PEARL Magazine - Issue 6 by PEARL Magazine

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BUSINESS / SOCIAL ISSUES / WELLNESS / LITERATURE & MORE

MARCH 2022 | ISSUE 6

PEARL PEARL PEARL PEARL PEARL

CONTENTS 2

EDITOR'S NOTE

THE EXCLUSION AND UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE FIELD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

TIKTOK AND TOURETTE'S

GET TO KNOW NFTS: BLOCKCHAIN, BENEFITS, AND BARRIERS

ENTER THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP: AN INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER FIONNLAGH CARTER

FEMALE FILM TROPES AND THE MISREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN FILM

ATTACHED: ANALYZING THE FOUR DIFFERENT ATTACHMENT STYLES

CONTRIBUTORS

THE SKIES ARE NO LONGER THE LIMIT

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief

Georgia Pomozova-Mann

Managing Editor Ella Ionescu

Creative Director

Juliana Dela Torre

Outreach Director Sipora West

Content Curator Anastasia Dimas

Social Media Manager Izzy Gelman

Business Manager Leila Durante

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear readers, Welcome to issue number six—our first publication as PEARL Magazine. We thank you all immensely for the support shown for our rebranding! We are incredibly excited about all of the wonderful things yet to come. As many of us dive into periods of great work and responsibilities, it is crucial we seek methods of relaxation and regeneration. Thus, we hope this issue provides you all with a break from your busy lives—whether you are here to learn more about complex subjects, discover your new favourite book, or simply satisfy your need to read. Thank you to all of our fabulous contributors— collectively, we desire for our readers to love this issue as much as we do. 2

Georgia Pomozova-Mann EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dr. Jill Andrew, Ph.D:

Ontario NDP MPP for Toronto-St. Paul's, founding member of the Ontario NDP Black Caucus, and co-founder of Body Confidence GEORGIA N N A Canada. M A V O Z O POM

Bright, bold, and brilliant: Dr. Jill Andrew, Toronto-St Pauls’ Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), greatly encompasses the ideals of an equity-seeking and feminism-building governmental figure. Throughout her political career—and certainly even prior—Andrew has consistently strode towards uplifting and aiding the lives of underserved individuals within Ontario communities. Since her enactment as an MPP in 2018—serving under the New Democratic Party—Andrew has achieved an array of impactful deeds targeting various groups of people within the province. From eating disorder awareness to working-class motherly support, Andrew's passions lay in assisting those who need it the most and are often forgotten in mainstream politics. Not to mention, throughout the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s 155 years of operations, Andrew is the first and only queer black woman to act as an MPP. Recently, I was presented with the tremendous privilege of speaking with MPP Andrew regarding her lifelong story, current endeavours, wishes for the future, and much more. This article will touch on our primary topics of discussion—though my words certainly do not do her work justice. SOCIAL

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Are politics what you always wanted to pursue, or did you ever consider following a different route for your career? From an early age, Andrew’s career aspirations frequently shifted—from hoping to be a talk show host to dreaming of owning a cat sanctuary, her ambitions spread far and wide. Andrew attributes her consideration of various lifelong routes to her unique upbringing in which she developed as an extremely animated child. Nevertheless, despite the positive aspects of her youth, she simultaneously lived through challenging situations as well—such as childhood abuse, home instability, immense exhaustion, and living with others. Moreover, Andrew was raised by a single mother who consistently fought to provide them with the best life possible—though her hard work saw its difficulties as well. Therefore, largely as a result of her personal experiences, Andrew always knew—no matter what role she would eventually find herself in—she was consistently drawn towards professions that allowed for caring and doing. What was your journey to becoming an MPP like? To begin, Andrew touched on the great struggles and barriers that women must face throughout their initiation into the world of politics. For starters, when they are encouraged to pursue politics, they do not immediately strive to go into it —this was certainly true in her case. Largely, this issue stems from women not being socialized into seeing politics as a place with space for them as it is extremely male-dominated. Moreover, Andrew believes that the industry truly does not allow for “real people,” as it largely consists of privileged individuals from long familial lines of politicians— making it difficult for all those who do not fit into this mould to break into the field. Despite the challenges put forth, Andrew has consistently fought against all odds to establish a name for herself within Canadian politics—making countless milestones and breaking many barriers. Andrew was first encouraged to seek a role in politics during her early twenties, however, she felt as though she was too young for a position and did not see herself in the same positive light as others did. Nevertheless, after a couple of decades, Andrew was again inspired to pursue a role within the field. This time—alongside her personalistic growth—it seemed as though the political landscape as a whole had grown to encompass that of greater inclusivity which would better support her endeavours. Additionally, Andrew recognized 4

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flaws within the healthcare, education, and social systems—and knew she had to do something about it. Given these factors, Andrew presumed that it was finally the right time to put her name forth in the Ontario election as a representative of her ward. Concerning her electoral pursuits, Andrew described the much work necessary for operations. Several of the most important factors include campaigns, fundraisers, nominations, and fliers. For her team, Andrew saw great importance in performing alongside those who worked just as hard as her—if not more. Most crucial, however, is the garnering of community support—without the trust of those in her ward, Andrew certainly would not have achieved her current position. Nevertheless, with the high stakes of performing an MPP campaign, exhaustion may arise quite frequently—establishing the importance of “doing the work without letting it do you.”

Do you feel as though your gender identity has affected you on your journey working with the government? Do you think that being a woman of colour plays a role in this as well? Though Andrew is undoubtedly proud to be the first queer black woman to act as an MPP, she concurrently recognizes there is still a long way to go in terms of representation—particularily concerning women, people of colour, and those with disabilities. Andrew further perceives said lack of representation to be extremely dangerous to the functioning of our province in a manner that is equitable. Given that individuals largely seek action for issues that they best relate to, the government must consist of a more diverse range of people to provide for said problems. For example: if we do not have government officials who have experienced housing precocity, then we may not have affordable housing, reduced homelessness, and rent control as they lack a foundation of personal experience. Throughout her political career, Andrew has faced great challenges as a woman of colour. In particular, she has frequently witnessed black people labelled as passionate, loud, and expressive be simultaneously classified as aggressive, rude, and forceful—she has been told the latter in the legislature but has never seen white men face the same treatment. Andrew recognizes that the government can be assertive, loud, and boisterous, though not be called out for it—so how is it fair that she must be demoralized for simply speaking out?

