republic Services, Inc. has a machine called the Mega Thor Turbo Separator that processes the organic waste. “It’s taken a while, but we finally got it off the ground over there so we’re hoping it can blossom into the full program and help us generate some numbers and improve our diversion rates for organics,” Miranda. said. To further increase composting on campus, the university reached out to the Fullerton Arboretum to process food waste from the Gastronome again. They stopped composting in 2014 because he was the only one overseeing it said Miguel Macias, the education program manager at the Arboretum. “I used to do this three times a week, and every pickup that I did was three, 30-gallon barrels that we would dump into the bucket of the tractor,” Macias said. Due to limited staffing and an inefficient transportation vehicle, it

was time-consuming for Macias to continue composting. The arboretum and the university aim to revive this program again, and are currently looking into purchasing a better vehicle to transport the food waste. The ultimate goal for the arboretum is to expand collecting waste not only from the Gastronome, but also from the Titan Student Union. For CSUF trash that cannot be recycled or composted, it is taken to the Brea Olinda Landfill, one of the three active landfills in Orange County. Trash stored in the multiple trash bins across campus are first taken by a hauler to a materials facility center that separates waste from recyclables, said Nan Natanom-Harrold, a civil engineer of OC Waste and Recycling. The waste is taken to the Brea Olinda Landfill by the same haulers that transport the materials to the facility center, also “are in charge of managing where that waste goes,” Natanom-Harrold said. On average, the Olinda Landfill can only receive an average of 7,000 tons of waste daily, however on high-volume days, such as after the holiday season, the landfill’s maximum daily intake is 10,500 tons. As a result of the landfill’s limit, CSUF’s trash is sometimes taken to the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill because the Olinda Landfill reaches maximum capacity. Natanom-Harrold said, most landfills in California are made by canyon fills, which is done by excavating dirt to create “a big hole in the ground and then you started placing trash in there and eventually the hole became a mountain. That’s exactly what’s happening here at a Olinda landfill.” The Olinda landfill began in the 1960s with two canyon fills, and is expected to remain open for the for the next decade, closing in the 2030s. Focusing on an approach for environmental protection, when waste is transferred to the trash slope, it’s layered with a process called green material, which is basically organic yard waste that can’t be turned into compost, according to Natanom-Harrold. “Basically to prevent landfill gas from escaping into the environment, we put a series of perforated pipes in the ground and hook that all up to a vacuum system,” she said. This process is introducing the vacuum series to remove the gas from the sorted waste and convert it into electricity. In an eﬀort to combat seagulls from taking trash from the

landfill piles and dragging it oﬀsite, Olinda Landfill and many others have employed falconers or bird control managers. The falconers manage a small group of falcons, that fly above the landfill scaring oﬀ seagulls and other birds. The falcons will fly for 20 minutes up to a couple of hours, depending on the bird’s attention span and mood. The service provided by the falcons is multifunctional as swarms of seagulls also pose potential dangers for the heavy equipment operators. The Olinda Landfill is scheduled to close some time between 2020 and 2030 because it is running out of usable space. This

means that Republic Services, Inc. would take CSUF’s trash to the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, which would increase fuel and labor expenditures. “We hope to prolong the life of the landfill by reducing the amount of waste that goes there,” Nguyen said. Miranda is pushing for more reducing, reusing and recycling in anticipation for the Olinda Landfill’s closure. “The zero-waste thing, we’re striving toward it, but we’re not there yet. There’s always a certain amount of material that’s going to have to be disposed of,” Miranda said.

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

News 3

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

Climate change protests continue in Orange There have been strikes outside Orange City Hall nearly every Friday.

As part of the ongoing fight against climate change, a group of protestors brandished signs and demanded action at Orange City Hall last Friday. Their leaders, three siblings all under the age of 19, organized the rally. The Speiser siblings, Johanna, Jonathan and Julius, have organized strikes nearly every Friday as part of the continuous global movement, Friday for Future. “I never thought, especially at my age, that I could do anything about it, which is such a big thing,” said Johanna Speiser. “But then, we saw Greta Thunberg from Sweden, and I mean, when I first heard about her, that was the first time that I actually felt hope when I thought about this issue.” Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old environmental activist, who has inspired people worldwide to protest with her against climate change — the Speisers included.

The siblings, as well as others involved with the strike, have spoken with Orange City Council and hope that their continued efforts will convince the city to declare a climate emergency. Having yet to see any action taken by the city council to improve the climate and environment of the city, Johanna Speiser remains optimistic that by showing up on Fridays and attending meetings, their voices will eventually be heard. “These things do take a long time, but the more effort and energy we put into it, the quicker these things will happen,” said Speiser. Sixty-two-year-old resident of Villa Park Mel Vernon has atOLIVIA HAWKINS / DAILY TITAN tended multiple Friday strikes, be- Demonstrator Richard Turner holds a sign at Friday’s rally against climate change in Orange. cause he wants to leave his family with a healthy planet to live on. that will end up as an avalanche, this current administration is not,” we need that here.” Like many in attendance, Ver- eventually reaching enough people Abbot-Wicker said. As for the future of the clinon encourages others to action. to make change. She urges Americans to turn mate and the work they are do“I haven’t started digging my Danett Abbott-Wicker, a Cal out at events like the climate ing, Johanna Speiser remains grave,” Vernon said. “I haven’t State Fullerton alumna, said that strike in order to get the atten- positive and motivated. started building my coffin yet. the upcoming elections could tion of elected officials, similar “What is still clear is that I’ve read the articles that say lend to some hope for the future to what is being seen in Sweden the more we keep going with that, and I guess as long as I’m of the climate if the right person from Thunberg’s influence. this, the worse it will get, even here, I’m going to work to make is elected into office. “We literally need people out if we’ve already pushed it quite things better.” “It’s going to be vital that we get in the streets like they are in far,” Johanna Speiser. “We just Vernon compared the climate someone in there that is ‘pro-envi- Europe,” Abbott-Wicker said. have to try our very best to now change movement to a snowball ronment’ and ‘pro-everything’ that “We don’t have that here, and do everything we can.”

