Volume 46, Issue 8

November 4, 2019

THE MEDIUM

What did the Campus Affairs Committee discuss at their second meeting?

News

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

Vol 46, No. 8

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Calling all PWC students: here’s why you need real writing experience

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Comment Is Satire Editor Gordon Cork even real?

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Satire Disney remakes are turning iconic antagonists into layered protagonists

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Arts Read about climate change and another step towards net-zero carbon

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Features The lady Eagles soar over Huskies in home game

Sports

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MORADEYO ADENIYI/THE MEDIUM

A herd of goats got their yoga on with some lucky students and faculty at the North Field.

Goat yoga: a chance to say ‘nnnnaammastte’ To distress and build resilience, Student Affairs & Services hosted goat yoga sessions and a petting zoo MELISSA BARRIENTOS NEWS EDITOR Students, faculty, and staff got the chance to explore a new form of exercise last Friday with bleating, cuddly baby goats.

UTM’s Student Affairs & Services, Health & Counselling Centre, and the Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Centre (RAWC) organized four sessions of goat yoga with an hour-long petting zoo right after to wrap up the event.

“The beauty of goat yoga is that it provides an experience where calmness and healing can be found through the engagement with animals and an appreciation of yoga practice,” said Assistant Dean of

Student Wellness, Support & Success Andrea Carter.

The 45-minute sessions took place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the field outside Deerfield. Students and staff alike were bundled up in coats as the goats pranced around the fenced in area by the North Field.

Melina Morsch, the goat yogi instructor, led the attendees through yoga stretches in which the goats would hop, cuddle, or lay around the attendees. When Morsch led the group into the downward dog pose goats hopped on the backs of the attendees. In the standing warrior pose goats fitted themselves in between attendees’ legs, facing forward in unison.

The four sessions had a total of 120 people in attendance. On the tail of the midterm season, Carter said her team wanted the UTM community “to engage in an activity that was destressing and fun.”

“The foundation for these events is community wellness, community strength, and connectiveness,” continued Carter. “We think these principles are ones that build resiliency.

We also recognize that it is important to have opportunities for fun.”

“Goats are amazing beings. They recognize calmness and appreciate other beings that centre themselves,” continued Carter. “It’s pretty awesome that such a sweet, baby animal can teach us lessons to slow down and take in the moments.”

Morsh owns her private studio in Niagara called Fox Den Goat Yoga. An endeavor that she started as a single mom, her studio has expanded greatly and now includes wine-tasting events every Saturday, birthday parties, and private events, amongst others.

Fox Den Goat Yoga mainly houses Pygmy goats, which weigh about 50 pounds, and range from eight weeks to eight months old.

The baby goats are named after their characteristic traits. At the goat yoga event on campus there was Micky Blue Eyes, Oreo, Frank the Tank (a hefty fellow), Flash, Spanky, and Elfalffa.

“We plan on bringing the team back for additional events because

this one was so successful,” said Carter. “The smiles warmed my heart on a cold day!”

The Student Affairs & Services also provide a variety of wellness activities for students on campus, including wellness routes, mindfulness, and outdoor yoga activities.

Their next upcoming event is Exam Jam, complete with therapy dogs, games, and destressing activities to prepare for exams.

On the effectiveness of working out with the bleating, adorable baby goats Mark Overton, Dean of Student Affairs and Assistant Principal of Student Services, said it was “a great opportunity to say ‘nnnnnaaaamaste.’”

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11.04.2019

Editor | Melissa Barrientos

Campus Affairs considers dependence & diversity The Campus Affairs meeting discussed staff recognition, international student dependence, and faculty diversity ISIK VERA SENEL ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The Campus Affairs Committee held its second meeting of the academic year last Tuesday to discuss new developments from the Human Resources department, the priorities of financial resources on campus, and to provide a brief update on the 20192020 operating plans.

The committee started the meeting with a presentation from Nader Boutros, the new director of UTM Human Resources.

Boutros emphasized the significance of staff recognition programs and making sure staff know that they are appreciated. He went on to state that the Human Resources department will be launching a new staff award and recognition program.

“We’ve done a lot of consultations, even before my time, and we’ve gathered all that information to hear the feedback from the current staff awards program and how to take it a step further,” said Boutros.

“It’s not just about receiving a physical award or receiving a prize at the end of the day,” continued Boutros.

“It’s just about recognition and being honored to be nominated and bringing the family of UTM together to recognize each other.”

Professor Ian Orchard, Acting Vice-President & Principal, and Professor Amrita Daniere, Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean, also gave

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The importance of staff appreciation and other operating initiatives were discussed. a presentation regarding campus strategic priorities that discussed the goals, areas of focus, and decisions about the financial resources on campus.

Orchard provided the council with statistics regarding international student enrollment at UTM, which showed that there was a 30.2 per cent intake for first years and about 25.7 per cent across all years. However, in 2019, 67 per cent of all international student intake came from a single source home country.

“This might suggest there is some vulnerability,” said Orchard. “If there

were some new regulations created by that country to prevent students from traveling to Canada or to Ontario, then that would influence our ability to take in the proportion of international students that we have.”

“We’re looking at developing, certainly through the registrar’s office, programs to increase regional diversity,” continued Orchard. “Maybe including scholarships for international students, but certainly enhancing recruitment activity in targeted regions of the world.”

Professor Amrita Daniere went over the implementation of the Aca-

demic Plan and gave updates on the sustainability and diversity initiatives taking place on campus.

“We are working constantly to enhance the diversity of our faculty,” said Daniere. “We are requiring everybody on a faculty hiring committee this year to take a workshop in unconscious bias.”

Daniere also discussed updates regarding new faculty hires for robotics, the new Master’s in Urban Innovation Program, and the Historical Studies department.

“We’ll be hiring a new professor, an Indigenous professor, for the histori-

cal studies department,” said Daniere.

“Which, if you think about it, probably should have been one of our first hires.”

The meeting concluded with a presentation from Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, regarding UTM Service Ancillary Budgets and the status of current operating plans.

“Because of the growth of the campus and because we want to take full care of our flora and fauna, we just wanted to make sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re doing it right,” said Fazilat regarding their plans to hire a separate consultant team to help with the development of the campus masterplan.

Fazilat also discussed the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee’s interests in differentiating and increasing rates for separate parking lots, specifically P9. “P9 has become one of the most sought-after parking lots,” said Fazilat. “What that has created is a backlog going all the way back to Mississauga Road, leading to complaints about the time it takes to get into campus.”

Fazilat went on to state “the committee felt like differential parking, both for pay display and permit for P9 [parking unit 9] would solve the issue to a big extent.”

The next Campus Affairs Committee meeting will be on January 15, 2020.

Ontario bans vaping promo Vaping advertisements will be banned from convenience stores SALEHA FARUQUE DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR The province will soon restrict the promotion of vaping products in some public locations to discourage youth from vaping.

On October 25, the Ontario government announced that vapourproduct promotion will be banned from display in convenience stores and gas stations.

The change will come into effect on January 1, 2020. Vaping advertisements will only be permitted in retail stores like specialty vape stores and cannabis retail stores, which are open to those aged 19 and over.

The new rules arrive amid youthrelated health concerns expressed by Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot. In a September City News release, Elliot referred to “growing evidence” on the matter, stating her

concern about the “prevalence and possible health consequences of vaping, particularly as they affect our youth.”

From 2017 to 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated a “74 per cent increase in vaping among Canadian youth aged 16 to 19.”

Elliott added that “vaping is not without risk, and the potential longterm effects of vaping remain uncertain.” Identifying further action would signify the first step “to curb the alarming increase in young people vaping.”

The Health Ministry hopes that restricting retail store vaping advertisements will prevent young people from being both exposed to and influenced by retail-setting promotion.

In a statement shared by City News, Elliot said, “I know that is a big concern to parents and families and I’m concerned about the potential health

effects the increase in vaping has brought forward, so we are starting with this prohibition of advertising.”

The Ford government will implement these new rules by amending provincial legislation, making it equivalent to the current ban on retail tobacco promotion.

Next to Ontario, seven other provinces have already unveiled similar vaping promotion restrictions. Ontario’s upcoming ban comes after a London, Ontario teenager was diagnosed with a severe respiratory illness related to vaping. The teenager was placed on life-support.

The 2017 Canadian Student Alcohol and Drugs Survey reveals that two-thirds of students who vape do so with nicotine products.

The University of Toronto previously banned smoking at the St. George campus in early January 2019.

The smoke-free policy prohibits the

CIPRIAN TUDOR/UNSPLASH.COM

Promo of vaping and vape products has been banned in Ontario. use of smoking tobacco and cannabis, including the use of vaping devices and e-cigarettes.

The University of Toronto Missis-

sauga currently has specific smoking areas across the campus where smoking is allowed.

Alumna wins award from Queen Margaret Atwood, U of T alumna, meets Queen Elizabeth

11.04.2019 THE MEDIUM NEWS

THE ROYAL FAMILY/TWITTER

FARISHTEH KHAN CONTRIBUTOR Margaret Atwood, a University of Toronto alumna and author of critically acclaimed novel The Handmaid’s Tale, received the Companion of Honour on October 25 from Queen Elizabeth at a ceremony in Windsor Castle.

The Companion of Honour is awarded to those individuals who have made major contributions to the fields of arts, literature, science, medicine, or politics consistently over the years.

Upon meeting with the queen, Atwood admitted to feeling “a bit emotional,” CBC news reports.

Atwood has also received the Booker Prize alongside British author Bernadine Evaristo this past month.

Over the years, she has won numerous awards and honours such as the Governor General’s Award, Franz Kafka Prize, Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the National Book Critics and

PEN Centre USA Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, has been adapted into a TV series which has also received widespread critical acclaim.

Atwood graduated from U of T’s Victoria College, later returning to work as a writer in residence.

Before the publication of The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood started donating her personal writings, including manuscripts and personal letters, among other documents, to U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.

Over the years, these donations have amounted to 600 boxes-worth of material.

Margaret Atwood will talk about her new book, The Testaments—the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale—on November 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Bluma Appel Theatre at St. Lawrence Centre, Toronto.

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UTM talks cyberbullying UTM I&ITS hosted a panel to discuss how to deal with cyberbullying NATALIE LYCZEK CONTRIBUTOR

Margaret Atwood received an award from Queen Elizabeth.

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In collaboration with the University of Toronto’s Security Matters team, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Information & Instructional Technology Services (I&ITS) hosted a panel discussion last Monday to discuss digital safety.

The panelists for “Cyberbullying: What to do if it happens to you” were moderated by Director of I&ITS Luke Barber. The panelists included Director of the Campus Police Services Robert Messacar; Equity & Diversity Officer and Office of the Vice President & Principal Nythalah Baker; and Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Coordinator, Tri-campus Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre Henna Khawja.

Unfortunately, Assistant Dean for Student wellness, Support & Success, Student Affairs Andrea Carter was unable to join the discussion.

The panelists discussed the basics of cyberbullying. Messacar explained there is no legal definition of cyberbullying, but there is a court jurisdiction definition. “[Cyberbullying is] any cyber communication or publication posted or sent online in one or a variety of ways, or the use of any interactive device that is intended to frighten, embarrass, harass, hurt, cause harm to, extort, or in other ways target another,” said Messacar.

The panelists were then asked about the difference between banter and cyberbullying. Baker said as

long as you feel unsafe, that is enough grounds to report the behaviour. She added that if you are unsure about whether to report to officials, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

On what steps to follow when you are being cyberbullied, Messacar stressed the importance of not deleting any messages. He recommends screenshotting the messages to preserve them as evidence. Saved messages will also help locate the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the bully.

Messacar further added that cyberbullies lack power and suggests blocking the bully in social media accounts instead of giving them the response they seek.

“This is not about you, this is about the person who’s perpetrating that to try to get something out of you,” said Messacar.

Khawja stated that victims think there is nothing that can be done, which is false. She stressed Campus Police as the first place you should go.

Khawja clarified the university will only contact your family if you are in danger. The incident will not show up on your transcript.

When asked on what one should do if it’s a friend or someone they know that is being cyberbullied and not themselves, Messacar suggested reassuring the friend that they are on the right path.

“Ask them to show you the content and go through with the steps we mentioned earlier about saving the evidence,” said Messacar.

Baker added that “it’s important to not rush to a solution […] and to not

victim blame.”

Messacar ended the panel with warning about cybersecurity in our increasingly cyber world.

“Treat cybersecurity like your toothbrush: don’t share it with anybody,” said Messacar.