In terms of gender identity, Andrew addresses the intersectional issues of racism, sexism, and patriarchy—all of which have affected her and many other women, both in and unrelated to politics. Notably, Andrew acknowledges how ‘good girls’ are seen and not heard. However, in the 21st century, intersectional feminism demands we be seen and heard. Women should not be limited by other people's constraints and stereotypes. They should be allowed to take up as much space as they wish—not in a manner that cuts people off, but rather one in which they fill up room from a unique political perspective. In a conglomeration of related points, Andrew touched on several other issues surrounding this matter. Largely, she sees the necessity of uplifting other underrepresented groups—such as those with disabilities, working-class women, and women of colour. Andrew also recognizes underrepresentation as a bodily problem as well—and believes those who are of a larger size are frequently seen as lazy. However, an MPP is never lazy—there is no slacking off in the role, and the size of someone's body does not define their work ethic, values, or actions. Overall, Andrew knows it is crucial to “be there and point at the government” regarding the problem of underrepresentation—wholeheartedly inspiring someone who might be sitting at home and figuring out if politics is the right career for them.

In relation to your efforts in the promotion and destigmatization of body positivity, how have your efforts been recognized or uplifted by your maleidentifying peers? Do you feel as though this is an issue that should face greater promotion by our government, and what should they be doing to help? Throughout her vast efforts in bodily matters, Andrew discerns her motion of Bill 61 as her greatest accomplishment. Bill 61—enacted in December of 2020—proclaims the first week of February as “Eating Disorders Awareness Week.” It was her very first bill passed, and truly a landmark accomplishment in garnering the support of her fellow MPPs. Nevertheless, Andrew expresses the enactment of Bill 61 to be the start of governmental support of eating disorders—and not a full solution. As mentioned by Andrew, eating disorders are not treated fairly or effectively and—despite their classification as dangerous to the health of individuals—the government has done little work to support those facing them.

Regarding her work with eating disorder-related matters, Andrew discusses many issues that must be solved. Firstly, several important components include: ensuring individuals will not have to travel elsewhere for support, providing public aid to minimize the usage of expensive private treatments, establishing more hospital beds for treatment, and more. Further, Andrew also believes there should be a code through which healthcare workers are required to record and document when they are helping someone with an eating disorder—doing so to ensure the individual is given the proper care for all of what they may be facing. In addition to this, she also sees a need for guaranteeing the support of individuals with eating disorders, further researching them, following models of prevention and intervention, and more. Conclusively, Andrew knows more must be done for those with eating disorders in schools, workplaces, and health centres to ensure the treatment of said healthcare matters are executed in an equitable, safe, and effective manner.

The next two questions are in direct quote form from MPP Andrew, as they occurred outside of our verbal conversation Nowadays, it can be recognized that many young people have taken part in activism-related activities—more so than those of other generations. Do you feel as though, moving forward, we will see greater change in our political and societal standings regarding various matters as more Gen Z-ers enter the government scene? “Absolutely! Young(er) people are using their voices critically and are taking up space. They put forth profound insight and solutions on issues such as how to tackle the climate crisis, electoral reform, addressing racism in all its forms including Islamophobia, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism and anti-Black racism among others. Young people are acutely aware of the affordability crisis and they are making their needs known. Elected decisionmakers should be paying close attention to all Ontarians and that includes Gen Z-ers.”

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Do you think that the majority of current societyaffecting laws work for or against the interest and protection of women? Additionally, do you notice an effort for their alteration? “I believe we have a far way to go. Current Ontario government laws are working against women. For example, we are the only province not to have affordable childcare in Canada. That is shameful because affordable childcare is one of the key supports necessary for women to be active participants in the workplace. Let's face it childrearing is historically gendered. Without affordable childcare, many women have had to leave their jobs to stay home with their children. There is nothing wrong with a woman who decides to stay home and raise her children. However, if she's being forced into this choice because of policies that are essentially anti-woman, antiwomen's economic independence then it is no longer a choice. We need a feminist recovery and we need it now. Another example is Bill 124 a wage suppressing piece of legislation that disproportionately impacts frontline health care workers most of who are women and other public sector workers. When government bills prevent workers from being paid their work, protected in safe work conditions, make it harder for them to unionize and receive benefits, or do not respect the values of equal pay for equal work that kind of politics hurts women. We also have to recognize that gender-based violence is a public health crisis. Without adequate funding to support survivors of violence, rape crisis centres, and the government's cuts to legal aid funding...all these things impact overwhelmingly women and gender-diverse people. I could go on... another really important topic is eating disorders and the lack of Ontario funding for beds, staff, institutional and community-based care to support people with EDs (still overwhelmingly women especially racialized women and girls often battling against racism and other forms of systemic violence such as poverty).” What is your advice to young women and girls hoping to follow a route into politics as well? Andrew trusts that youth are changemakers of the future and ensures there are many ways in which they can get involved. For starters, she sees it to be very important that individuals speak to politicians—no matter their party. It can be extremely beneficial to get a sense of who they are as an elected figure and figure out 6

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how they got into their field. Moreover, it is also useful to find out about their political growth, ask what they would do differently, and overall appreciate the journeys they have embarked on. Next, Andrew ensures that getting involved with a local riding association is oftentimes the best way to garner community-based political knowledge. Every riding community has an association through which you can volunteer, and it is not necessary to live in a certain association to be involved there. Lastly, getting involved does not just mean running in an election yourself, it can also be reflected through working as a strategist or staff member for a political figure. These are certainly unique roles in which tasks include: directing campaigns, managing campaigns, running communications, operating damage control, seeking issue management, and more. Conglomeratively, many other opportunities for experience exist as well—such as sponsored programs, youth groups, and community projects. All of said experiences strive towards connecting young people with politics, though in a more digestible manner. Aside from specific actions, it is essential youth recognize the “different parts of the machine” and see where they fit best. There are truly so many ways to get involved, with many options that are on a much lesser scale: such as school-based organizations regarding equity, inclusivity, and human rights. In essence, it is all about listening to concerns and figuring out how to help. To finish, Dr. Andrew’s insight regarding an array of societally-affecting and woman-impacting governmental issues is truly profound. Her ability to empathize with individuals, discover more about their challenges, and come up with game plans to benefit their lives is truly outstanding. Most notable is her incredible passion for all that she involves herself in. With a work ethic like no other, Andrew has dedicated her career (and her life, for that matter) to serving various groups across the province and beyond. Going forward, youth (particularly young women) should recognize Andrew as a landmark individual within politics— one that has worked tirelessly to benefit our own lives. Furthermore, MPP Andrew’s journey displays that of an individual who is not deterred by the challenges they face—instead, she utilizes her own experiences to uplift those in similar situations. All in all, Dr. Andrew is a changemaker like no other.