CONTINUED FROM 1 A state audit into the CSU earlier this year found that the chancellor’s oﬃce “failed to ensure that campuses fully explore options for alternate transportation before investing in expensive parking facilities.” The audit came months after CSUF announced the building of a new parking lot. Kristen Jasko, the director for the parking and transportation department, said her department has always looked at alternatives to parking, either through third-party applications or carpooling in order to alleviate the parking issue. The increase in parking fees are propping up an even larger cost:

the structures that have already been built. In the last 15 years, three parking structures have been added to CSUF that are still in the process of being paid oﬀ, according to Danny Kim, the vice president for administration and finance. The $25.7 million Nutwood parking structure is expected to be paid oﬀ by 2029, and the $24.7 million State College parking structure is expected to be paid by 2031. Lastly, the $24.9 million Eastside parking structure is expected to be paid in 2035, according to the parking and transportation department. The new structure will cost $2.6

OLIVIA HAWKINS Staff Writer

Money: Costs increase over 40% in two years

On Wednesday, December 5, 2019, the sports page story, “Angels will stay in Orange County,” had a photo caption that incorrectly said Angel Stadium opened in 1961. The Los Angeles Angels played in Wrigley Field in 1961, and did not play in Angel Stadium until 1966 when the venue opened. We at the Daily Titan apologize for the misinformation.

Fullerton Christian Science Church 100th Anniversary

EDITORIAL

For the Record

million per year, bringing the total amount of annual construction bond costs to $6.9 million which will remain until at least 2029. That brings the total cost of the parking structures to just over $114 million. Azoqa noted that the new parking structure is “on track” in terms of its development. Bomel Construction, the same contractor who built the State College parking structure, is currently in the process of building the third floor. According to the California Education Code 89700, the parking and transportation department is unable to receive any state or university funding to help pay for operating costs or the development of parking facilities, forcing the department to solely fund itself. “All of the construction or maintenance of the parking structure has to come from parking permit fees,” Azoqa said. Jasko said the parking structures

Managing Editor Nathan Nguyen

Sports Assistants Tameka Poland Mariah Ross John Corona

Senior Editors Sophia Acevedo Brandon Pho

Opinion Editors Alyssa Lopez Bernadette Steele

News Editors Hosam Elattar Jessica Benda

Opinion Assistant Melisa Rybaltowski

Editor-in-Chief Jordan Mendoza

News Assistants Noah Biesiada Lydia Kelley Adam Maldonado Celeste Sharp

First Church of Christ, Scientist 1300 N. Raymond Avenue, Fullerton 92831 (714) 525-4062 csfullerton@sbcglobal.net www.christiansciencefullerton.org

ADVERTISING

Sunday Service & Sunday school: 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Testimony Meeting: 7:30 p.m. Reading Room & Bookstore: Mon - Sat, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Sports Editors Arnulfo Gonzalez Kason Clark

Lifestyle Editors Kim Pham Madeline Gray Lifestyle Assistants Taylor Arrey Stephanie DeLateur Sarita Espinosa Copy Editors Ayrton Lauw Kristina Garcia

Account Executives Jay Barrozo Cameron Carpenter Assistant Director Emily Elpedes Ernest Belen Brea Miller Marketing Coordinators Alex Muir Sydney Davis Alex Pridham Elisha Miranda Director Of Advertising Alex Bosserman

parking attendant who is available until 10 p.m. Another effort the department has made to assist with the parking crisis is off-site parking at EvFree Church. This additional parking was first offered in spring 2017 due to the record enrollment the university faced in fall 2016. Students can purchase an offsite parking permit for $85, with a shuttle service to and from campus available Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. “The really neat thing about that parking location (EvFree Church), and the shuttle service is that although we have 865 students that park there on a regular basis, we also have a lot that carpool from there,” Jasko said. “So we actually have more riders that use the shuttles than we have permit holders.” President Fram Virjee was unavailable to comment. Noah Biesiada contributed to this article.