Khawja recommends turning off your location and microphone in every app on your phone, including the Snapchat location function.

Cyberbullying has been on the rise in 2019. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 95 per cent of youth in the United States are on the internet and 85 per cent are social media users. This increases the chances of cyberbullying at a critical growing period of a person’s life.

The panelists wrapped up the discussion with a list of steps to take to prevent cyberbullying and cyber safety, including setting all of your online accounts private, not allowing strange accounts to follow you on social media, blocking suspicious accounts, and reporting anyone who makes you feel unsafe. They also warned about monitoring what personal things you post online and said it is possible to have an online presence without showing the world your personal life.

The university has on-campus services available to ensure student safety like Campus Police, Security Matters, and I&ITS. Various hotlines to contact for emotional support like Kids Help Phone and Crisis Services Canada are also available.

Cannabis Amnesty: A call for equality UTM professor Owusu-Bempah states minorities continue to suffer cannabis possession charges post cannabis legalization ADAUDO WOGU CONTRIBUTOR The legalization of edibles came into effect by the Canadian government on October 17—the one-year anniversary of cannabis legalization.

A year prior, the start of exciting new prospects for business owners and cannabis users was dampened by lurches and false starts due to cannabis supply shortages, delayed store openings, and the tightening of rules by provincial governments. This also left the black market on cannabis open, far from the black market shutdown discussed by the government.

The federal government’s Bill, C-93—the no-fee, expedited pardons of simple possession of cannabis—offers those convicted only for the possession of cannabis to forgo the $631 and the ten-year wait period, as long as they have completed the rest of their sentence.

But, organizations like Cannabis Amesty argue that while Bill C-93 is a significant step towards repairing the damage done to historically mar-

ginalized Canadians, the government needs to do more.

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at UTM, works for Cannabis Amnesty as Director of Research and advocates for changes to Bill C-93 to better serve marginalized communities who are denied work and travel.

“Record suspensions do not go far enough because the record still exists.

It is still accessible in certain circumstances, and can ultimately be reversed. Expungement is permanent,” said Owusu-Bempah.

Cannabis Amnesty is a non-profit organization advocating on behalf of marginalized communities that have been denied opportunities for their cannabis-related, non-violent offences.

Their petition, which launched on May 5, 2018, asks the federal government to pardon all individuals charged with the possession of cannabis. The petition has been endorsed

by Canadian Hollywood star Seth Rogen and Ontario’s Green Party leader Mike Schreiner.

As of today, the petition has been signed by over 10,000 people.

Cannabis Amnesty was an important force in starting the conversation on the serious impact of cannabisrelated offences on minorities. Over the past 15 years, Canadian police agencies have reported over 800,000 cannabis possession “incidents” and over 500,000 Canadians have been left with a criminal record for cannabis possession.

A disproportionate arrest rate is also a big part of the problem, with Indigenous, Black, and vulnerable members of society being overrepresented in cannabis arrests, according to Cannabis Amnesty.

On the rollout of Cannabis legalization in Canada, Owusu-Bempah states it was politically and economically driven.

“Our legalization did not come as a response to a recognition of the racialized harms caused by prohibition.

Indeed, our brand of legalization was largely a political and an economic move. The stated aims of Canadian legalization are to protect youth, pro-

mote public health, and reduce the illegal trade of cannabis,” said OwusuBempah.

“As a result, Canadian cannabis legalization lacks many of the measures intended to repair the harms inflicted on vulnerable communities that have resulted from the war on drugs.”

Bill C-93, outlined by the House of Commons, states that those convicted with simple possession of cannabis offences before October 17, 2018 can apply for the suspension. The bill covers many topics but is merely a fraction of the action needed, states Cannabis Amnesty, especially when comparing it to the work some American states, which have similarly legalized cannabis, have done.

“Having acknowledged that drug prohibition has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latino populations in the United States, many jurisdictions have incorporated reparation measures into legalization. The most common of these measures include the expungement and clearing of cannabis related criminal records, policies, and initiatives to ensure that

people and communities affected by prohibition are provided an opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis industry, and strategies to allocate a portion of the revenue generated from legal sales back into the communities most harmed by prohibition.”

On May 1, criminal defense lawyer Annamaria Enenajor spoke to a committee in the House of Commons on behalf of Cannabis Amnesty about concerns surrounding Bill C-93.

“Despite [cannabis’] widespread consumption, a growing body of social science evidence has shown that not all Canadians face the same consequences for the same actions,” said Enenajor in her address to the House of Commons.

“Black Canadians, Indigenous people of Canada, and low-income Canadians are more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, [and] incarcerated for cannabis possession offences than white Canadians […] This is a historic injustice and a systemic Charter violation that cries out for redress,” said Enenajor.

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THE MEDIUM 11.04.2019

Students talk city-planning

HUMANS OF UTM

A tri-campus hub for urban & city development hosts a symposium

We’re losing out on a lot of great leaders simply because we are very tribal in the way that we vote and the way that we live. We need a united country and a strong civic identity. My opinion is that Canadians need to start thinking of themselves as Canadians. A lot of people state their country of ethnic origin instead of where they live now or who they are now, and that is Canadian. I was born in Pakistan and spent most of my life there but I chose to come to Canada and choose that as my identity. So, I should be proud to be recognized as a Canadian instead of just as a Pakistani. My ultimate loyalty and identity is Canadian.”

RYOJI IWATA/UNSPLASH.COM

City planning and urban development is being tackled by a tri-campus platform for students.

MED KANE ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The School of Cities Student Academy, a tri-campus platform for U of T students interested in learning about city-planning and urban development, hosted a symposium last Friday to discuss urban issues and challenges.

The School of Cities Student Academy & Fellows Symposium talked about inequality within cities, climate change, smart cities, and health.

The School of Cities Student Academy, which serves as the tri-campus interdisciplinary academic hub for “urban-focused researchers to explore and address complex urban challenges,” sought out 20 undergraduate and graduate students earlier this year to present projects that combat unique challenges plaguing urban cities.

These students were anointed with the School of Cities Student Academy’s Student Fellowship Award and received a stipend of $2,000 that went towards their research efforts.

Rebecca Beaulne-Stuebing, a Ph.D. student at U of T for Social Justice Education and Indigenous Health, spoke of her work in creating a medicine library, a collection of Indigenous herbal plants, and building a network of Indigenous people who want to learn about planting Indigenous plants in the city.

A large part of her presentation focused on the deprivation of Indigenous people to their connection with Indigenous plants. In addition,

she condemned the Western notion of tobacco as a negative drug that disregards its medicinal roots. According to Beaulne-Steubing, many of these Indigenous plants are extremely nutritious and can grow in adverse conditions, including concrete. She ended her presentation with a call for greater resources to be dedicated to supporting her efforts in urban Indigenous gardening.

Mohamed Ali, a fourth-year undergraduate student at Victoria College, connected the “intersections between the climate crisis and urbanization in Nairobi [Kenya].”

Ali reported that the government of Kenya has made high targets with renewable infrastructure, but they are hampered by a lack of state capacity to accomplish those targets. In addition, Ali stated that the cities had inherent inequalities which limited the country’s response.

The slashing of agriculture subsidies in addition to land grabbing has caused greater urbanization and income inequality. Many of the country’s green resources are unevenly distributed with the upper class who are more able to enjoy Nairobi’s national park than displaced low-income farmers.

Ramz Aziz, a fourth-year JD/MBA student at U of T, focused on the development of equity in smart cities.

He defined smart cities as a centre in which “everyone is connected” and “new wave technologies are all integrated with each other.”

However, a conflict arises in respect

to the foundations of these cities: the use of data. According to Aziz, many private institutions are not as focused on inclusion in cities but rather “using data for economic outcomes.”

Aziz said that many of “the technologies are being developed in higher income areas,” to the detriment of lower income areas. He highlighted a survey that shows only “30 per cent of entrepreneurs have thought about accessibility while developing their products.”

Aziz then explained the need for cities to certify smart city technology.

Such certifications would include ensuring that equality is respected and biases in software are eliminated.

Linxi Mytkolli, a Master’s student in Sustainability Management here at UTM, spoke of urban health. She called for an evaluation of the Canadian Healthcare system. In addition, she declared that youth can “help build sustainable and healthy communities in Canada.”

“The works of the students are impressive,” said Professor Marieme Lo, Director of the UTSG African Studies Program and Associate Director of Education at the School of Cities Student Academy.

Lo stated that the 2019-2020 student fellows will continue to be in contact with the School of Cities Student Academy and will be called for continued student engagement in Urban Research.

The application deadline for the Student Fellowship Award 2020-2021 is November 5 at 9:00 p.m.

October 24, 2019.

Tresspass to Property Act. Campus Police were advised of someone asking for donations on campus.

Officers attended and trespassed the individual. They left campus without incident.

October 25, 2019.

Police Assistance.

Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended a residence for a student experiencing medical distress

October 29, 2019.

Police Assistance.

Campus Police received a report of a suspicious male in a residence. Campus Police canvassed the area however the male was gone on arrival.

October 24, 2019.

Police Assitance.

Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended the library for a student experiencing medical distress.

October 28, 2019.

Police Assistance.

Campus Police attended the Health and Counseling Centre for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was transported to hospital via ambulance.

October 30, 2019.

Theft.

A student reported the theft of their headphones from a study area in the MN building.

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).

11.04.2019

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Ali Taha

Editorial

PWC without UTM should introduce the P, W, or C a credit union Where the hell are all the PWC students?

At The Medium, our largest cohort of writers hail from the sciences, and only a fraction of our writers are in the Professional Writing and Communication program.

If you are in PWC and aren’t a writer for The Medium, shame. You’re missing out on one of the best ways to better your writing: experience. As much as you may learn about writing in class, you learn ten times more by actually doing it in a professional setting.

So, what’s the problem? Insecurity? If you have doubts about your talent or skillset, let’s take that off the table. Our editorial staff are in your writing classes and your editing groups. We listen to your stories when they’re workshopped in class. We hear the talent, and we can see it too. Sure, the newspaper isn’t the creative personal non-fiction narratives you might be used to, but our paper requires the same four core principles you’re taught in every single PWC course: economy, directness, detail, and voice.

If the problem isn’t insecurity, then what is it? Is it inaccessibility? Or a lack of knowledge on how to volunteer for the paper? Well, let us lay it out for you.

Volunteering for the newspaper allows you to write when you want. Express your interest and send an email to editor@themedium.ca to be included in the mailing list of whichever section interests you the most. When the section editor sends out their weekly email, you email them back asking to cover the topic that peaks your interest. Simple? If not, our office is located in the Student Centre, room 200. Just look for the big window on the second floor. We’re always there.

Ask yourself why you’re even studying writing in the first place. For most, your decision to pursue PWC may be driven solely by your passions. For others, you may want to pursue a career in a writing-related field. Future writers need to start writing. And if you don’t build up your portfolio now, good fucking luck.

A writer needs clippings to build their portfolio. Course work doesn’t really count. Writing because it is mandatory doesn’t really count.

Writers in the PWC program should be the cream of the crop. We’ve certainly had great Medium writers come out of the program, but not enough.

Writing is hard. Writing for a newspaper is even harder. If you think The Medium isn’t good enough for your skills and expertise, write an article for us.

Most likely what you write will not be what we publish. It will be heavily edited to clarify meaning, as well as to correct any grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax errors. Writing is an art form nobody masters. Take advantage of the opportunity to better yourselves as writers.

The PWC program has already set its students up for success. History and Writing gives you the skills to write a gripping features article. The Journalistic Investigation course is geared towards news writing, and Editing: Principles and Practice is a vital course every PWC student should take.

Writers are always needed because there are always stories to be told, and interesting stories need engaging writers to tell them.

If anything, the PWC program should make writing for The Medium a requirement. Students need to step outside their comfort zones and become real writers.

So, when you get the guts to come write for us, visit our office in the Students’ Centre. We’ll be waiting.

DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING? LETTERS POLICY

As a leading institution, it’s our responsibility to set the trend

JOSH APPEL/UNSPLASH.COM

U of T should establish a credit union because of all the ways students could benefit from it.

MED KANE ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR With cuts to OSAP and student debt rising to unprecedented levels, the University of Toronto and student groups—including the UTMSU— should move to establish a credit union to provide an alternative and innovative way to alleviate the monetary needs and wants of students.

In Canada, credit unions are largely under the jurisdiction of provinces. They offer similar services as banks, such as checking and saving accounts, loans, investments, and financial aid. Unlike banks, credit unions limit their offerings to specific areas or professions. This distinguishing feature allows a credit union to owe its allegiance solely to its members rather than detached shareholders.

