Volume 46, Issue 11

November 25, 2019

THE MEDIUM

The Voice of The University of Toronto Mississauga | themedium.ca

Vol 46, No. 11

The Canadian indie artist gets candid about visceral lyrics, authenticity, and modern love

PAULA CHO MANAGING EDITOR Famous artists are notoriously late, but when I arrive ten minutes early to interview Adaline at Le Gourmand on Queen and Spadina, she is ready for me, with an embrace and a smile. The café is bustling with regulars getting their caffeine fix, but we manage to secure a little table in the midst of all the chaos. The Canadian indie singer blends in with the rest of us. She is casually dressed in a black sweater, grey joggers, and a cable knit toque, her ginger hair peeking out.

She tells me about her most recent trip to Los Angeles as we sip tea, and how she’s inspired by her bicoastal lifestyle—the sunny Californian landscape is infused in her latest record, Dear Illusion, releasing in February, 2020. “It’s by far the brightest work I’ve ever done. I actually didn’t write in any minor keys,” she says with a laugh, acknowledging her signature moody sound.

For Adaline, music has always been a big part of growing up. As a minister’s daughter, she moved from church to church, living in five cities across Ontario before she was 15 and then moving to British Columbia soon after. “The first time I was on stage, I think I was three and sang Away in a Manger. People who grow up in churches are very music based—there is tons of music every Sunday and throughout the week. My dad was a part of quite large churches of hundreds of people, so I was always comfortable with being on stage.”

Although her early exposure to

music instilled a passion for singing, it wasn’t until her early twenties when she discovered the songwriting world. “Because of my upbringing, I didn’t grow up listening to Dylan or Leonard Cohen, the classic songwriters,” she says. “I grew up mostly listening to Gospel and musical theatre, so the concept of a songwriter was really foreign until I was 23 and tried writing a song.”

In the early stages, Adaline’s love of poetry and a university degree in literature helped bridge the gap between singing and writing lyrics. The confluence of going to live shows and a Radiohead obsession that followed exposed her to the realm of modern music. She distinctly recalls a pivotal moment in 2005 of watching Hawksley Workman play in Vancouver and drawing inspiration from his expressive lyrics and authentic performance quality. Since then, she has turned the trajectory of her identity as a musician from accomplished choral soloist to soulful indie-pop artist with a focus on vivid lyrics. And in a magical full-circle scenario, Workman would go on to produce Adaline’s hit album Modern Romantics, six years later.

Modern Romantics is Adaline’s manifestation of how our generation is experiencing love. And most of it is not very positive. The album, inspired by the romantic era of poetry, is moody and alluring in its sound and atmosphere: Adaline’s croony tone and hazy melodies function as a foreboding backdrop for lyrics about visceral first connections, avoiding deeper intimacy, and the turmoil of

not being able to stick a relationship out. All the brooding songs on her record, “lyrically, are about something very specific. But because they’re abstract and poetic, people derive different meanings.”

Her writing process traditionally consists of leaving on a solo trip, somewhere hot with an ocean, and writing nonstop for five days. On this mini work vacation, she separates from her usually rosy personality to unveil something deeper. “I’ll usually have a bottle of wine and make myself cry. You almost throw yourself into a cathartic state so that these lyrics can come out. I don’t want to live my life depressed every day, but the truth is, to get the kind of lyrics I love, I have to feel almost hysterical. So, I’ll get into that space where no one has to deal with me and then I’ll come back.” Being vulnerable with her expression, it turns out, has paid off.

Licensing a song to a major franchise is every artist’s commercial dream, so when Adaline got the call from her manager at the time, telling her she had booked back to back episodes on Grey’s Anatomy, she was utterly overwhelmed. Her songs Say Goodbye and Sparks played as soundtracks to two emotional scenes on season eight of the medical drama. She recounts, “Grey’s is just a huge show and being a part of it was ridiculous. I definitely took a couple selfies in front of the TV screen when those episodes aired. Since then, one of my friends that I went to school with, Giacomo Gianniotti, is now a doctor on the show which is all pretty cool.”

As the coffee shop quiets from its morning rush of customers, Adaline delves into the darker side of pursuing art and careers in creative industries. Most professionals face the challenge of differentiating the line between constructive criticism and undue animosity, but for artists, criticism towards such intimate work can make it difficult to not take it personally. Although most reviews by critics on Adaline’s creative work have been positive, she has been told “no” by different labels and agents more times than she can count. The criticism she’s experienced is “not necessarily a negative critique on my art; instead, it feels negative in that someone doesn’t want to work with me.”

But over the years, just as her sound has evolved, so has her confidence in her own artistry. “You know when you’re in a relationship with a critical person—it’s very easy to take on those critiques when you don’t really know yourself. But when you do, it won’t hurt you as much.”

Navigating the social media waters is another part of the gig Adaline and many other musicians didn’t sign up for. “I don’t know if I do it really well. The thing is, it’s just so noisy out there and to get people to pay attention to what you’re doing is getting harder and harder,” she explains.

Throughout the years, publicists have pitched numerous social media ideas surrounding the promotion of her records, but not many have felt authentic—the challenge was always to captivate an audience without feeling gimmicky.

Adaline continued on page 10

Read the latest court decision on the Student Choice Initiative

News Abe Matthew discusses tribal instincts and political discourse

Comment Lauren West praises Theatre Erindale’s The Oresteia

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Arts TA Anna Cwikla receives the June Scott Excellence Award

Features

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Addicted to your phone? Read our tips on how to unplug

Sports

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11.25.2019

Editor | Melissa Barrientos

SCI overturned but uncertainty remains Courts don’t rule on what happens next; university officials to announce statement this week MELISSA BARRIENTOS WITH NOTES FROM MED KANE CONTRIBUTOR The Divisional Court of Ontario ruled that the Ontario government did not have the legal authority to impose the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) on universities on November 21.

The case against the Ford government was brought forward by the Canadian Federation of StudentsOntario (CFS-O) and the York Federation of Students (YFS) back in May. The organizations argued that the government failed to consult them on the fee changes and alleged that an email sent by Ford stating “I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student union get up to” indicated bias on the part of the government.

The court noted Ford’s statement but said it was inadmissible because they “do not decide the issue of improper purpose or bad faith.”

The court did, however, note the failure of the government to provide a rationale as to why of all student ancillary fees, only “one stu-

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Canadian Federation of Students has won their case against the Ford gov’t, but review is underway. dent association fees was deemed by the Cabinet to be non-essential.”

The Ford government, in contrast, argued that the CFS-O and the YFS failed to demonstrate financial harm as a result of the SCI. They also argued that there was no need for judicial review of the initiative, since it was a cabinet directive.

The court denied these argu-

ments, saying that they had a role in ensuring that minsters have “the legal authority to require universities and colleges to comply with the directive.”

In the aftermath of the decision, CFS-O declared the victory, stating in a tweet, “from the streets, to the court room, the students united, will never be defeated.”

In contrast to early reports by

other media organizations, the ruling does not necessarily mean the end to SCI. The Ford government has the option to appeal the ruling or impose the SCI through legislation. The latter option, however, would raise the potential of the government interfering in the operations of post-secondary institutions and act as repudiation to the recommenda-

tions of Ontario’s Royal Commission on the University of Toronto.

The 1906 commission report recommended Ontario to allow post-secondary institutions to have institutional autonomy from the “political whims of government.”

As of press time, the Ford government is still reviewing the decision but “will have more to say on this at a later date,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

In addition, in the possibility of appeal or legislature there exists considerable uncertainty of whether the court’s ruling will stand.

A representative of CFS-O, Kayla Weiler, said that she was uncertain if full funding would resume for next semester.

The university is currently reviewing the court’s ruling.

“The University is aware of the decision and is evaluating the technical impact,” said the vice-provost of students Sandy Welsh in an email to student leaders.

The university will release a statement on what the court’s ruling means to UTM students this week.

Nour Alideeb hired as executive director UTMSU’s hiring process consists of repeating members, conflicts of interest, and controversy ISIK VERA SENEL ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Former UTMSU president Nour Alideeb has been hired by the UTMSU to be their new executive director, beating out 12 other applicants.

Prior to her new position, Alideeb served as the chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario (CFS-O) and was the president of the UTMSU during the 2016-2017 academic year. Alideeb was also the chairperson for the Quality Services to Students (QSS) Committee of UTM until November 13, when she officially stepped down and was replaced by Salma Fakhry.

“They are the link between fulltime staff and the executives,” said current UTMSU president Atif Abdullah when describing the role of an executive director. “Taking some of the old work and bringing it into the new team is part of the work of the executive director and giving some direction to new executives who sometimes feel overwhelmed in that role.”

The previous executive director, Munib Sajjad, was hired by the UTMSU in 2016 during Alideeb’s presi-

dency. However, Alideeb had said there was a conflict of interest and was replaced in the hiring committee by Walied Khogali, a past UTSU president and the UTMSU executive director at the time.

The UTMSU Policy Manual defines conflict of interest as “the inability of hiring committee members to reach an impartial decision regarding an applicant due to extenuating personal factors that extend beyond interactions within the association.”

Although the executive director is not an official part of the hiring committee for contractual staff, if a member of the committee is unable to fulfill their duties, they can be replaced by the executive director.

The hiring committee for the executive director consists of the president, the VP internal, VP equity, and two members of the Board of Directors.

Atif Abdullah stated that “all the members of the hiring committee were actually present,” therefore not requiring Sajjad to step in.

The Medium asked Abdullah if Sajjad was a part of the hiring process that selected Alideeb.

“He was not present at any of the interviews, he didn’t have access to any of the job postings. The job postings were put up by us [the hiring committee]. Applications were reviewed by us,” said Abdullah. “The final decision was within the hiring committee, and then approved by the board as well.”

The executive director job posting was posted on CharityVillage, a website which features non-profit job listings, and “had over 15,000 views.”

“We had about 13 applicants of which four were interviewed. Of the four then it was down to Nour,” said Abdullah. “Of course, you don’t want someone coming in working from BMO financial management to working with the Student Union because those priorities just don’t align but recognizing that experience within the university background is also very important.”

When asked about the UTMSU’s preference in hiring past UTMSU and UTSU presidents as executive directors, Abdullah stated that it is important for the executive director to understand U of T governance which “probably is by far the most complicated in this country.”

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Alideeb has held numerous student gov’t positions before this.

“With Nour coming in, she brought that experience of not just knowing what that system was and not just having that relationship that you need to have with the administration to push your work through, but also with a proven track record,” said Abdullah.

“Nour is also the first female executive director of this organization, so it’s always good to have a fresh perspective,” continued Abdullah.

“She has a proven track record of three policies being passed while she was an executive of the UTMSU, so

she brings in a lot of that direction, in the policy writing and the policy advocacy part of it as well.”

Abdullah stated that the priorities of the UTMSU haven’t “shifted too much” with Alideeb becoming the executive director.

The UTMSU is currently focusing on subscription-based services like Top Hat which “has always been identified as a barrier for students,” and has had “a very good string of meetings with the dean of Academic Affairs, Amrita Daniere.”

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Official opening of MN saw reconciliation U of T President Meric Gertler, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey Laforme were in attendance BELICIA CHEVOLLEAU STAFF WRITER Students, faculty, staff, and distinguished guests gathered for the official opening of Maanjiwe Nendamowinan (MN) last Friday, with the conversations of indigenization, reconciliation, and partnership being held throughout the Grand Hall.

In 2015, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) announced its plans to demolish and completely rebuild the North building. According to UTM principal and vice-president Ian Orchard, the North building served the campus since the mid1960s as the “academic home to our first students, staff, and faculty in 1967.”

While the North building was supposed to be temporary, it stood for a little more than half a century. In its place now stands a 210,000-squarefoot, six-storey building featuring a plethora of study spaces, open areas, and collaborative and experiential learning classrooms. The building is now home to many social sciences and humanities departments, as well as centres like the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre.

Among the attendees were prominent figures from the University of Toronto (U of T) and the city including U of T President Meric Gertler, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey Laforme, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, President of UTM’s Alumni Association Ziyaad Vahed, Vice Chair of the U of T governing council Jane Pepino, and U of T Chancellor Rose Patten.