Copy Assistants Dimitra Doiphode Stepheny Gehrig Charlotte Kong Hollyn Littlefield

Social Media Assistants Billy Huynh Jessica Razo

Layout Editors Mary DeFranco Chau Le Layout Assistant Vanessa Du Photo Editor Eliza Green

Illustrator Assistants Cindy Proaño Jennifer Ho Elizabeth Castillo

Photo Assistant Omar Sanchez Social Media Editor Lauren Wong

Illustrator Rebecca Mena

Multimedia Editors Dominic Torres Mariah Sanchez Multimedia Assistant Analese Sandoval Webmaster Joyce Silvera Faculty Adviser Walter Baranger

Student Accountant John Balestreri Distribution Manager Jake Hwang-Twigg Faculty Adviser Michelle Kurland

Graphic Designers Sarah Fong Makenzie Van Vooren

CONTACT

“the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10, 11

are typically funded by a 25-year loan that is paid oﬀ with parking permit revenue. “Parking permit revenue goes directly to fund the parking operations, whether it’s the operating expenses of the department, any debt service outstanding on the parking structures or just general operating expenses,” Jasko said. To aid the parking demand during the first three weeks of school, the department launched an assisted parking program in spring 2017, which allowed for students to have their vehicles parked in aisles after lots have been filled. This year, the “assisted parking was placed in areas that we hadn’t had previously, and for an extended time,” Jasko said. This is because of the 500 parking spaces that were lost in Lot E, due to the construction of the new structure. The program is available Monday through Thursday in lots A, G, S and Titan Hall South, with a

Editor-in-Chief

(657) 278-5815 editorinchief@dailytitan.com

News Line

(657) 278-4415 news@dailytitan.com

Sports Line

(657) 278-3149 sports@dailytitan.com

Advertising

(657) 278-4411 ads@dailytitan.com

FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 3. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief Jordan Mendoza at (657) 278-5815 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com to report any errors.

ALL ARE WELCOME

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

© Copyright Daily Titan 2019 All Rights Reserved The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, Inc. College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @THEDAILYTITAN

4 Lifestyle

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

ALEX BOSSERMAN / DAILY TITAN

Album

Adrenaline and desire taints ‘Pang’

REVIEW

Listeners will be taken on a trip through brooding clouds and crashing waves. ALEX BOSSERMAN Freelancer

“PANG!” One moment you’re peacefully at rest in bed, the next you’re anxiously looking to sate some sort of emptiness. Hunger beckons you to the kitchen, envy leads you to a glowing screen and affection has you ready to fly out of the front gate towards the moon. These are the rushes of adrenaline and desire that frame Caroline Polachek’s debut solo album, “Pang.” It is also framed by a carefully-crafted mythos, inspired by sharp-edged, moody Disney paintings, and the intricate set designs that adorn their parks. “The greyhound is the spirit animal of ‘Pang’ (greyhounds’ curved bellies look the way a pang of hunger feels)… ready to bolt, but also affectionate, big-eyed and mythical, tugging at the leash,” Polachek said on her Instagram. The album depends on visual ideas that almost seem like a direct reaction to Polachek’s last musical effort — the joint project, “Moth,”

by the band Chairlift. The other half of the band, Patrick Wimberly, painted a more upbeat and bright image of love in the city, whereas Polachek looks to upend that perspective, peering into the more desperate emotions that accompany love and heartbreak. The first half of the album lives under a dark cloud, with spears of lightning occasionally flashing through. The striking synthesizers in the title track adds fangs to Polachek’s biting lyrics, “It’s a beautiful knife cutting right where the fear should be.” In “Hit Me Where It Hurts,” the same self-doubt manifests itself outwardly. “I’m feeling like a butterfly trapped inside a plane / Maybe there’s something going on, I’m not insane.” Listeners are put on a track, drifting here and there, but ultimately find they have an illusory sense of control as the song careens them into the unknown. “Pang” certainly confronts the listener with despair and apathy, portraying depressive scenes at times. “Insomnia” is like a black hole, the center of the album where a switch from dark to light seems possible, but not before some deep introspection, “Dreams of dried fields / That once were green / Burnt by someone just like me.” “Ocean of Tears” is the revelation that culminates from the soundscapes in the album. It’s a fiery

waterspout, a tension between two worlds that desperately anticipate unison. “I wanna know what it feels like / To pull you close and tangle up with you real tight.” Backing vocals are submerged into a lowpass filter, a stormy-white noise hangs in the air and metallic-sounding synthesizers clash like swords. In the music video for “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” Polachek dances around the underworld with her hands and her voice casts spells on the listener. Synthetic, but real, like the hellish landscape behind her. Polachek’s voice resembles an electric guitar, as she softly chants, “Show me the banana,” during the bridge. Polachek’s operatic voice and embrace of voice modulation bridges the gap between sounds of yesteryear and modernity. While contemporaries like Charli XCX use it as a brash and bombastic look toward the future, Polachek seems to turn it inward, arranging songs with computer-generated orchestras and strings that appeal to drowning hearts. Earlier in “New Normal,” Polachek struggles to adapt to the chaotic shifts and situations experienced in life’s vignettes. In “Caroline Shut Up,” she frustratingly recites that phrase in the chorus as a means to overcome her anxious, self-critical

ways, lest she ruin the very thing she so desperately chases. During the time-tripping chorus on penultimate track, “Door,” that chase seems endless, or at the very least futile. The song devolves into an overwhelming flurry of instrumentation. “Running, running, running,” from her past, the “perpetual novice” finally trusting that her best eﬀorts won’t be put to waste, as her voice climbs higher and higher. The final track, “Parachute,” beckons the listener to jump from the heights, let go of fear and let the wind take the listener where it may. Individuals hold onto ideas of who they are, building narratives of their lives and voyages across oceans. Trauma and relationships certainly contribute to identity, but they don’t define anyone. As Polachek sings, “Closing in on the sparkle of the waves,” listeners slip past the surface of the ocean. The water is frigid, it’s shocking and breathtaking, but is also rejuvenating — suddenly swimming and cutting through the tide, being able to survive what was previously considered fatal. “Go on, take me, it will feel like going home.” If you’re interested in art-pop, electronic and alternative music, or appreciate musicians like Charli XCX, HAIM, Enya and Imogen Heap, “Pang” is a must listen.