Our Twisted View Of Addicts, And The Danger Of Addiction While I am not accusing all these teenagers For Teenagers of suddenly becoming addicts after trying said AMI DELABBIO On June 16th, 2019, Euphoria was aired for the first time on national television. Written and directed by Sam Levinson, the show follows 17-year-old Rue Bennett who heavily struggles with substance abuse. With the show's progression and its large cult following, many viewers have begun to express their growing concern for Rue and her addiction. The show is very transparent in its portrayal of drug addiction and how it can ruin relationships as well as destroy a person's life, rather than the common romanticization of drug use we are used to seeing in the media today. My issue with Euphoria is not the show itself, but rather its audience. Mainly, how many viewers can be so empathetic towards a fictional character, yet continue to turn a blind eye on the Rue’s that exist in their own lives— continuing to ridicule them and ignore their cries for help. Many tend to point out that this show is unrealistic in terms of its setting in high school. While the portrayal is sensible, it is not accurate in terms of the fact that the storyline is given to someone who is of high school age. Though, according to a survey conducted by the U.S department of health and human services, it has been concluded that:

by the time they’re in 12th grade, 46.6% of teens have tried illicit drugs.

illicit drug, it should also be noted that according to the TEDS Report of 2009—a publication of the Centre for Behavioural Health Statistics and Quality—around 1.5 million American teenagers could be considered chemically dependent or addicted to drugs. While this statistic may be old, it’s safe to assume that the numbers have possibly grown. My point is not to prove to you that Euphoria is realistic, but to state that drug use amongst high schoolers has become normalized. With substance abuse becoming more common, there is an inevitable number of teenage addicts that come with this. These addicts can be anyone. Your science partner, a friend, or simply an acquaintance. These people have fallen victim to addiction all in different manners and have dug themselves into a hole they didn’t ask for. Oftentimes. These people have turned to drugs at an age where their world is overwhelming and confusing. In my own experience, I’ve begun to notice how heavy illicit drugs have been romanticized across social media platforms and TV shows— influencing young teens into trying things they can’t understand how damaging they can be for their brains. Shows like Skins and posts across Instagram have taught me and millions of other teens that drugs are cool. Not to mention, all the “coolest” people do drugs. I’ve seen people as young as fourteen post about how they're doing molly or coke. Though it might be subjective to the crowd I run in, I can also think of five teenagers off the top of my head who have had heavy, untreated addictions. SOCIAL

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While that in itself should be a concern, the issue within it is that half these kids don’t ask for help. Why? Because of the stigma we’ve built around drug addicts. Even though we’re the ones responsible for the popularity of doing all these dangerous substances, we won’t change our minds on how we view an addict in the real world. We demonize them and don’t consider them human. We don't take the time to learn their circumstances, yet are still quick to assume them. We see these people as their mistakes and nothing more. Calling the ones that failed at sobriety “crackheads” and oftentimes not going out of our way to lend our support. So, these teenagers are often on their own in recovery and aren’t able to turn to anyone. Even in the rare circumstance, they do turn to someone, it’s common they can’t get proper help without tens of thousands of dollars —something many families don't have at their disposal. This isn’t me telling you or any other teenager to never go near any kind of drug— that would be unrealistic. What I’m trying to state is that you should think about what it is that you’re either considering trying or have already done. It’s always good to try new things, but it’s important to remember where it can lead you if you have the wrong intentions. Wanting to try a non-life-threatening drug at a legal age, safe environment, and positive mental space can be okay—but doing it to seem cool and mature is not. No amount of pretty girls on TV or a Twitter thread should make you WANT to be an addict. Because a true addiction is scary, disgusting and isolating. Those are never the things they note when they make it look pretty. So, for the love of God please start to care more. Care more about the REAL, non-fictional kids who are like your favourite character Rue. If you’re so concerned about if Rue’s going to 8

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make it to the next season or episode, maybe you should start worrying if the Rue’s in the real world are going to make it to tomorrow. Though you may think you don't know an addict, I can be almost certain there is someone you vaguely know in your life who is struggling silently. Stop producing media that makes kids want to be druggies, and most certainly stop dehumanising the so-called “crackhead” you may see on the subway.

They are not there for a funny story you can tell your friends or you to feel good about yourself after giving them a dollar or two. They are people who are living a life just as worthy as yours —and are deserving of a happy, comfortable future just as much as you are.

THE EXCLUSION AND UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE FIELD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Amelia D’Arolfi

Now more than ever, the technology industry is the place to be for work. There are endless opportunities, new experiences, and a high demand for anyone skilled in computing- not for women though. For women, it is much harder to advance in this field and receive the recognition they deserve. Why is that? This article aims to discuss the underrepresentation and exclusion of women in the tech industry, but more specifically, in computer science. Women made up most of the computing workforce during World War II and leading into the 1960s. Yet, by 1970, only 13.6% of those receiving their bachelors in

computer science were female. That number did increase in 1984 to 37% only to drastically fall to 18% around the same time that individual computers began appearing in households. As reported by National Public Radio (NPR), personal computers were virtually advertised solely to men and furthermore, families were more likely to purchase computers especially for boys rather than girls. The percentage of women working in computer-science related occupations has decreased since the 1990s, reducing from 35% to 26% between 1990 and 2013. Eric Walden,a endowed professor in the Rawls College