Customary of most UTM ceremonies, the official opening of MN began with an acknowledgement of the land on which the campus was built. “For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River,” said Orchard.

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Pictured are officials from UofT, City of Mississauga, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Elder Gary Sue, a First Nations elder, conducted a drum song where he called on the ancestors. After his drum song, and an attempt to coax the audience to join in with him, he advised that in the acknowledgement of the First Nations people, they include the names of the treaty holders so the children understand “who they’re supposed to deal with when it comes to treaty rights and the land that’s here.”

Elder Sue continued to say that while acknowledgement is good, detailing who the land holders are is also needed.

Then, Orchard launched into the ceremony by describing the building’s history and recognizing the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation’s contribution to the establishment of the building’s name. Orchard stated that the “campus renewal builds on our commitment to innovation and excellence as well as UTM’s focus on developing more experiential learning opportunities for our students, while also broadening our research efforts.”

One attendee, Simone Laughton, the head of the Library & Instructional Technologies at UTM, told The Me-

dium that she was ecstatic that they had the guidance of the Mississaugas throughout the process, and she is excited for the future opportunities to learn and grow.

With the acknowledgement of the indigenous land on which our university stands, the speakers all touched on the ways we can continue to grow as a university in a way that honours our roots and focuses on innovation and growth.

Bonnie Crombie stressed the importance of unity between the City of Mississauga and UTM. She highlighted the picturesque nature of the campus. In her speech, she stated that the future of the city and the university are “deeply intertwined which is why” she believes “an investment in education is an investment in city building.”

Likewise, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey Laforme spoke about the alliance between the city of Mississauga and the Mississaugas first nations. Laforme said it is a history “we need to continue to honour.” As a symbol of this alliance, Laforme stated, “it seems fitting we name this building in Anishinaabemowin as we continue on our journey.”

Although many of the speeches intersected, to each speaker, the name of the building meant something different. Meric Gertler focused on the idea of “coming together to exchange ideas in a search for truth” — the epitome of education, he said.

Borrowing the cliche, “we are better together,” Mayor Crombie summed up the importance of acknowledging our past while “building a more environmentally sustainable future that will provide generations with a place to come together for a challenging yet deeply rewarding [education].”

However, Gertler also acknowledged that to become stronger, people must be willing to engage and be “open to new or previously neglected voices.”

Gertler confessed that “for the better part of two centuries, indigenous culture was given very little visibility at this university.” The naming of the building using an indigenous name is one of the steps the university is taking towards indigenizing “new and existing spaces to make our campus more accessible, more welcoming, and more meaningful to our indigenous community members.”

Ian Orchard said in his speech that

it was “unanimously recommended that an indigenous name be considered which led to a collaboration between the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who proposed the name.”

Laforme reminded the audience to remember the name and its significance, “otherwise you might as well have named it Bob.” Throughout the afternoon, many speakers hesitated before pronouncing the Anishinaabemowin name. An email was sent out to students earlier this year with the phonetic pronunciation and the university also published a video on YouTube with the proper pronunciation.

At one point during the ceremony, Laforme asked Kathy, an audience member, to teach the attendees the pronunciation. Still, some VIP members struggled to say the name.

During the final remarks, U of T Chancellor Rose Patten started her speech with humour and trepidation. “Let me first add my thanks to the Mississaugas of the First Nations for honouring us with the name, and I don’t get away with it either, so here we go…”

As she attempted the first half of the name, stumbling over the syllables, Elder Sue chimed in from the audience with the correct pronunciation. Patten repeated the first part, but stopped after that, saying, “thanks, chief.”

Laughter could be heard from where first nations people were seated. “You demoted me,” Elder Sue replied.

Part of the significance of Maanjiwe Nendamowinan’s name is its meaning, “Gathering of Minds,” which all the speakers touched on.

“We must always remember the real reason we gather—to do the right thing for our people, our children, and our future,” said Laforme.

Mississauga wants out of Peel Region Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie discussed Mississauga’s separation plea from the Region of Peel SALEHA FARUQUE DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR “I’m not convinced it’s over,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie back in October.

Crombie was referring to Mississauga’s separation plea from the Region of Peel, also known as #MissExit on social media. Her words accurately described the city’s ongoing bid for independence since earlier this year.

Reacting to the decision of keeping Mississauga as part of Peel, City Council passed a November 6 motion that would balance the cost-sharing of certain regional services. One such service includes the cost of Peel Regional Police, which represents 50 per cent of the Peel Region’s budget.

The City of Mississauga maintains that separating from the Peel Region would mean residents could obtain better value for their taxpayer dollars.

The Budget Committee agenda from November states that Mississauga

taxpayers are “overpaying for Peel Police Services by up to $69 million annually.”

The allocation formula, which is based on property assessment of Mississauga and Brampton, sees Mississauga paying 63.1 per cent of this cost, while Brampton only pays 36.9 per cent. According to the Budget Committee, amending this formula would mean that the “tax burden on Mississauga taxpayers would be reduced by $69 million.”

The council has made the case for Mississauga’s independence by arguing for greater control of the city’s priorities and future. The “one city, one voice” campaign urged Mississauga residents to voice their opposition to subsidizing Brampton and Caledon.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing conducted a review of governance, decision-making, and service-delivery functions of eight municipalities, including the Region of Peel. May-

or Crombie had hoped this review would result in Mississauga being recognized as a single-tier city and assuming responsibility for full-service delivery to its own citizens.

As Ontario’s third largest city, Mississauga has held the long-standing belief that being a single-tier city would increase its ability to “deliver faster, better, and more integrated decisions.”

Upon the province’s decision that there would be no changes to regional governance in Ontario, the first city council motion brought forward a report summarizing “the costs of Regional services such as Peel Regional Police for which Mississauga is paying more than its fair share, and recommendations for a method of reallocating costs, fairer for the taxpayers of Mississauga.”

According to the Budget Committee, Mississauga would pay nearly $84 million less for current services under the Region of Peel using a “single-tier

model.” Most of these savings would be generated equitably by “assigning Peel Police costs to Brampton and Mississauga.”

The Ford government’s decision to stay in Peel was initially delivered with a funding announcement for municipalities, to help them “lower costs and improve services.” However, the $143 million pledge was not met with praise from City Council.

Mayor Crombie responded to Ford’s decision by saying the Ford government “lost their backbone to do the right thing for the right reasons,” adding that she felt “deeply, deeply disappointed” by the decision.

The unanimous November 6 motion also established a subcommittee responsible for reviewing regional agendas before each Region of Peel meeting, then reporting the information back to the council.

The motion further asked the province to allow Mississauga an “enhanced voting member.” This would

double the number of votes for a designated council member in the event that another member is absent from a Regional Council meeting.

Allocation findings in the report on the Peel Regional Police budget were first published by an independent report by Ernst and Young. A Deloitte report from March also reported that Mississauga would financially benefit from leaving Peel, while Brampton would be negatively impacted.

The report stated that Mississauga would see an increase of $2.4 million in net assets, claiming that breaking up Peel region would generate $1,081 million in additional tax levies over the next 10 years.

Tensions have remained high following the October 25 announcement by the Ford Government that Peel Region would remain intact. Mayor Crombie has said that she intends to meet with Premier Ford to convince him that Mississauga should separate from Peel.

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THE MEDIUM 11.25.2019

U of T ranks 10th in top law schools in the world

HUMANS OF UTM

Times Higher Education ranked the Faculty of Law in the top 10

PHOTO/LAW.UTORONTO.CA

Pictured is the architectural marvel, the Jackman Law building on the UofT St. George campus.

MAY ALSAIGH CONTRIBUTOR The Times Higher Education (THE) world university rankings 2020 has placed the University of Toronto (U of T)’s Faculty of Law as one of the top 10 law schools in the world. U of T has ranked tenth on the list, the highest among law schools outside of Great Britain and the United States.

The THE rankings is an annual publication of university rankings by Times Higher Education magazine which judges research-intensive universities using 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators. The criteria consists of teaching (the learning environment), research (volume, income and reputation), international outlook (staff, students and research), citations (research influence), and industry income (knowledge transfer).

The ranking is also audited through professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

U of T explained that the Faculty of Law is an excellent choice for students applying to study law because it has a world-renowned department with more than fifty full-time faculty as well as seven visiting scholars from across the globe.

Dean of the U of T’s Faculty of Law

Edward Iacobucci told The Medium that the recognition is appreciated but that they will continue to strive for excellence to attract the best and brightest.

“It’s a rare honour for a Canadian institution to be ranked in the top 10, the top law school in Canada, and the only Ontario law school in the top 50,” said Iacobucci.

“While our ambition remains sharply focused on excellence, not rankings, it is gratifying to receive such recognition,” continued Iacobucci. “U of T Law has been and remains an accessible institution that attracts the best and the brightest students.”

U of T was one of the first Canadian Law Schools to offer a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, rather than a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), providing their graduates with a more competitive degree designation. Presently, it remains one of the few Canadian law schools that offer a J.D. degree.

“I hope to study in their faculty of law in my near future as I truly believe they provide excellent resources to make my experience worthwhile, their ranking is well deserved,” said Nicole Krzecko, a recent graduate from U of T with a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honours.

“U of T has deserved this prestige for not only its curriculum, but also in the way that it provides a sense of community for its students, and the doors it opens for them as well,” continued Krzecko.

According to their website, students graduating from U of T’s Faculty of Law “are hired by the top employers in Canada, New York, and London.” Approximately 95 per cent of J.D. students secure jobs each year.

“As an aspiring future law school student […] I hope to one day be part of their law program, but I can only imagine how difficult it must be to get in,” said Jestina Hajjar, a first-year student in philosophy and political science at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).

“Attending U of T Law has always been an aspiration of mine and the school becoming a part of the top ten law schools comes as no surprise,” said Phoenix Banjo, another first-year student in philosophy and political science.

The University of Toronto has attracted thousands of applicants each year. With its numerous recognitions and top faculty, the university is sure to climb higher in the top law schools ranking list.

Reconsidering cannabis stores KASIA PROCE CONTRIBUTOR The City of Mississauga is debating on whether cannabis retail stores should be reconsidered in 2020.

When the federal government legalized cannabis in 2018, municipalities were given the choice on whether they wanted to implement retail cannabis stores in their local area. Cannabis was legalized in Canada, but easy access to legal distribution was not guaranteed.

It’s close to a year now since Mississauga opted out of hosting cannabis stores in the city. The city will reconsider hosting cannabis stores in 2020.

Mayor Bonnie Crombie stresses that the city’s reconsideration of cannabis stores is not due to a prominent black cannabis market.

“I want to be clear that there is no data to suggest that there are more illegal sales of cannabis in Mississauga because the city decided to opt-out of retail cannabis shops,” said Crombie in an interview with InSauga. “When

Mississauga decided to opt-out of retail cannabis stores, we were clear that while we had concerns with the province’s model, we may decide to opt-in in the future.”

Crombie said she believes the city council made the right choice at the time, particularly due to “the lack of local control provided to cities about where these retail stores will be located.”

According to Statistics Canada’s National Cannabis Survey, since the legalization of cannabis the percentage of users obtaining cannabis from illegal sources has decreased from 52 per cent in 2018 to 42 per cent in 2019.

At the same time, cannabis bought from an illegal source was rated to almost 50 per cent cheaper in September, according to Statistics Canada.

Since opting out from hosting cannabis retail stores, Mississauga has also lost out on government funds from Ontario’s Cannabis Legalization Implementation Fund (OCLIF) that helps municipalities combat the costs

of legalization.

According to Mississauga News, Brampton has received over $381,000 from OCLIF, while Mississauga has received only $5,000 because of its decision to opt-out.

By hosting retail cannabis stores in Mississauga, the city will help decrease black market activity, receive larger funds from the government, and promote public health as legal stores are monitored by the government, while illegal ones are not.

“It’s better to have cannabis in legal retail stores as it would allow for better control over its distribution and who buys it. Having it in stores would decrease the amount of cannabis legally sold and would be a step closer to not have it be in the hands of the youth,” said April Zuniga, a secondyear art and biology student.

“Given that little over a year has passed since legalization, it’s an opportunity for us to revisit whether or not retail cannabis stores are a good fit for Mississauga,” said Crombie in an interview with InSauga.