Movie

REVIEW

Mister Rogers is a hero to children and adults

The film teaches kindness and empathy through an unlikely friendship. JESSICA BENDA Editor

Though “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” is a show for children, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” is a movie that will resonate with adults even after they’ve left the theater. Inspired by a 1998 Esquire article, the film is less about Fred Rogers himself than it is about the troubled journalist who is tasked with writing about him. Lloyd Vogel, played by Matthew Rhys and loosely based on journalist Tom Junod, is a cynic and an award-winning writer with father issues. He has a wife, a newborn baby and a merciless resolve to weed out the worst in people and use it for his articles. Lloyd is dismayed when his editor tasks him with a profile piece about Rogers, a far cry from the investigative writing he lives for. Despite Lloyd’s qualms, he embarks on a quest to turn his profile piece into an exposée, as he believes that Rogers’ persona is not genuine. Rogers is masterfully played by Tom Hanks, who captured his slow smile and thoughtful pauses eﬀortlessly. Coupled with Rogers’ familiar red cardigan and trademark kindness, Hanks stepped into the shoes of the host who dominated VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

children’s television for over 30 years. He’s quirky and marches to the beat of his own drum — a man who takes extra time with make a wish kids and is genuinely interested in the lives of others. Hanks opened the film with a recreation of the original television series’ opening, directly greeting the audience with a spot on impression of the real life Rogers. Rogers then introduces audiences to a picture of Lloyd, explaining that Lloyd is having a hard time forgiving the person who hurt him. Rogers explained forgiveness to viewers as a decision to release someone from feelings of anger towards them, noting that the hardest people to forgive are the ones we love. Anger is a consistent theme throughout the story. At the root of Lloyd’s emotional turmoil is his estranged relationship with his father, Jerry, who cheated on his mother as she was dying and subsequently abandoned her and Lloyd. Their turbulent relationship is established from the very beginning at the wedding of Lloyd’s sister, when Lloyd punches Jerry. When Lloyd’s temper rises, viewers can hear an overwhelming ringing that increases with his anger — a nice touch by the sound designers of the film. His distress is conveyed through sound, such as the manic riﬃng of a piano as his father collapses from an argument while Lloyd’s anger keeps him from helping.

ELIZABETH CASTILLO / DAILY TITAN

In the wake of Lloyd’s instability, Rogers is steadfast. It balances him out as the two get to know each other over interviews. Rogers often turns the tables on Lloyd, sidestepping the journalist’s questions and asking his own. At one point, Rogers tries to connect with an unamused Lloyd through the use of his television puppets — one of the comedic moments in an emotional film. The film is brimming with

messages, and one of the many poignant ones come when Rogers attempts to set up a tent while filming his show. After a minute of comedic struggling, he gives up and cheerfully remarks that it must take two adults to set up the tent. Though his producers offer to film it again with the tent pitched, he keeps it as the final take and says, “Children need to know that even when adults make plans, sometimes they don’t turn

out the way we hope.” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” teaches viewers about positive ways to cope with anger and sadness, that it’s okay to ask for help and that every person is precious. Though the film could be lethargic, Rogers’ messages are those that everybody should hear. It’s a movie about his kindness and empathy — something this world can always use a little more of. The film plays on the nostalgia of the original show through elements like the recurring piano and using the miniature neighborhood for transitions. One of the most heartwarming moments is one that happened in real life. According to the original article, Lloyd and Rogers are riding the subway when two children spot Rogers and excitedly begin to sing his theme song, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” They’re quickly joined by the rest of the passengers and Rogers himself. It’s a sweet moment that reminds audiences just how big of an impact Rogers had on both kids and adults. The film skates by traditional cheesiness in favor of something real. The message isn’t overbearing, and the ending is a perfect and happy one. At times, the film is painfully accurate about adulthood troubles that many kids are blissfully unaware of. Adult viewers are swept back into their childhood — only this time they’re a little older, a little wiser and hopefully by the end of this film, a little kinder.

Sports 5

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

Away: Coaches have final say in scheduling CONTINUED FROM

The paid games that universities, including Cal State Fullerton, are paid to play in are often against high-profile schools from the Pac-12, Big 12, Big Ten, Atlantic Coastal and Southeastern conferences. Colleges from conferences are able to financially entice smaller programs since they benefit from their conference’s television contract. “(They) all get substantial TV revenues in their conference contracts, ranging anywhere from about $23 million a year to about $50 million a year.” Donovan said. “Those schools tend to pay teams a substantial amount of money to go to their school and play at their school because they make a lot of money and gate revenue.” The matches can be lucrative for smaller colleges who are often paid several thousands of dollars for men’s college basketball. The paychecks are even bigger in college football where some programs are paid over a million dollars to play on the road. Despite some criticism about potentially undermining the smaller programs, that hasn’t stopped universities from scheduling these games. The guaranteed revenue from the games are often used by the colleges, who don’t have the benefit of lucrative television contracts or large ticket sales, to help fund their athletic programs. “I would say, on average, we