This allegiance translates into substantial benefits for the students: instead of facing banks which seek to wrangle profit, students will be given a far better deal. Credit unions can offer substantially lower fees and more efficient savings accounts than banks. In addition, deposits in banks are only insured for up to $100,000— deposits in credit unions are insured by the province of Ontario for up to $250,000.

According to The Motley Fool, a financial services company that pro-

vides financial advice for investors, credit unions suffered “one-fifth the failure rate of other banks during the financial crisis of 2007-2008.” They also are more trusted by the public than banks.

Luigi Zingales, a professor at the University of Chicago, argues that this trust “is not just because of the not-for-profit motive of credit unions. People trust more local than national banks and trust more credit unions than local banks. The more local an institution is, the more trusted it is.”

We need look no further than Georgetown University to see a student-run credit union in action.

Founded in 1987, Georgetown University Alumni & Student Federal Credit Union (GUASFCU) received $100,000 from the university administration and over 30 years has grown to hold more than 16 million dollars in assets. The GUASFCU offers savings accounts, checking accounts, and certificates of deposits.

In addition to providing traditional financial services, they provide grants of up to ten thousand dollars for innovative campus projects and organized seminars for students on financial literacy. According to the GUASGCU, over 60 per cent of Georgetown students choose to pay into the union. Georgetown is not the only university to possess a

student-run credit union. The University of Pennsylvania and Miami University also have student-led credit unions.

The establishment of a credit union at U of T would also work towards satisfying the U of T administration’s goal of providing more experiential learning, as well as bring together students from all fields in pursuit of a common goal.

CCIT students can help with communications and promoting. Management and commerce students can assist with the running of the union itself. Political science and law students can help research the rules and regulations. Computer science students can provide assistance with the digital platform and help with security.

As a leading institution in Canada, it is our responsibility to set the trend. Armed with the precedent of UPENN and Georgetown, U of T should take the bold step of moving forward with progress. Of course, there is no need to limit the project to just U of T. A tri-campus banking system would do wonders to unify students across all three campuses in collaborative engagement. In the long term, the credit union can expand its operations to provide funds to cash-strapped clubs and societies that are suffering from opt-out fees.

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Ali Taha editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Paula Cho managing@themedium.ca News Melissa Barrientos news@themedium.ca Deputy News Editor Saleha Faruque deputynews@themedium.ca Satire Gordon Cork satire@themedium.ca A&E Vinney Wong arts@themedium.ca Features Fatima Adil features@themedium.ca Sports S Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield sports@themedium.ca Photo Julia Healy photos@themedium.ca Design Tegwen McKenzie design@themedium.ca Illustrations Tala Alkhaldi illustrations@themedium.ca Copy Jessica Cabral copy@themedium.ca Online Yasmeen Alkoka online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Harris Watkins Isik Vera Senel Med Kane Ahmed Kane Satire Erin Delaney A&E Shalomi Ranasinghe Features Latisha Lobban Bismah Rizvi Sports Noor Bhatia Photo Hayden Mak Kellsy Ann Meneses GENERAL STAFF Webmaster William Pau web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Mduduzi Mhlanga distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Amina Safdar ads@themedium.ca COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

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Mental health: A reality check A somber look at the rise of depression, suicide, and the topic of mental health MEHRSHAD BABAEI STAFF WRITER This is the first part in a series on the topic of mental health.

The 2019-2020 school year began with many students growing impatient with the U of T administration.

After another student took their own life at Bahen, students have been actively demanding change in how the university deals with mental health.

Many weeks ago, Sonia Romero Johnson discussed “the case for personal responsibility.” It sparked a conversation, though sadly it was one of anger and frustration.

I was deeply bothered by the criticism this article received. I’m not one to say it wasn’t deserved, but it was quite apparent to me that peoples’ idea of a discussion was to comment blocks of text on how others simply don’t understand, are misinformed, and should just avoid any attempt at expressing their ideas. The silencing of other opinions has become an almost instinctive reaction. This is problematic.

It’s time to address mental health the right way.

And it’s important to note that there is an unfathomable amount to discuss regarding mental health. In fact, the vast majority of people, for example, would not know what it really means to be going through severe forms of depression and anxiety, where experiencing lethargy and paralysis and constantly combatting internal struggles are only the tip of the iceberg. With that, let us not overlook the fact that dealing with depression and anxiety does not immediately entail suicidal thoughts in the same way that schizophrenia does not entail psychopathy.

The reality is that this umbrella term encompasses various levels of concerns and problems, which can affect anyone. What’s important here is that we take steps in ensuring that there are no stigmas or misconceptions surrounding these problems, which as the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) states, “presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.”

The burden of mental illnesses has been ever growing all over the world and a look at a common illness like depression might help put things into perspective.

According to WHO, depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide, where it may lead to suicide in extreme cases. With an epidemic on the rise, roughly 800,000 people are committing suicide annually.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds, following accidents. In fact, roughly 4,000 15 to 24-year-old Canadians die by suicide each year. Concurrently, it is estimated that 3.2 million 12 to 19-year olds are at risk of developing depression.

Furthermore, CMHA notes that about 49 per cent of people who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never contacted a medical professional.

These are considerably worrying statistics, but more importantly, we need to collectively examine what’s really going on here.

Major depression is an extremely complex disorder, where both genetic and environmental factors can and ultimately do play a role in its development.

Simply, depression is not just an imbalance of chemicals; and a pre-

CALLIE GIBSON/UNSPLASH.COM

After tragedy and controversy, it is time to move forward. scription for antidepressants is certainly not a long-term solution.

Here’s the thing: Human beings have needs. Indeed, our physical needs consist of things like food, water, fresh air, and a home. Similarly, we also possess certain psychological needs. For instance, the need for belonging, the need to feel valued, and the need for purpose. I believe we are especially living in a time where we are deprived of such needs. It is this disconnection within ourselves— greatly influenced by society and culture—and consequently the world and people around us, that ultimately contributes to the decay of our mental health. With that, the worst thing we can do is blame ourselves and our “condition” in hopes of improvement.

We are not at fault. It is the very absence of physical and psychological needs that lead to imbalances in the

first place.

For those of us who struggle deeply, to the point where we are unable to function properly, there is no denying it is not enough to seek chemical help. And for those of us who want to support and help our friends, family, or anyone suffering from mental health problems, it is not enough to talk about depression and suicide as merely concerning statistics. There’s a lot for us to consider and give our attention to. And we mustn’t overlook the various, contributing aspects.

In actively pursuing progression in individual and collective mental health, we need to implement a simple method: Talk about things that actually matter in life.

In this series, I hope to dive deep into the topic of mental health. Hopefully, by the end, we’ll all be the better for it.

Post election: A country divided Justin Trudeau must work to understand the frustrations of Western Canadians CAROL DINNO CONTRIBUTOR As the dust settles on the 2019 Federal election, leaders on all sides have a lot to consider. This election was filled with personal attacks, scandals, and divisiveness. Individuals across the political spectrum expressed their disappointment with the selection of party leaders, with over one-third opting to vote strategically to stop a party from winning and to increase the chances of a minority government.

The rise of the Bloc Québécois and the Liberal shut-out in Western Canada are prime examples of the failure of the current government in uniting Canadians over the past four years. When analyzing the results of the 2019 election, it is clear that Canada is more divided than ever.

The re-elected government under

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must work to resolve these alienations by ensuring that concerns from all over Canada are considered seriously and equally.

As a federation, with strong premiers and a varying geography, Canadian Prime Ministers have often struggled to appease all regions and foster national unity. From coast to coast, each province has unique interests, which sometimes conflict with one another. One of the most longstanding conflicts has been Western alienation.

Western alienation first appeared in 1980, when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced the National Energy Program (NEP). The NEP was highly controversial in Western Canada, especially in Alberta. It was seen as an attempt by the federal government to intrude on a matter which was under pro-

vincial jurisdiction—to capitalize on the booming oil industry.

In the present day, many of the issues fueling Western alienation still revolve around the oil industry. The current Trudeau government was highly criticized for their handling of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion, which would promote the growth of a struggling oil sector.

Although the expansion is highly controversial due to its involvement of sacred Aboriginal land, many believe that halting the tax-payer funded purchase of the $4.5 billion pipeline would have consequently hindered the investments and jobs it could have brought to Alberta.

Western Canadians also claim to be burdened by an unfair equalization formula, lack of federal investment, and a burdensome carbon tax. They made their frustration clear at the polls, with Saskatch-

ewan and Alberta failing to elect a single Liberal MP to represent them in Ottawa. In his current mandate, Prime Minister Trudeau must work to understand the frustrations of Western Canadians, despite being unable to consult any MPs from his party or appoint any cabinet ministers from Alberta or Saskatchewan.

Trudeau must also attempt to support Alberta’s main industry and source of revenue while simultaneously addressing growing climate change concerns.

Carol Dinno is a former Vice-President of the UTM Campus Conservatives

11.04.2019 THE MEDIUM COMMENT» 7

The serious implications Make the most of today of the federal election YASMEEN ALKOKA ONLINE EDITOR We are not promised tomorrow.

I know you’ve heard this before, and every once in a while, you’ll say you want to live life to the fullest because something bad happens and you realize how grateful you are to be alive.

Don’t wait for something bad to happen. Start now. Start today.

Wake up early, get your homework done, send that risky text, call your old friend, hang out with your mom, join that club. Do whatever it is you’ve been putting off. As university students we follow the art of procrastination so religiously that we even apply it to our private lives. Don’t let silence grow between you and someone you care about. Don’t let an argument or fight last unnecessarily long.

On the other hand, if something is over or in the past, get over it. Focus your attention elsewhere.

I know it’s easier said than done.

Believe me, even I struggle to follow my own advice. But this is a reminder that you can always try. You never know when your life is going to change direction or what might come up unexpectedly. It’s hard to be prepared for change, but if you live every day with purpose and intention, you’ll likely feel more prepared...or at least you won’t have regrets.

Our society enforces a lot of unspoken rules about our behaviour with others. Sometimes, they can be handy. But other times, they’re just

kind of dumb. Why aren’t we allowed to double text? Why do I have to pretend I’m still mad at someone if I’m not? Why do I have to wait until I’m an upper year to have a leadership position?

My dear UTM friends, I highly encourage you to do whatever it is you really want to do within the limits of your life. That said, be responsible about it. I’m not saying you should ignore all your school work and job commitments to go party with your friends every night because that’s what you really want to do. But, if that’s something you really want right now, make time in your schedule.

Organize your schedule so that you have at least one night off where you can have a good time without feeling guilty or blowing off all your responsibilities. It’s doable.

Take a look around you and count your blessings. You’re alive today and you have a lot to live for, even if you don’t always see it. Make the most of what you’ve got and strive to be the best version of you that you can be today.

And for goodness sake, be nice to people. It’s cute and funny when friends or classmates tease each other, but it’s also appreciated when you compliment others, remind people of their significance, and take time out of your schedule to show someone you care. It will go a long way, and you’d know it if you’ve ever been on the receiving end.

Ontario needs to open up and engage with other provinces AYA YAFAOUI CONTRIBUTOR Much like the 2016 U.S. presidential election, last month’s federal election in Canada has revealed the deep divisions that grip our country—the Liberal party won a minority government yet lost a significant portion of their seats to the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois. Canada is split down the middle: Conservatives won in the west, and Liberals won in the east. Regardless of what happens once parliament starts up again—either Trudeau’s Liberals survive the confidence vote and form government or they do not—the result of this election will have a long-lasting impact on Canada’s social fabric.

Division on multiple fronts have bubbled to the surface, and they are harder to ignore now. Indeed, they should not be ignored, especially by Ontarians. The province tends to live inside its own bubble, sheltered from the realities of other provinces. This is because of the focus legislators have put on implementing policies that favour Ontarians.

This cocooning needs to stop because it makes Canada vulnerable to the toxic politics that have overtaken other countries, such as France, Britain, and the United States.

Our parliamentary system is based around the idea of winning seats— seats that are assigned based on population. Thus, this focus on population

creates a political system in which the most urbanized regions in Canada have a larger share of the seats and effectively a larger voice in the government (it’s no coincidence that most of our Prime Ministers have hailed from central Canada). For the most part, this is a fair system because the majority has the political power to decide who is in power and who is not.

However, the issue with democracy is the very element that is its greatest feature. Bluntly speaking, democracy has a bad habit of neglecting the minority because it is run by and for the majority.