In high school, I knew I wanted to be a dentist. But my grades then were atrocious. Counsellors told me that I should figure out something else and go to college instead because with my marks, I wasn’t going to university. I watched the food network a lot and thought, “It seems like fun. Maybe I’ll go to culinary school.” I ended up going to two culinary schools. After that I went to work at the Credit Valley Golf Club. It wasn’t what it was like on TV. I had to work doubles in horrible conditions. I quit the restaurant industry and tried something else. I worked at Sunlife for a bit, but found out sales wasn’t for me.

I did nothing with my life for a while. I was so lost. I decided to try school again. I went to an adult high school and did really well. I got into UTM and played for the Varsity Blues Golf team for five years. At the time, golf was the ultimate dream, but that never happened. I decided to revisit the Dentistry dream. I put in the work, and I already have an interview from a Dental school and I’m waiting for a couple more.

I’m 28 now, but I’m finally revisiting that dream. Those goals I had are now more attainable. My advice: You’re still young, even if you feel like you’re years behind. While you’re still trying to figure things out, you’re still ahead of where you were five years ago when you had no idea what you were doing. Everyday is progress, even if it doesn’t seem like it is.

November 15, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police attended the Davis second floor food court area for a student experiencing medical distress.

The student was transported to hospital.

November 15, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police attended the RAWC for a student injured while playing volleyball. The student was transported to hospital.

November 18, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended the library for a student experiencing medical distress. EMS attended and transported the student to hospital.

November 15, 2019 Theft A student reported the theft of one of their Apple Airpods from a bench in the gym.

November 18, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police, ECSpeRT and EMS attended OPH for a student experiencing medical distress. The student refused transport to hospital.

November 19, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended the MN building for a student experiencing an allergic reaction.

November 19, 2019 Property Damage A student accidentally damaged a door window pane.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium from Campus Police and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Campaigns & Advocacy Commission approves budget The Commission held their first meeting of the year to discuss ongoing initiatives and approve budgets ISIK VERA SENEL ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR UTMSU executives and students came together in the Campaigns and Advocacy Commission last Tuesday to discuss academic policies, equity initiatives, and to approve the UTMSU budget.

Vice-President University affairs & academics Miguel Cabral discussed the academic policy initiatives the UTMSU has been working on, including the removal of subscription-based services like iClickers and Top Hat. “That’s something we’ve realized that students overwhelmingly don’t like because it’s an additional cost to students. So, we want to have that removed,” said Cabral.

Another academic policy initiative the UTMSU has been pursuing is self-assigned sick notes, where students will be able to claim two sick days per course without requiring a signed doctor’s note.

“It was successfully piloted in the summer,” said Cabral. “We’re hoping to have it fully piloted by all departments across campus but we’re still trying to push to have that implemented.”

Vice-President Equity Habon Ali went over the equity initiatives. “Our top priorities in the upcoming weeks, as well as the next year, include Black History Month, eXpression Against Oppression (XAO) week, and environmental initiatives.”

MYUTMSU/TWITTER

UTMSU has just approved their budget to continue their advocacy work for the students of UTM. “Expression Against Oppression is an annual event that happens, and it’s essentially a week full of events that tackle various forms of oppression and raises awareness about equity and social justice issues.”

Ali also discussed the environmental initiatives that the UTMSU has been focusing on. “Some of the environmental initiatives include collaborating with sustainable groups on campus like Zero Waste and Trashion Show, as well as building workshops and farmers markets, tree planting events, and purchasing

sustainable items for students to use on campus.”

The World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Program, in which the UTMSU sponsors a refugee student every year to study at UTM, was also mentioned among the equity initiatives.

“This is a program that has been around since 2008. So, it’s been about 11 years which means we’ve had about 12 students come here,” said Atif Abdullah, UTMSU president and chairperson of the Commission.

Vice-President External Kai Ng discussed Chartwells and food services on campus. “We have always been trying to improve the food service of Chartwells and also to increase affordability of all foodservice providers,” said Ng. Another issue that Ng brought up regarding Chartwells was about catering opportunities and prices for club events as “the university does not allow clubs to bring their own food.”

“It is very overpriced,” said Ng. “The only departments that can or-

der food from Chartwells are academic departments, usually clubs are not even close to being able to afford the food.”

The commission then proceeded to go over and approve the Campaigns and Advocacy Budget totaling $28,700. However, Atif Abdullah stated that this budget was “not an ‘end all, be all’” and if changes were to be made, they would be presented to the commission in later meetings.

The priorities focused on UTMSU volunteers and the organization of Black History Month were given the largest sums, receiving $6,000 each.

The XAO and We the Students initiatives were approved for $4,000 and $3,000 respectively.

Miguel Cabral also discussed Academic Advocacy Week, which was budgeted $2,500.

“It’s an initiative to basically help educate students on what academic resources are available to them, [and] help students know their rights as students,” said Cabral, “because these are very important aspects for an everyday student to be able to know.”

The Campaigns and Advocacy Commission will be having its next meeting in January, where they will discuss the outcomes of the first meeting and the campaigns they will be working on.

The Commission plans to have a meeting every month starting January 2020.

RoboBin: An AI waste management system Five U of T graduate students created RoboBin, an AI robot that determines where waste goes DILJOT BADESHA CONTRIBUTOR Five U of T masters students have invented a new way for people to sort their waste.

RoboBin, a waste management system, helps people determine how to organize their waste. RoboBin uses photos that have been uploaded into its system to help identify what goes in the garbage, recycling, and organic bin.

“One in three citizens contaminate their recycling waste [...] Even if you make an educated guess, we go wrong all the time,” said Nikunj Viramgama, CEO of Paramount AI, the organization that invented RoboBin, during an interview with CBC News.

Viramgama and his team consisting of Ganesh Vedula, Aakash Iyer, Vaibhav Gupta, and Maharshi Trivedi created the start-up organization Paramount AI. This May, in Amsterdam, Paramount AI took their talents to the international stage when they entered their AI product in the KPMG’s second annual Ideation Challenge, an international competition held to discover solutions to the world’s biggest business challenges.

PAUL BORKWOOD/CBC NEWS

In this technological age, UofT students have developed an easier way of sorting waste.

After advancing to the final stage of the challenge along with nine other teams from renowned universities all around the world, the team of five were named winners of the KPMG Ideation Challenge.

Viramgama and his team already have plans of what’s next for their invention.

“We at Paramount AI wish to launch RoboBin with a business to business (B2B) model, primarily serving the private sector clientele at the initial launch stage,” said Viramgama.

Paramount AI plans to first launch RoboBin on a local scale to gain consumer feedback, user experience data,

and examine the feasibility and scalability of the AI product. After the initial launch and upgrades to the current model, Paramount AI hopes to go into the private sector.

“After the launch, we wish to venture into the private sector starting with theme parks, restaurants, and airports. Slowly expanding in the business space,” said Viramgama.

“Down the line, we wish to include government bodies and municipalities as our clients for bringing RoboBin into the metropolitan environment.”

Chelsea Dalton, the Environmental and Sustainability coordinator at the

Facilities Management and Planning department, believes that the invention could completely change the recycling system.

“I think it is a very interesting invention that has the power to really revolutionize the way that waste is sorted,” said Dalton.

Dalton states the biggest problem with current waste management systems is contamination, a problem that RoboBin works to combat.

“Our biggest hurdle when dealing with waste and recycling is contamination—items that are not recyclable end up in the recycle bin, which can lead to the whole load being sent to

landfill,” continued Dalton.

“If this invention can eliminate the issue of people placing the wrong items in the recycling stream, then it could really revolutionize recycling and make a huge impact in terms of decreasing the amount of material that ends up in landfill.”

As for UTM implementing this invention in the coming future, Dalton says the university has no plans right now, but she is looking forward to the possibility of working with the invention. “[We have no concrete plans] at this time, but I think it’s a very cool invention and I would love to pilot it and see how it works out on campus.”

Paramount AI have yet to be in contact with the City of Toronto about RoboBin because they believe that the process of implementing RoboBin requires time and involves several steps.

“Coming out from a university project, the priority of the team is to receive a strategic partnership and guidance in reserving the knowledge rights and developing, researching, and piloting the prototype before commercializing it,” said Viramgama.

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Editor | Vinney Wong

The Oresteia reimagines an old classic The play shattered the fourth wall by having audiences participate in it on an interactive stage LAUREN WEST CONTRIBUTOR I appreciated the fresh take on this play. It didn’t lose any of the original nuances even with the production taking a more contemporary approach with the costumes and characters. The set was minimalistic which complimented the rich dialogue and performers.

The actors were put to the test of making ancient characters feel vital again, which they so powerfully accomplished with venerable moments that left the audience speechless.

Muhaddisah Batool’s Clytemnestra is a character who wants vengeance against Jacob Moro’s Agamemnon for the sorrow and torment she feels after losing a daughter. Rooted in angst, she is both a villain and a victim. Batool delivers a standout performance.

Equally captivating was Rose Donoghue as Iphigenia. Her sweet and innocent demeanor at the beginning made her gruesome sacrifice in the end all the more upsetting and contributed to her haunting presence throughout the play. Iphigenia’s characterization made the audience more sympathetic to Clytemnestra’s loss.

Despite Agamemnon being mentioned through dialogue much more than he ever appeared onstage, Moro made his presence known throughout

PHOTO/THEATRE ERINDALE

This immersive retelling of life after the Trojan War tested the actors portraying ancient characters. the play.

For theatre historians, fans of Greek theatre, or people looking for a unique opportunity to watch a play that has shaped what we now know about Greek tragedy, Theatre Erindale provided an excellent adaption of Aeschylus’ The Oresteia which ran from November 8-17. The Oresteia lays out a particularly grueling and bloody chapter of Agamemnon and

Clytemnestra’s family life right after the end of the Trojan War. What was especially interesting about this production was how the audience was thrown right into the middle of the action. Instead of simply watching, the audience members were initially guests at the wedding of Iphigenia and Achilles prior to the show and were able to interact with the cast as they roamed around in

character. The audience was divided into houses and given leaders to follow throughout the show as it moved from room to room. At times, there were up to seven scenes being performed simultaneously, some even in the same room. We had to concentrate and focus on the different scenes to form the whole story.

I really felt immersed in the play as the actors moved throughout the

audience, given that there was not an assigned spot for the audience to sit down and watch. This interactive staging in the theatre gave the illusion that the audience was a part of the action as opposed to being onlookers, effectively shattering the fourth wall.

The chorus (which is a pivotal part of Greek theatre) was well put together and arranged. The performers provided a sense of narration for the audience to clarify the main characters’ actions and the overall events.

Due to the unique production style and how the performance was arranged, we were unable to see all the scenes and aspects of the play. There were a few times where one would’ve felt confused during specific scenes because there was not enough context. In retrospect, I think it would be helpful for audiences to have read the original text before seeing the production for a better understanding.

Overall, I was very impressed with the intricacy and elegance in which the play was performed. A long, bloody trilogy can be depressing and frivolous if it isn’t produced properly, but Theatre Erindale did The Oresteia justice. We witnessed the impact of Greek tragedy through moments of heightened emotion and gripping action that left the audience asking, “what truly is justice and who rightfully deserves it?”

Inside perspectives on Careers in Creativity The event featured four professionals from artistic fields to talk about networking opportunities SHALOMI RANASINGHE ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR UTM’s Creatives For A Change hosted their third annual Careers in Creativity event, sponsored by the Department of Visual Studies and Department of English and Drama, on November 21. The event was hosted by Laurella Jose and Deema Abu Naser, the Vice President and Marketing Director of Creatives For A Change.

Careers in Creativity featured four professionals who work in various artistic fields. The itinerary included fifteen-minute talks from each speaker, a group Q&A, and concluded with networking opportunities.

The first speaker was Raquel Da Silva, a Toronto-based artist and designer, who mainly works with paintings. Da Silva is currently studying Painting and Furniture Design at Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University. Before OCAD, she worked as an intern with Colour Magazine in Vancouver. Following her internship, she went to Brazil and began creating street art.

During her stay in Brazil, she created

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Professionals in the creative field discussed their journeys. a piece of artwork which ultimately became the foundation of her brand.

She has collaborated with Nike Air Jordan and Adidas. Da Silva advised future artists to be comfortable with rejection, as it will happen a lot. She also advised them to attend events and network.