get between $60,000 to $90,000 for the guarantee per game on the men’s basketball side,” Donovan said. CSUF, along with schools like Long Beach State, have used the guaranteed revenue from away games in men’s basketball to help pay their coaches. “Some of the money in the men’s guarantees under men’s basketball, some of it goes to the head coach based on (Dedrique Taylor’s) latest contract that started two years ago,” Donovan said. The athletic department utilizes the guaranteed revenue when creating its schedule as there are no monetary benefits from its television contract with the Big West conference. “That’s one of the reasons why you’ll see that large number on the amount that we’re getting, and a smaller number on the amount that we’re paying because we have a TV contract with the Big West to get some of our games on TV, but we get no-rights fees. We get zero dollars from it,” Donovan said. Donovan said, the lack of money games for sports other than basketball isn’t because of a lack of eﬀort. “It’s not that we’re not trying. They don’t exist, money games don’t exist in any of those other sports,” he said. The biggest collegiate sports that contribute to guaranteed revenue are football and men’s basketball. The NCAA generates over a billion dollars in revenue a

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN

Amount of revenue made by all men’s and all women’s sports programs for away games.

year with hundreds of millions of it coming from the NCAA Tournament during March. Beyond the financial gain though, CSUF athletic administrators say there is an incentive for scheduling games with high-profile universities. “The stronger the opponent that we schedule, the better it is for our power rating at the end of the season in the event we don’t win a conference championship and we want to try to qualify for an NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid,” said senior associate athletics

director Steve DiTolla, who helps oversee the men’s baseball and women’s basketball programs. Another factor in scheduling, is making sure its athletes are working in class, and that CSUF tries to “balance travel with as few days away from class time as possible,” according to Greg Paules, associate athletic director. Despite heavy administration involvement, the CSUF head coaches have the final say on scheduling. “We work directly with the head coaches. The head coaches are responsible for putting together their

schedule,” Paules said. For the near future, the athletics department doesn’t plan on veering from their current strategy involving money games. “I don’t think we’ll have much change in how we’re approaching it because we’ll probably stay at about three or four money games a year for men’s basketball,” Donovan said. For this season, Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball have eight non-conference away games on their schedule, including BYU, Stanford and UCLA.

Titans lose heartbreaker for fourth-straight loss Men’s basketball fell to Sacramento State, 62-59. KASON CLARK Editor

Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball lost their fourth-straight game after losing to Sacramento State, 62-59. It was a back-and-forth game as the Titans had an opportunity to tie it with eight seconds left, but Wayne Arnold missed the three-pointer. The Hornets won the opening tipoﬀ and scored on their first

possession from a jump shot by Osi Nwachukwu. The Titans could not get the game going as they missed four shots and turned the ball over twice to start. Sacramento’s leading scorer Joshua Patton scored four points to stretch the Hornet lead to 6-0 with just under 16 and a half minutes left in the half. A dunk from Vincent Lee finally got the Titans on the board and started a run for the Titans that ended with a Lee layup to tie the game, 8-8. However, a foul committed by Arnold allowed Brandon Davis to hit two free throws to retake the lead for the Hornets.

ELIZA GREEN / DAILY TITAN

Vincent Lee going for a layup against Sacramento State on Dec. 7 at Titan Gym.

The teams traded free throws as neither team could hit a basket for almost five minutes. Daniel Venzant broke the drought with a 3-pointer for the Titans to tie the game at 12. Austen Awosika then drew a 3-point play after getting fouled on a made layup. After hitting the ensuing free throw, the Titans took their first lead of the game with five and a half minutes left before halftime. However, it did not last long as the Hornets went on an 11-2 run to retake the lead, 23-17. The only points for the Titans came oﬀ of two Awosika free throws as they could not make a basket for five and a half minutes. However, Fullerton’s Brandon Kamga made a jump shot to end the Hornet run and Josh Pitts made a layup with six seconds left to cut the Hornet lead, 23-21, at halftime. Neither team shot well in the first half as the Hornets shot 29.2% and the Titans shot 34.8%. CSUF only made one of their four 3-point attempts, while the Hornets missed all five. The freethrow line made the diﬀerence as the Hornets hit 9-for-13 while the Titans were 4-for-8. Awosika led CSUF with seven points, while Jordan Cooke-Hooper led Sacramento with six points. Brandon Davis extended the Hornet lead with a layup to open the second half. However, fourstraight points from an Awosika jumper and a layup by Johnny Wang tied the game at 25. The Hornets retook the lead when Ethan Esposito made one of two free-throw attempts. The teams then went on to trade baskets. Tory San Antonio VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 30 for the Titans. The Hornets responded with a 3-pointer from Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa to retake the lead just over six minutes into the half. The teams continued to go back and forth as a 3-pointer from Wayne Arnold gave CSUF a 37-36 lead with 10 minutes left in the half. Sacramento responded again on the next possession as Esposito made two-straight free throws for the lead. The Titans kept it close the rest of the game as they never trailed by more than six points. CSUF Head Coach Dedrique Taylor commended his team for not letting the game get away from them and continuing to play hard. “I thought our group played hard no matter what. Whether we were up, down, in or out, they played hard,” Taylor said. With just under a minute and a half left in the game, the Titans trailed, 55-53. The teams would continue to trade baskets and free throws. CSUF got the ball back down three with 27 seconds left in the game. Instead of going for a game-tying 3-pointer to end regulation, Awosika went for two and missed. Fortunately, he was fouled and made two free throws to cut the deficit to one with 18 seconds left. The Hornets got the ball inbounds and quickly scored oﬀ a Davis layup. In response, Kamga went for a quick 3-pointer, but was blocked by Esposito with 10 seconds left. The Titans went for the tie, but Arnold missed the corner 3-point shot. Elijah McCullough hit two free throws for the Hornets