In Canada, this means that places such as Alberta and Saskatchewan are often pushed to the side in favour of Ontario and Quebec’s interests. Indeed, this phenomenon played out yet again in this election. The fact that western Canada has no representation from the incumbent government speaks to the resentment fostered by the Liberal government’s failure to address the issues of western Canadians, especially in regards to the economy. This resentment has now turned into what is being dubbed as a “Wexit” or western exit, the implications of which will tear Canada in half if they ever came into fruition. As seen with our southern neighbor, the United States, the feeling of alienation among the south and rural parts of the country contributed to the election of Donald Trump. Contrary to what many Canadians may think, such an

incidence is not as unfathomable as it may seem and will only increase in likelihood if the separatist movement takes off in western Canada.

Of course, when talking about separatism, one needs to acknowledge the province that introduced the idea to the Canadian political scene: Quebec. In this election, the Bloc Quebecois won an unprecedented number of seats thanks to the francophone vote. It is clear that Quebec separatism has found rejuvenation under the previous Liberal majority government, and now has a balance of power in Parliament.

Arguably, the separatist movement may never go away as long as the idea of a Quebecois nation persists. However, with two separatist movements gaining traction in Canada, the issue isn’t “if ” faction-ism will hinder the political mechanics of Canada, but “when.” This is ultimately why Ontarians, with their political power and influence, need to step up and try to understand the issues facing other provinces, especially in western Canada where such resentment is mostly fueled by economic deprivation.

If unity truly is a Canadian value, and if Canadians would like to avoid the disastrous implications of events such as Brexit, then this Ontarian majority has to be willing to understand and work with those disaffected by the reality of Canadian democracy.

Living life: Happiness versus pride People should stop being proud of their accomplishments and focus more on being happy with them TOMASZ GLOD STAFF WRITER

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

It is better to be happy with what you do than to be prideful.

People set out to create and achieve great things in their lives. Some people may even feel proud of the things that they have been able to accomplish. But, people should stop being proud of their accomplishments and focus more on being happy with them.

Firstly, pride inhibits complacency within the individual. Pride allows individuals to look back at their actions as if one were admiring a painting—a painting that is perfect and complete. The issue is that in life, one should not have the ability to look at anything in their life as perfect. That relationship with your loved one could be better, your grades have room to rise, and you could always eat healthier.

Pride makes one feel as if they’ve already achieved everything that they could to the best of their abilities.

I am not trying to encourage someone to become hung up on

things from the past—something that is incredibly unhealthy—but to learn it, and allow those lessons to influence your future.

Happiness provides this ability.

Happiness stipulates that individuals recognize that more could have been done, and encourages people to strive for perfection, a goal that will always better the individual.

Happiness and pride also diverge in regards to whom they serve.

Pride is a self-serving vice that prioritizes the individual and their success. Happiness, on the other hand, allows for individuals to recognize their progress, encourages them to improve and allows them to share this experience with others.

Importantly, we see happiness as an opportunity for individuals to also experience their lives as opposed to idolizing their accomplishments. Happiness, unlike pride, allows you to see your flaws.

Being happy with your grades or accomplishments can, for some, be a difficult task. This becomes further

complicated when adversity strikes.

When individuals fail, trying to remain happy can be difficult. People will retreat and question themselves and their capabilities—sometimes they’ll turn to sadness to deal with these emotions. With students specifically, lamenting in sadness can be incredibly discouraging and debilitating. This is where happiness can help.

Firstly, peoples should always look at the things that occur to them through a happy or positive lens. “Always look on the bright side of life.” This seems like a simple enough task, but requires true effort and a yearning to be happy.

Secondly, be happy! Even if you’re not completely feeling it, aim for where you want to be and not where you find yourself currently.

Challenge the status quo.

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Editor | Gordon Cork

SATIRE

Students resort to move suicides off campus to eating babies U of T makes concerted effort

HAMZAH MOHAMMED CONTRIBUTOR

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

After the suicides at the Bahen Centre, UTM is asking depressed students for their expertise.

JULIA HEALY PHOTOS EDITOR In lieu of recent tragedies, the University of Toronto plans to create a safe environment on campus by moving suicides off the premises. Turning to the experts, the University has compiled a team of clinically depressed students and Urban Planning majors to assess building risks at UTM. “That’s a good spot right there,” said team-lead Brian O’Keefe, pointing to-

ward the east side of the IB Building.

“That’s where I’ve been thinking of jumping.”

The Medium caught up with U of T President Meric Gertler to ask him about the university’s plan to prevent suicides on campus.

“If the issue is suicides on campus, then we want to do everything in our power to move those suicides off campus,” said Gertler. “If in the event a student does pass on campus, we will simply pronounce the death

when they are off campus. Disneyland does it all the time.”

Although the University has kept raising tuition, incidental fees, and stress levels, U of T doesn’t take any responsibility for their impressive yet depressing mid-20th century brutalist architecture.

“If we really get to the root of why suicides happen on campus, I think it starts here,” said CCT major Kent Clark, pointing at a slow walker.

In a twist not even Jonathon Swift would have seen coming, it seems many out-of-work Master’s and Ph.D. students have taken to eating babies.

This peculiar practise was first reported on by FOX News who claim this is a result of too many people having access to education.

Further reporting has shown that O’reilly-spawn may have a point.

When asked why they have taken up the practice of eating babies, many students have responded that it’s the only reliable source of food.

The Medium spoke to one such student who elaborated on the issue further. Jared Booker is a political philosophy Ph.D. candidate from the University of Toronto.

“So many people ask why we don’t just eat cheap at like McDonalds or Timmies or whatever. And it’s like dude, I’m in debt. If I want to be

smart about my money and my future I can’t afford to eat out even at those places. I can’t even afford to go halvsies on a Netflix account.”

However, Booker further elaborated that the practice of infant consumption has more to it than just the allure of tender meat.

“It’s about making a statement y’know. When the IPCC says we only have ten years until the end of the world, why should we prolong the wait? It’s just so immoral man. So yeah it’s about making a statement… if there’s no way for future generations to survive, we may as well eat them and end their suffering.”

It bears mentioning that most of the students who have professed to eating babies have graduated in the field of Humanities, with a particularly high number of them specifically in the area of moral and ethical philosophy.

Satire editor UTMSU haunted house elaborate front filled with turkeys for shitty content ERIN DELANEY ASSOCIATE SATIRE EDITOR

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The annual UTMSU Haunted House terrified students with the money wasted on wet birds.

GORDON CORK SATIRE EDITOR The UTMSU is under fire for their haunted house being too frightening to bare. Last week, the students’ centre hosted many spooky scares, but students were unprepared for what awaited them in the darkness.

We caught up with Mark Diven, a student who dared enter the haunted

presentation room. “I crept into the haunted house. It was dark… I could barely see. It was cold. Then I felt it: a warm breath on the back of neck. I turned around and saw a wet turkey hanging from the ceiling.”

Students were promised a thrilling haunted maze, but were instead delivered a dark room full of wet turkeys.

The Medium reached out to the UTMSU to clarify what the wet tur-

keys meant but received turkey giblet soup in response.

An anonymous whistleblower working for the students’ union has revealed that the UTMSU spent over $12,000 worth of student fees on turkeys, and another $5,000 to make them wet. The Medium’s economics team calculated that an estimated total of $17,000 was spent on wet turkeys.

Ever since the recent introduction of The Medium’s Satire section, rumours about the supposed identity of the Satire Editor have spread around campus. The existence of Gordon Cork, the first section editor for the Satire, has come into question. Is he a character used by Editor-in-Chief Ali Taha to say what he really wants to say, a culmination of data collection, or worse, a PWC major?

When it comes to theories around Cork’s existence, people around campus have different approaches.

“I hear it’s not even a real person, it’s an algorithm. It takes content from the previous issues and combines it with recycled jokes.” A student by the name of Condor Grok commented.

“He’s basically just a Russian bot. He’s trying to promote free speech, but honestly it just wants to protect the freedom to be an asshole.”

Another student, Cog Dork Ron, offered another explanation involving the head of The Medium. “I heard it’s an alias Ali Taha uses to cyberbully people on Facebook. Have you ever seen Gordon Cork and Ali Taha in the same room? You haven’t. It’s like if Hannah Montana was a guy who never used a razor.”

When pressed for comment, Taha said he was too preoccupied learning a Tik Tok dance to dispel the rumours.

Dr. Kongo Cor, a tenured professor, offered a supernatural answer. “I heard the real Gordon Cork died in a deer fight the summer of 2014, but he never officially dropped out. Maybe he’s a ghost, and haunting us through these awful articles?”

With several theories floating around, it seems like the true identity of Gordon Cork will be unveiled at any moment. And with a name as fake as “Gordon Cork,” it’s a miracle this conspiracy wasn’t uncovered earlier.

11.04.2019

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Editor | Vinney Wong

From antagonist to protagonist in film Following a trend in Disney remakes, Maleficent shines a more sympathetic light on the iconic antagonist SHALOMI RANASINGHE ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Heroes and villains are archetypal characters in nearly all fairy-tale, adventure, and action stories. Audiences are persuaded to cheer on the protagonists and dislike the antagonists for their bad intentions. Storylines are curated to have an obstacle, usually involving the antagonist, which the protagonist must face.

For instance, DC Comics’ Batman focuses on Bruce Wayne, a superhero who identifies as the comic’s namesake. He is the hero of Gotham City and fights crime after witnessing the murder of his parents as a child. Batman’s archenemy is Joker, a psychopathic man who disguises himself with clown paint and dyed green hair. The story of Batman has evolved throughout the years and been adapted in various ways. However, in most cases, Batman was always the protagonist while Joker was his antagonist.

Disney’s Sleeping Beauty follows a similar hero and villain structure to Batman. Sleeping Beauty’s protagonist, Princess Aurora, faces her obstacle through her antagonist, Maleficent, an evil fairy who can transform into a dragon. Sleeping Beauty’s premise is that Maleficent casts a curse on Aurora as an infant, from which she can only be saved with true love’s kiss.

PHOTO/IMDB.COM

Classic characters like Maleficent are gaining new layers to their stories in recent movie remakes.

In recent years, movies showcase antagonists of classic storylines evolving into protagonists in their own self-titled films such as Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019). The movie depicts the villain as the main character. As a result, this new perspective shines light on the development of the villain, evoking empathy from the viewer. By turning villains into protagonists, audience members will have a further understanding of their growth as characters.

In Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the sequel to 2014’s Maleficent, starring

Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, the movie showcases Maleficent as an outcast in the Kingdom of Ulstead.

Mistress of Evil focuses on Aurora’s engagement to Prince Phillip. However, Prince Phillip’s mother, Queen Ingrith, despises all magical creatures living in Aurora’s kingdom, the Moors, her home she shares with Maleficent.

Queen Ingrith hates Maleficent and spreads stories around Ulstead to remind the citizens that Maleficent cast a curse and kidnapped Aurora as an infant. Although Maleficent

eventually woke her up and became a mother-figure to Aurora, Queen Ingrith evokes fear into the people about Maleficent’s evil nature. The movie revolves around Queen Ingrith as the antagonist to Maleficent.

The special effects were outstanding, between the prosthetic features for all the creatures to the magic Maleficent uses, the entire movie was incredible. Jolie’s performance was impeccable. She showcased Maleficent as a protective mother who was also lonely, being the only one of her kind.

Even when Maleficent met fellow

dark feys, she still had her walls up.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance as Queen Ingrith was veracious. As Queen Ingrith rules selfishly, audience members loathe her. Queen Ingrith ruins Aurora and Maleficent’s relationship with lies and tricks. She also harms her own family and creates war between the creatures of the Moor and dark feys. Pfeiffer demonstrated the immoral character with accuracy, becoming the hated antagonist.

The same story can be told many times in different ways, using contrasting viewpoints. As antagonists evolve into protagonists, the character development demonstrates a new understanding of the villain. Viewers are meant to dislike the villains, but instead we are shown their personal struggles as victims of child and societal abuse. These movies illustrate characters aren’t born evil­—they are moulded into a certain demeanor due to their development as children and adults.

What’s next for antagonists becoming protagonists? Will we see ReverseFlash, Eobard Thawne of DC Comics’ Flash, as the protagonist in his own film? Or will it be Ursula, of Disney’s The Little Mermaid? Whichever villain it is, making them the protagonist will take their old storyline in a new direction.