The second speaker was Almost Guilty, a visual artist from Toronto.

When he began his talk, he stated he didn’t want to be like every other panel, sharing their success stories through PowerPoint slides. Rather, he wanted to express his experiences with a story about failure and how failure fuels motivation. Almost

Guilty began his brand in Toronto but felt stuck. He decided he wanted to work for Kanye West, so he went to New York for New York Fashion Week where West was attending. Almost Guilty researched how to find West and tried to contact him. He saw West a few times before having the opportunity to give his contact information to West’s assistant, who said that he can work backstage during New York Fashion Week. Almost Guilty felt that his career was finally starting to develop. However, the day of New York Fashion Week, his name wasn’t on the list and the show began without him. Later in his career, he

was invited to another fashion show where he actually met Kanye West face to face. Almost Guilty encouraged the audience to use failure as fuel because the road to success is never linear.

The third speaker was Sara Elgamal, a filmmaker and producer. Before her current career, she went to York University in hopes of becoming a journalist to share honest stories. She worked in news and decided that wasn’t the field for her, but realized she had good leadership skills and wanted to become a producer.

Elgamal worked in the advertising field in the UK and worked on various music videos. She’s worked with musicians such as Daniel Caesar and Sonder. She directed a campaign for United Nations about female genital mutilation (FGM). During her presentation, she chose to share the music video for “Too Fast” by Sonder and the campaign video about FGM. Elgamal encouraged beginner musicians to have an idea of what they want to do when creating their brand and identity about music. She said money is needed, and people can get grants from banks and even collabo-

rate with other brands as a source for income.

Hussein Ibrahim, a Torontobased fashion designer, was the final speaker. He works at the Get Fresh Company as the lead designer. In his talk, Ibrahim gave advice on starting a company. He said entrepreneurs have to focus on their goals, otherwise they’ll get distracted and want to give up. He structured his presentation with how-to slides labelled: “Tunnel Vision,” “Link & Build,” “Energy,” “Keep it Moving,” “Increase Your Value,” and “All Due in Time.” Ibrahim explained maintaining relationships and attending events are ways to increase visibility for creators. Entrepreneurs have to hustle, grind, and do everything they can to reach goals. He advised entrepreneurs to never give up. There’s always more to do, such as make realistic goals and surround yourself with people who motivate you. Ibrahim has worked with Bruno Mars, Puma, and the Toronto Raptors.

Careers in Creativity educated the audience about the knowledge and experience it takes to venture into a creative field.

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Marvel films are important for cinema Martin Scorsese does not understand the cultural impact that Marvel films have on audiences OYINKANSOLA OLAWUYI CONTRIBUTOR When asked about his thoughts on Marvel films at a promotional event for his movie The Irishman late last month, famed director Martin Scorsese described the films as “theme parks” rather than cinematic works.

He claimed that the films aren’t “in the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.” Scorsese is not the first to have this viewpoint on the films, and he most likely won’t be the last, but the question of the matter is whether he is right. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as they make up a majority of the Marvel films released and are also what I believe Scorsese was referring to when he said Marvel movies are “invading cinema.”

The MCU is a carefully woven narrative that has spanned 23 movies over more than a decade. As someone who has been a fan for the past 11 years and has literally grown up watching these movies, Scorsese’s assertion that these films “do not convey emotional, psychological experiences,” could not be further from the truth. While people like to comment on superhero films for their use of green screen, grand stunts, and explosions, those elements aren’t the only factors that keep fans coming back movie after movie. It’s the

MILIDAE CLAIRE UY/THE MEDIUM

The MCU is full of diversity and action that explores imaginative huaman experiences. characters. Their development, their vulnerability, and, to use Scorsese’s word, their experiences.

We can look at the MCU’s two largest characters as examples: Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Over the course of the three Iron Man movies, viewers see Tony’s transition from a billionaire weapons manufacturer to a hero, and the audience follows the character as he experiences an event that leaves him battling severe PTSD and anxiety. We watch him grapple with morality and the effects that his life saving creation (the Iron

Man suit and subsequent persona) has on his own life, the lives of those he loves, and the world. Similarly, the Captain America trilogy follows Steve Rogers, whose entire aspiration in life was enlisting and fighting for his country, as he finally becomes a soldier. More importantly, the films show what happens when he is separated from all that he knows and loses his fulfilled dream, waking up 70 years later in a foreign world.

The audience sees him struggling to find his place in a new era and what it means to fight for his country in a

role that is far removed from his days as a soldier. Despite their larger than life events, these films are grounded in real, human journeys that are relatable to audiences.

Moreover, the exaggerated and fantastical settings that the movies take place in allow the film makers to explore “regular” problems from a new perspective. This is relevant now more than ever with movies like Black Panther and Captain Marvel—the first minority-led and solo female MCU movies respectively.

These films showcase the experi-

ences of people that are commonly under-represented in the genre, and reflect the troubles they face in a new way. Black Panther, for example, on abasic level, looks at what an African nation could achieve without colonization, while Captain Marvel depicts the issue of how countries treat and perceive refugees. For decades, comic books have used their stories to illustrate poignant issues in society, offering different perspectives on topics and sparking relevant discussions. As the MCU expands, it also grows in the number of perspectives it draws from and the realities it portrays.

When Infinity War came out in 2018, a major point of frustration for viewers was the fact they had to watch the preceding 18 movies to understand the overall arc. Compared to film makers like Scorsese (who has never done a sequel), this number of films is a rarity. But it’s the decade of movies that affords viewers a connection with these characters in a way that has not been seen or replicated in film. It allows the films to portray a universe that is as diverse and problematic as our own, while also giving viewers hope for what is possible in cinema.

In the end, the MCU is cinema, and the films are successful cinematic works because they not only possess the very things that Scorsese believes they lack, but possess them in abundance.

Hollywood is dishonouring the dead Film studios are impeding on intellectual property rights by using technology to cast dead actors DANICA TENG ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR People often idolize actors and actresses, so even if we’ve never known them personally, it still hurts when they pass away. We mourn the loss and look back on the legacies they’ve left behind—legacies that should be left alone. But as technology advances, some people can’t seem to let go.

Many people are in an uproar upon discovering that a new film, Finding Jack, plans to resurrect the deceased actor James Dean through computer-generated imagery (CGI) for one of the movie’s main roles.

Dean, most famous for films like Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden, passed away in 1955, but it seems Hollywood studios won’t let him rest in peace. Directed by Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh, Finding Jack is based off Gareth Crocker’s novel of the same name and is a story that takes place during the Vietnam War. The backlash against this casting decision was immediate, with celebrities like Chris Evans, Elijah Wood, and Dylan Sprouse expressing their disappointment. Zelda Williams also tweeted her stance on the issue, saying, “I have talked to friends about this for YEARS and no one

PHOTO/IMDB.COM

Finding Jack has come under fire for casting a deceased James Dean to play a CGI’d role ever believed me that the industry would stoop this low once tech got better. Publicity stunt or not, this is puppeteering the dead for their ‘clout’ alone and it sets such an awful precedent for the future of performance.”

Many of the complaints and concerns of this concept revolved around this question: How do they

know that James Dean would have wanted to play this role?

What if he didn’t agree to some of the choices of this role and what it represents? Using his identity without that choice and permission is disrespectful. It’s different for actors like Paul Walker in Furious 7, who was already playing that role before his death, or Star Wars which only

used previous unseen footage of the late Carrie Fisher to recreate her appearance in The Rise of Skywalker.

Walker and Fisher consented to their roles. Dean never got the chance.

Another reason people were upset with casting the deceased was because it takes away opportunities for actors and actresses who are alive

and struggling to get roles. Even if the directors cast the living for Dean’s body and voice, those people behind the screen won’t get the real recognition that they deserve.

The technological advancement in this recreation is terrifying, because it doesn’t just stop with James Dean. Worldwide XR is a new company that revolves around this idea of creating digital humans to cast in movies, and to use in augmented and virtual reality, as they have rights to hundreds of celebrities who already passed away.

“There is a lot more to come for James Dean,” said Worldwide XR CEO Travis Cloyd in an article.

“Think of it as James Dean 2.0.”

The notion of Dean having his legacy tampered with and marketed like a product after his death is hurtful because corporations are abusing intellectual property rights for monetary gains rather than contributing positively to cinema.

In response to resurrecting the dead through technology, people online are bringing back one of Jeff Goldblum’s most memorable quotes as Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

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Parasite is cinematically deceiving The movie focused on family and greed, but the characters were deceitful and calculative DEEMA ABU NASER CONTRIBUTOR Parasite is a Korean movie directed

by Bong Joon Ho. It was first released at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September and was the first Korean movie to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. It has a 99 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes; critics and film lovers alike have raved about it.

I didn’t like it.

In Parasite, the focus is on family.

We’re introduced to the Kim family, who are extremely poor. They live in a semi-basement in a secluded alleyway. In Korea, semi-basements are one of the cheapest forms of living; rent can be less than $300 per month. They are barely surviving; their main source of income comes from folding pizza boxes.

The son, Ki Woo (Choi Woo Shik), has a friend, Min Hyuk (Park Seo Joon), who tutors a rich high school female student. Min Hyuk is leaving to study abroad and tells Ki Woo to be the tutor in his place. He’s not do-

ANANYA ANANTH/THE MEDIUM

This Korean film is based around the dynamics of two families and how they strive to survive. ing it out of love or pity; he wants to marry the student when he comes back because she’s rich. Min Hyuk refers Ki Woo to the ultra-rich Park family, and he starts working there.

Slowly, Ki Woo’s scamming personality comes out, and he tries to replace the old workers of the household with his family members.

For a film that is about familial relationships and the reality of poverty, it did not feel authentic to me.

I felt as if the director tried to hand me the emotions by making me feel sympathetic for the poor in the film.

In the beginning, I could generate some sympathy for the Kims.

They couldn’t find jobs that would sustain them, they lived locked up in the semi-basement, and they could barely afford food.

As the movie went on, my sympathy turned into feelings of betrayal as the characters revealed themselves

to be less than truthful. The Kims are not a family of hard workers trying to make their lives better; they’re a family of scammers who will do anything to get what they want. Yet, I didn’t feel sorry for the family they’re scamming either, the Parks. They are also frauds who pretend to be caring and affectionate.

By the end of the film, I detested all of the characters. Initially, I liked the mother in the Park family. Al-

SASHA RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTOR

makeup, clothes, or just gossip, it is hard to find any informative advice for women regarding sex and relationships. Call Her Daddy shocks their listeners with wild sexual stories told from a female perspective, most of which are drawn from Cooper and Franklyn’s own experiences.

The stories are accompanied with unapologetic jokes and comments on society’s perception of women.

Normalizing female sexual struggles and desires are an excellent way to change social prejudices regarding sexually active women and to inspire women to become more vocal about their needs and concerns. In other words, Call Her Daddy is a powerful podcast against slut-shaming.

When listening to Call Her Daddy, I became fascinated by the ease with which the podcast’s hostesses spoke about the objectification of women and the social expectations that girls in their twenties have to face daily.

A perfect example of this is their discussion on “How to Preserve Your Reputation in College,” where Cooper and Franklyn openly spoke about the tendency of college men to only build friendships with women they would want to have sexual intercourse with, and the lengths to which some women would go to in order to fit in. Cooper and Franklyn talk about these sensitive topics as if they are pre-drinking at the bar with their close friends: all facts and no censorship. I find this approach very refreshing, especially in a society where the need to be politically correct has become the core of most social norms.

The heartfelt, experience-based,

though she was a bit ditzy and lost, I figured she had her family’s best interests at heart.

That was not the case.

In fact, the little inferences within the film will throw you off so much, you’ll end up shielding your eyes at many scenes from sheer shock. The twists are unexpected and chilling.

So, if you’re going to watch Parasite, be careful. The characters’ initial appearances mean nothing in terms of their later character development.

The film tells a story about how fraud can be manifested in many forms— in love, money, and ultimately greed.

In my opinion, I found the Joker better at explaining how society acts towards people they see as weak or poor, and the consequences behind the actions of bullies. However, Parasite is cinematographic perfection, and fleshes out its characters in a twisted, yet humane way.

I would recommend watching Parasite because it is a great film with unexpected twists and commentary on social issues, but it did not resonate with me on a personal level.

Adaline talks shop...

PHOTO/MAT DUNLAP

Adaline’s upcoming record is a departure from her past work.

Adaline continued from page 1 As an alternative to flashy schemes, Adaline is ironing out the finishing touches of an avenue she wholeheartedly believes will reach the right kind of audience outside her music: she plans to release a podcast series that encapsulates her unique perspective of being submerged in two completely different worlds.

“I’ve had the experience of being very involved in Evangelical, which is sort of the most intense, charismatic form of Christianity. I’m now in the throes of contemporary music, and the two worlds represent the divide I see, especially in the United States. I want to debunk and bridge these gaps because I think more than ever, we just need things to bring us together.”

Adaline’s upcoming record is a departure from her past work in many key ways. While the themes and words that fill her new songs

still convey a sense of tension about addiction, disillusionment, and a revelatory love, Dear Illusion approaches a lightness that feels dreamy, ethereal, and bright. She worked with Maximilian Jaeger, a recording producer for Diplo, to merge his hip-hop oriented background with her own indie vibe, creating an entirely new sound.

As we finish our now tepid teas, Adaline tells me that her favourite part of making music for a living is the connection her songs facilitate.

Sometimes, the photoshoots and music videos can become frivolous in comparison to larger issues in the world, but then she reminds herself why she loved music in the first place. “As with anything in life, you have to have a pretty strong ‘why.’ If I can connect with another human and bring any kind of goodness into their lives, that’s all that matters.”

A few months ago, a close friend of mine shared an Instagram profile with me and texted in all caps, “You absolutely have to check these girls out.” Influenced by the power of the caps lock, I immediately followed an account that turned out to be a whole movement in the world of podcasts—Call Her Daddy. After a few weeks of content with explicit sexual humour flooding my Instagram feed, and watching a couple of short videos where hostesses Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn discussed sex, men, and life with a cynicism that made me cringe. I proceeded to unfollow the account and wondered if I should check on my friend in case she had gone insane.

The situation backtracked last week, after I faced a dating crisis that pushed me to search the three outrageous words, “call her daddy,” on Instagram again. I then binge watched the short introduction videos that Cooper and Franklyn posted on their Instagram page. The videos gave me mixed feelings: they were superficial yet bold, offensive yet hilarious, frivolous yet so informative. I was hooked by their bipolarity and downloaded iTunes Podcasts for the first time in my life. I listened to a few episodes without any regrets.

Call Her Daddy is not a feminist movement, nor is it a misogynistic podcast; it’s a project that is as honest and relevant as it is scandalous.

While the internet and the TV industry are filled with self-help content that focuses on relationships,

practical advice that Call Her Daddy provides in their podcasts is what I find most beneficial. The “founding fathers,” as Cooper and Franklyn like to call themselves, not only deliver sexual and relationship tips in a hilarious, casual way, but they also focus on helping women figure out their dating problems.

I remember feeling helpless and confused during high school when I had to deal with questions about my sexuality and relationships with guys. I relied on help from my friends—people who had little understanding of the issues we were all dealing with and were unqualified to give advice. It is shocking how hard it is to find honest, useful advice regarding men, so when I discovered Cooper and Franklyn’s personalized, unique, and very specific self-help podcast, I thought I had stumbled upon The Holy Grail of Wisdom.

To recap, Call Her Daddy is a hilarious podcast where two experienced women share their views on men and society and share practical advice about the dating world.

What makes the project unique is how Cooper and Franklyn push their listeners to think about serious societal problems and prejudices in a way that seems accidental. They encourage women to acknowledge the pressures put upon them only to disregard them and embrace their sexuality.

Although the podcast is not so much inspirational as it is comedic, the refreshingly casual and unfiltered tone is what leaves room for listeners to project their own concerns and give meanings to each episode.

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Editor | Fatima Adil

Religion TA Anna Cwikla honoured Cwikla was the 2018-2019 recipient of the June Scott Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants BISMAH RIZVI ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

Anna Cwikla, a Ph.D. candidate and a course instructor at the University of Toronto, is the 2018-2019 recipient of the June Scott Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Assistants for her outstanding work as a teaching assistant (TA) in the History of Religions department at UTM. As the head TA for RLG101H: Introduction to the Study of Religion, Cwikla demonstrated excellence in supporting her fellow TAs and students, leading to Dr. Ken Derry, an associate professor at UTM and the religion course’s instructor, nominating her for the award and Dr. Sarah Richardson, a lecturer at UTM, writing a letter of support. The Medium sat down with the award-winning TA to discuss her approach to teaching, her own experience as a student, and her current research.

With respect as to why she thinks she was nominated for the award, Cwikla remarks, “I’m very approachable. I have a sense of humor. I’m just me [which] I think resonates with students. When I introduce myself, I tell them my name, my interests, and that I’m an avid Pokémon Go player.”

Cwikla further relates to students by referencing popular culture when discussing course concepts. For instance, a discussion of the Gospel of Matthew once reminded her of a

MARILYN COLAÇO/DEPARTMENT FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGION

Cwikla aspires to help students struggling with their writing, and has received an award for it. popular scene from the sitcom, The Office. Cwikla used the sitcom’s characters and scenes to help her students understand the material and remain engaged with it.

Cwikla’s passion for teaching and her commitment to supporting students really comes across in our conversation. “To be an effective teacher, [you have] to recognize that students have a lot of other commitments and you should be reasonable with your expectations,” she says. Another vital component of teaching is the human interaction with students. As opposed to the traditional structure of attending a class where the instructor talks, students listen, and both part ways with no engagement, Cwikla tries to

maintain a real connection with her students. “I try to learn their names as fast as possible. It feels natural to learn someone’s name if you’re spending so much time with them.” Cwikla also believes that doing the littlest things such as greeting a student if you see them around campus can go a long way. “If you care about your students, everything else falls into place.”

Currently, Cwikla is working at the St. George Campus as a course instructor for RLG241: Early Christian Writings. In the winter semester, she will be a TA for RLG394: Religion in the Game of Thrones. Her Ph.D. research involves analyzing women and gender in early Christian texts, specifically texts not commonly stud-

ied or known about, such as the Nag Hammadi Codices discovered in 1945 in Egypt. These texts include a number of early Christian documents that most people do not know exist.

Specifically, Cwikla is examining how women are depicted in the Nag Hammadi Codices and how they were exploited by men for power and politics.

Cwikla credits her interest regarding women in Christian texts to Dr. Heidi Marx, an associate professor of religion at the University of Manitoba. Cwikla completed her undergraduate degree in Religious Studies at the University of Manitoba and highly enjoyed the engaging course on women in Christian texts taught

by Marx. “I just became hooked on

studying these texts through taking courses with Heidi Marx,” she says.

Interestingly, teaching was originally not one of Cwikla’s main interests. Her research interests brought her to the University of Toronto for her Ph.D., which required her to work as a TA. Studying religion was not what Cwikla ever imagined herself doing either. Like many students, Cwikla entered the University of Manitoba as a science undergraduate student, assuming a science degree would lead to a good job. However, she found herself sitting in her firstyear biology and chemistry labs, waiting for them to end so that she could attend her religion elective. Eventually, she realized her passion for religion and pursued it as her major.

Now a Ph.D. candidate and an award-winning TA, Cwika also plans to work in editing. “One of the very fulfilling parts of teaching is seeing a C student [progress] to an A because they have incorporated your feedback in writing,” she explains. She plans to attend the Society of Biblical Literature conference in San Diego, California with the $2,000 she received alongside the award. The conference is one of the largest conferences in the field of religious studies and attending marks a milestone in Cwikla’s career.

To finish, Cwikla advises current students to not “be afraid to ask your TAs for help and [to not be] afraid to say ‘thank you’ when they are doing a good job.”

Dragonfly health harmed by road salt Long-term exposure to high salt environments found to suppress the immune response of aquatic insects LATISHA LOBBAN ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

With lower temperatures and winter weather comes an increase in road salt usage. Researchers from the McCauley Lab at UTM have studied the effects of increased salination in marine environments through a study on green darner dragonflies. Their study was published in the academic journal Frontiers of Ecology and Evolution and was co-authored by undergraduate biology student Racquelle Mangahas, Dr. Rosalind Murray, a post-doctoral researcher in the McCauley Lab, and associate professor Shannon McCauley. For this issue, The Medium talked to Murray about the negative effects of road salt.

Salt can enter freshwater through multiple channels. In urban environments, the rock salt used to clear ice in the winter can run off into freshwater when the snow melts. In the summer months, salt can enter lakes and streams through road gravel.

To reflect the amount of salt present in natural environments, the McCauley Lab measured “the concentration of the salt from UTM storm water ponds, so it was a reasonable amount of salt that these animals might experience.”

Green darner dragonflies were optimal test subjects for this experiment because they are top predators.

Therefore, the effects of a high salt environment on the dragonflies has a compound effect on the aquatic ecosystem. Fortunately for the lab, although green darners are “usually difficult to find, they had a boom that year [and] so it was a great opportunity to test it.”

The study ultimately found that long-term exposure to environments that contained a lot of salt has a negative effect on insects living in aquatic environments. As Murray explains, high salt environments cause the dragonflies to “have a hard time responding to wounds that they might have.” On top of not being able to heal quickly, the dragonflies would be sus-

ceptible to parasite attacks. “They’re [also] prone to infections [and] sickness, and also might not be able to avoid being eaten.” Another consequence was feeding ability. Murray added that the insects “can’t eat as much or as quickly in high salt environments.”

The dragonfly species that the McCauley lab studied “is a top predator in fishless ponds [which] means it’s driving the community structure— the different animals and plants that can survive in the pond.” Zooplankton, an organism which dragonflies prey on, were also affected by the salinity of the environment. As Murray states, “there is evidence of zooplankton, the stuff that all the other animals are eating, being affected in both lethal and sublethal ways.”

Murray notes that research is being conducted on other animals within aquatic environments. The McCauley Lab themselves will be continuing research on the effect of increased salinity on dragonflies. “We have some ongoing work on salt tests in dragon-

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

For a dragonfly, high salt environments harm the ability to heal. flies and how they survive, grow, and thrive in these environments.”

The lab is also researching “carryover effects from larval environments being salty to what people might be

seeing in adult dragonflies.” They are interested in urban environments as “a lot of the salt in the gravel and run off would be present in these areas.”

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THE MEDIUM 11.25.2019

Footwear evidence and 3D laser scanning 3D models of footwear impressions can play important role in identifying and ruling out suspects DANIEL REALE CONTRIBUTOR

Imprinted in sand, moulded in dirt, or stamped on the floor—footprints discovered at crime scenes can provide evidence for forensics teams who play a vital game of whodunit.

In a two-dimensional form, the evidence can be flawed at best. With the use of a FARO scan arm, laser points, and CloudCompare, these simple prints become three-dimensional models which forensics teams, police agencies, and analysts can use to build the profile of a criminal.

In March 2019, UTM Forensic Science student Charmaine Rodrigues published an article with instructor Eugene Liscio about how she and Liscio used a FARO Scan Arm to capture footwear impressions and analyze the impressions in CloudCompare.

“FARO has revolutionized all these areas in [terms of] what we can do,” says Eugene Liscio, an instructor at UTM and a 3D forensic analyst.

The areas include documentation of forensic evidence, analysis of findings, and visualization of reports, areas that his company, AI2-3D, specializes in.

The FARO system is a device

HAYDEN MAK/THE MEDIUM

Footprints discovered at crime scenes are vital and this is the tech that is the future of footwear. that’s widely used at AI2-3D. It’s a laser scanner which sweeps an area horizontally and vertically, capturing millions of data points which are later colour-coded.

“Laser scanning in general started in the late 1990’s,” explains Liscio.

Since then, police have started using laser scanning and FARO to capture 3D renderings of crime scenes.

FARO creates a point cloud—a set

of data points in space that give an accurate depiction of the depth and space of objects.

Liscio says that “CloudCompare is interesting. It’s [also] free.” Created

by French software engineer Daniel Girardeau-Montaut, CloudCompare is a software program that allows you to digitally compare point clouds.

FARO, CloudCompare, and point clouds have enabled many advance-

ments in forensic science and were the fundamental pre-requisites to the paper published by Rodrigues and Liscio. “[The research] is a grueling process,” says Liscio. Liscio and Rodrigues worked closely under the FSC481Y: Internship in Forensic Science course which pairs UTM students with mentors. “I was a mentor for [Rodrigues], but she really put

in the work. Like with all research projects, [our project] began with a review of literature. There were shortcomings along the way, ethical components, and variables.”

Using a FARO laser scanner, Liscio and Rodrigues demonstrated how a point cloud of a footwear impression can be constructed. The FARO Scan Arm converted the 2D footwear impression into 3D colour-coded evidence which was then analyzed through CloudCompare and compared with other footwear impressions. Through this process, agencies can draw conclusive data from footwear impressions.

Although Liscio admits that footwear impression evidence hasn’t been widely used traditionally, footwear impressions can play a role in identifying and ruling out suspects.

Furthermore, with the advent of new technologies, the field is growing rapidly.

“In forensics, our next steps should be to continue to improve the analysis part of our findings. We have found new technologies that help in the documentation process. The real challenge is in the analysis,” says Liscio. He is currently focusing on infrared technology, identification, and bite mark analysis alongside working closely with his company, AI2-3D.

Stem cells’ role in medicine and research The exciting applications, ethical controversies, and technical challenges associated with stem cell research FATIMA ADIL FEATURES EDITOR

What are stem cells and what role can they play in medicine and research?

Stem cell research offers exciting possibilities in terms of regenerative medicine. However, there are ethical controversies and challenges impeding the field’s advancement. In this article, The Medium presents a brief overview of the unique abilities, applications, and challenges of stem cells.

According to the National Institute of Health, stem cells are able to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth.

When stem cells divide, the new cell can become another stem cell or it can become a specialized cell such as a muscle cell or a brain cell. Stem cells provide new cells for the body as it grows and replaces damaged or lost specialized cells. The two unique properties of stem cells are that the stem cells can divide multiple times to produce new cells, and as they divide, the stem cells can generate other types of cells found in the body.

In organs such as the gut and the bone marrow (the soft tissue inside most bones), stem cells routinely divide to replace damaged tissue. However, in other organs such as the heart, stem cells require certain physiological conditions to facilitate cell division.

Stem cells can be divided into two categories: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst—an early stage of embryo development.

The blastocyst contains the trophectoderm, which will eventually form the placenta, and the inner cell mass, which will develop into the embryo, and later into the organism. Stem cells taken from the inner cell mass are pluripotent—they can develop into any cell type in the body. The embryonic stem cells used in research are sourced from unused embryos that were a result of an in vitro fertilization procedure and were donated for

cells (iPSCs). iPSCs are adult cells which have been genetically reprogrammed into a pluripotent embryonic stem cell-like state. Yamanaka won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine alongside English developmental biologist Sir John Gurdon in 2012 for this important discovery.

There are numerous ways in which stem cells can be used. Firstly, human embryonic stem cells can provide information as to how cells divide into

for researchers is to create an environment identical to the conditions found in the human body.

Finally, stem cells present exciting possibilities in cell-based therapies and regenerative medicine. Instead of relying on a limited supply of donated organs and tissues to replace damaged and destroyed ones, stem cells could be directed to develop into the desired cell type and treat diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and spinal

THE CHART/CNN.COM

Stem cells could be the future of regenerative medicine, but ethical issues surround the study. scientific research.

Adult stem cells also have the ability to divide into more than one cell type; however, they are often restricted to certain types of cells. For example, an adult stem cell found in the liver will only divide into more liver cells.

In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka, a Japanese stem cell researcher, discovered how to program induced pluripotent stem

tissues and organs. Abnormal cell division can cause cancer and birth defects, and therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of the processes underlying cell division may suggest new therapy strategies. Another beneficial avenue involves drug testing as new medications could be tested on cells developed from stem cells in the lab. However, a challenge

cord injuries. For example, healthy heart muscle cells could be generated from stem cells in a laboratory and transplanted into an individual with heart disease. However, there is still research and testing which needs to be conducted before researchers can confirm how to effectively and safely use stem cells to treat serious disease.

As explained by the University of

Rochester’s medical centre, there are several challenges associated with stem cells. Researchers first need to learn about how embryonic stem cells develop so that they can control the type of cells generated from stem cells. Scientists also need to determine how to ensure that the cells developed from stem cells in the lab are not rejected by the human body.

Adult pluripotent stem cells are found in small amounts in the human body and are hard to grow in the lab. There are also numerous ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells as some individuals believe that using cells from an unused blastocyst and consequently, rendering it incapable to develop into an organism, is similar to destroying an unborn child.

Others argue that the blastocyst is not a child yet as it needs to be imbedded into the mother’s uterus wall before it has the chance to develop into a fetus.

Supporters of embryonic stem cell research also say that many surplus blastocysts are destroyed in fertility clinics and can be better used to research medical treatments which could save people’s lives.

Students can learn more about stem cells in BIO380H5: Human Development. Furthermore, Dr. Ted Erlick’s lab at UTM is researching “how complex neural circuits develop from an initial population of stem cells.” Stem cell research offers promising avenues of treating diseases and understanding how humans develop. However, there is still a substantial amount of research which needs to be conducted and ethical concerns which need to be appropriately addressed and resolved.

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Editorial

Nepotism The UTMSU is becoming a family-run business.

Let us explain.

The students’ union hasn’t released its board meeting minutes since April 1, 2019. On the website, right above the minute packages, it reads, “UTMSU is all about transparency. We make sure that we present each and every information the students need to know.” That’s rich stuff.

Earlier this year, the UTMSU hired Nour Alideeb to be their new executive director. Who is Nour Alideeb? She’s the wife of the union’s previous executive director, Munib Sajjad. Sounds sketchy, right? Well, there’s a lot more you should know.

During the 2015-2016 academic year, Nour was the union’s VP internal—the following academic year she served as president. After her presidential term ended in 2017, Nour was elected as chairperson of the Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS-O). She held that position for two years before returning to the UTMSU at the beginning of this academic year.

The year Nour was elected as UTMSU president in 2016, Munib was hired as executive director. According to an article published in The Medium on October 3, 2016, Sajjad was the campaign manager for Unite UTM, the slate that Alideeb ran under.

Talk about a power couple.

Prior to his hiring as executive director, Munib served as the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) president in the 2013-2014 year. In 2015, Munib was hired by the UTMSU to be their executive coordinator, a role that did not exist previously.

It looks like Nour and Munib have made student politics a full-time career.

How noble. If only they’d disclose their salaries.

Not only is it bad that the UTMSU has become a family business—the union has now solidified itself as a vocal extension of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).

The union is clearly driven by the CFS’ mandate, to the point of losing its own autonomy.

Only recently, the UTMSU had a poster hanging above the CCT foyer calling for three priorities: the reversal of the SCI, free tuition, and respect for the CFS. Apparently, the union believes free tuition and liking everything the CFS does are equal priorities.

Over the past four UTMSU elections, virtually identical slates won. The slates that won involved the same people from the union’s ranks, with the same ideas.

Moreover, each election saw the previous year’s president manage the campaign for the incoming slate. Last year’s UTMSU president has taken over for Nour as CFS-O chairperson, and The CFS has become so involved with the operations of the UTMSU that the organizations have become one and the same.

These problems are nothing new. Nour taking over is just a continuation of the status quo. The UTMSU will never change.

Letters

Good stories are needed Re: “Film diversity is needed,” November 18, 2019 Dear editor, I read “Film Diversity is Needed”

by Danica Teng, and I disagree with the proposition of her article. Diversity is not a problem in Hollywood, good storytelling is. Recently, a Charlie’s Angels reboot was released and it absolutely bombed at the box office.

It was politically correct diversity without any substance. It had a poor choice of casting, a weak story, and it

tried to grab at a feeling of nostalgia that nobody really has.

Instead of publicizing a film as a reboot or having a diverse cast, studios should be focusing on telling original, interesting, beautiful stories. Remaking a movie with an all-female cast is boring, and infantilizing: why can’t women carve out their own space in film? Why do they have rehash what came before just because it was maledominated?

Focusing on the article itself, Teng wrote that minorities who don’t see

themselves in movies will wonder why they aren’t “good enough.” Why should ethnicity be a person’s focus when trying to relate to a character?

We should be focusing on the humanity the actor is trying to portray.

At the end of the day, we’re all human.

We shouldn’t categorize ourselves by identity. We should connect through our similarities, not our differences.

Sanjay Sato Third Year Linguistics

DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING? LETTERS POLICY

11.25.2019 THE MEDIUM COMMENT» 7

On tribes and better conversations Here are four steps one can take to facilitate meaningful engagement in a polarized world ABE MATHEW CONTRIBUTOR In the age of Trump and Brexit, and in a time when topics like immigration, religion, and personal ethics give rise to strong emotional reactions, conversations between ideological opponents have become exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.

This polarization is also affecting our relationships—we trust our politicians, press, and even our friends and neighbours based more on their ideological alignments than we do based on their character.

This is a problem. Unfortunately, the only response we have been seeing to this problem so far is further division in the form of outrage—one side labels the other as ‘racists’ or ‘bigots,’ and the other side returns the favour with ‘snowflake’ or ‘commie.’ And it’s clearly not getting us anywhere.

If I may, I’d like to suggest four alternate steps that we can take to reverse the damage that we’ve caused, to start rebuilding the bridges we have burned, and to see each other for who we are as opposed to the parties and ideologies we vote for.

Recognize the Tribe Instinct Deep in every one of us is a ‘tribe instinct’—the desire to belong to a group and stay loyal to it. Early in the history of our species, it was remarkably useful; it was an adaptation that guaranteed security, community, and even a new identity to the individual.

And as time passed and we settled into cities and towns, the need for security and community diminished.

But, the tribe instinct never went away; it stays with us today just with different names, like ‘conservative,’ ‘liberal,’ ‘religious,’ or ‘secular.’ And each tribe has a different thing that they hold to dearly as part of their identity—a certain temperament, a

set of social preferences, a set of religious principles or rituals, etc.

But what does this have to do with solving the problem of polarization?

Well, one can start by recognizing that one’s ideological opponents need not be individually demonized for the views they hold. They, just like you, are acting out in response to their tribal instinct. They are arguing in favour of views they hold dear, not because they want to be wrong (or are evil people, as you may think of them to be), but because those are views that define the group they have chosen as their own. And you are doing the same—the reason you dislike them is because you too are defending those views that define the group you identify with, the very views you see as being threatened by the opposing tribe.

And so, as soon as you recognize the tribe instinct, John the Conservative or Jane the Liberal will no longer be the devil incarnate in your mind. Rather, they’re just humans, doing what humans do best.

Broaden Your Horizons Recognizing the tribe instinct is an important step in the right direction, but it doesn’t take you far enough.

Unless you familiarize yourself with

“Deep in every one of us is a ‘tribe instinct’— the desire to belong to a group and stay loyal to it.” what the other tribe believes, you’re in for what won’t be more than a shouting match.

Now, most of us assume we know what the other side believes, but more often than not, what we ‘know’ often happens to be a skewed, straw man version of what they actu-

MOHAMED NOHASSI/UNSPLASH.COM

Being in a group with opinions is important, but shouldn’t stop us from listening to other opinions. ally believe as presented by sources within our tribe. Given the tribe instinct to prefer one’s in-group and remain skeptical of the out-group, this makes sense. Nevertheless, to be able to engage in meaningful conversation, we must broaden our horizons and figure out what the other side has to say about what they believe. More importantly, you will understand the reasons why they believe what they believe—an important step toward recognizing them as a conversation partner worthy of your respect.

Start off by reading the ‘big names’ on the other side. If you are a committed free-market capitalist, then you should give Marx and Engels a read. If you are a committed socialist, pick up a copy of something by Friedrich Hayek or Thomas Sowell.

Bottom line—read widely, far out-

side the limits of your tribe. Who knows? You might even recognize blind spots in your own thinking and change your mind about a few things.

Humanize A further step toward recognizing a member of another tribe as a worthy conversation partner is empathizing with them as a fellow human being. When you think of a given person as ‘an advocate of libertarianism’ or ‘a supporter of the Democratic Party,’ you are associating who they are with what they believe. And by setting up your ideological differences as the focus of attention, you are also setting them up as individuals who are vastly different in every meaningful way. This is far from the case. In fact, you have much more in

“Both of you are living, breathing human beings [...] You share most, if not all, of the things that define your mundane existence with them.”

JOAO TZANNO/UNSPLASH.COM

Blocking out the people who disagree with you is to see them as an “other” instead of a human.

common with them than you think, and the way to recognize this is to humanize them.

Pick any one of your ideological opponents and think about everything you have in common with them. Perhaps both of you go to the same school—you have grades to worry about. Perhaps you are work colleagues—you have a family to feed and bills to pay. Both of you are living, breathing human beings, familiar with pleasure, failure, joy, and heartbreak. You share most, if not all, of the things that define your mundane existence with them. Why, then, would you view them as someone undeserving of the respect that you think you deserve?

Steel-man While the previous three steps have focused on how to perceive your opponent, this next step involves knowing how to engage your opponent.

The worst way to engage an opponent is to attack a weakened form of the argument that they have just presented—a ‘straw man’ that you can knock down quite easily. In doing so, however, you haven’t really done any damage to the idea itself; at best, you have rhetorically deceived your audience into thinking that you have, which is no real victory at all.

The best way to engage an opponent is to attack the strongest form of their argument—perhaps even stronger than the form they just presented to you. This can be done by pointing out the weaknesses in your opponent’s version of the argument, presenting a version of their argument without those weaknesses, and then proceeding to provide a counterargument to the strengthened version of their argument.

How is this any useful? For one, it convinces your opponent that you are taking their view seriously, as opposed to brushing it off as one that can be easily knocked down. In addition, reframing their argument in its strongest form before attacking it makes it more likely that they will be persuaded by your argument, given that you have refuted a version of their view that was significantly better than the one they currently hold.

And most importantly, it will ensure that the conversation remains civil and in good faith, as opposed to a shouting match filled with the misrepresentations and oversimplifications that are typical of modern political discourse.

These four steps might not be the solutions to all our conversational problems, but they are better than anything we are engaged in today.

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THE MEDIUM

Chartwells catering: Say no to monopoly While Chartwells offers a small discount to student groups, the prices remain unreasonably high

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Chartwells has the campus in a catering chokehold; any event outside the Student Centre is theirs.

BELICIA CHEVOLLEAU STAFF WRITER Most student groups know the struggle of event planning—so much thought and consideration goes into the date, venue, and itinerary. Financial officers and treasurers pore over financial statements to budget for the event. As a club, you want to provide value to the attendees and club members, but you also want to ensure the event is financially feasible.

One of the ways to ensure you attract a large turnout is through free events. While free events tend to attract more students by abating financial concerns for money-con-

scious students, student groups are often left with the financial burden.

Collaborations, sponsorships, and partnerships can alleviate some of the costs student groups accumulate, especially the cost of food.

To lower the cost of food, student groups may use the student centre to host their events and bring more cost-effective food from off-campus.

This limits the type of events student groups can have though, since other locations on campus may suit the needs of the event better.

For example, if a student group would like to book the Davis Council Chambers or Spigel Hall, they would need to use Chartwells to cater their

event. This is the reality for the rest of the campus. Any venue outside of the Student Centre requires food to be ordered or catered through Chartwells.

Student organizations that host events are familiar with Chartwells.

Chartwells is an organization with a monopoly on all the food and beverage on campus—yes, even your peppermint mocha holiday Starbucks drink. Due to an exclusive agreement with UTM, Chartwells forbids outside food and beverages on campus. Sadly, even bottled water is technically forbidden in the classroom.

If student groups want to order

food outside of the Student Centre, it must be done through Chartwells.

Although Chartwells catering services carry a variety of food options, from Subway platters to Homemade Meat Lasagne, they lack some cultural foods—no samosas, empanadas, Lo Mein, or Jollof rice. Student groups are able to order from the brand name and franchise companies on campus, such as Tim Hortons, Thai Express, and Pizza Pizza.

Prices for the catering services and brand name companies, unfortunately, add up. For events with fifty people, prices for some of the cheapest things on the menu add up to hundreds of dollars for student groups. Many of the items are charged per person or serving.

According to the Chartwells catering menu, a platter of 15 sandwiches cost $35.70. For student groups opting out of the more affordable options such as pizza or cookies and coffee, sandwiches offer a classy meal for a semi-formal event.

To feed approximately fifty attendees, four platters cost a total of $142.80.

A vessel of water serving 50 costs $9. You could buy six 4-L jugs of water—6 gallons of water ($2 each)— for the same price.

Due to the nature of Chartwells’ contract with UTM, however, student groups are forced to purchase from the company.

I’m not saying the food isn’t good.

I had three Subway sandwiches and

they were really good. However, student groups are run by students with limited budgets and meager resources.

Not only is it difficult for many student organizations to afford this, but some of the food—particularly the inexpensive ones—do not meet the dietary needs of the students. A Subway platter is relatively low compared to other foods, but for those with gluten intolerance, it is inedible.

Being forced to exclusively use the service of one company affects the quality of club events, especially if student groups want to provide delicious, substantive food. Growling and dissatisfied stomachs don’t make for great reviews.

While Chartwells offers a small discount to student groups, the prices remain unreasonably high considering the exorbitant cost of tuition.

Finances impede students’ ability to host high quality events. Similarly, finances also hinder many university students from receiving the nutrients necessary for comprehension and proper cognitive functions due to the pricey and limitedness of healthy food options on campus.

A monopoly on all campus food underscores how corporations can hinder student potential, and exacerbate food insecurity.

Outside food and catering should be allowed in UTM buildings, so student groups have more budgetfriendly options.

Global protests and democratic backsliding We must stay vigilant in order to guard our democracy against the threats that are growing around the world AYA YAFAOUI CONTRIBUTOR They keep popping up on our feeds: images of protesters from countries around the world holding mass protests in response to a host of issues in their home countries. From corruption and economic woes, such as in Lebanon, Chile, Ecuador, and Haiti; to political reform, like in Russia and Iraq; or political independence, such as the protests in Hong Kong and Spain; and, of course, the larger global protests regarding climate change and the women’s movement. If you are overwhelmed by what was just listed, the total number of protests and protesters around the world are even more staggering. Truly, we have entered a new age of mass protest and global upheaval.

Yet, while the normalcy of protesting is increasing and gaining popularity, the overall global trend of freedom and democracy is – and has been for the last 13 years – declining, with 113 countries seeing a net decline in their level of freedom since 2006, as set out

by Freedom House, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization that does research on freedom and democracy.

This phenomenon is called “democratic backsliding,” and even the most

FRED MOON/UNSPLASH.COM

Canadians, like all democratic citizens, must stay on guard so that we don’t lose our autonomy. mature and established democracies are experiencing this trend. One only needs to look at the declining political rights and civil liberties in the United States as proof of this trend, such as the administration’s attempt to limit religious freedom through the “Muslim ban”, and the numerous attempts at limiting freedoms and rights for LGBTQ+ citizens. In fact, even in countries that are considered to be democratic, Amnesty International has reported that responses to protests have led to human rights violations.

The downward trend of democratic

backsliding has many roots and influences that have pushed the world to what we see now. However, one of the most influential and worrying aspects of democratic backsliding is the role that social media plays in amplifying the problem. Recently, Freedom House released a report that warned that social media is, “now tilting dangerously toward illiberalism.” In the report, government surveillance, censorship, and online meddling were just some of the biggest threats that are linked to social media. Even in Canada, during our most recent election, there were reports warning that

Russia might try to interfere in our elections because of Russian interest in the arctic.

The enormous issues of privacy and security online, however, do not stand alone. A darker undertone to social media – and online media in general – is the problem of a loss of truth and authenticity. Of course, anonymity online has always given people the ability to hide and voice their marred opinions. However, now, with the growing complexity of online algorithms, the abundance of echo chambers, and the increase of fake news, the online sphere has be-

come incredibly toxic.

All this is to say that lies and superficiality are growing in tandem with the wider issues of media manipulation by the state and the suppression of certain opinions and viewpoints. In Canada, Justin Trudeau’s participation in the climate strike in Montreal and his meeting with climate activist Greta Thunberg are just two examples of politicians using pressing issues and protests to get photo-ops and flattering videos of themselves seemingly invested in these serious issues to score political points with voters.

The rise of the internet has brought with it a new form of image management, one that politicians are intent on controlling.

Yet, while the world may seem increasingly to be dark, fake, and irredeemable , citizens have the duty and ability to maintain and strengthen their democracies and freedoms through action. Action like the protests happening around the world that are calling for equality, liberty, and prosperity. Here in Canada, we need to wake up from our apathetic and comfortable slumber. We must stay vigilant in order to guard our democracy against the threats that are growing around the world.

11.25.2019

Editor | Gordon Cork

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SATIRE

Student discovers zero Students fight back against profs jams at Exam Jam

TALA ALKHALDI/THE MEDIUM

Boomers with Ph.Ds are getting a taste of their own medicine.

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The nerds studying angered the musicians of UTM who thought Exam Jam was for jamming.

ERIN DELANEY ASSOCIATE SATIRE EDITOR The annual Exam Jam happened this past week—a time honoured UTM tradition.

Students were able to relieve stress through arts and crafts, review course content, and prepare for the looming exam season. While students’ backpacks were overflowing with textbooks and notes, one student brought something unexpected to IB. “I brought my six string on the bus just to get here, and all I see are NERDS!” John Mason, a first-year English major, told The Medium. “I went up to a group of girls and was hoping to impress them by showing

off my sick acoustic guitar skills, but they ran away before I could get through the first verse of Wonderwall! These nerds ain’t loyal.”

When questioned on how Mason got the event so mistaken, the disillusioned student told The Medium: “Look, the poster said Exam JAM. What else is a jam if not a bunch of sweaty dudes vibing out to the sweet, sweet sound of their own music? And let me tell you, there are absolutely zero jams occurring here. I couldn’t jam even if I tried.

And I did, I started fiddling around outside of IB110, you know cranking some riffs, fingering my frets, busking a bit. People threw their hot chocolate cups into my beanie.”

The event’s name, “Exam Jam,” is meant to portray the academic

event as fun rather than a chore, but has caused confusion in the past. Previous years have had to deal with excited students seeking a sweet fruit spread, while the appearance of students hoping to vibe musically have increased with each passing year. Last year saw the presence of five synthesizers, two keyboards, four acoustic guitars, two electric guitars, and one bass that no one asked for.

Mason had one ultimate suggestion to the organizers of the Exam Jam: “Don’t call it an Exam Jam if no one is willing to jam. Call it Exam Fest. There’s no way I’d get booked for a festival, so there’s no room for confusion.”

Campus police get kinky

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Forget police brutality; you can now fall victim to police sexuality during cuffing season.

HAMZAH MOHAMMED CONTRIBUTOR Professors have been given a taste of their own medicine as students have resorted to using the website ratemyprofessor.com to air out their own grievances in response to the recent fiasco of honest letters of recommendation.

Whereas in the past, ratemyprofessor.com has primarily been used as a tool for students to comment on class difficulty and teaching styles, the website has now been crowded with reviews of a more specific kind.

Professor Johnson doesn’t want us to cheat on tests. That’s rich coming from the man who cheats on his wife.

How do I know? Same reason my mark jumped from a 60 per cent to an 80 per cent.

Ran into my professor at the gynecologist office. Don’t know why he

ERIN DELANEY ASSOCIATE SATIRE EDITOR Cuffing season may be winding down at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus, but students need not worry about spending the winter alone. As long as you’re on campus, you’re never too far from the warm embrace of the campus police’s cold metal handcuffs.

“The students may whine and pretend like they don’t like the handcuffs, but if they were truly being mistreated, they would use their safe word. Mine is kumquat. ” An officer told The Medium.

Just last week, the campus police were seen in an altercation with one student outside the Hazel McCallion library. The student, initially apprehended for bringing half a cream cheese bagel onto the quiet floor, was then recognized by the police as “resisting caress.” An of-

was there. He muttered something about a cotton swab collection and a bullshit outstanding warrant.