to ice the game. A last-second layup from Davon Clare for the Titans made the final score 62-59. Awosika led the Titans with 19 points, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and 7-for-9 from the freethrow line. He also led the team with four assists while Clare led CSUF with 11 rebounds. The Hornets were led by Esposito’s 16 points. While he only shot 4-for14 from the field, he made up for it by going 8-for-10 from the freethrow line. Both teams improved their shooting from the first half. For the game, the Titans shot 37.7% and the Hornets shot 40.4%. CSUF went 4-for-14 from the 3-point line and 15-for-20 from the free-throw line. Sacramento only made one 3-pointer, but they hit 23-31 of their free-throw attempts. It was the second game where the Titans missed a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds. The loss dropped the Titans to 3-7 for the season. While he was proud of how hard his team played, Taylor acknowledges they have plenty to work on on both ends of the floor. “Defensively, we got to clean up some things. Oﬀensively, we got to do a better job of getting the ball where we want it,” Taylor said. The Titans will next play at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against San Diego. Despite the four-straight losses, Taylor does not believe any of their upcoming opponents will feel bad for them. “Nobody cares, the only people that care about us is us, so we’ve got to do what we can do to get ourselves where we can go,” Taylor said.

6 Opinion

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

Column

Just the tips: sex advice for students Come to us for help getting straight A’s in the bedroom. ALYSSA LOPEZ JORDAN MENDOZA Editors

If you’re tired of hearing about the love doctors and want to get down to the real business, then look no further, because the sex gurus are here. It’s not a secret that college students have sex, but some don’t know about all the ins and outs of what goes on in the bedroom, so here’s our hot take on what Cal State Fullerton students want to know about sex. Before you read this, sex isn’t just defined as penetration or any other heteronormative ideals. Sex can be defined as whatever you want it to be. With that in mind, let’s strap on and get down and dirty. How can you tell someone you can’t get hard when it’s not their fault? Honesty is definitely key in this situation. If you can’t “get hard” and never talk to them about how it’s not their fault, then they will probably think it is. While you may find it difficult to bring this subject up, try to understand how they might be feeling or what they’re thinking. Nobody wants to feel like their partner isn’t physically attracted to them. While your inability to get an erection may be a medical issue, it’s possible that it is a mental phenomenon. If you know that it’s not about a lack of physical attraction to this person, then maybe an emotional connection is lacking. While some people can have sex without feelings being involved, not necessarily everyone can do the same. Perhaps you were one of those people at one point, however, that may not work for you anymore. Take time to think about what you want to get out of this or any romantic relationship, and decide if this person can give that to you and then go from there.

How do you tell someone they’re “too big”? Having an open conversation about this is the best option to avoid a possibly painful sexual experience. After discussing it, try to decide other ways the two of you can ease into penetration. Sex should be a pleasurable experience for all parties involved, but sometimes for females, sex can cause tearing inside of the vagina. This can be from a lack of lubrication or from being stretched too much. It’s not a pleasant experience. Let your partner know how you are feeling and don’t be afraid to speak up if something isn’t working. I think I’m too vanilla, what should I do? Not everyone has the same sex routine, but viewing something as “vanilla” or not depends on how experienced you are in the bedroom. More often than not, the first time is as plain as it gets because you don’t know what you like yet. If you think you’re too boring when it comes to sex, the first chance to break out of that shell is to simply watch porn. Don’t be afraid to browse the endless categories websites oﬀer. Don’t let it end there, explore when it comes to masturbating; try diﬀerent positions and even consider getting toys. A 2009 study found that the use of a vibrator among men and women can lead to more sexual desire and function, so don’t be afraid to use it as a segue to adding more to your sex routine. How do I tell the guy I’m talking to that he’s not as good in bed as he thinks he is?

There’s nothing more hurtful to a guy’s ego than being told they suck in bed. It might as well be a dagger to their heart. If you are confident enough to just straight out say they suck, then good for you, but for those who are too afraid to, there are other ways around this. Suggest a different way to go about how they are sliding in and out, for instance, “try longer strokes that could provide a deeper feel.” Don’t be afraid to guide them and their hips, and if something starts to send you over the top, let them know. It’s a definite boost to a guy when they know something specific is really working. When it comes to foreplay, take the time to guide their head around your body. It may seem awkward at first and can seem like a process, but practice makes perfect. It takes real strength to hear that you need to work on your performance. Let them know that they need work, but if you are willing to continue having sex, then let them know you want it to get better. If they react rudely, then they clearly aren’t worth your valuable time, when there could be someone out there who knows all the right moves in all the right places. Should size matter? If you are speaking in terms of receiving penetration from a penis, then the only person who can truly answer that is yourself. Everyone likes different things when it comes to sex and that includes penis size. You have the difficult decision of determining whether or not that is something that can make or break a relationship. If your partner is not sexually