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of Business and director of Texas Tech Neuroimaging institute, stated, “In the mid-80s, about 40% of computer science graduates were women. Since then, every other field has been improving in terms of gender representation, except IT. It's the only thing that has consistently become less diverse.” Why are women so underrepresented in computer science when compared to men? There are many factors contributing to the full answer to this. The question itself contains much more information than possible to thoroughly explain in one article. However, the goal of this piece is to learn about the topic itself and what can be done to see more females succeeding in the field of computer science. Some studies show that computer science courses, and the way they are taught, make the computer science curriculum irrelevant, encourage negative ideas, and discourage women from taking these courses. When computer science is taught in the abstract, individuals cannot realize how technology can help to solve social problems. This perspective also fortifies a view of computer science as a lonely and isolating field to work in. Teachers play a significant role in the success of a female working towards or interested in being a part of the computer science field. Oftentimes, according to 10

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information taken from a paper written by Maria Kordaki and Ioannis Berdousis experts at the University of the Aegean, some teachers assume that while girls may be determined individuals, boys have a unique talent for computer science, are more innate with computers, and therefore, have more interest. These presumptions affect females learning in those classes, it is detrimental to their education, and furthermore, discourages them from taking computer science classes in the future. It is these presumptions that severely impact girls' interest in computer science classes and careers. Yet, teachers are not fully responsible for the underrepresentation and exclusion of females in computer science. Families as well seem to play a part in women and girls' commitment to computer science. Key factors affecting a female's interest in the field include, but are not limited to, a parent's influence and encouragement as well as early exposure to computer science and computers in general. In a working environment, peer’s influence is a crucial component for a woman's decision to stay in computer science. Many females have mentioned feelings of isolation, unsupportive work environments, intense and extreme work timetables, vague rules about career development and accomplishments,

misogynistic attitudes and humour, and humour, and sexist work cultures as reasons contributing to their choice to leave the computer science industry. Unfortunately, it is these negatives that deter numerous women from entering and remaining in the field. Extensive research has been conducted into the reasoning that the computer science field sees so few women involved in the industry. The factors discussed in this article are briefly written about due to the large nature of the topic. While there is more to be said about why women are underrepresented in the field, all hope is not lost. There are things that can be done to change this. According to information from a feature from The Journal written by Bridget McCrea, two-thirds of elementary school children express an interest in science, yet, by the time they start attending middle school the number of girls who have expressed interest in this topic decreases drastically. Furthermore, many females who took advanced scientific courses drop them by high school. Florida Gulf Coast University and The University of Colorado in a report theorizes the

reasoning for females who drop CSrelated courses. In high school, less emphasis is placed on developing skills related to computer science in females than in males as many teachers with biases downplay the significance of the course to women. Unfortunately, with this, many women who study related topics in postsecondary education feel behind. There is no doubt that this needs to be changed. There are ways that society can see more women involved in the field that continues to advance every day. Firstly, educators should ensure that they are creating a fair and equal learning environment. This means engaging female students and encouraging them to participate in class conversations. This will help to increase their interest in the topic and will equip them with more readiness for higher education in computer science. Additionally, many women entering the computer science field are more likely to experience more opposition than in subject areas with a larger female body. Schools and teachers should organize mentorship programs to help inspire and motivate females. Not only are mentorship programs an

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inspiring experience, but they allow schools to bring in guest speakers and use women as leads in case studies. At home, parents and guardians can start to spark interest in the field by starting discussions about females in computing, suggesting computer science classes to further one’s knowledge, and giving girls at home the chance to get hands-on with technology. Many stereotypes pertaining to women and the industry make it discouraging for some females. Educators can help demolish presumptions by showing a diversity of race, cultural backgrounds, and interests so that students don’t feel like they have to fit a particular notion in order to belong and be interested in computing.

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Currently, there are females in the field working every day to make developments within the world of computer science a better place for other women. There is no doubt that involving more females in the field would only benefit the industry. Yet, there are changes that need to be made in order to see more women represented. The underrepresentation and exclusion of women in computer science has been a growing issue for many years, however, there is action that can be taken to see females succeed in the field and industry.

WHY WE ARE BIOLOGICALLY SELFISH MAYA AKKUS The mental wellbeing of a human is complex and difficult to understand as individualism rules our minds. An unstable mental state is much harder to recognize, compared to a physical injury. Even though an unstable state could possibly have more devastating effects compared to a broken leg, per se. Personally, I have always been fascinated with this overlap in philosophy and psychology, and I believe that asking questions about our human nature is crucial. Our world today still has issues understanding mental health due to the extreme complexity of the mind. It is a pressing issue for many researchers to determine if our human nature is fundamentally good or bad.

A way to look at human nature as inherntly bad-spirited is by religion. Thomas Hobbes touches on this concept many times in his book The Leviathan. The Chinese philosopher Xunzi explains how human nature goes against goodness and it is, therefore, “harder” to be good since it is not a primal human instinct. In The Leviathan, Hobbs states it to be that the same goes for the Devil and God as, “and that good thoughts are blown (inspired) into a man, by God; and evil thoughts by the Devil.” Logically thinking, it is easier to give up and not try. This is because greatness is harder to achieve. Biblically, God doesn’t “tempt” one into doing good things, however, the Devil does. The Devil “tempts” one into doing bad things, therefore tying into the idea of why it is easier to fail. It is simply easier to be selfish and only meet our own needs, as it is our instinctive nature. However, since most of us have been taught empathy, honesty, kindness, and other virtues at a young age, we know better and go against our primal nature of selfishness. Nonetheless, we may occasionally fail. As Hobbes states; “So that in the nature of man, we find three principal causes of quarrel. First, competition; secondly, diffidence; thirdly, glory… Whatsoever, therefore, is consequent to a time of war, where every man is enemy to every man.” Thus, Hobbes expresses that we are our own biggest enemy. At the end of the day, most of our problems (such as climate change, pollution, war, etc..) are the results of man-made things. Now that we have looked at a religious point of view, let's talk about psychology and the real world. What is “evil” and is there such a thing as “pure evil?” An article by Piercarlo Valdesolo titled “The Psychological Power of Satan'' seems to disagree with the idea of pure evil; “The longer we cling to strong beliefs about the existence of pure evil, the more aggressive and antisocial we become. BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

We may be aggressing towards individuals who are, in fact, “redeemable.” This explains the psychological effect of the belief of pure evil existing in fact being harmful to our society, and this may be more detrimental than the “pure evil” itself. Turning against each other, as Hobbes mentioned before “where man is enemy to every man.” Later on, Hobbes goes on to discuss why we are always against one another. Another example of this idea is explained by a Stanford scientist, Robert Sapolsky. “The notion of there being something virtuous about punishing bad behaviour, that's the idea that’s got to go out the window. I always come back to the example of epilepsy. Five hundred years ago, an epileptic seizure was a sign that you were hanging out with Satan, and the appropriate treatment for that was obvious: burning someone at the stake. This went on for hundreds of years. Now, of course, we know that such a person has got screwy potassium channels in their neurons. It's not them; it's a disease. It's not a moral failing; it's a biological phenomenon.” He remarks that this mindset should be considered for all different types of behaviours.