V.T. Nayani discusses colourism and colonialism The filmmaker presented her feature film Shadeism to students and faculty at the MiST Theatre LATISHA LOBBAN ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Last Thursday, V.T. Nayani’s first feature film, Shade-ism: digging deeper, screened in the MiST Theatre at UTM. The film discussed issues of colorism within specific races and their colonist origins. The screening was organized by the Equity and Diversity Office, the International Education Centre, and Connections and Conversations, a group of racialized tri-campus University of Toronto staff members.

In the film, Nayani defined shadeism as “discrimination based on skin tone, which exists amongst members of the same community, creating a ranking of a person’s individual worth based on shade.” Shade-ism premiered to an audience of 20-30 people made up of students, staff, faculty, and community members.

Nayani structured Shade-ism into seven chapters. The introduction features a poignant conversation between Nayani and her niece in which Nayani’s niece says she needs to “become white.” The second chapter of the film showcases Nayani’s trip to

PHOTO/IMDB.COM

Colourism was discussed in the doc Shadeism, and in the panel at UTM featuring the director.

Mumbai, India and her discussions of “shade-ism” with the women living there. The chapter titled “Her Story in the Making” covers the way shadeism manifests in the media and the prevalence of bleaching creams in some nations.

Later on, Shade-ism transports us to Hargeisa, Somaliland, and shows a conversation where a group of

women discuss facing discrimination because of their dark skin. The next chapter shows Nayani’s interviews with women in Kingston, Jamaica, also discussing their experiences with colorism.

In the final two chapters of the film, “Fight the Power” and “Taking Back Our Trauma,” Nayani and other participants of the documentary discuss

how to overcome shadeism in society by educating our communities of its prevalence and loving our own skin.

A panel that consisted of UTM staff and students further unpacked the issue of shadeism after the film finished. The panel was hosted by Sherice Robertson (IEC) and Martina Douglas (EDO).

The panel consisted of: Nayani; Ken

Derry, Assistant Professor, Teaching stream, History of Religions; Dr. Jordache Ellapen, Assistant Professor, Women and Gender Studies; Cere Henry, UTM student & Residence Don; Rebecca Mahadeo, UTM staff in the IEC; a student from the EDO; and an assistant professor in History and Women and Gender Studies.

Prior to the screening, Nayani emphasized that “there are a lot of things I would’ve done and stated differently” if the film was in production today. Shadeism finished production in 2015 and had its world premiere at the Zanzibar International Film Festival that same year. Specifically, Nayani stated “[they] really missed the ball on anti-blackness being the root of all of this in the context of this film… we missed the ball on naming and addressing it.” She also wanted the film to differentiate between the lived experiences and privileges of the participants.

Nayani is gearing up to release her upcoming feature drama This Place in 2020 after previewing it at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September.

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Celebrating literature at the Festival of Authors The Toronto International Festival of Authors consisted of book signings, discussion panels, and readings MARISSA SHEY CONTRIBUTOR As a busy student, choosing a book to read in your free time can be a novel task. The Toronto International Festival of Authors calls itself “Canada’s oldest and largest festival of words and ideas,” and Canada’s “number one literary happening.” On Twitter, the festival’s page presents artists and summarizes them in 40-word snippets. If you love reading and want to find out about new works, this festival is a great place to start.

Each fall, authors and listeners come together for the festival from near and far for 11 days of readings, interviews, lectures, and public book signings. For authors unable to make it, the PEN empty chair has appeared on stage since 2009, highlighting “the absence of a writer due to unjust travel restrictions, imprisonment or threat of violence.” The PEN organization promotes literature and freedom of expression around the world.

This year, the festival celebrates its 40th anniversary and features an additional Fest at 40: An Anniversary Exhibition, held at Harbourfront Center from October 24 to November 3. Fest at 40 is a deep dive into the archives of the festival. Three free events

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The 40th Anniversary of the Toronto International Festival of Authors has just been held. were also held at Toronto’s Union Station on October 26 through 28, and a new podcast series is the culmination of a collaboration between TIFA, the Toronto Public Library, and Library Archives Canada. The festival also included a small press fair where titles from university and independent presses offered samplings from lesser

known authors on the scene.

Festival producer Emily Jung summarized the International Crime Fiction panel, featuring authors Thomas King, Un-su Kim, Sora Kim-Russell, and Teresa Solana, as “Indigenous, Catalonian, and Korean authors [sic] talking about literature, translation, location and murderers on one stage.”

It was a spirited, engaging conversation that went in depth on writing and translating crime fiction, but also touched on social media (which three of the authors bemoaned) and hope in writing (Un-Su Kim said there was no hope in his book, The Plotters).

When asked why he was qualified to write crime fiction, Un-Su Kim said,

“I have a few gangster friends. But they’re really nice in person. They cry a lot… and they try to be nice to their families.”

An honouring was held for Wayson Choy, the late pioneer of AsianCanadian literature, where nine people gave tributes about Choy’s impact on their lives.

On Twitter, author J.R. McConvey said, “the best thing about events like [Festival of Authors] is being reminded that every writer is different, and that every writer is the same.” Indeed, the festival was a bountiful opportunity to hear passionate authors discuss their new works, unpack the ideas in their stories, and remind everyone about the innate humanity shared by writers and readers.

The festival happens every fall. If you’re an aspiring author, poet, illustrator, or publisher, you can also attend yearlong events. TIFA offers Authors in Conversation All Year Round, a speaker series that allows attendees to “meet, hear, and learn from some of the most ground-breaking writers of our time.” You can find these and more offerings on the festival website if you’re interested in mingling with writers in different genres and fields.

Memorializing the Mississauga Derailment The “Mississauga Miracles” event showcased artwork and archives of the derailment in 1979 SHALOMI RANASINGHE ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR On November 10, 1979, a train was making its weekly scheduled run from Sarnia to Toronto. As CP train 54 passed through Mississauga, at the Mavis Road crossing, rail cars began to derail. The train was transporting various products, some included hazardous chemicals. Due to the rail cars derailment and weather conditions, subsequent explosions began. This event is known as the Mississauga Train Derailment.

The derailment was dangerous and resulted in emergency evacuations of the citizens of Mississauga.

Following the explosions, more than 240,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Mississauga, Oakville, and Etobicoke.

Although the event caused a crisis in the city, it is also known as the “Mississauga Miracle,” since no lives were lost and no permanent damage was made to the city’s land.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Mississauga Trail Derailment.

To commemorate this incident, Heritage Mississauga collaborated with the Museums of Mississauga to produce an exhibition of artwork, archives, and artifacts for the city. The exhibition runs at Bradley Museum and Heritage Mississauga “The Grange.” Each exhibit displays different pieces about the derailment.

At the Bradley Museum, the exhibit showcased a video of residents speaking about their experience of the incident, paintings, newspa-

PHOTO/HERITAGEMISSISSAUGA.COM

An event was held to showcase the exhibition featuring art and archives of the Mississauga Miracle. per articles, a pressure relief valve from one derailed train car, musical products inspired from the incident, and a scrapbook of stories and photographs featuring Mississauga residents recalling their memories of the derailment.

Hazel McCallion, the mayor of Mississauga at the time of the derailment, said in a video, “it was quite a challenge, but we put together a team [from] the Fire Department [and the] Police Department.

The province came out to help us, the department heads, [and] the OPP. So, people really rallied to help us, realizing how serious it was.”

Gord Bentley, the Fire Chief at the time of the derailment, said in the same video that the Fire Department “was on the scene for 250 hours and 33 minutes,” working on the incident.

The Bradley Museum showcased artwork by Pat Bond. One painting titled B.L.E.V.E (Boiling-LiquidExpanding-Vapour Explosion) uses warm toned colours to illustrate a large fire. At the bottom left of the painting stands a few light poles, growing smaller in the distance, and covered by the fire. Orange, red, dark yellow, and white acrylic paint encompass the entire canvas. The

entire painting showcases the fire’s movement by depicting a wave-like motion. This painting is used as the background logo for the exhibition.

Another acrylic painting on display was titled X (November 10, 1979) created by Sonja Hidas. The painting illustrated a bloodshed vision of the event by using red and black colours. Liquid, appearing like blood, drips from the top of the painting and smears itself across the canvas. Silhouettes of a group of people stand on the sidelines as a majority of the painting depicts a broken railway.

A pressure relief (safety) valve

was on display at the Bradley Museum. This is an artifact from the derailment and a piece of evidence, investigated by Forensic Scientists, following the incident.

The exhibition also showcased musical tracks inspired by the derailment. John Beckwith, a Canadian composer, created “Derailed.”

The Train Gang created “Mississauga Mishap,” and The Gas featuring Greg Warren created “Evacuate Mississauga.” The records, art covers, and musical sheets of the songs are on display at the exhibition.

To demonstrate the communal aspect of the historic event, Bradley Museum included a retro style scrapbook of several stories of Mississauga residents and their experiences at the time of the derailment.

The scrapbook included pages of photographs, stories, and quotes.

Stories varied on the incident as it occured on peoples’ wedding days, while they were going on dates, and while they to drove. The scrapbook was a wonderful way to share different stories of Mississauga citizens explaining the same event. The Bradley Museum included writing utensils for visitors to write their experiences, if they have any, in the book too.

If you’re interested in learning about Mississauga’s history, visit the free exhibitions that are running until November 17 at the Bradley Museum and November 15 at Heritage Mississauga “The Grange.”

11.04.2019 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 11

UTM’s haunted house was a literal screamer UTM Horror Club and UTMSU created a haunted house that perfectly embodied the Halloween spirit MAY ALSAIGH CONTRIBUTOR Last Wednesday, UTM’s Horror Club, in collaboration with the UTMSU, transformed the Student Centre into a haunted house with a bundle of attractions and a lot of scares. The haunted festivities began at 7:00 p.m. and lasted until 10:00 p.m. For those who could not make it, here’s what you missed.

Before we entered the haunted house, emotions were already running high as screams echoed from inside the building. I immediately began to regret my decision but persevered in the spirit of Halloween.

As I entered the haunted house, the hallways were dark and gloomy. I was directed along with a group of five others to the first part of the haunted house—Kelsey’s birthday party on the second floor.

Upon entering the room, I was handed a paper plate to carry with me. I presumed that this would be for snacks at the party, and my presump-

CHARLENE BEA/THE MEDIUM

Halloween 2019 was a hit at UTM with another successfully terrifying haunted house. tion was correct. The room was constructed as an inside maze. The walls were made up of black barriers that tightly closed on you, limiting you to a two-person lane. The first corner I went to was the butler’s area, in which the butler, a fearful male figure dressed in black clothing and black eyeliner underneath his eyes, stared deeply and creepily into my eyes. I screamed for dear life and continued

walking through the maze.

Figures wearing bunny and lion masks continuously jumped in my direction, popping out of walls and crawling from the ground. For a brief moment, I turned around as I had a feeling someone was behind me.

The butler had been following me.

I continued walking nervously and saw Kelsey. She screamed at us to sit on the floor with her and to enjoy

some of her finger food snacks, which consisted of [plastic] human fingers.

The exit was not far behind her and I quickly ran to the next attraction as soon as she let us go.

The next room was another haunted house across the hall. I screamed at the top of my lungs as people dressed in horrific costumes continued to jump and yell at me. Clowns with colourful clothing and creepy faces at-

tempted to grab me, but I ran as fast as I could. The maze became smaller as we entered further, I had to crawl to get through the maze.

I was redirected to an area where a sign told me to look for treasure in three bowls that was placed on a table.

A ghost jumped out from behind the bowls and made me run towards the room exit. Afterwards, I was directed to go back downstairs to the main floor of the student centre.

Just as I thought my misery had finally come to an end, we were directed to another maze that was similar to the previous one, except with more screaming figures and scary costumes. As we reached the end, a man strapped to a table screamed for help but the figure next to him chased us away with his screams. We broke free of the haunted house and I somehow kept my sanity.

Overall, UTM Horror Club and UTMSU did a great job with creating the perfect atmosphere that embodied the Halloween spirit on campus.

REWIND DANICA TENG CONTRIBUTOR

PHOTO/PODCASTS.APPLE.COM

Tablo and his manager Eddie Nam host The Tablo Podcast.

DANICA TENG CONTRIBUTOR We share the Earth with billions of other people, so it’s not surprising that we might not get along with everyone. Although many may daydream of different ways to deal with people that piss them off—whether that first instinct is to scissor kick them or not—we usually tend to just brush those people off. Sometimes it’s not easy. Sometimes it ruins our day, or we immediately get fired up just thinking about it. So, what makes us so angry?