HOROSCOPE SAVE-THE-DATE Dec 13:

Last Day of Classes

Dec 14-20:

Finals Week

Dec 15:

Deck the Hall

Dec 21:

First Day of Winter Session

Jan 1:

New Year’s

SUDOKU

4 1 1

5 3 6 8 2 7 1 3 9 3 5

2 9

6 5 7 4 7 8

3 7 1 5 1 4

8 Last Week’s Answer

Daily Sudoku: Fri 16-Aug-2013

1 2 4 6 9

Daily Sudoku: Sat 9-Nov-2019

9 2 7 5

hard

PROVIDED BY dailysudoku.com

9 4 8 3 6 5 2 7 1 1 2 6 4 7 9 8 3 5

7 3 4 9 1 8 5 6 2 6 8 2 5 3 7 1 4 9 4 6 3 8 5 1 9 2 7 8 1 9 7 2 4 3 5 6 2 5 7 6 9 3 4 1 8

9 2 5 4 7 6 1 3 8 7 3 1 2 8 5 4 6 9 6 4 8 9 1 3 7 5 2 Daily Sudoku: Sat 9-Nov-2019

3 7 5 1 8 2 6 9 4 5 9 1 2 4 6 7 8 3

satisfying because of their size, ask them to try other things that may satisfy you just as much. If your partner is too small, toys such as vibrators can be something you two can bring into the bedroom. Maybe you have a great emotional connection with your partner but the physical part is not working even after trying new things. Consider trying an open relationship, one where you can explore sex with other partners, but remain a couple who is emotionally connected. This requires an established level of trust within the relationship. If this is not something you can see yourself doing and alternative methods aren’t working, then in that case, size does matter, and you should look for a new partner. As long as you are willing to explore new things in your sex life to make the relationship work with a partner, something eventually will work. Once you give up and don’t want to try anymore, you’ve made your decision. Have I slept with too many people? How much is too much? First of all, let’s get this out of the way, the sex advisors do not slut shame. None of that here. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what constitutes a good amount of people to have slept with. Whether it is one person or 50, there should be no shame in your sexual history. At the same time, don’t lie to yourself about it. There might be some hookups that you are ashamed about, but own up to it. If you are currently hooking up with multiple people, it is important that you are open with those people for everyone’s safety.

PROVIDED BY tarot.com

Explorations beyond your own backyard are required today if you feel stuck. Blind acceptance of restrictions or self-limitations could be detrimental to your progress.

You’re connecting to higher energies today, enabling you to dazzle others with intuitive insights. You seem to have a natural gift for gab, making it easy for people to learn quite a bit from you.

Your feathers are rarely ruffled, but today your good humor might be put to the test. Disagreements may come out of the blue and disturb your good mood.

People are craving fresh ideas today, and you just might be the one to supply them. Stalled energy exists among those who fear change and you may be needed to stir things up.

You may be so attuned to your senses today that you can pick up extremely subtle signals. Repetitive cosmic patterns disguise themselves as feelings of déjà vu.

Wandering outside your immediate borders may be second nature to you. You Archers require wide open spaces -- as in the great outdoors or metaphorically, as in a larger desk area.

Work involves deeper organization if you’re truly determined to achieve your goals. You can amaze nearly everyone today, from those you’re close to those you have barely met.

Your authentic self is more than enough. While it’s impossible to act like a superhero in every situation, your efforts tend to go beyond whatever is asked.

Your inclination toward drama is on full tilt today. Although you may be tempted to minimize priorities and kick up your heels, nearly anything is achievable if you commit to making it happen.

Solitary pursuits offer you the chance to stretch your creative potential. Working with others may seem like an undue hardship, especially if you spend more time explaining than doing today.

Competition motivates you to excel at everything now. Whether you’re playing a game or working on a project, observe each person’s behavior to assess the talents they bring to the table. .

You fit into society by being yourself and accepting your responsibilities with pride. Cultivating a wide-angle perspective is one of your talents. The key to success is acting with confidence.

hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019 The American Health Organization reports that one in two sexually active people will have a sexually transmitted infection by the age of 25, and people ages 15 to 24 account for half of the 20 million new STIs that occur in the U.S. annually. Don’t let someone believe you’re the only one they are with. If they realize they no longer want to be with you because of it, then let them be. As long as you are being safe about your health, then it does not matter if you have slept with a lot of people. Who cares what you do with your sexual life? As long as you are happy with the decisions you’ve made, then the more power to you. If you aren’t, then take a step back and reevaluate what is sexually making you feel good about yourself, inside and out. Sex can be great, it can be fun and it can connect you with someone emotionally. As you continue your journey through school and sex, don’t be afraid to find out who you truly are. Hopefully, just like a movie, you’ll reach the ultimate climax.

Opinion 7

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN

SOLIPSISM BY: ALEX BOSSERMAN

Identify where Tuffy is in the photo and message any of the Daily Titan’s social media platforms, @thedailytitan, with the location and your full name for a chance to win!

$2 0 Last Week’s WINNER

One week until finals! You got this!