I found the TA’s cringe Tik Tok, it’s @bigmama220 The Medium managed to sit down and talk with Professor Luke Blackwell from the anthropology department who says he believes this is just a result of growing hate between millennials and boomers.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve had several students raise their hands in class only to shout, ‘Okay, boomer’ at me before running out. It’s honestly made getting up in the morning really difficult. I’m not even a boomer.”

Professor Cameron Baker, an expert on Freudian truth, believes that both students and professors are at fault and should put their differences aside and just bang already.

ficer was seen exclaiming that the student needed to be disciplined before giving them a spank.

The Medium spoke with the student about the heightened police presence on campus: “Do I think police are warranted on campus? Of course. Do they need to be flaunting their kinks and fetishes? I don’t think so.” The student was then distracted by an orbiting officer who was starting to approach her. The officer questioned if there were any problems going on. “No, Sir,” she said, to which he responded, “That’s Daddy Sir to you.”

When asked for comment, the head of the Campus Police said “Listen, you don’t have to tell me about workplace professionalism. I know the difference between business and pleasure. That’s why I have my metal handcuffs here and my pink fuzzies at home.”

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Editor | Sarah-May Edwardo Oldfield

Addictive de-vices: How to unplug in 2019 Digitial addiction is quickly becoming an epidemic as the use of smart devices and internet usage increases ANDREW STONE ASSOCIATE S & H EDITOR The beginning of a digital addiction crisis seems to be on the way, and this is no mystery to many people.

A report published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing details the cunning strategies used by tech companies to facilitate the addictive qualities of their products as marketing tools.

Addictions are formed when rewarding stimuli are regularly consumed, creating changes in the brain’s chemistry that make us dependant on the reward. In 2014, it was found that in 31 countries, the prevalence of internet addiction made up around six per cent of the population. We can only assume this number will continue to increase as technology advances and evolves.

Technology is not addictive on its own, as is tobacco, alcohol, or sugar products. Because of this, companies need to be more vigilant when selling their products. The technology conditions the user to become addicted to it. It begins with advertising, which is used to sell the rewards and benefits of using a product to the consumer in an appealing way. Once the product

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Our phones trick us into believing unimportant things are important, even our own reflections. has been bought, they continue by reinforcing those benefits with regular cues. For example, notifications tell us when important information is available. The information is linked to the cue, so when the notification is heard the brain signals the release of dopamine and you feel compelled to look

at your device.

The availability of internet allows people to use their devices anywhere they want. With free Wi-Fi at coffee shops and other stores, as well as mobile data enabling people to access the internet anywhere at any time, addictive behaviour is not limited to home

or work. The rise of microtransactions in games gives people the feeling that they are being blocked from moving forward, and so they begin to feel pressured that they need to spend money in order to succeed.

While many of the bigger tech companies have not made substantial

changes to reduce device addiction, there are ways for government policy to reduce its prevalence.

The first way is through education.

Teaching how to manage technology in schools and pressing companies to have greater transparency about their products will create a more widespread understanding of the inner workings of technology. Another way is to enforce policy that informs people of the potential dangers of using the product itself. As is done with cigarette packaging, new laws can press tech companies to label their products with warnings that list all the potential harms of device addiction.

Finally, policy can be put in place that deters the addictive behaviour itself.

The ban on texting and driving is one of these policies already in effect and requires that people fight the urges of technology use while driving or be charged with an offence.

The rise of universal technology use by people around the world has built momentum and will not slow down.

It is best that we focus on solving the problems that come with technologyuse and better inform the general population on how device and internet addiction can be managed.

Mindfulness helpful for anxiety and fear Mindfulness training improves our ability to handle the anxiety that accompanies fearful memories NOOR BHATIA CONTRIBUTER We’ve all probably heard that meditation can add value to our overall health and well-being, especially our mental health. Well, a study conducted by researchers of the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital concluded that mindfulness meditation has positive effects on our memory and emotional control. The study specifically focuses on our ability to respond to extinguished stimuli, which are things or events that are no longer there but continue to be a source of fear.

Mindfulness training alters a specific region in our brain—the hippocampus—in a way that improves our sensory response, emotional regulation, and extinction learning. Extinction learning happens when people recognize that what they were afraid of is no longer around, so they don’t need to be afraid anymore.

In individuals with anxiety-type disorders, exposure therapy is a form of treatment. Exposure-based therapies expose individuals to fear-

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Mindfulness training has been reducing stress and improving cognition better than other therapies. inducing stimuli—whatever it is that they’re afraid of—in a controlled environment. Although exposure-based therapies have proven to be effective in improving extinction learning, this

study by Sevinc and colleagues suggests that mindfulness meditation is more effective.

The study hypothesized that mindfulness training creates the optimal

exposure condition by increasing attention and awareness of present sensory experience, much like exposurebased therapies. There were a total of 67 participants in this study. 242 par-

ticipants took part in a mindfulness stress reducing program.

The results showed that both types of programs decreased perceived stress but mindfulness training was responsible for more enhanced emotional regulation, attention control, and overall mental health. Mindfulness training enhanced connectivity between the hippocampus and primary sensory cortex (the specific part of the brain triggered by the fear response). This causes our processing of somatosensory (body sensation) information to be more effective by focusing our perception and awareness on the present moment and present stimuli.

Training our mind through meditation may be one of the best medicines. It’s critically important for our mental health as it helps with so many important functions. It leads to better emotional regulation, enhanced memory, improvements in focused attention and concentration, better eating habits, better sleeping patterns, reduced likelihood of anxiety disorders and stress disorders, and the list goes on and on.

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THE MEDIUM 11.25.2019

Why we choose anxiety over relaxation Study finds paradoxical phenomenon in which people choose worrying over relaxing after a stressful event HIRA BURNEY CONTRIBUTOR

Pennsylvania State University performed a study in 2019 that examined the relationship between anxiety and strategic behaviors, like relaxing. According to the study, even though relaxation is supposed to calm the body and mind, people with anxiety actively resist relaxation and choose to worry.

A study conducted by Hanjoo Kim and Michelle Newman from Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Psychology found that people who were more sensitive to shifts in negative emotion—quickly moving from a relaxed state to one of fear, for example—were more likely to feel anxious while being led through relaxation exercises.

Newman, a psychology professor, believes that the results could especially help people who experience “relaxation-induced anxiety,” a paradoxical phenomenon wherein people become more anxious during relaxation training.

Previously, studies have suggested that some people dealing with anxiety can be diagnosed with specific relaxation-induced anxiety (RIA) traits, such as higher sensitivity to anxiety and a desire to have control over their emotions. However, previous studies have produced little proof of how these traits are related to RIA. Thus far, repeated application of ‘Applied Relaxation’ (AR), a crucial

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Therapies are being developed for people who still experience anxiety during relaxation exercises. component of cognitive behavioral therapy, has been proposed to improve RIA. The major purpose of AR is to teach people coping skills that help them to relax and reduce anxiety responses. AR usually begins by teaching people how to progressively tense and release various muscle groups in a quiet, comfortable place.

This technique is sometimes combined with diaphragmatic breathing; slow paced breathing through the diaphragm, practiced twice a day.

Over time, patients are taught ways to achieve relaxation more rapidly and to use it as a portable coping strategy in response to anxiety trig-

gers in their environment. AR aids in decreasing anxiety and physiological tension but does not always lead to a relaxed state. AR may increase anxiety in some individuals, which is called “Relaxation Induced Anxiety.” RIA is a spike in anxiety, muscle tension, or anxious thoughts and images while an individual attempts to engage in relaxation. However, when compared to no treatment, AR yielded significantly more improvement in anxiety symptoms and demonstrated efficacy comparable to cognitive therapy.

“People may be staying anxious to prevent a large shift in anxiety, but it’s actually healthier to let yourself

experience those shifts,” Newman said. “The more you do it, the more you realize you can do it and it’s better to allow yourself to be relaxed at times. Mindfulness training and other interventions can help people let go and live in the moment.”

According to Kim, “Measuring relaxation-induced anxiety and implementing exposure techniques targeting the desensitization of negative contrast sensitivity may help patients reduce this anxiety,” Kim said. “Also, it would be important to examine relaxation-induced anxiety in other disorders, such as panic disorder and persistent mild depression.”

Newman believes that while researchers have known about relaxation-induced anxiety since the 1980s, the specific cause of this phenomenon has remained unknown.

When Newman developed the contrast avoidance theory in 2011, she thought the two concepts might be connected.

“The theory revolves around the idea that people may make themselves anxious intentionally as a way to avoid the letdown they might get if something bad were to happen,” Newman said. “This isn’t actually helpful and just makes you more miserable. But, because most of the things we worry about don’t end up happening, what’s reinforced in the brain is, ‘I worried, and it didn’t happen so I should continue worrying.’”

Kim, who is a psychology graduate student, says the study also sheds light on why relaxation treatments designed to help people feel better can potentially cause more anxiety.

“People who are more vulnerable to relaxation-induced anxiety are often the ones with anxiety disorders who may need relaxation more than others,” Kim said.

However, it has to be noted that AR cannot be a universal cure for everyone suffering from anxiety and depression. If AR is applied without considering one’s sensitivity to negative emotion, according to the study it could be a poisoned chalice to those in need of help, causing more harm than good.

Suspending morality for sporting success Review finds presence of antisocial behaviour in sports: athletes morally disengage during games BELICIA CHEVOLLEAU STAFF WRITER “It’s just a game” is a phrase and mindset that dominates the sporting world.

It downplays how brutal sports and sportspeople can be, and it trivializes sports with real world implications in favour of fun and entertainment. It reinforces a culture of violence where toxic traits and antisocial behaviour are excused, and sometimes even encouraged, to achieve sporting success.

A 2019 review published in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology examines the proliferation of “prosocial and antisocial behaviour in sports,” and its effects on athletes’ physical and mental states.

In the review, they discuss this idea of ‘Bracketed Morality,’ where players “morally disengage in sports”—temporarily suspending their sense of right and wrong—to improve their athletic performance. Engendered within competitive team sports, athletes conceive a parenthetical space that secludes traditional, societal rules and stances on violence and fairness to attain athletic achievements.

Some players purposely injure their opponents or cheat to leverage the game and increase the possibility of success, despite usually being kinder off the field. Ultimately, the competitive nature of sports leads them to exhibit these antisocial behaviours

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Sporting success is often attributed to the encouragement of antisocial and violent behaviours. unseen off the field.

The idea of sports being ‘a game’ allows players to distance and disengage from their own actions—removing personal responsibility.

To an extent, sports already suspend morality. Football involves attacking other players to obtain possession of a ball. Off the field attacking another individual, especially so forcefully, would be considered battery—a criminal offense. However, since teams and players agree that football is a game, the rules that exist in society don’t apply.

Since all sports are physical to a degree, there always exists an element of risk for the physical welfare of a player. The psychological effects are not only a result of abuse within the system, but the rationale for participation—what athletes value determines the behaviour they model.

Coaches can help shape athletic values through a motivational climate or a performance climate. Rewards, feedback, and treatment of players inexplicitly communicate the coach’s values.

Unfortunately, many athletes face

abuse by their coaches who control them through pressure, rewards, and punishment. When authoritative figures possess so much power over an individual and their careers, athletes may feel compelled (or even coerced) to listen to the advice, even if it isn’t the most sound or morally correct.

As a result, the goals of playing transform from one in pursuit of pleasure to one focused on obtaining accolades and rewards.

Conversely, the findings revealed that motivational coaches and prosocial teammates fostered “both enjoy-

ment and perceived performance”— they had fun and were more aware of how they performed. When players have fun, they are more loyal and willing to devote time and effort to the team.

The review also states that “pro social teammate behaviour could also prevent burnout.” Burnout occurs when continual stress extracts the enjoyment from an activity previously deemed enjoyable. Positive behaviour by teammates correlates to achievement and generates “a more positive sport experience” and environment.

Negative expressions towards a teammate, in contrast, cultivate an inability to cope with the pressure and demands.

Antisocial teammate behaviour includes “verbally abusing, swearing, arguing, criticizing, and expressing frustration at one’s poor play.” Not without benefits, however, experimental research proves that antisocial teammate behaviour can be beneficial under certain conditions, such as during a two-minute free throw competitive.

While suspending morality partially comes with the game, completely forgetting morality and engaging in anti-social behaviour leads to anger and stress, which eliminates one of the most fundamental reasons for playing: fun.