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This study on psychopaths' neurology ties into Sapolsky’s ideas on behaviour and human nature. In a study titled “Psychopaths’ brains show differences in structure and function” it is worded that psychopaths have highly reduced connections between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), the area of the brain responsible for emotions such as empathy and guilt. Therefore, if we know that our human nature is primarily bad, that punishing people because they are “pure evil'' causes more harm than good, and that certain individuals have reduced connections in the vmPFC, a rather controversial debate may be, why don’t we treat these individuals as we treat the physically ill? There is still no definite answer to the questions of if the moral compass of human beings is good or bad. I strongly believe that we will find better ways to punish bad behaviour in the future, by coming to the agreement, as a society, that our nature is not always good-spirited. Nonetheless, we will never be able to know the truth to this statement, and to what extent it applies. Every being is entirely complex and unique in their own way.

TIKTOK AND TOURETTE'S SOMA MAHALIA SAVAGE

Fast-paced videos, a genre-filled algorithm, and 1 billion users. No wonder trends move faster on TikTok than on any other social media platform. We have seen fashion trends on the app lead to unsustainable fast fashion and have seen the way music trends create a whole “TikTok music” genre, but what happens when disorders become a trend on TikTok?

question “why the increase?” arises.

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition of the nervous system which causes people to have “tics” which are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People with tics cannot stop their bodies from doing these things and have no control over when they start, end, or how long said tics last. For people without tics, imagine the amount of control you have over having hiccups - you have none, you can’t stop them. Some examples of motor tics would be blinking your eyes excessively or shrugging shoulders. Vocal tics can be but are not limited to humming, clearing your throat, or yelling a word or phrase.

For a bit of background information, in just a few hours, girls who had no history of tics suddenly began to experience a vast amount of uncontrolled movements and vocalizations. The sudden onset of unexplained tics accounted for used to be only 1% of total tic disorder cases, but is now 35%.

The hashtag “#tourettes” has over 1,000,000,000 views on TikTok. As Tourette’s syndrome has gained popularity on the app, there seems to be a quickly increasing number of people who have the disorder making videos on the app. With that, the

Throughout the pandemic, doctors began seeing more and more teenage girls who were experiencing a sudden appearance of motor and vocal tics. As these doctors started to communicate with one another, they realized they were all seeing the same patterns in the girls coming to them for help.

Globally, doctors were seeing that these teens shouted the exact same phrases and experienced the same movements: repetition of the phrases “beans,” “woo-hoo,” and “flying shark.” The similarities in tics, especially given the patients’ geographic distance, gave doctors the clue that social media was involved because true Tourette’s tics are unique to each person. It turns out that these tics are actually specific to a few popular content creators on TikTok, whose videos have been viewed millions of times.

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These teens experiencing a sudden onset of tics likely do not have Tourette’s, even if the behaviour is similar. Rather, they may be experiencing a movement disorder brought on by anxiety and stress, made worse by the pandemic and increased media consumption. Teen girls are most likely to have depression and anxiety, which explains the rise in tics—specifically teenage girls.

Additionally, there have been instances where people with severe tics do not have any time in videos filmed only a month prior. A person with such prominent vocal tics that they can barely get through a sentence has videos from a few months ago with no tics whatsoever—and for context, this is not how tics work.

This explains the people suddenly experiencing tics, but does not clarify why there has been a sudden increase in Tourette’s syndrome content creators.

In some instances, people have even been called out online by their own families about lying about having the disorder. Most often, when they are called out, apology videos are put out or they have deleted their accounts.

There are a few popular content creators with Tourette’s that use the platform to demonstrate how they go through everyday situations with the syndrome and these positive representations of Tourette’s have helped to normalize the neurological condition. Only 3% of the general population has Tourette’s syndrome, however, there seems to currently be a lot of people on TikTok who have it now.

It is obvious that faking a disorder is unfavourable, but it is important to take into account how these actions affect people who actually experience tics. Firstly, when people without Tourette’s speak about what it is like to have Tourette’s, it spreads misinformation about the syndrome. Furthermore, as someone with Tourette’s, faking the syndrome makes people who actually experience tics feel mocked and uncomfortable.

Over the past year or two, there have been many instances of people faking Tourette’s syndrome— ranging from younger kids who don’t know any better, to full-grown adults.

We can now see how giving anything, whether it be fashion or a disorder, such mass glorification is not beneficial.

"Perhaps this raises the questions

of whether the way TikTok upholds these

trends is problematic and whether it needs

to be changed." 16

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

MATTEA’S MATCHA OF THE MONTH

MATTEA CEOLIN Whether you like your matcha iced or hot (or even with some sweet cream on top) Toronto is a matcha lover's dream come true! In this new series, I will be revealing the best places around Toronto to get a perfect cup of matcha. WHAT IS MATCHA? Matcha is a type of green tea that is ground into powder —in order for its flavour and content to be more saturated. Over centuries, matcha has grown in Japan and is a celebratory component of traditional tea ceremonies. Matcha tea leaves are packed with great nutrients, as well as antioxidants, and are full of chlorophyll—due to which it gets its bright green colour. Unlike regular brewed tea where you boil the leaves then remove them from the water, matcha powder is whisked in hot water and you essentially drink the tea leaves whole. Matcha also contains high amounts of caffeine, but not as much as coffee. LOCATION Located on St. Clair West, Krave Coffee is an independent cafe with delicious Matcha. AMBIANCE Not only is Krave the perfect cozy cafe to study in, but it also has a great patio to enjoy when the weather is favourable! Krave is the perfect warm getaway with a great atmosphere, especially throughout the colder months. Although the cafe is a little small, you can always find a seat to enjoy a nice matcha latte. SERVICE AND QUALITY The baristas at Krave always make lattes with the perfect ratio of matcha to milk—and there are also many dairy-free alternatives if you prefer. Krave serves their matcha lattes hot and iced—if you order cold matcha, the best part is that they don't overfill your cup with too many ice cubes! Krave also serves a variety of other drinks like chai lattes, hot chocolate, and just regular plain coffee if that’s what you like. Not to mention, they have the most delicious cookies and brownies!

Get to know NFTs: blockchain, benefits, and barriers Elena Vlitas

The market and interest surrounding non-fungible tokens (NFTs) surged in 2021. While the NFT market cap has surpassed $22 billion, many individuals—including well-seasoned investors—are unsure about what NFTs are and how this asset class will impact the world of business.

NFTs are a new form of digital assets that utilize blockchain technology to provide a secure method to exchange digital art. The blockchain is a distributive ledger that allows peer-to-peer transactions and guarantees authentic exchanges of currencies and assets. Being “non-fungible” means to be one of a kind. The blockchain enables NFTs to have value as it publicly verifies authenticity and ownership. It provides artists a platform to monetize their work and can connect ownership of the tokens to exclusive groups, events, and real-world items.

Although NFTs have risen to be a symbol of status and the internet has garnered a bullish outlook to their future performance, investors must be cautious. Highly volatile, the NFT space is risky for investors with little capital, experience, and research as they may lose out on their whole investment if too speculative.

While many early adopters—including Twitter Founder Jack Dorsey, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Former NBA Star Shaqille O'Neal —openly endorse NFTs, many question the validity of their value. Unlike physical assets The blockchain technology that backs which have finite quantities, society generally NFTs is arguably more powerful and valuable views the scarcity of online assets as artificial. than NFTs themselves. The immutability, In their early era, NFTs were perceived to be traceability, and security of the blockchain mere jpegs that could be infinitely replicated gives it the potential to grow to be utilized and utilized by those of high status to make a across all forms of business, from medical to quick buck. The internet has provided manufacturing. Highly efficient, the individuals with unprecedented opportunities blockchain can minimize business costs while to connect with investors across the world but, increasing the speed of transactions. Once this does not come without downsides. barriers such as that of cost and userMisinformation and volatility is not friendliness are overcome, blockchain could uncommon, as individuals in Twitter and be optimized within companies to streamline Reddit groups vastly overestimate the operations. underlying value of the stocks they invest in— resulting in waves of group mentality-based decisions that lead to sporadic rises and falls in pricing of shares. 18 | BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

Similarly, the value of NFTs could quickly be undermined by internet rumours and trends that do not accurately represent the true market value of the NFTs. Combined with this is the fact that the NFT market has become saturated with thousands of NFT projects—only a select few of which will rise to be definite winners, whilst the rest decrease to little in value. It is up to each individual to decide whether it makes sense for them to invest in NFTs, as the market is highly speculative. Always keep in mind to follow the facts, and never the hype. Do your research, and maintain a diversified portfolio no matter the industry or asset class. Nonetheless, in investing, taking a calculated risk has always been central to the equation of turning a portfolio from good to great—and taking a chance on a 2048 x 2048 pixel image of a brightly coloured ape might do just that.

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

MAYA AKKUS

MAYA'S REPORT ON BUSINESS: MARCH AND APRIL

NEWS AND PREDICTIONS IN STOCKS FOR COMING MONTHS Target’s stock jumped up to 11% midday on March 1st, 2022. Despite pressures from supply chains, they reported a 9% sales growth in their fourth quarter. Their market value is predicted to keep increasing steadily throughout the month. Zoom’s shares dropped 4% after the platform experienced a weak first quarter. This may be interlinked with our current progress with COVID-19 (i.e boosters). This number is predicted to keep decreasing as the removal of the mask mandate is in the near future for Canadians. However, this may lead to a spike in cases, urging lockdown measures to be implemented in early April. This may increase Zoom’s shares. Investments in defence stocks show consistent growth as the 20

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

Russia-Ukraine conflict further develops. This growth is predicted to keep increasing as tensions rise throughout March and April. Footlocker’s shares fell 7.5% percent midday Tuesday. THE CANADIAN ECONOMY, RECENTLY Preliminary estimates show that Canada’s GDP grew 0.2% during the Omicron wave. Cannabis contributed to Canada's economy by $43.5 billion since its legalization in October 2018. Chief executive of RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust— Johnathan Gitlin—makes statements upon his in which he believes that in-person shopping will be ‘reborn’ since its decrease due to COVID-19

—during which many consumers have been forced to rely on online shopping. Canada has faced a loss of 200K jobs in January due to shutdowns caused by the Omicron variant. WORD ON WALL STREET Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell commits to taming inflation prices in banks while still considering effects such as geopolitical turmoil. Economists largely expect growth to be stable this year, however, it may be less than the economic growth back in 2021—, which was the economy’s strongest year since 1984. Experts predict GDP to increase at a pace of 4% for 2022. HEDGE FUND UPDATES The US Securities & Exchange Commission proposed a development in rules in which investors can sue hedge funds in an easier manner— in comparison to mutual funds—due to the difference in managing risk. This puts hedge fund managers at risk if they cause their investors to lose money. Investments in cryptocurrency have consistently been passing all other hedge fund strategies, leading investors to believe we are in the era of a “crypto boom”. Hedgeweek has now announced winners of the inaugural Hedgeweek US Digital, Assets Awards, with The 31Q corp (31Q Global Crypto Asset Fund) winning the title of America’s Best Digital Asset Fund. BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

The skies are no longer the limit Nicole Sandels

“19-year old breaks record of youngest woman to fly solo around the world,” read the headlines of newspapers worldwide

adventure. She had just finished high school in Belgium and determined her gap year was the perfect time to try and accomplish this feat—so she began pilot training and earned her license in 2020. The following year and a half consisted of rigorous planning and training flights across Europe to get her On January 20, 2022. Belgian-British prepared. The next big issue was money. aviator Zara Rutherford had officially Being a pilot myself, I know the extreme become the youngest woman to costs that aviation fuel climbs to— circumnavigate the globe in a singleespecially in remote areas such as Russia, a engine plane, an adventure only a few country she would be flying through. Not have accomplished. This was a huge only the fuel, but accommodations, the milestone for many across the world, plane, landing fees, parking fees, and all especially women. With aviation being a other paraphernalia needed to be sorted out. male-dominated field, and only about 8.15% The budget for these trips for others has of private pilots being women, having a ranged from $150,000 - $500,000. The only woman complete such a journey brings way to get around this bump, unless you are attention to this minority. Reading about her a millionaire, is to contact sponsors. After adventure, we can not only admire her weeks of contacting hundreds of potential dedication but also learn about planning, sponsors, she got a couple onboard and was general aviation, and global challenges. able to continue the rest of the planning. I sent a direct message out to Rutherford It all began a couple of summers ago before her takeoff date and was able to get when Rutherford decided she wanted to fly answers to several questions about the around the world to experience a new planning process.