Donny Vuong Last Week’s Location: Titan Student Union

SONG OF THE DAY Christmas Drag iDKHOW

An emo Christmas bop. You know how it is. -Sarah, Graphic Designer

HOLIDAY SHOPPING STARTER PACK

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM

8 Opinion

MONDAY DECEMBER 9 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

Instagram getting rid of likes Influencers help the social media empire thrive, which damages mental health. ALYSSA LOPEZ Editor

Social media is a mind-numbing parasite that can play a big part in its users’ mental health, and society would be better oﬀ without it. However, it’s unlikely to disappear anytime soon, so as people continue to mindlessly scroll through posts, the public needs to at least embrace Instagram’s plan to hide likes. According to CNN, some Instagram users will no longer see the total number of likes on a post. This number will only be visible to the owner of the account, not their followers. Likes on Instagram are used to measure popularity and determine the success of each post and user, fostering the idea that strangers online determine self-value. This mentality has thrived with the rise of the social media influencer, who acts as a powerful entity that assists in the creation of a dominating social media empire. While influencers can develop mental health disorders because of the pressure they may feel from focusing on gaining popularity and money, it seems none of them are willing to quit. The number of likes a post receives leads to the number of followers a person obtains. These are the ingredients that allow influencers to exist. Without that, they wouldn’t be a visible entity of influence and able to advertise for companies, which is where their money comes from. And let’s be honest, that’s the only reason they do it in the first place. Joe Gagliese, co-founder of influencer agency Viral Nation, told Vox in an interview that influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers can earn up to a couple thousand dollars for each post. Those with one million followers can receive about $10,000 per post.

Influencers can be regular people who gain popularity for simple tasks, like being what some might call funny or for filming themselves eating, so many want to do the same thing because it seems like a simple way to get rich fast. While an influencer’s money and glamour may look like something anyone can have, it’s not. “It’s like winning the lottery. A lot of it is luck,” Gagliese said in a Vox interview, when asked if being an influencer was easy. Therefore, chasing after something so unrealistic is not worth the impact it can have on a person’s mental state. While social media has its problems, a small way to help combat worsening mental health is to take away the one thing that can make people spiral into a pit of despair. By not allowing followers to be concerned with the amount of likes others get on their posts, it may lessen feelings of anxiety or depression which may stem from self-doubt. Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to internalize behaviors, which can be an indicator of a mental health problem, according to a 2019 study by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study also states that “internalizing can involve social withdrawal, diﬃculty coping with anxiety or depression or directing feelings inwards.” Instagram’s new proposal won’t stop influencers from falling down a well of unhealthy mental illnesses, but it may help those who try to follow in their footsteps. Having the number of likes remain hidden from followers, especially those who are young and impressionable, may stop them from setting their sights on an unlikely end goal.

MADELINE GRAY

Without likes, entrepreneurs can’t be successful.

Editor

In the past eight years since Instagram has been introduced, it has garnered over a billion users. It has given a voice to those looking to share with their loved ones, keep up with brands they admire and even promote themselves through their small businesses, artistic endeavors and blogging. However, those likes that popular posts gain may not be visible to the public eye for much longer. Instagram’s disappearance of the like feature may negatively impact the way entrepreneurs and brands use the app to gain exposure. Instagram began to roll out their new hidden likes feature in the United States last month, which will cause the like count on posts to disappear. While individual users can still see their own likes if they wish, they can’t keep track of others’ likes. At random, individual accounts have been selected in their test feature and the program is already underway in various countries including Japan, Canada and Brazil. With the like feature gone, the use of Instagram may seem pointless. Engagement with a picture through likes can act as a major appeal for using the app. At its core, Instagram can be portrayed as a popularity contest and if likes are taken away, accounts that are trying to gain a strong following won’t see the point in staying active on the app. While getting rid of likes may alleviate the pressure that Instagram puts on its users, this action alone won’t fully take away the problems that users have with body image issues and insecurity. The edited posts won’t be disappearing along with likes. The fault isn’t in the likes itself, but it lies in how Instagram is used and the excessive amount of altered pictures that are posted. Instagram likes can aid in helping to further people’s

careers, especially influencers who make a living oﬀ of their brand deals and aﬃliate links attached to their content. Although as likes vanish, some influencers may start to see an impact on the growth of their followings. Without the measurement of likes to track the outreach their posts receive, followers may feel inclined to give less likes, resulting in smaller like counts on posts which may push them farther down Instagram’s feed algorithm. Likes and overall engagement with followers aren’t only beneficial to influencers, but also individuals promoting their brands, including artists.

As likes further engagement with the Instagram community, it can also help artists and entrepreneurs to gain more exposure for their craft without the hassle of finding a space for their art in the prestigious industry they so desperately seek to be a part of. Some modern artists can attribute their success to the exposure they get from Instagram likes and engagement. These connections that artists make through their likes, follower outreach and discover features can give them leverage in their careers and lead to greater sales of their work. Let people have their likes. Instagram should give users the option of whether or not they want their likes to show, so the social media platform’s population can use it if they want to or get rid of it if they don’t. Instagram needs to keep likes to ensure that lesser-known users can become successful and easily discoverable to potential customers through ensuring that they won’t get lost in the endless stream of Instagram content.

CINDY PROANO / DAILY TITAN

VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM