The Chariot 2022-23 Issue 1: Chaos

letter from the EDITOR

At the end of last year, we put together an issue centered around “The People.” We cov ered topics ranging from Pulitzer Prize winners to Donald Glover’s impact on Atlanta. However, at the onset of this school year, something felt different. On a whim, we decided to complete ly scrap the last issue; we deleted the files and began working on something brand new. So, welcome to the new first issue for the 2022-2023 year: The Chaos Issue. Chaos is all around us. Chaos is in your sports, it’s in your school, it’s in your life. Once you really start looking, you will see, feel and welcome the truth you find in disorder. Eventually, you’ll

notice most people are one of three types: leaders, followers or disruptors. In this issue, we want to focus on that third type. From covering the chaotic life of student athletes to diving into the reasons behind why people romanticize serial killers, we are shedding light on the disruptive nature of life. However, chaos is not synonymous with destruc tion. It isn’t just the gritty side of society. While creating this issue, we learned that chaos can be used for expression - through art, through fashion and through music. As you read through our first issue for the year, we hope you enjoy the new style of the magazine and are prepared for what is to come.

AASHWIN SHARMA AND RACHEL ROTHMAN

Editors-in-Chief

ROUNDUP

HITI GUPTA, staff writer

The Americas

Peru’s government, the National Institute of the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Prop erty Protection (INDECOPI), are suing Repsol oil company for $4.5 billion (3 billion for eco logical damages and 1.5 billion for damage to the locals) after a disastrous oil spill in January. The accident caused more than 10,000 barrels of oil to spill into the pacific ocean and became one of the worst ecological disasters to occur in Lima. Repsol has denied all responsibility.

Africa

On Aug. 22, five-time presidential candidate Raila Odinga filed a peti tion to the Kenyan supreme courts. His campaign claimed that they had evidence of misconduct by the elec toral commission during the Aug. 9 presidential election that resulted in a victory for Deputy President William Ruto. Odinga has contested election results three times prior.

Europe is currently experiencing its worst drought in 500 years. The ex treme temperatures are causing havoc all across the continent with 47 percent of the continent under warning condi tions and 17 percent under alert for low vegetation. The droughts have caused wildfires, disrupted transportation, left thousands homeless and led to hun dreds of deaths.

Europe Asia

On March 9, India accidentally fired a nucle ar-capable missile into Pakistan, which crashed in Mian Channu 310 miles from the capital Islamabad.This led Pakistan to question India on their safety measures and protocol since ,according to the Arms Control Association, “The flight path of this object endangered many national and international passenger flights both in Indian and Pakistani airspace as well as hu man life and property on ground.” In response, India fired three of their officers after they were found guilty of deviating from standard operat ing procedures by the Court of Inquiry.

The Middle-East

On Aug.15, Saudi women’s rights activist Salma al-Shehab was, according to CNN, “sentenced to 34 years in pris on” along with a 34-year ban not allowing her to leave the country. This was due to her Twitter activity where she demanded reform in the country’s guardianship system and the freedom of prisoners of conscience which was also in support of her sister, Loujain al-Hathloul, another promi nent activist who spent more than 1,000 days in jail. Saudi officials claim that al-Shehabb was found guilty of trying “to disrupt public order, undermine the security of society and stability of the state, and support those who had committed criminal actions according to the counterterrorism law and its financing.”This sentence came after al-Shebab appealed her original sentence, which was 6 years.

On June 24, 2022, Roe v. Wade, the case that labeled the restriction of abortions as unconstitutional, was overturned by the Supreme Court after 49 years. The case was based on the Fourteenth Amend ment and the Due Process Clause, which created the im plied right to privacy. Under this right, several abortion laws were struck down and deemed unconstitutional.

In 1971, using a pseudonym, Jane Roe took to the Supreme Court to argue that the Texas law restricting abortions unless medically required was unconsti tutional and violated several amendments including the first, fourth, fifth, ninth and 14th. The verdict was clear. The state may not impose any regulations on abortion within a woman’s first trimester of pregnancy.

As a result of the verdict, anti-abortion proponents, many identifying as evangelical Christians, respond ed with their own opinions and ideas regarding Roe v. Wade. In an effort to appeal to the more conserva tive Christians, the Republican Party began to use a strong anti-abortion stance to drive their party. This redefined the whole meaning behind the anti-abor tion movement. People started viewing the topic as less of a social issue and more of a political stance. Famous American leaders helped drive this movement as well. “We’re told about a woman’s right to control her own body. But doesn’t the unborn child have a high er right? And that is to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Ronald Reagan said. During his presiden cy, the Republican Party began to push a firmer stance on “family values” with abortion as a driving force.

For a long time, the Democratic party remained con sistent on the topic of abortion. Around 1991, 45 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of Republicans showed support for abortion for any reason according to the General Social Survey. Decades later, Democratic sup port did not change much, with 31 percent of Republi cans and a steady 45 percent of Democrats supporting the cause. Only now has the Democratic Party taken a larger stance in the abortion movement. As of 2020, 71

percent of Democrats support abortion. Many criticize how long the Democrats remained passive about the abortion situation when they held power for years. During the 2000s, the party held majority seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, yet Roe v Wade was not codified or rearranged into federal law. Since then, it has not been easy for the party to re gain both houses or establish a standing in the Supreme Court. This has led to the Court becoming increasingly conservative. After the death of Justice Antonin Scala in 2016, President Obama was blocked from appointing a new judge by the Republican-controlled Senate due to the new election year coming up. After the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg the same process was not upheld. Instead, Amy Coney Barrett, known for her anti abortion stance, was appointed by the Senate. Since then more than half of the Supreme Court has remained conservative, making it very hard to codify Roe v Wade.

Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, some worry about the protection of contraception or birth control, as well as other social issues. Justice Clar ence Thomas urged the Supreme Court to revis it issues related to same-sex marriage while Pres ident Biden hints at Congress’s next moves on the abortion case. Either way, Roe v. Wade is likely to cause a monumental change in America’s politics.

Roe Vs Wade

Anika Srinivasan, staff writer

TIGRAY WAR

Nikhil Bhagavati, staff writer

Since November 2020, a civil war has been rag ing in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. After mul tiple ethnic and regional parties merged into the Prosperity Party led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front has been at war with the Ethiopian National Defense Force. The TPLF, who have ruled over Ethiopia for the past 27 years, refused to join the new party, leading to increased internal tensions. The TPLF accused Ahmed of not being a true leader because the 2020 elections were postponed to 2021. Tigray forces launched an attack on the ENDF’s northern bases on November 3, 2020, starting a conflict with the federal government. Since then, there have been numerous instances of war crimes, including mass civilian killings. The killings of civilians have led to uproar around the world. It is estimated that at least 10,000 civilians have been killed. It was reported that both sides have been committing war crimes. Children as young as eight are being raped with claims of genetic and ethnic cleansing. STDs, such as HIV, increased dramatically. People have been struggling to receive adequate med ical care due to an already failing medical infrastruc ture. Furthermore, civilians are being used as human shields. In the Amhara region, the TDF held civilians hostage, stopping the ENDF from advancing and in some cases, forcing people to stand in between the active gunfire. These acts led to a joint investigation officiated by the United Nations Human Rights Office along with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.

Moving beyond government issues, the focus on war has led to famine in Ethiopia as well. Resources and funds that were normally used for agriculture are now used as funding for the war, including farmers. Land, water and even revenue from the capital city are be ing taken by different ethnic groups. Approximate ly 150,000 people have died from the famine alone. According to the World Food Program, almost half of the Tigray region needs food aid. Furthermore, on the report of the United Nations, over 2.3 million Ethiopian children are cur rently in need of humanitarian aid. Even though aid is read ily available, the Ethiopian federal government has restricted access inside due to the risks that it poses. On occasion, Tigray forces wearing Ethiopian uniforms have also stopped the im port of humanitarian aid. Currently, the Ethiopi an government has declared a ceasefire and allowed the Tigrayan forces to take over the cap ital Mekelle. When the government offered a truce, the TPLF refused to take it, and the war has now spread beyond the Tigray region. The situation appears to be getting out of the hands of the Ethiopi an government. Ahmed has encouraged the people to get any weapon they can and fight against the TPLF. “[Ethiopian] people should march … with any weap on and resources they have to defend, repulse and bury the terrorist TPLF,” said Ahmed. Only time will tell if the TPLF can be stopped and if the Ethiopians can get back to living lives that are not filled with fear.

Passionate Sports Fans Passionate Sports Fans

PRISHA MODY, staff writer

Every sport has its fans. Whether it’s tailgating since the break of dawn or sim ply showing up, the intensity of people’s love of the game can come from a variety of factors. Tennis fans are unique since they have a few people they support, as most of the time it is not a team sport. Each fan has a unique rea soning behind what makes them prefer one player over another.

All dedicated fans have things in common, like owning a closet full of clothing apparel to have the ex act same racquets and gear as their favorite player and most fans are supportive, regardless of the out come of the match. When Rafael Nadal lost in the fourth round of the tournament in 2009 his fans

still believed in him and support ed him, and now he is considered by many analysts to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Kids who are tennis fans can go as far as to replicate their style of play and the techniques that these professional players use in their matches. People of all ages look up to and admire these respect able players. Many professional players have certain attributes they are known for, whether that may be hitting an underhand serve or hitting the tennis ball between their legs while running back wards. Junior tennis players copy the attitudes and attributes of these professional players and look up to them as role models and idols.

Fans have their own reasoning be

hind what motivates them to wake up Saturday morning for game day, decked out in their team’s gear and driving through heavy traffic. The most common reason, how ever, is that it is their home team, the team they grew up watching, their parents’ favorite team, and that equates to loyalty. Some of the most dedicated fans would be those of the Chicago Cubs. These fans have been through a lot, from a team that had a couple of grueling seasons to winning the World Se ries followed by another round of grueling seasons. Advanced Place ment Biology teacher Mr. Ernst is a Cubs fan who has been support ing the cubs through their 2012 season with a record of 61 wins to 101 losses as well as celebrating

when the team won the World Se ries in 2016. For him, being a Cubs fan was a lifestyle. “[Growing up in North Chicago], you just were a Cubs fan, there really was not anything else,” Ersnt noted. With his family being Cubs fans and his house a few blocks from Wrigley field, location and family were es sential contributors to his love of the Cubs. After moving to Geor gia, his love for the Cubs has not diminished, but he has grown to love the Braves as well. Baseball is not the only sport with loyal fans.

College football fans, many of them alumni, show some of the strongest passions for their schools. Walking into Mr. Ander son’s room, the first thing students see is the giant University of Geor

gia flag behind his desk. At first glance, it appears that he is sup porting the university, but after seeing the UGA lunchbox along with other UGA gear, students and faculty realize that this teacher is a dedicated fan. This passion for UGA stemmed from him being a student at the school. “Honestly I ended up going to school there and…[that’s how I] fell in love with Georgia.” After graduating from the University of Georgia, he con tinues to have season passes and tries to attend as many games as possible. Ultimately, Anderson is a sports fan who loves and supports his college. Supporting and show ing up for a team are big aspects of what makes many fans so ded icated, despite whether the team

has a winning or difficult season. This includes cheering for the big wins and continuing to cheer after the devastating losses. This dedi cation could stem from the envi ronment that the fan grew up in or the college that they attended.

Fans of different sports teams and players celebrate wins and losses very differently. The main thing that separates extremely passionate fans from regular fans is the dedi cation that they display during the wins and losses. Losing a match or game is something that every ath lete experiences, and learns to deal with. For most fans, dedication and loyalty is what drives their com mitment to their teams. Ultimate ly, dedicated fans support their team no matter the circumstances.

Chronic

Traumatic Encephalopathy

VERA LEE, opinion editor

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a rare brain disorder most commonly found in athletes of high-impact sports such as foot ball and wrestling. According to the Boston Uni versity CTE center, CTE is believed to be caused by repeated injuries to the head. These injuries may cause lesions and a “build-up of an abnormal pro tein called tau in a unique pattern” which slowly de teriorates the brain. Like other degenerative brain ailments, CTE consists of memory problems like dementia, as well as behavioral problems like in creased aggression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Currently, around six percent of the population is ex pected to or currently show signs of CTE. This number could be even greater considering that the amount of knowledge the world has about this disorder is limit ed. One of the main factors contributing to this is due to the fact that signs of CTE do not show up on regular brain imaging technology like MRI or CT scans. The only way of truly diagnosing CTE is after the patient’s death through an autopsy report. Therefore, most of the information about CTE can only be known by the few brains that are donated to research centers.

There is a widely spread misconception that frequent concussions cause the development of CTE, but ac cording to a research study done by Boston University, about 20 percent of people with CTE have never had a serious concussion. Researchers have found that there

is no strong connection between concussions and the development of CTE, and that the disorder is most likely caused by a high frequency of smaller hits to the head, which is why professional athletes in contact sports, like those in the NFL, have a higher risk of CTE.

In 2017, another research study conducted by Boston University found that 110 out of 111 brains of former NFL players had some form of CTE. One of the more famous examples of this is Aaron Her nandez, a former tight end for the New England Pa triots who was later convicted of murder and com mited suicide at the age of 27. Hernandez’s violent mood swings and impaired judgment may have oc curred because he suffered from one of the more se vere cases of CTE. Another example of this includes Demaryius Thomas, a former wide receiver for the Denver Broncos who died last year at 34 years of age. Given that around 99 percent of the brains re searched had CTE, it is expected that a large num ber of current NFL athletes may have the disorder.

At this time, there is no cure or treatment for CTE. Because scientists are not able to diagnose CTE before death, curing CTE is almost impossible. According to a Mayo Clinic research study, the development of CTE is 13 times more likely for football players who played beyond the high school level than non-athletes. This limited knowledge means the only way to gaurantee no CTE injuries is to not particpate in these activities.

Life of a Student Athlete

School, in and of itself, is a difficult part of teenage life. In most instances, it feels like our lives completely revolve around school. However, when the eight-hour brick of learn ing ceases at 3:30 p.m. most of us wander our separate ways for the remainder of the evening. Some of us pursue studying. Others choose video games or clubs. And then there are the athletes.

The student athletes are esteemed individuals amongst the school crowds, for instance, the foot ball team walking through the hallways, heads-high on gameday in their cardinal ensembles. If you pay 15 bucks (or join Gladiator Army) you can see the team perform against other high schools - making plays and moving the chains as the clock winds down long into the night. But these players are just like the rest of us: they have upcoming tests, pend ing homework, and not to mention, the SAT and the ACT. So, what does this rigorous schedule look like?

Many students choose to play a sport, which includes tons of positive impacts, too. Student athletes, in a lot of cases, use sports as an escape from the stresses of school. “Having a sport after school allows your brain to take a break from the stresses of school. When you’re out there on the field you forget about the academic aspects of life and it gives your mind a chance to relax and de compress.” Kyle Eggleston, a junior at Johns Creek High School, claims. Additionally, on average, stu dents that play sports have better standardized test scores than those who do not. This is partly because sports greatly improve memory and problem-solv ing skills, while at the same time, allowing students to stay physically and mentally healthy as well. However, playing a sport is oftentimes met with tough schedules for students. The Johns Creek Swim and Dive Team competes during the Win ter season in our renowned Pool on the Roof (see seniors for ticket prices), yet most swimmers com pete year-round at clubs such as Dynamo, Spar tans and Swim Atlanta. This proves challenging as these student athletes look to balance sports

and academics. Nate Perez, a swimmer for both Johns Creek High School and Dynamo Swim Club, scrutinizes his swim schedule. He, like many oth er athletes here at the Creek, practices in both the mornings and afternoons during the school week, as well as on Saturday mornings. This transition from sports to school causes some internal hyste ria, as students will be moving and exercising, then proceed to sit still and learn for eight hours. This, combined with a second practice in the afternoon, risks overscheduling, which can be detrimental to the young mind. Overscheduling, or having an overflow of extracurriculars, contributes to poor psychosocial adjustments, as well as compromis ing relationships between friends and undermining bonds between students and parents. These neg ative impacts of being a student athlete, as noted by the Society for Research in Child Development, are created through a lack of free time and im mense physical exertion for multiple hours a day.

To be a student athlete, you have to take the good and the bad. To be a student athlete, you have to work hard. To be a student athlete, you have to overcome obstacles. To be a stu dent athlete, you learn to apprecaite it as well. This is what it means to be a student athlete.

ELI FLEISCHER, staff writer

CHAOS COVER:

RACHEL ROTHMAN, editor-in-chief IZZY WILEY, staff writer

The definition of chaos is “complete disorder and confusion.” The term can be applied to both inac curate propaganda and a tottering workforce in ways such as how these subjects impact the population and how one manages to sift through their disorganization.

Wrong, misleading information can be designated the root of a lot of the chaos that society faces. When peo ple don’t know what is real and what is fake, confusion settles in and there becomes no “real” anymore; the line between true and false becomes blurred and is repeat edly crossed over. Misinformation is being wrong on accident while disinforma tion is being wrong on purpose; both can have cha otic effects in many differ ent spheres of life. Both have spread throughout our society, mutating ev ery time a new conduit to share this information emerges. And each time it comes back stronger; with the capacity to reach more people and potentially do more harm. Sorting through the differences between fraud and reli ability is the tricky task that society has been assigned.

stories that are false: the story itself is fabricated, with no verifiable facts, sources or quotes.” When stories are written without displacing all of the facts or contextual izing the event, it leads the reader to believe the wrong information and spread it along on different platforms and even through conversation. Chaos and confusion can quickly ensue when no one knows the truth be cause both sides believe that they are correct. This can lead to a rift in society and a distrust in forms of media. False advertising and deceiving consumers, a fre quent form of disinformation and misinformation, have become mainstream.

given it a new life and

-Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

The phrase “fake news” has been highly politicized in today’s world, so much so that its true meaning was lost along the way. The more people use this phrase to de scribe things that in actuality are not fake news or exag gerate its use, the more its intended purpose is hindered. The University of Michigan defines fake news as “news

Cases like Subway false ly advertising their foot-long subs to be 12 inches and Rice Krispies incorrectly claiming their cereal could boost people’s immune sys tems are far more com mon than most peo ple may be lieve. Companies focus on making a profit and of ten lose their value of product integrity. What might seem like a simple economic shortcut can lead to mass confusion as many consumers spend money on products that do not actually achieve or fulfill their intended purpose. Oftentimes these misleadings are more significant in their effects. An example would be when back in 2014, Snapchat falsely claimed that pictures and videos sent would automatically disap pear and not be accessible after they had been sent.

“I have said that propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation have always been part of political warfare. Social media and other new platforms have

reach through which the fake news phenomenon can reach everywhere.”

They were investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and they found that “because the service’s deletion fea ture only functions in the official Snapchat app, recipients can use these widely available third-party apps to view and save snaps indefinitely.” They also lied about users being able to get notified when someone took a screen shot of a snap. Furthermore the FTC found Snapchat “deceived consumers over the amount of personal data it collected and

security measures

data from

and

Snapchat had claimed that it would protect its users’ infor mation and by doing so false ly advertised their product and misin formed con sumers. This created chaos as users of the app became worried about where their information was ending up because there were many loopholes that people could use to save pictures and videos of people. Snapchat had promised privacy to its users and deceived them. Many forms of faulty news have been used throughout history, yellow journalism being one of them. Yellow journalism is a type of reporting that substitutes sen

sationalism for facts. In the late 1800’s two journalists, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, had been using this strategy of yellow journalism for some time, and by using it had created a very polarized political cli mate. In 1898, a U.S. ship off the coast of Cuba sank and Hearst and Pulitzer published rumors that Spain was responsible. Because everyone believed these exagger ated claims that these journalists had been publishing, it wasn’t long before these rumors had a hold on readers . People were outraged about these claims and urged President McKinley to take action. Bri tannica states how “the U.S. public, prompt ed by the New York Journal and other sen sational papers in the grips of yellow journalism, held Spain unquestionably respon sible.” Because of the heightened public support, the country did end up engaging in war with Spain, and this led to the chaos of putting a country through warfare. Historically, fake news has been the root to numerous variations of chaos. The future, however, may be sub ject to the chaos of reality. Gen Z has publicized their inability to harbor a dream job because of the undesir

“The degrading kind of journalism is known as yellow journalism. It is a journalism without soul. Facts are distorted or exaggerated. There is very little truth in the stories.”

-Vir Bala Aggarwal

the

taken to protect that

misuse

unauthorized disclosure.”

able qualities of labor and the overall workforce. The actuality of this situation is that as a result of the pan demic, many who take part in the workforce have ex perienced burnout and discontent with their current professions. The anti-labor viewpoint has gained pop ularity through social media platforms such as TikTok, which has further influenced the younger generation. Additionally, Gen Z expects employers to acknowledge the balance between work and life. Business Insider recently released data demonstrating Gen Z’s likeli hood to change occupations, proving the young work force’s instability. At this rate, the protest against these employers may result in more chaos than intended.

While the younger generation has benefited from technology and used it as an outlet to argue against labor, those of an older generation may have their doubts on the subject. While there are those that are willing to adapt to change and modernize accordingly, some insist on the old ways of communication, work, schooling etc. The chaos of these contradicting ideals have proven prominency because of the newly tech nology-dependent environment. An example of this is the “QR code menu.” The QR code menu had its up

start during the rise of the pandemic, but has main tained its position long after the pandemic’s origin. Many dining facilities still provide physical copies of menus in addition to the QR code, but the sole exis tence of the digital menu can cause a feeling of discon nection to those who aren’t in possession of a cellular device. This also applies to the current labor market. According to encyclopedia.com, “When older people are excluded from the industrial labor market, they become dependent on the young, losing social sta tus.” The modernization theory, formalized by Don ald Cowgill and Lowell Holmes in 1972, claims that this disclusion can actually decrease the reputation of the older generation once retired; “loss of income, prestige and honor arising from labor market partici pation lead to a decline in the status of older people.”

Considering the chaotic nature of inaccurate news and the social hierarchy of the labor force, it may seem as though disarray is unavoidable. Howev er, understanding these points and how they con tribute to confusion, opens the door to growth as a civilization. Just like the eye of a hurricane, knowl edge serves as the calm amidst the storm of chaos.

Serial Killers Deconstructing

Serial killers are defined by a number of characteristics: shallow emotions, lack of empathy, anti-social, impulsive and predatory behaviors. But what led them down this path? A common trend amongst these killers is that they experienced early childhood abuse, both physical and psycho logical. From John Wayne Gacy, the Killer Clown, to Ted Bundy, almost all serial kill ers experienced trauma that caused them to seek personal gratification through killing.

Henry Mansfield Howard, known as H.H Holmes, was America’s first serial killer; he grew up in an abusive household where he developed an extreme hatred for both of his parents and a violent nature towards others. It was not until he grew older that he truly began to act on his psychopathic nature. He built a “Murder Castle” that had secret pas sageways, trapdoors and soundproof torture rooms. These would allow him to transport his victims to the basement where he would conduct his experiments. He went onto mur der an estimated 200 people, all of which he befriended and welcomed into his home. H.H Holmes explained that his urge to kill was sec ond nature to him. It was something he was born with and could not prevent, but he was shaped by physical abuse from a young age that encouraged his psychopathic behavior.

Infamous killer, Edward Gein, aka the Butcher of Plainfield, experienced a tragic upbringing. He was born into a family with

a heavily religious mother and an alcoholic father on an isolated farm where he was taught to hate wom en. As he grew older, he became dependent on his mother, and when she died it drove him to insanity. His mental health spiraled and he had constant psy chotic breaks. During these breaks, he would search for women that he could kill and use their body parts to recreate his deceased mother. This fascination was caused by the love-hate relationship with women his parents instilled in him. His mental illness consumed his entire being and turned into full-scale psychosis.

David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam, experienced death at a very young age when his adoptive mom had a long, unsuccessful battle with cancer. This caused him to slowly detach from the world around him until he completely isolated himself. As he grew older, he joined the army and became an excellent marksman, but, despite his achievements, he felt incomplete. Once he left the military, he developed many violent tenden cies including a love for fire. He set many fires across New York City but was never caught. This soon pro gressed when he claimed he heard voices in his head of demons telling him to harm young women. He saw anyone close to him as a demon begging him to kill, and he eventually gave in. His victims were chosen at random, and Berkowitz had convinced himself this needed to be done. He went as far as taunting the po lice, and if it wasn’t for a witness that could place him at the crime, he might have never stopped. He was unable to stop himself; he created an alternate reality where he believed he was being forced to kill.

The first female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, showed the world that men were not the only ones capable of

murder. She grew up with an abusive father who was in and out of mental hospitals and a mother who was not there. She was forced to live with her grandpar ents which was far from ideal as her grandmother ne glected her and her grandfather abused her. Life did not get any easier for Aileen as she was raped multi ple times in her youth and eventually dropped out of school and turned to prostitution. Due to the trauma she endured as a child, she sought a way to avenge her childhood self. She created an elaborate scheme where she lured men off Florida interstate 75, only to rob them, kill them and steal their cars. Aileen viewed herself as a heroine that was fighting for a cause.

All of these killers had similar upbringings that led them down their path. They all experienced extreme neglect and did not recieve any medical help that may have prevented them from committing murder. Edward Gein went insane based on the psychological manipu lation he endured as a child. Aileen Wuronos believed the only way to avenge her childhood self was to kill any man who sought her services. David Berkowitz, a paranoid schizophrenic, received no help his entire life and people only intervened once he had already giv en in to his psychotic tendencies. Herman Mansfield Howard was groomed as a child to be the perfect psy chopath; he was never shown love and was taught to be cold and calculating when it came to human desires. No one is born a killer, but one can learn to kill. These killers faced devastating events as they were growing up and were never given the help needed to prevent their mental breaks. They all reached their breaking points and took matters into their own hands to prevent them from being abused, neglected or mistreated again.

“I am a serial killer. I would kill again.”

-Aileen Wuornos

Throughout the night, humans pass through vary ing stages of sleep every 90 minutes: Non-Rapid Eye Movement Stage 1, NREM Stage 2, NREM Stage 3 and Rapid Eye Movement sleep. While the NREM stages are known to be the precursor stages that allow the body to relax into a static state, the REM stage is the peak time for dreams during sleep. At this stage, our eyes rapidly move despite our paralyzed bodily state, and, our brain activity rises and both our heart and breathing rates increase. According to G. William Domhoff, who utilized brain imaging technology and

In a way, dreams act as mental therapy; they aid in emotional processing where the mind regulates and controls emotions that may be a reaction to external stimuli that occur in our wakeful condition, allow ing for memory reinforcement by acting as a medi um for the nervous system to process short-term memories into long-term ones and serve as an out let to foster creativity and boost brain performance. After intense research into my dream, or in oth er words, surfing the interwebs, I learned possible meanings that might underlie my recurring dream of my teeth falling out. According to the results, it seems that dreams regarding teeth terrors are com mon. These unconscious hallucinations can either reflect dental problems in the wakeful state, an idea

much more surface level or a notion that runs deep er, such as anxiety about aging, stress of sudden life changes or a subconscious reaction to experiencing loss. Well, I don’t have any dental problems that I know of but I do have a fear of going to orthodon tists, so that reasoning could be a possibility. On a more profound level, as a senior, submitting appli cations and making decisions regarding universities does induce stress as I near the finish line of high school and prepare for the leap into adulthood, some thing many consider to be a significant life change. No matter the meaning, wheth er it reflects my inane fear of visits to the orthodontist or anxiety about maturing towards the next steps in life, it’s apparent that dreams are much more than a simple figment of one’s imagination. While many more theories of dreams exist or have yet to be discovered, one thing is clear: they prove to be much more beneficial for both our internal and ex ternal states than one might previously believe. These fantasies that we experience in our sleep-induced state process what we cannot during the times we are awake, and they are the key to helping understand our needs, our desires and ourselves as a whole on a much deeper level than we could ever know. Whether they include a fantastical element or something much more realistic, dreams are an excellent representation of mental thoughts that ache to bubble up to the surface, so maybe it’s time to run to your nearest Target, buy a notebook and keep record of one’s dreams to reveal the thoughts that so desperately wish to be known.

Dreams take on multiple forms, whether it involves one’s self, an alter ego or some random manifestation of your psyche...”

Social Media’s Influence On The Youth’s Political Views

Sanjana Shah, staff writer

Based on a report conducted by Common Sense Media, teenagers in the United States will spend an estimated five to seven hours a day on social media, which equates to one and a half of their childhood years scrolling apps such as Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. Among the many impacts social media has on a child’s psychological well being, one of the most profound is the effect it can have on influencing an individual’s way of thinking. For a generation born in the aftermath of 9/11, shaped by the economic recession of 2008, and most recent ly plagued by the pandemic, social media has played a large role in in fluencing youth’s views on politics.

In recent years, social media has become an increasingly important source of political news for younger generations. Nowadays, young peo ple resort to finding news on their own whereas in past generations they would depend on their parents to read newspapers and watch the nightly news to stay informed. This

form of political socialization, or the process by which one gets their ideas about politics and govern ment, is becoming more and more dependent on social media. Accord ing to the Online Media and Glob al Communication Journal, “social media can build new relationships between political actors and young adults, enable social interaction about political topics, connect peo ple” and “enhance political opinion expression.” The study also showed a positive correlation between the use of social media and various forms of political engagement, such as an in crease in protesting among youth. However, with social media comes the likelihood of younger people be ing exposed to misinformation that can rapidly circulate on the internet. Propaganda and fake news is likely to appeal to the emotions of young er users who are likely less knowl edgeable than their adult counter parts. Teens may not fact-check the content they receive resulting in more spread of misinformation.

Another consideration is the im pact social media poses on youth voting behavior. This is because vot ing behavior is directly influenced by a politician’s posts, tweets, and overall Internet activity, especially since young voters tend to look on line first before making a voting de cision. Consequently, it was found that accessing political content on social media increased the likeli hood that someone voted in the 2016 election. One Pew Study research found that people in their teens were 9.3% to 16.5% more likely to vote after viewing political content online. Not only will politicians use social media to connect with voters, but young voters will also use social media to learn and encourage oth ers to vote for particular candidates.