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“How did you efficiently plan your route?” “Literally drew a line on a world map that matched GWR rules for a ‘round the world flight’. Then picked the nearest airfields to that line. In some places, it was a bit tricker (Greenland, Russia, etc). "

“In terms of money, how much can the trip total up to including all expenses?” “If you do it efficiently (and get a free plane), it’s about $100,000. Fuel/airport handling fees/hotels / miscellaneous / staff (you will need people to help you!) adds up quickly.” I personally was interested in breaking the world record before I heard of Rutherford's flight, so I also got her advice on how someone could complete a similar journey.

“Any advice for anyone who would want to plan a similar trip?” “It is tough, so I would recommend getting some flying in places you’re not used to… Terrain wise / weather/gear change flying a lot and I was used to some pretty easy flying in Europe which is very different compared to flying across the rest of the world.”

The next couple of months would consist of training how to react to every emergency possible — whether something as simple as a failed engine, or how to survive and get help if she were to crash into the Atlantic Ocean. In the last couple of days before her flight, she gained her biggest sponsor - the Virgin Group. Finally, on August 18, 2021, she was ready for takeoff.

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

As of December 13th, 2021, she had only just landed in South Korea—though she hoped to complete the entire Belgiumto-Belgium journey by Christmas. Nevertheless, the final leg of the expedition took her one more month when she finally landed on January 20, 2022. Throughout her trip she encountered countless challenges, from getting grounded in Alaska and Russia for over a month as a result of the weather, to getting stuck in Indonesia due to incomplete paperwork, the trip was full of highs and lows. Other natural factors impacted her— such as wildfires in California and earthquakes in Mexico. Throughout Zara’s trip, she gained an impressive social media following and appeared on countless

news channels such as CP24, BBC, CBC, and CNN. With this, said media opportunities allowed her to promote the two charities she was helping fund: Girls Who Code and Dreams Soar. Rutherford’s story has inspired and will continue to inspire women all across the world—whether they may already be in aviation, or simply just interested in it. As a pilot who can understand all the challenges she may have faced, they made the whole trip so much more impressive. Zara Rutherford has made a big impact on the aviation community, and her story will hopefully inspire more women to pursue the aviation industry and inspire future generations.

Thus, Zara had begun to fulfill her goal of bringing greater visibility for women in aviation, computer science, and all of STEM. 24

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

GWGS X PEARL

ENTER THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP AN INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER FIONNLAGH CARTER BY LEILA DURANTE

https://fionnajcarter.wixsite.com/gwgs BUSINESS AND INNOVATION |

Dating back to March 2020, we witnessed the start of this horrid and prolonged global pandemic— commonly known as COVID-19. Whether it was mentally, physically, or financially, we all felt the impacts that COVID-19 graced us with. The creativity that possessed each and every one of us disappeared, and motivation was lacking worldwide. As for the founder of GWGS, Fionnlagh Carter, losing motivation and creativity while living in the Coronavirus pandemic seemed unheard of. Carter first created GWGS circa 2018 but started to take it seriously around the start of the pandemic. He’s always been immersed in shoes and clothes; and really enjoys sharing his passion for both. A few years ago, his friend asked him to paint their shoes due to the fact that they knew how much Carter would enjoy doing it. The shoes he created were an instant hit and multiple people reached out and asked him to customize their shoes—“I decided to create an Instagram to show the shoes I would customize, and from there, I eventually started GWGS.” Carter ended up taking a course for sneaker design to help enhance his newly founded brand. The course he took part in taught him more about sneaker design than he ever knew was possible. It opened many pathways for him

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and is the reason his brand is where it is today. What first inspired Carter to create GWGS was his appreciation for design. Specifically, he always had a passion for drawing shoes. He was originally introduced to shoe design while “watching a TV show about Tinker Hatfield, [a designer for Nike], and that’s when [he] first developed the love and understanding of sneaker design that [he] now possesses.” Over time, the designing process became a hobby for him. He is highly motivated to keep his business growing, inspiring him to keep designing clothes. He often ponders where his business will be once he reaches the age of 21 and if he keeps working hard. He believes that by watching others have the same success he dreams of—anything is possible. Nike is considered an artistic canvas for his designs as he is able to find different inspirations from their works on a daily basis. With current social media platforms, he uses a variety of artworks as inspirations to incorporate into his brand. Carter believes that there are many different ideas and designers that shine through his work; he doesn’t necessarily have one specific inspiration, he’s taken inspiration from just about everything he notices in his day-to-day lifestyle.

“The story behind the name of the brand is quite funny actually.” When Carter was younger, he used to tell his dad that he had a dream of opening a gift shop on the Great Wall of China. That dream was never forgotten and it actually has a major impact on the brand he’s created today;

GWGS. Great Wall

Gift Shop. His brand wasn’t always referred to as GWGS—the original name was Fionnlagh Carter Shoe Business. Returning back to the sneaker designer course, they emphasized the importance of a brand name. It took him a while to find the perfect name but he finally decided to call it GWGS. Carter came upon the original shoe designs while experimenting with splatter paint. He would customize his friends' shoes with different splatter paint colour combinations and then managed to develop more options for certain shoes, thus properly developing his brand. For the clothing side of his brand, he experiments with many different design

Looking to the future, GWGS plans to transition from shoes into a more clothingbased company. Carter hopes to create multitudes of clothes and different art pieces, and pretty much whatever he feels inspired to create at the time. He intends to continue to experiment with clothes and is more than excited to see what GWGS holds for him in the near future; this is only the beginning.

techniques. He has digitally designed countless styles, and a few months ago, he finally dropped his first shirt. When choosing which shirt to release, he made 30 different versions of just one specific t-shirt and then decided on the shirt that he felt would encapsulate the essence of his brand best.