“People Piss Me Off ” is an episode of The Tablo Podcast, a podcast presented by Dive Studios and hosted by Tablo of South Korean hip-hop group Epik High. In this episode, Tablo and his manager Eddie Nam share their anecdotes of people who have no selfawareness and how they deal with it.

They tell terrible experiences they’ve had of babies on planes, people cutting in line, people who feel extremely entitled, and more that many others can probably relate to.

Each episode tries to leave the audience with something to take away—

a lesson or moral. As Tablo and Eddie went on to tell their stories, I felt rage in their place. Although Tablo notes that sometimes confrontations are necessary to stand up for yourself, violence was never his answer. His attitude was an amusing contrast to Eddie, who just seemed like he wanted to fight everyone. It’s hard to take the path of peace rather than violence, especially in a world where many people seem to have lost their humanity.

Whether it be something big or small, your actions show who you are as a person.

“Live your best life, but don’t take someone else’s life to do it,” said Tablo after one of his stories. They stress the importance of consideration for others, while noting that they’re not perfect and have made these types of mistakes too. They also acknowledge that someone who gives you trouble might just be having a bad day or dealing with something that’s causing them to act that way. It’s part of being human, but they show that there’s a certain limit to when behaviour makes someone a menace to others and displays a lack of self-awareness.

What I love about The Tablo Pod-

cast is how casual it is. It feels like you’re hanging out at a friend’s house, relaxing around the living room, and just talking to each other. The episodes also start with a wholesome and adorable intro from Tablo’s young daughter Haru, as she mispronounces the word “podcast.” The actual content and storytelling is enjoyable; it makes you laugh while hearing something that might enrage you. Overall, it’s not so serious and that’s what’s fun about it. Sometimes they get lost in their thoughts and point out themselves that they’re always screwing up their own quotes. It makes us forget they’re celebrities. Instead, we connect with them as friends.

Bad behaviour has a ripple effect, but people seem to forget that the same goes for kindness. The world seems to keep a constant trend of distrust, cruelty, and greed which makes it colder and darker than what it could be. “While…reaching your goals and doing whatever it takes to accomplish your dreams, it does not mean you burn and treat people badly along the way,” said Eddie. “Let’s make kindness cool again.”

October is essentially synonymous with Halloween and gives me an excuse to re-watch my favourite Halloween classics. Every year, I always find my way back to Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988).

Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) were a happy couple in a small town. The Maitlands had their beautiful house, their two-week vacation at home, and they had each other. However, the vacation didn’t go as expected and their plans for peace and quiet were ruined by death. A quick drive into town for supplies would be their last as Adam and Barbara crash their car, which falls into the river. Finding themselves trapped back at their home as ghosts, they must watch while a family from New York, Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and Charles Deetz (Jeffrey Jones), take over and move in with their daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder). After plotting to get rid of the Deetzes with no successful attempts, they seek help from the infamous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a troublesome freelance bio-exorcist who can only be released by saying his name three times.

Beetlejuice gives a playful interpretation of one of life’s biggest questions: what happens after we die?

In death, everyone gets their own “Handbook for the Recently Deceased.” Creatures like sandworms attack anyone they set their sights on.

The dead get assigned their own caseworker. This is not the life after death one would expect.

Beetlejuice is the perfect Halloween rollercoaster. The humour never gets old and it keeps that perfect Hal-

loween vibe if you still want to watch horror but don’t feel like being scared out of your wits. Its cartoonish horror effects are uniquely grotesque; they look ridiculous, but that’s what makes it fun to watch. These ghosts don’t actually frighten you, but they give you a variety of characters that fit the image most people think of as “monsters.” While sitting in a waiting room to see their caseworker (yes, this is still a struggle in the afterlife), Barbara looks around at the strange characters in the room and says, “Adam, is this what happens when you die?” to which the receptionist responds, “This is what happens when you die.

That is what happens when he dies.

And that is what happens when they die. It’s all very personal.” This personal aspect that everyone is different in death is quite charming. Shrunken heads, bisected bodies, and more draw your eyes to each character and make you wonder how they died.

Beetlejuice himself is not an ordinary ghost and is unpleasant to look at: disheveled green hair, a deep purple ring around his wide eyes, pasty white skin and rotting teeth.

His outward appearance matches his personality as this odd character is crude, perverse, and loves to create chaos. Keaton as Beetlejuice is an absolute joy to watch. The bizarre facial expressions and voice comes through to show the eccentricity that makes Beetlejuice who he is.

“Live people ignore the strange and unusual,” Lydia says in the movie.

“I, myself, am strange and unusual.”

Those two words—strange and unusual—best describe Beetlejuice. I adore the oddness of Burton’s movie and continue to be fascinated by it every Halloween.

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Editor | Fatima Adil

Another step towards net-zero carbon Geothermal exchange system at UTM provides heating and air conditioning without using any natural gas IRTAQA ARIF CONTRIBUTOR

As environmental awareness increases, so does the need to act and reduce our carbon impact on the Earth. The University of Toronto has launched an innovative Low-Carbon Action Plan that aims to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions across all three campuses. To discuss this project and its execution at UTM, The Medium sat down with Ahmed Azhari, the Director of Utilities and Sustainability, and Chelsea Dalton, Environment and Sustainability Coordinator at UTM. One of the several ways in which the University of Toronto plans to reduce GHG emissions is by using geothermal exchange systems. Geothermal exchange systems consist of using boreholes—narrow shafts— drilled into the ground near a building as a source of heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. No burning of fossil fuels is required as heat is transferred to and from the ground.

The Instructional Building at UTM already employs geothermal exchange technology. The system was

HAYDEN MAK/THE MEDIUM

U of T has started an ambitious project in hopes of reducing carbon emissions. installed in 2011 when the building was being built and 117 boreholes were drilled into the soccer field beside IB. The boreholes are about two hundred metres deep and are lined with pipes that contain an anti-freeze solution. The system cools the building by expelling heat into the ground during the summer and in the winter the solution is warmed by the ground to heat the building. “All we need is a small amount of electricity to run the pumps,” says Dalton. “That building

actually doesn’t use any natural gas at all” for its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).

UTM also plans to use geothermal exchange systems in the upcoming new science building which will function as a research facility. The boreholes will be drilled directly under the building to reduce any accidental damage that occurs as a result of drilling in the future. In addition to geothermal exchange, the building’s roof will be covered with solar

panels which will provide part of the electricity for the building. “[The buildings which employ geothermal exchange systems are] going to help combat climate change [by] reducing the carbon footprint that the building would otherwise have had if we built it like a conventional building,” says Dalton.

Azhari adds that “the low-carbon action plan is the driving factor behind most of the sustainability decisions that [have] happened.” The

geothermal exchange system will substantially reduce UTM’s CO2emissions to 858 tonnes per year and the new science building is projected to be 62.5-67.5 percent more efficient than a conventional building.

The St. George campus is planning to use the geothermal exchange system as well. The boreholes will be drilled in the Front Campus and the pump that is used to heat the buildings in King’s College Circle will be Canada’s largest heat pump from a ground source in an urban area.

The HVAC source in IB and the new science building are only two examples of the Low-Carbon Action Plan in play. Other buildings on the UTM campus are also upgrading towards reduced carbon consumption.

For example, the recent construction in the RAWC involved installing solar evacuated tube collectors on the roof of the building. The tube collectors function as a solar-thermal system that produce heat instead of electricity and which will be used to preheat the water from the boilers in the RAWC, ultimately minimizing the amount of natural gas needed for the maintenance of the building.

Carbon continued on page 13

Anthropology, health, and dressing up Dr. Mant has dressed up as a plague doctor, an influenza nurse, and a polio vaccine trial participant’s parent BISMAH RIZVI ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

For Dr. Madeleine Mant, an anthropology lecturer at UTM, “the world is a stage and everyday Halloween.” By lecturing in elaborate and educational costumes in her ANT341: Anthropology of Infectious Diseases class, Mant integrates her passions for health, anthropology, and theatre.

Over the last few weeks, Mant has dressed up as a seventeenth-century plague doctor, a 1918 influenza nurse, and a Pittsburgh mom who signed her child up for Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine trials in 1954. Her aim was to highlight “individuals that were involved or trying to make a difference in some way.”

Plague doctors—most of whom were not actually physicians—accepted serious risks to help the sick.

Similarly, the Canadian nursing sisters during the influenza epidemic included “women who volunteered, many who went to the Western front, and some who actually died in service.” During polio outbreaks, parents helped fight the disease by signing their children up for clinical trials

despite possible unknown dangers of the vaccine. Without their participation, we may not have had a successful polio vaccine today.

Beyond representing these impactful individuals, Mant believes costumes are an “effective way to bring people into the tangible nature” of history. Her class covers thousands of years of history, and by dressing up she “make[s history] seem immediate.” Mant’s costumes also push her students beyond the physiological and pathological aspects of disease to foster discussions of stigma, blame, risk, and the personal nature of illness.

Mant’s interest in dressing up began during her undergraduate degree when she worked as a costumed historical interpreter. “All my summers were spent dressing up, living like people lived in the past, and interpreting history,” she relates.

Even as a high school student, Mant was fascinated by history, museums, and skeletons which inspired her to pursue anthropology. She was motivated by “the idea that [she] could actually study something that allowed [her] to combine these different forms of evidences.” Moreover, she aimed to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADELEINE MANT

Dr. Madeleine Mant is enriching the learning of her students by dressing up in historical costumes. focus on “the voices that we haven’t heard—not because they haven’t said anything interesting, but just because we haven’t had the chance to amplify them in a long time.”

Through her ANT341 and ANT220: Anthropology of Health classes, Mant hopes to teach students to “place [themselves] reflexively in the shoes of people” from the past and

to understand in depth how individuals in the past tackled disease. To the modern eye, some historical practices or approaches may seem bizarre and incomprehensible; however, Mant emphasizes that “people were doing the best they could with the knowledge and tools of the time.”

Mant’s research ranges from working with real skeletal remains to ana-

lyzing archival health records. She delves into the health histories and experiences of vulnerable people, especially within institutions such as hospitals or prisons. Mant recently wrapped up a project looking at seafarers and their interactions with port cities as they pertains to health.

Mant continued on page 13

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Are we all zombies? UTM reducing its Dr. Vervaeke talked about philosophical zombies this Halloween FARISHTEH KHAN CONTRIBUTOR For Halloween this year, UTM students welcomed award-winning lecturer and cognitive scientist Dr. John Vervaeke to give a talk on how humans are all potentially philosophical zombies. The talk was hosted by the UTM Philosophy Academic Society and enjoyed a sizeable turnout of over fifty dedicated students and fans despite inclement weather.

Vervaeke teaches at the University of Toronto St. George campus and his work encompasses areas including the psychology of wisdom and the cognitive science of consciousness, intelligence, rationality, and mindfulness. Among his many works is a book he co-authored with Dr. Christopher Mastropietro and Filip Miscevic—Zombies in Western Culture: A

The sudden loss in meaning is a consequence of our inability to form meaningful connections. Globally, humans suffer from debilitating loneliness. A recent study in the UK found that 89 per cent of individuals aged 16 to 29 considered their lives meaningless.

Vervaeke points to the overarching reasons which explain how we lose meaning in our lives. He says that poverty is one of the aspects which provide individuals with purpose.

Our purpose is to escape poverty and therefore, every incremental increase in wealth adds to our happiness.

However, once a certain threshold is passed whereby poverty is no longer a threat, the purpose is lost and the same incremental increases in wealth do not lead to the same level of happiness anymore.

Vervaeke’s second point details

example of an agent-arena relationship. More specifically, they symbolize the combined loss of agency and arena for humans. Apocalypse is the Greek word for revelation and biblically signifies the revitalisation of the world in favour of a new world order that reveals the true meaning bestowed upon humans by God. The zombie apocalypse is the deepest perversion of this utopian ideal wherein zombies are a false reincarnation of ourselves and their arena is an anarchistic dystopia rife with confusion, meaninglessness, and stagnation.

Vervaeke details how zombies signify the metaphysical decay within us. They are confined to the having mode of consuming brains without reason or direction. Zombies cannot communicate intelligibly and neither do they experience social connections. They cannot be touched and

GHG emissions Carbon continued from page 12 Furthermore, the new Meeting Place in the William G. Davis building uses energy-efficient light bulbs and has transitional glazing on the glass that is installed in the building. The highefficiency transitional-glazed glass darkens to reflect heat and light on hot days and adjusts accordingly on cooler days. The recent reroofing of

“The ultimate aspiration is to become net-zero carbon. Now the question is how soon we can get to that.” the buildings on campus was done with the use of white materials. As a result, the roofs reflect more heat and therefore less energy is needed to cool the building in the summer.

“We do have a lot of opportunities for students to participate in Living lab type projects to help us out with certain things,” Dalton adds. An example is the ENV332: Practicum in Environmental Project Management course.

“U of T as a whole has committed to reducing our GHG emissions to 37 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030,” says Dalton. The momentary focus is on projects that will continue to 2024 and another set of projects have been planned for the years 2025 to 2030.

While the course of action for 20312050 is still in the planning phase, Dalton says that the “official target for 2050 is to [reduce] our GHG emissions to 80 per cent below the 1990 levels.”

Azhari ends by saying that “the ultimate aspiration is to become netzero carbon. That’s the ultimate goal.

Now the question is how soon we can get to that.”

Creative costumes and healthcare Mant continued from page 12

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How people can become metaphorical zombies in society was discussed at this Halloween event.

Twenty-first Century Crisis. The book is an adaptation of a course he teaches at U of T on Buddhism and cognitive science. The focus of this course provides the foundation for his book and his YouTube series, Awakening from the Meaning Crisis, and is essentially the analysis of the zombie as a symbol for the Meaning Crisis.

The Meaning Crisis, according to Vervaeke, is a pandemic that people struggle with every day and is when individuals are faced with a lack of purpose in their lives. Vervaeke explains the significance of what he refers to as the agent-arena relationship—a symbiosis of how we, as people, live in an environment that is our arena. The arena we live in provides us with a purpose, in other words “agency,” making us the agents. As a result, we mould ourselves to our arena just as it shapes itself around us, such that the agent-arena relationship is a mutual interaction that provides intelligibility.

The existence of a coherent meaning to life is what drives us to continue living and experiencing personal growth. However, it is the very loss of meaning in life that has led to the spike in suicide rates. Depression is not a bridge between meaninglessness and suicide as meaninglessness alone is enough to engender suicide.

how we are driven by two possible modes: the having mode and the being mode. In the having mode, we merely seek to fulfil desires by controlling our surroundings and taking what we believe we want. The mode is linear, simplistic, and grounded in consumerism.

On the other hand, in the being mode, we fulfil metaphysical and spiritual desires by focusing on growth within ourselves and in the relationships around us, ultimately forming purpose in the process. Currently, we often confuse the two modes and substitute one mode in place of the other to satisfy ourselves. For example, one might opt for retail therapy to distract themselves from their lack of friends to spend Friday night with. Another example is posting airbrushed pictures on Instagram to rack up likes and cheat ourselves with the superficial feeling of appreciation. However, these are just distractors. They do not solve the problem of loneliness and instead exacerbate it. To solidify his argument, Vervaeke astutely points out the syntactical difference between making love and having sex and how they are both connected to differing modes.

As to how the Meaning Crisis is related to zombies, Vervaeke states that zombies and the apocalypse are an

therefore, lack intimacy, they have no home and no destination, and they exist merely to consume the brain which is the “Meaning-Making Machine.”

Zombies are furthermore a symbol of domicide—the destruction of home and belonging. They are not evil beings but simply an implied degeneration of what was once a greater being. These attributes of zombies are strikingly similar to humans as we often explain loneliness and meaninglessness as having no home, as being lost and confused, and as being unsure of what our purpose in life is.

Humans have an inherent consciousness that shows us our purpose.

Vervaeke explains that the possible solutions to any question, including what our purpose is, are “combinatorically explosive”— too many solutions to process. Our intelligence, a trait that zombies lack, is what filters information and attributes relevance.

It is when we lose the ability to filter efficiently and fail to recognize what is relevant that we face self-destruction at our own hands, ultimately leading to existential horror. We lose sight of what is important to us, become mindless, and spiral into confused despair. And hence, we are all potentially philosophical zombies.

During her Ph.D. at McMaster University, Mant compared skeletal remains and hospital admission records during the eighteenth century in London, UK. With this research, Mant realized that “the reasons for admissions to hospitals were not lining up clearly with skeletal results.

People were injuring themselves in various different ways and they weren’t necessarily seeking hospital treatment for those reasons.” This finding raised more questions about who had access to healthcare in the past and whether we still see similar trends today.

Before returning to UTM this year, Mant completed her Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at Memorial University to study the health

experiences of inmates at a prison in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Currently, she is transcribing surgeons’ weekly journals from the nineteenth century. To date, these journals have revealed that people “suffer[ed] from various sicknesses almost every week, both infectious and chronic.”

Mant is excited to continue with this project and learn about “the surgeon’s attitudes towards the patients.”

Mant hopes to “bring more and more knowledge forward of vulnerable people in the past” and discuss how we can use that information to influence health policy today. She plans to continue with similar research, balancing her time between hands-on work such as analyzing skeletons and looking at archives, while keeping her passion for theatre alive with her creative costumes and entertaining lectures.

IRTAQA ARIF/THE MEDIUM

Dr. Mant is furthering her work in many different avenues.

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The horrifying history of Halloween The history behind the popular holiday, pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and dressing up CHAKRIKA BURRA CONTRIBUTOR WITH NOTES FROM FATIMA ADIL

On October 31 of every year, Halloween is celebrated by many around the world. The popular holiday’s origins date back to Samhain, an ancient festival celebrated by the Celts. According to an article by The History Channel, the Celts lived two thousand years ago in Europe and celebrated their new year on November 1. Since the day signified the beginning of winter—a “time of year that was often associated with human death”—the Celts believed that the boundary between the living and dead was blurred on the night before. On Samhain, the Celts believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth. Druids, Celtic priests, started large bonfires where people burnt crops and animals as sacrifices to Celtic deities.

When the Roman Empire conquered the Celtic territory, they combined two Roman festivals with Samhain. One of the festivals was Feralia, a day when Romans honoured the passing of the dead. The other festival honoured Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. Pomona’s symbol is the apple which most likely gave rise to the apple bobbing tradition celebrated on Halloween today.

When Christianity spread into the Celtic territory, the church made No-

vember 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honour the dead. It is “widely believed that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, church-sanctioned holiday.” The day was also called Allhallows and the night before All-Hallows Eve from which the word Halloween is derived from.

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, the massive wave of Irish and Scottish immigration into Canada in the latter half of the nineteenth century introduced Halloween customs such as “wearing disguises to ward off ghosts and offering food to appease malevolent spirits” to Canada. The first instance of dressing up was recorded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1898 while the phrase ‘trick or treat’ was introduced in 1927 in Lethbridge, Alberta. In the 1990s, Halloween “became increasingly popular with adults” and soon became the “second most commercially successful holiday behind Christmas.”

The modern-day Halloween can be identified by the pumpkin carvings, costumes, and trick-or-treating practices prevalent today. The tradition of pumpkin carving was brought to Canada by Scottish and Irish immigrants. The term ‘jack-o’-lantern’ is believed to have come from the Irish folklore myth of Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack was a “drunkard and cheat who was refused entry into both heaven, because he was a miser, and hell, be-

DAVID MENIDREY/UNSPLASH.COM

Read how the Celtic holiday of Samhain became Halloween two thousand years later. cause he played tricks on the devil.”

He therefore roamed the dimension between the living and the dead with an ember from hell that he kept in a carved-out turnip as a lantern. Because his name was Jack and he used a lantern, he came to be known as Jack of the lantern.

The original jack’o’-lanterns were turnips, beets, and potatoes. They were “placed in the window or on the doorstep to frighten away Stingy Jack and other evil spirits.” When immigrants arrived in North America, they adapted this custom to the larger, native, and “naturally hollow” North American pumpkin. Interestingly, residents of Alberta have been advised to move the pumpkins into their houses to avoid attracting griz-

zly bears to their doorsteps.

Trick-or-treating was originally known as souling or mumming and “dates back to the Middle Ages.” The poor would “offer to sing prayers for the souls of a household’s dead in exchange for soul cakes.” Soul cakes were pastries and their distribution was encouraged by the church in order to “replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits.” Eventually, as Halloween became more secular, children started going souling in their neighbourhoods. They would “sing songs, recite poems, or perform other entertaining tricks in exchange for nuts, fruits, or coins.”

As for the origins of dressing up, the tradition has both European and

Celtic roots. During the burning of bonfires and offering sacrifices on Samhain, Celts wore costumes, “typically consisting of animal heads and skins.” Later, on Halloween, individuals would wear masks when they ventured outside their homes to avoid being recognized by ghosts. They hoped that ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

Halloween has inspired several Hollywood horror movies, and according to an annual survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, the total spending for Halloween in 2017 amounted to a whopping $9.1 billion. It continues to grow in popularity as more countries across the globe adopt Halloween—a celebration rich in history.

Why have civil wars persisted for centuries?

Poor gun policies, social injustice, and weakened governments red flags for civil wars SASHA RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTOR There are plenty of examples of destructive civil wars that bring deaths and economical and societal rupture to the countries that experience them.

This phenomenon has stretched from Ancient Greece to the modern day, with horrific examples like the Russian Civil War in 1918, the Rwandan genocide in 1994, and the Ukrainian Civil War in 2014. The human sacrifice that has been paid to these civil conflicts is outrageous—the damages, quite lasting. And yet, civil wars have persisted for centuries. Why? In a speech given during the an-

nual “Classics and The World Today” lecture held at UTM, Professor Matt Simonson from Arizona State University outlined a few societal red flags that facilitated the development of civil conflicts in Ancient Greece: no gun or violence control, citizenrun societies, urbanization, and clear social class division. Although taken to the extreme in Ancient Greece, these red flags could still explain the reasons for civil wars in many modern countries.

The example of the Russian civil war shows how damaging the effects of a weakened government can be for a nation in crisis. Following 1917, when the Bolsheviks took over the

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Civil wars have been going on for centuries, but why?

government under Lenin’s leadership, the Romanov royal family was executed and mutilated in July of 1918, ending a three-hundred-year old dynasty of monarchs. The government’s presence became weak in Russia; the citizens felt mistrust and confusion, and space was created for people of radical views to take the country’s faith into their own hands. The White army was formed by a group of intellectuals that sought the withdrawal of the communists and the return of the monarchy, while the Red army consisted of Bolsheviks and was meant to support and protect the newly appointed government. These two armies represented the major socioeconomic and ideological divisions within Russian society at the time and marked the beginning of three years of ruthless civil war.

According to Philip Verwimp’s article “Machetes and Firearms: The Organization of Massacres in Rwanda,” although the rivalry between the Hutu and Tutsis tribes in Rwanda was one of the factors that prompted the 1994 genocide, the access of the Rwandan population to deadly weapons remains the main reason why the conflict reached its monstrous scale.

“In August 1991,” Verwimp notes, “Colonel Nsabimana, chief of staff of the Rwandan army, proposed to provide a gun for every administrative unit of ten households.” This desire to arm the Rwandan population carried the excuse of self-defense, and in 1992

to 1993, the government continued to take steps towards the purchase and distribution of guns, Kalashnikovs, grenades, and machetes.

The numbers of purchased firearms was reported to exceed the budget and demands of police departments and military. Moreover, in those same years, there were reports of increased weapon possession and use in rural areas of Rwanda. Departing from these facts, if the Rwandan genocide was compared to a fire, then the tribal conflicts that took place would only be the spark that started the fire, while the accessibility of weapons to the Rwandan population would be the firewood that made the fire possible.

The Ukrainian civil war in 2014 exemplifies how economical gaps and abuse of power can cause instability and conflict in countries that seem otherwise stable. After decades of economic uncertainty and low quality of life, the population of Ukraine saw a ray of hope in the possibility of associating with the European Union.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian government, headed by President Yanukovych at the time, was threatened by the possibility of losing Russia’s support. A decision was made to reject the EU and continue to strengthen the ties with Russia, causing public indignation and a following series of demonstrations in November 2013, also known as Euromaidan.

The demonstrations were ignored

at first, but began to raise more concern as they became more aggressive, causing the government to suppress them violently. The clear corruption of the government and its refusal to address the matter pushed the Ukrainian people to continue the Euromaidan, eventually leading to the Ukrainian revolution in 2014, followed by armed conflicts—conflicts that involved rebels and the Russian and Ukrainian armies—that culminated in Donbass.

Although the Euromaidan and the civil conflicts were kept at bay and did not cause as many deaths as the Russian Civil War or the Rwandan genocide, it still caused some tragic losses and a huge economic pushback in Ukraine, consequences of which are evident to this day.

Considering the examples of the Russian Civil War, the Rwandan genocide and the Ukrainian Civil War, it’s fair to assume that the main causes of civil conflicts that were present in Ancient Greece, as outlined by Professor Simonson, are still present in some countries of the modern world. Although poor gun policies, high level of social division and injustice, and a weakened government are only a few things to be aware of when analyzing civil war, it is still important to focus on changing these aspects and supporting countries that show these signs in order to prevent the human sacrifice that armed civil conflicts imply.

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Editor | Sarah-May Edwardo Oldfield

Lady Eagles soar over Huskies at home UTM’s Women’s Varsity basketball team remain undefeated with an emphatic win over George Brown SARAH-MAY OLDFIELD SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR On October 30, UTM’s Women’s Varsity Basketball team took on the George Brown Huskies in their first home game, and second game of the 2019-2020 season. It was an exciting match up that had the UTM Eagle community involved from start to finish. Our lady Eagles soared over the Huskies with a 64-59 victory, improving to 2-0 on their 2019-2020 season.

The Huskies began the game on top, swinging the ball on offence and turning every UTM turnover to layups or open jump shots. UTM struggled early on but kept George Brown from completely taking over the game. Patient UTM offence led to a three-pointer by senior shooter guard number eight Trisha-Ann Vo, but the Huskies played scrappy. UTM forward and first year forward number 11 Sona Tissington hit a corner three-pointer off a pass from number zero Akashia Moore-Samuales to make it a two-possession game. Despite UTM’s efforts to keep it close, the Huskies ended the first quarter of play on top, 13-20.

UTM began the second quarter with great energy, forcing the Huskies into early turnovers. The ladies began closing the gap, keeping the score close with a couple of smooth finishes at the rim by senior guards

CELINE POLIDARIO/UTM ATHLETICS

The women’s varsity basketball home opener got the team their first victory for the year.

Moore-Samuales and number two Jade Addai. Despite renewed energy and efficiency, the Eagles weren’t able to keep pace with the Huskies. Their play became sloppy, from missed open layups to poor passing. George Brown capitalized on two back-toback turnovers at the Eagle’s baseline

by UTM in the winding seconds of the half. The Huskies once again finished a quarter on top of the Eagles, leading at the half 19-34.

Out of the locker room at the half, UTM opened the third quarter with a quick two-pointer by second year

guard number six, Janella Viado. On a following play, UTM’s first year forward number 10, Avery Torok hit a three-pointer off a pass from Viado to cut into George Brown’s 27-38 lead.

Torok hit another three-pointer off an empty Husky possession that got the UTM Eagles’ fans on their feet.

To end the quarter, a steal by MooreSamuales led to a long pass down the court to Vo in the corner. Vo hit an off-balance, one-legged three-point shot that had the RAWC erupting in a frenzy and cutting the Huskies’ lead at the half to 41-48.

UTM was locked in to begin the final minutes of the game, and the crowd was with them all the way.

The Eagles switched into a smothering man-to-man defense that left the Huskies scrambling to make quick decisions on offence. UTM’s Torok hit another three-pointer, assisted

by Moore-Samuales, to cut the score 49-53 with just five minutes left in the contest. Eagles guards Addai and Moore-Samuales took over the rest of the game and the crowd loved it.

Moore-Samuales hits a two-point jump shot from Torok to bring UTM

to within two points. Immediately after, Addai dove in for a steal and scored a scoop shot layup on the other end to tie the game. A loud crowd, tight defence, and back-to-back layups by Addai and then MooreSamuales helped the Eagles soar to the win over the Huskies: 64-59.

There were strong performances by Eagles guards Addai and Samuales, whose tenacity on offence kept the Eagles close against such a dominant team. The two guards left it all out on the floor, diving into the passing lanes for steals, driving hard to the basket to make layups and drawing, and hustling back on defence. Second-year guard Viado, listed at 5’5” and who was usually the smallest on the floor, led her team in rebounds which started the Eagles’ fast break.

The UTM community, students, staff, and fellow athletes who came out to support the team were instrumental in the win, often nearly deafening in their cheers and support. They truly demonstrated what it means to have home court advantage.

Our Women’s Varsity Basketball team now improves to 2-0 on the season. The ladies play their next game on the road against the Algonquin Thunder on November 9, and they play their next home game on Nov. 17 at 1:00 pm against the Centennial Colts.

Inside Out movie inspires emotion research Pixar’s movie Inside Out provides researchers with framework for effectively dealing with negative emotions YASMEEN ALKOKA ONLINE EDITOR Different people have different methods to overcome negative emotions.

Some will go to the mall for retail therapy, others will party their sorrows away, and some will just sit in their room and listen to sad music.

After Pixar’s movie Inside Out came out in 2015, the perspective on how we look at emotions shifted.

Whereas we usually see emotions as something that is directly connected to our own being, Pixar shows emotions as something separate from us—they are personified, and can act out of their own volition. The movie has various characters that represent the main character Riley’s emotions, including “Sadness,” “Joy,” Disgust,” “Anger,” and “Fear.”

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, thinking of emotions as people is called “anthropomorphic thinking.” The Pixar movie encouraged the researchers to look into how this kind of thinking could influence the experience of emotions. The ex-

PHOTO/IMDB.COM

Pixar’s Inside Out has been inspiring research on emotion since the film came out in 2015. pected results of the study were that if people detached themselves from negative emotion, they would feel less sad.

Researcher Li Yang from the University of Texas at Austin said that people who thought of their sadness as a person described them as “a little girl walking slowly with her

head down,” “a pale person with no smile,” or “someone with grey hair and sunken eyes.” When participants described their emotions as a person, they became more detached from their sadness.

It was also discovered that by “reducing the intensity of sadness, anthropomorphic thinking has a

positive impact on consumers’ selfcontrol performance in subsequent tasks (e.g., choosing a product with more practical features over an alternative with more indulgent features).”

For example, one of the experiments asked participants to write about sad experiences. One group wrote about the sadness as a person

and the other group did not. Researchers asked both groups to pick a side dish with their lunch—either cheesecake or salad. It turned out that “the participants who had anthropomorphized sadness were more likely to choose the salad—the healthier option that required more self-control.”

Thinking about negative emotions as people could be very useful. The study “suggests that anthropomorphizing sadness may be a new way to regulate this emotion,” said Yang. “Activating this mindset is a way to help people feel better and resist temptations that may not benefit them in the long-term.”

If you’re trying to gain more selfdiscipline or just have more sense of control over your emotions, try anthropomorphizing your negative emotions. On the other hand, it is probably not a good idea to do the same for positive emotions. Yang explains that “we do not want to minimize these good feelings.” Detaching ourselves from negative emotions is helpful because we don’t enjoy bad experiences, but we do value positive emotions—so let’s not reduce those.

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«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 11.04.2019

Not all fruits and veggies are good for you Study finds certain plants can be dangerous, especially for people living in impoverished countries ANDREW STONE ASSOCIATE S & H EDITOR The transition to a plant-based diet is on the rise all over the world.

While many people are making the switch for health or sustainability reasons, there are people who do not have a choice of what they can or cannot eat. While some may see the rise of plant-focused diets as an exciting alternative to meat products and traditional foods, many others rely solely on them. While it is our common understanding that fruits and vegetables are necessary for a healthy diet, significant problems are on the rise due to plant-based diets.

A report from the Oregon Health and Science University shed light on the potential dangers of neurotoxic chemicals (toxins destructive to nerve tissue), which are found in plants used as the primary nutrients for impoverished and undernourished people. People can be affected by different plant toxins based on factors like age, sex, and genetics; though no factors create greater risk than chronic malnutrition. Plants that cause neurotoxic disorders when they are regularly consumed are far more dangerous to those liv-

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Cassava, a vegetable eaten across the world, can cause health problems if not properly digested. ing in poverty. Climate change and many other factors reduce the number of food sources for these people, thus potentially toxic plants are the only options available. The report highlights three major plant foods.

The first are the ackee and lychee fruits, which are found in West Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. They

are accessible sources of nutrition and are very commonly used, but malnourished people are greatly at risk for fatal disorders like hypoglycemic encephalopathy (coma and low blood sugar), which has been known to especially affect young children.

Grass pea is another commonly

eaten plant mostly consumed in East Asia, China, and in the horn of Africa. Malnourished consumers have been known to take on neurological disorders such as spastic paraparesis (weakness and stiffness of the legs), which, unlike ackee and lychee, affects children and adults similarly.

Finally, Cassava is widely used

by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, including most of Africa, South America, and Asia. While being a very reliable food source and sustainable source of energy, cassava plants require a meticulous processing system to remove toxic chemicals before consumption. Due to famine and drought (among other casual factors), processing times are reduced, and the chemicals cannot be adequately removed. The product of this is an increase in neurodegenerative disorders, organ failure in children, and cyanide poisoning.

According to a 2019 report from UNICEF, malnutrition and hunger is rapidly increasing in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Western Asia. Africa has the greatest prevalence of undernourishment in the world and all the major potentially toxic plants discussed in the report are relied on for nourishment in Africa. Climate change and food security are the major issues here that need to be addressed in order to avoid worsening the problem. If malnutrition and the environmental effects of climate change are given more attention, a potential global health crisis could be averted before it even begins.

Mental illness reduces life expectancy Denmark study finds reduced average life expectancy for people with diagnosed with a mental disorder HIRA BURNEY CONTRIBUTOR The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes their own potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and contributes to their community.

Mental health illness is a concerning issue in societies all around the world. Mental health influences how a person thinks, feels, and behaves in daily life, and affects their ability to cope with stress, overcome challenges, and build relationships. It is predicted that everyone in three individuals experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime.

According to a study performed by the Aarhus University in Denmark, mental disorders are associated with premature mortality, which is death that occurs before the average age in a population. This study uses a new method to calculate premature mortality, which is based on LYLs (lifeyears lost).

The LYL method focuses on the observed age at diagnosis, whereas the previously used method, YLL (years of life lost), focused on age at death. With the LYL method, it has been estimated that the average life expectancy for people with any mental disorder is 10.2 years shorter for men and 7.3 years shorter for women, in the Danish population.

By using the age at diagnosis, the LYL method allows quantification of the reduction in life expectancy for

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Mental illness can cause an abnormal growth of cells, tumors, which can reduce life expectancy. any type of disease, and not only those defined as potential causes of death, as in the YLL estimations. When considering deaths attributable to specific causes, YLLs estimate the expected remaining life expectancy from age at death based on an ideal standard life expectancy, derived from the lowest age- specific mortality rates in any population in the world. For example, an Australian study found the life expectancy gap for all mental disorders to be 15.9 years for men and 12 years for women.

However, a Danish study found similarly large estimates of reduced

life expectancy for people with schizophrenia (18.7 years for men and 16.3 years for women). These studies assumed that all cases of mental disorders had onset at 15 years of age.

An atypical pattern was discovered in men with mental disorders—they lost relatively fewer years of life due to cancer-related deaths compared to the general population. Although, men have a higher risk of dying from cancer, they are much more likely to die from cardiovascular and lung disorders at a younger age compared to the general population. Professor

John McGrath, one of the researchers on the study, says that he has been disappointed by these findings, as he believed the opposite were true.

Although each type of mental disorder is associated with higher rates of mortality due to neoplasms—an abnormal growth of cells, also known as a tumor—it was discovered that men with mental disorders lost fewer years of life due to neoplasms compared with the general population.

This is because they had higher rates of dying from neoplasms, and even higher rates of dying from non-cancer causes, which precluded their dy-

ing from neoplasms.

Neoplastic diseases are conditions that cause tumor growth — both benign and malignant. Benign tumors are noncancerous growths that grow slowly and cannot spread to other tissues. Malignant tumors are cancerous and can grow slowly or quickly. They carry the risk of metastasis, or spreading to multiple tissues and organs.

Likewise, people with depression or another type of mood disorder, which are among the most common mental disorders, have higher mortality rates according to the study. Apart from an increased risk of death due to suicide, an increased risk of death due to somatic conditions such as cancer, respiratory diseases, diabetes, and others were also reported.

The study concluded that the risk of an early death is higher for people with mental disorders across all ages.

Hence, it is highly important to diagnose and address mental health illnesses because if they’re left undiagnosed it puts a strain on societies.

It affects individuals and the people around them negatively, as it starts to destroy the person internally and externally. Severe mental disorders increase the chances of risky behaviors which can eventually ruin relationships and even cause problems at work.

Health professionals should take this matter seriously, and work on it accordingly. If you believe you have an undiagnosed mental illness, then visit a therapist as soon as possible, or use available the helplines.