In recent years, social media has led to a booming era of cre ativity, knowledge, and revolu tion. However, we must be aware of both the positive and negative impacts social media can have on the political views of our youth.

Reducing The CHAOS of Travel

Ethan Palgon, staff writer

When you think about going on vaca tion and traveling, you think about taking a break from your chaotic ev eryday life. But for many people, traveling can cause even more stress. Travel stress is a feeling of mental strain and pressure. Although trav eling has several positive aspects and benefits, it can lead to people having a negative vacation experience. Feeling overwhelmed with plan ning, air travel experiences, concerns about the safety of a destination, difficulty handling un expected events, financial strains and unrealis tic expectations can be a lot for some people. Traveling is chaotic, but how do you prevent it? The most stressful part of traveling for peo ple starts before the trip even begins; this in cludes doing travel research, making travel ar rangements, making an itinerary and packing. It is also when people often begin to have finan cial concerns related to the trip. The easiest way to make the process less stressful is to approach it in parts and stages rather than being over whelmed by everything you need to do at once. Make a checklist and slowly work through it, starting with the most urgent and leaving the rest for later. Enlist any fellow

travel companions to help so you can di vide up the tasks. Also, being organized is a big step in reducing the pressure of travel ing. Set aside some dedicated time to work on travel planning. You also might want to dedicate a special notebook or computer fold er to keep documents and notes together. Financial-related concerns may be one of the most stressful issues, and they affect our rela tionships, our work and even our health. Mon ey plays a significant role in travel, as it can lim it where we go, how we get there, where we stay and what we can do once we get there. Trips can be expensive and although there are many ways to save money on travel, it is a considerable ex pense for most people. This extra spending can put a strain on a person’s finances. Some ways to reduce the hassle are to check your finances and make a realistic budget plan. It doesn’t have to be complex, just something simple so you know how much you feel comfortable spending and how that might be budgeted across your trip. Also, do some research to make the most of your travel money by comapring prices before booking, checking for discount city passes and looking for deals and coupons. Book ing plane tickets, hotels and rental cars in advance will often save you money and help you better antic ipate your costs. Research finds that people feel more relieved about the price if they book at least a month in ad vance (likely due to the passing of time). Now that you know how to manage your stress while traveling, you can finally vacay at ease. You deserve it!

Chaos In Art

Drew Tostenson, sports editor

Art and chaos have a deep connection and often go hand-in-hand. Art, in all its forms, is a ves sel of self-expression, so it comes as no surprise that from some of the most dark and chaotic times have come some of the most beautiful and meaningful works of art. In times of chaos, art reminds us of our shared hu manity. In these times, art is created and consumed at a greater volume. As AP Art History students understand, oftentimes the best way to understand a society and the feelings of its individuals is through the art they produce.

There is no better example than the French Revo lution when it comes to chaos being the topic of art. From sculptures to paintings to architecture, artists turned to many art forms to express and represent the events they experienced and the feelings they had about them. “The Death of Marat,” a shocking painting by Jacques-Louis David, is an excellent example of this. The painting depicts the murder of Jean-Paul Marat, a political figure and revolutionary leader working to overthrow the French monarch and government. Some believe it is the first modernist work of art because it portrays political content that has not been transmuted. David was also a revolutionary leader alongside Marat, which is clear by the way he painted Marat in the style of a Christian martyr, with Marat being shined on by a glowing light. Of course, Marat is not a religious figure but a political “saint” of the revolution to David. “The Death of Marat” eternalizes Marat’s murder and the French Revolution as a whole and is an excellent exam ple of artists creating works during times of hardship.

Art reminds us of our shared humanity, an im portant effort during times of chaos. According to the University of Pennsylvania: Social Impact of the Arts Project, art is said to improve “community well being by building social connections within groups and across social divides.” During times of war, fam ine and social divides, people empathize with artists by seeing the emotion and feelings in their works. A sense of community and unity is also achieved as peo ple can experience art together. “The Death of Marat” was able to humanize two revolutionary leaders and people on both sides of the conflict were able to come together over the violence and tragedy of the murder.

The September 11th Memorial & Museum in Man hattan, New York is another work of art that estab lishes unity. The memorial was chosen through the winner of a public design contest, and Michael Arad and Peter Walker’s “Reflecting Absence” was chosen. The memorial uses art to create solidarity as a result of a tragic event. The site consists of two large water fall pools which sit in the footprints of the North and South towers. Names of those killed in the attacks are inscribed on the edges of the pools. It is a perfect exam ple of art creating a silver lining out of a chaotic time.

Art can be an effective coping mechanism for those who are struggling. Studies by the National Center for Biotechnology Information have shown that the use of visual and performing arts at hospitals decreased the length of average hospital stays, and there are “many po tential benefits of art in enhancing health and wellness.” The use of art to cope with chaos goes back centuries. Ancient societies often buried the dead in decorative burial mounds, and many famous sites like Stonehenge are burial sites. Today, almost every site of tragedy has some sort of artistic memorial that allows visi tors to sympathize with the victims of these tragedies.

Art can be more than just a response to chaos, it can be the cause of it. Many political figures patronized works of art that bent the truth or glorified violent acts to change public perception. Later in history, governing bodies utilized propaganda to instill chaos. Both sides in World War II were known to airdrop leaflets on ene my cities in an attempt to lower public morale. Many of these leaflets featured images of the industrial and mili tary might of a nation. Propaganda took over film, tele vision, music, literature and art during the Cold War. Effects of this can still be seen today as propaganda con tinues to be used to sway people’s polotiical opinons. Chaos and art have a deep connection. People cre ate art in times of hardship, people consume art in those times and art can have many positive effects in these hard times. From therapy to unity, art of fers a way for people to cope with chaotic times. Ev ery coin has two sides, however, and art can also be used to create chaos. Whatever the situation, there is clearly a relationship between art and chaos.

Hit songs from top artists, Insta-worthy pictures and dancing amongst thousands of people are some perks to attending a music festival. Al though most music festivals are a blast, they’re vulnerable to failures. In fact, it isn’t rare that some festivals end up in chaos, even leading to the deaths of innocent people.

One infamous case of a failed festival is the Fyre Fes tival of 2017. Advertised as an “immersive music festi val” on a private beach in the Bahamas, attendees were promised private villages, gourmet food and a lineup consisting of famous rappers. It was also promoted by influencers like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. Rough ly 5,000 people bought tickets, ranging anywhere from $1,200 to $25,000. However, upon arrival, attendees found no sign of villas nor gourmet food and were left stranded. Billy McFarland, the organizer of the event, turned out to be the backbone of the ridiculous scam. With only eight weeks to plan, his focus was on pro motion rather than setting up the venue or paying the artists. The festival was immediately canceled, and only some were able to get a refund through their own cred it card company. Huge damage was done to investors, attendees and workers on the island that were prom ised to be paid after the festival. Later on, people filed a million-dollar class action lawsuit and McFarland was eventually sentenced to six years in prison. All other contributors such as rapper Ja Rule, the co-organizer of the event and the influencers all claimed that they had nothing to do with the fraud. Only some of them spoke out on social media, and Kendall Jenner paid a $90,000

settlement out of the $275,000 she initially received. Another tragedy happened recently at the Astroworld Festival in 2021, an annual event held by rapper Travis Scott in Houston. Problems arose immediately when the crowd of 50,000 rushed towards the stage causing a stampede. Although Scott stopped the show a few times to aid passed-out attendees, he was unaware of the se verity of the bigger crowd in the back. Despite at least hundreds of people getting injured, the show went on for the planned time. Video footage of people dancing on ambulances was shared online, clearly showing the chaotic situation. The night resulted in the deaths of 10 people, including a nine-year-old boy. Despite ru mors that the main cause of death was an intoxicating substance, it was revealed that all but one victim’s only found cause of death was compression asphyxia, where breathing is cut off due to a strong external force. After canceling the festival, Travis Scott spoke out on his Ins tagram expressing how devastated he was, and he even tually refunded everyone who attended and offered to pay for the funerals of the victims, which most refused. No amount of money could bring back the lives lost at the tragic scene. Festivals are a great way for people to release stress and connect with other people, but failed festivals from the past clearly show their darker side and how disastrous it can get, even leading to death. In festi vals with magnitudes like these, it is important that all contributors are more precautious and plan ac cordingly to prevent any more mishaps in the future.

Failed Festivals

Seojean Ahn, staff writer

Clay, staff writer

Maya

Townsend, Staff Writer

In 2019, the artist Weatherday, also known as Sputnik, released their most popular song, “Come In.” The beat is lawlessly written, not adhering to any normal standards of general mu

feel most at that moment. While listeners should feel the freedom to apply the song in different ways, Sputnik also gave some insight into the meaning of this song, saying that “it is aligned with a queer score… [and] there is a heavy focus on gender.” Keeping with the theme of disorderly emotions, in the outro, the music suddenly ends and listen ers are introduced to a female speaker saying “I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you.” This seems to imply that the original singer’s emotions are unexpected and spontaneous, and that the secondary speaker is stunned by his thoughts. In conclusion, the song “Come In” is an authentic plea from a lonely individu al that many people around the world may relate to.

Savannah

MAXIMAL IST FASHION

Olivia Courtney, Staff Writer

Maximalist fashion has made a major comeback in mainstream fashion this summer. Maximalist fashion is associ ated with bold colors, excessive layering and con trasting textures – to put it simply – completely and entirely unconventional. Designer brands like Vivienne Westwood and “Heaven” by Marc Jacobs have been in the public eye this year for collections featuring bold prints, extravagant ico nography and chunky accessories. Recently, retail brands have been delving into more maximalist styles as well. Fashion retailers like H&M and Wild Fable by Target have made maximalist styles more accessible for people to incorporate in their everyday fashion. “That’s what fashion is; I don’t think it should be one type of trend,” Ms. Kim, the art and fashion design teacher at Johns Creek High School said. “As long as you know how to put it together well…you can have all these choic es but you can always simplify to make it your own, so it just depends on the individual and how they put it together.” Bright colors, abstract silhouettes and wild prints are making their way into everyday fashion, but these trendy styles did not emerge out of nowhere. Maximalist fashion entering the mainstream has been credited to the Harajuku subculture that arose out of Tokyo in the 1980s. Harajuku is a collective sub culture made up of different off-beat Japa nese street styles like Decora, a style that emphasizes extreme accessorizing. The style was popularized in mainstream media in the 1990s through style publications like FRUiTS magazine. The minimalist styles that trumped trending ion during the pandemic totally

contrast the trends of this summer. The after math of the quarantine period is thought to have inspired a more maximalist approach to fashion. With people working and studying from home, athleisure and loungewear rose in popularity. The trending color palettes were monochromatic, pas tels and lots of neutrals. “Before COVID, the de signers tried to guide you into certain areas, but because of COVID everybody was in loungewear for a long time, but nwow people have more room to express themselves.” Ms. Kim said. “Fashion isn’t always about fashion, it’s political and it’s all about what’s happening on earth, and so design ers also consider that. So whatever’s happening to us in this world, they kind of design towards that too. That’s part of fashion. More than ever fashion is concerned about different types of bodies, sizes and all that, so I think they’re just going to be free to give you more choices instead of just ‘This is it.’”

It is thought that the return of maximalism is also, in part, due to time decreasing between trend cy cles. Minimalist trends completely contrasted the hyper-flashy trends of the late 2000s. But with trend cycles getting shorter due to fast-fashion and overconsumption, the vividity and ornate details of the late 2000s are returning. Fashion is becoming more accessible than ever, which gives people the power to embody their feelings or opinions in an outward way. The importance of the comeback of max imalism, or the comeback of any trend for that matter, is that it offers a view of what’s happening in the world through the lens of individual expression.

Do Protests Go Too Far?

a c e o f

YES NO

Protests are a necessary part of enforcing your civil rights.

Oftentimes these demonstra tions serve as the catalyst for eras of political and cultural growth. More recently, however, the polarized bureaucracy of many organiza tions have led to protests becom ing less about societal conflicts, and more about pushing personal agendas. This past June, when the landmark case Roe v. Wade was overturned, I went to an abortion rights protest. After learning about the mid-to-late sixties demonstra tions in Mrs. Smiley’s United States History Class, I was eager to live out this piece of history and learn more about the subject. However, once I arrived at the Georgia State Capitol, I was shocked at the extent of the protest. While listening to

speeches given by protest organiz ers, many used their platform to preach what they saw as the ben efits of socialism and other extra neous topics instead of focusing on the topic of abortion rights. These speeches led many protest-goers to question the intentions of the political organization that hosted the event. Furthermore, I found it paradoxical that many of the same people who were leading these an ti-capitalist demonstrations were wearing designer and Nike clothing - whose logo serves as iconography for American capitalism. Although these were just a few speakers out of thousands across the United States who used their platforms to educate, other demonstrations have led to questions arising over the true role of protests. While

protests are meant to shed light on civil issues, many leaders have taken advantage of the rebellious atmosphere beyond the scope of change. For example, in the 1992 Los Angeles riots, while many peo ple used their platforms to speak on the unjust murder of Rodeny King, some rioters took advantage of the chaos and wreaked havoc on the city. Once the riots had dwin dled, the Koreatown neighborhood was left in ash from the protesters’ arson. Resulting in the death of over 60 people, the arrests of over 12,000 and an estimated property damage of over one-billion dol lars, the protest went far beyond the scope of justice and into the realm of revenge. Moving forward, it is imperative that we learn to use compassion to lead to growth.

editor

With the rise of social media, an epidemic of misinformation and dramatization has plagued people’s minds. The algorithm strives to show the most interesting and en tertaining posts to the majority of feeds, and anything that falls short of jaw-dropping and exhilarating fails to gain attention on the inter net. This idea is no different when it comes to protests; whether it be on social media, television or news sites, people post videos and imag es of the protests that are the most shocking, and the algorithm buries any evidence of peaceful and beau tiful protests. Think of the protests that you have seen on your social media feed: the first things that probably come to mind are raging fires, broken glass and destruction.

Your mind likely doesn’t jump to orderly lines of people walking through town chanting peaceful and relevant messages even though this is the majority of protests. Ac cording to a study done by The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data in 2020, “Between 24 May and 22 August, ACLED records more than 10,600 demonstration events across the country. Over 10,100 of these — or nearly 95% — involve peaceful protesters.” ACLED’s re port continues, stating, “Fewer than 570 [protests] — or approximately 5% — involve demonstrators en gaging in violence.” In 2020, during the peak of Black Lives Matter pro tests, I went to a protest myself in the Johns Creek area. A large group of us met in the Saddlebrook shop ping center and walked two miles

chanting phrases such as “Black Lives Matter!” and “Give them jus tice!” Accompanying us were mul tiple police officers, ensuring our safety and, likely, ensuring the pro test remained peaceful- and it did. We all chanted and marched with the genuine goal of bringing atten tion to and supporting the BLM cause, not with the intention of destruction and chaos. Everybody made sure to check on one-anoth er in the sweltering Georgia heat, and multiple announcements were made reminding everyone that the goal was protesting peacefully. So, do protests go too far? Some do. But the five percent of bad pro tests are 99 percent of what is tele vised, while the 95 percent of good protests quietly fight for good.

AASHWIN SHARMA, editor-in-chief

GIULI CAPPARELLI, copy

Romanticizing Criminals

ELLA CHO, news editor

From “Night Stalker” to “Conversations with a Kill er: The Ted Bundy Tapes,” shows focused on se rial killers have constantly sparked interest in all kinds of Netflix fans. Whether it be exploring a mur derer’s childhood or showcasing interviews with kill ers, it is no surprise that these films never fail to attract an audience. As humans, it is natural to feel curiosity towards the abnormal. People fear what they don’t un derstand and respond by attempting to comprehend the unknown. Serial killers easily fall under the abnor mal category, and as a result, people are unconsciously drawn to them, hoping to find a way to understand their hei nous actions. Recently, though, this desire has become too ex treme with the trend of roman ticizing criminals, which disre gards any respect for the victims.

When the word serial kill er pops up, Ted Bundy is one of the first to come to mind. Active during the 1970s, Bundy was notorious for sexually assault ing and murdering hundreds of women in a number of states. Though his executions took place many years ago, the release of the Netflix show “Conversations with a Kill er: The Ted Bundy Tapes” greatly emphasized Bundy’s charm and charisma, piquing the interest of several people. This eventually contributed to the trend of ro manticizing criminals on TikTok, with people mak ing videos on how “Ted Bundy is so fine.” His crimes are completely ignored as the videos only focus on his perfect face and dashing smile. Some even go as far as to claim that they would “let him kill [them],” mock

ing the victims who truly suffered. Bundy may have an alluring smile and charismatic attitude, but pleas ing appearances are not enough to erase his crimes.

Ted Bundy isn’t the only one gaining popularity for his looks. Though not a serial killer, Cameron Herrin, cur rently 22 years old, was sentenced to 24 years in prison after killing a mother and her child during a car race with his friend. A clip of Herrin receiving his sentence was passed around on TikTok, and not only did people fawn over his appearance, some even started a petition that demanded justice for Herrin. Though they made decent argumentative points, such as the fact that he turned himself in, their arguments were greatly undermined by the closeups of Herrin’s face and the ro mantic music in the background. Just like with Ted Bundy, there was no attention given to the vic tims at all. They talked about the tears that Herrin shed when he received his sentence but com pletely left out details on how the victim’s husband, Raubeno lt, spent two years trying to get justice for his wife and daughter while still grieving. Curiosity towards criminals is inevitable, but TikTok ers have moved beyond understanding killers to fullon romanticizing them. The videos that are being made completely separate these heinous murderers from their crimes and turn them into celebrities instead. A line needs to be drawn for the victims. A dashing smile and charming attitude will never be enough to erase the heartbreaking crimes that took innocent lives.

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The Chariot is a student-run publication printed for and distributed to the Johns Creek commu nity. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the en tire staff or those of Johns Creek High School, its students, faculty, staff or administration. Content is edited and controlled by staff edi tors, in collaboration with the staff adviser and the administration. The staff will publish only legally protected speech, adhering to the legal definitions of libel, obscenity and the invasion of privacy.

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