BUSINESS AND INNOVATION

GILMORE GIRLS: AN ANALYSIS

ALLIE ZAVAGNO

SPOILER WARNING

The well-known 2000s TV show Gilmore Girls took the media by storm for much time due to its lovable characters and atmosphere. Set in the made-up location of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the show follows Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory as they navigate love, despair, success, friendship, and life in a small town. From my affinity for the program, I found that—after watching the show a few times—there were key points missed, wrongly judged characters, and life lessons that could be learned by its many viewers. Dealing With Unexpected Obstacles: Lorelai Gilmore spent the first 16 years of her life in the gated community of Hartford, Connecticut. She lived with her wealthy parents Emily and Richard who did what they could to give her the life they wanted for her. However, similar to a lot of teenagers today, Lorelai was rebellious and didn't fit into her parents' high expectations. Thus, instead of cotillions and charity events, she went off with boys and snuck out of the house. Despite this, the turning point in their family relations was when Lorelai got pregnant at the age of sixteen. Though her parents tried to control her decisions regarding the upbringing of the child, she once again rebelled and left home—permanently. Lorelai moved to The Dragonfly Inn in Stars Hollow and lived under the care of Mia, the inn's owner. Mia allowed Lorelai to raise Rory in the inn as long as she worked as a maid there to support herself. Lorelai spent many years occupied at the inn, ultimately assuming a role as the manager—all while still being a single mother and providing for Rory. With a lot of hard work and effort—mixed with some luck—Lorelai graduated from a community business school and ended up opening her own extremely successful inn.

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Throughout the entire show, Lorelai is presented as a role model and best friend to Rory—as well as to the viewers themselves. Personally, she was consistently my favourite character as she was always the “cool mom” and tried to understand the people around her, rather than getting upset over their imperfections. She represents perseverance as well as self-confidence, while still having flaws and facing difficult circumstances. She has such a bubbly, funny personality that I believe attracts watchers and makes her that much more relatable. The many obstacles that flew her way throughout the show—such as leaving home, providing for Rory, having to work with her parents to send Rory to college, and trying to find love and success in her own life—shaped her into the mother she was and shows how much she stepped up as the main role model in the show. Selfish Idealism: Rory Gilmore is arguably the worst character on the show—in the later seasons, at least. I know it's hard to imagine that the pretty, smart, and talented “perfect child” is so selfish, but throughout the entirety of the show, Rory manages to make everything about her. She grew up incredibly privileged with Lorelai providing for her as much as she could, as well as her grandparents' bank account in her hand. We start to see signs of her selfishness when she falls in love with one boy while still being in a relationship with another. As much as I dislike Dean Forester—Rory’s then-boyfriend—she led him on for months because she loved having someone's full attention on her. Even if she genuinely couldn't decide which guy she wanted more, it was not fair to keep Dean around while flirting with Jess Mariano—the one who she truly loved—behind his back. Another instance of Rory’s selfishness was the scandal in which she dropped out of Yale University. Mitchum Huntzberger, the father of her university boyfriend Logan Huntzeberger, had provided her with an internship at a local newspaper—and Rory was thrilled about this opportunity as it could possibly

further her literary career. Once Mitchum sat down with her and told her that she just “didn't have it,” Rory was taken aback. She grew up very sheltered with everyone in her life telling her about her phenomenality, so she was not used to criticism or ridicule of her work. Following this seemingly minor setback, Rory decided she could no longer be a journalist and chose to drop out of Yale in order to move in with her grandparents. I had to stop watching for a second after this because I was so annoyed. Rory had pretty much all that anyone could dream of, and she was taking it all for granted. She got into every single Ivy League school that she applied to, yet the second a person attempted to bring down her selfworth, she crumbled. Eventually, she bounced back from that situation—though I personally don’t think her attitude changed at all. Next, one of the biggest issues that I believe Rory has is her perception that she could do illegal things and get off harm-free due to her family’s connections. In one instance, Rory stole a yacht with Logan because she was having a bad night—which is so incredibly stupid and irresponsible. Within minutes of hearing about the incident, her grandparents hired a lawyer and tried to use their money to shorten her punishment. They were appalled when she got tons of community service instead of being excused. Rory was also in shock and was upset with the judge instead of understanding that what she did was illegal—and certainly not okay. There are so many other instances during the show that display how self-absorbed Rory is. With this, several of these examples were her occurrences of: writing a book based on her mother's past trauma, never being there for her best friend Lane though always expecting better treatment herself, missing her mom's graduation, and moving to Europe upon facing the repercussions of sleeping with a married man. As it may be noted, these are just a few examples of Rory being selfish, ignoring her problems, or taking advantage of the people in her life. ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

The Evolution Of Paris Geller: It's hard to like Paris Geller when you begin the show, but as the seasons go on we see how she went from the mean girl who only cared about herself and her future, to the girl who is compassionate and successful in all aspects of her life. Paris is introduced in the first season as the smart, rude, “stay out of my way” girl—and she definitely had it out for Rory. Paris saw anyone who could outdo her as an enemy, which is probably why fellow popularity-loving schoolgirls Madeline and Louise were her only two friends. She comes off as very selfcentred, which is certainly a huge red flag when it comes to friend material—so Rory tried to steer clear. Throughout most of the “Chilton School era” Paris and Rory were always head to head—whether it was during projects, debate, or newspaper production. Eventually, they became friends despite both of their competitive natures—and I believe that it helped Paris grow into a better person. Paris thought her biggest enemy was always going to be Rory, but as they became friends she gained more self-confidence and realized she didn’t have to turn her back on people who were on the same level as her. Paris never had that much confidence or luck with men—especially in regards to her rocky association with Tristan, her high school crush who didn't want anything to do with her. Later in the story, she began dating Jamie—a Princeton man on whom she ended up cheating with a professor. Upon meeting said professor—Asher Flemming—I suspect she thought that he was “it” for her due to his seeminglyattractive wisdom and maturity. She supposed that he would be able to keep up with her instead of holding

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

her back, as their interests matched and she too was an extremely intelligent person. Nevertheless, when tragedy struck and Asher passed, Paris was heartbroken and didn't know what she should do next. After some time, she was ready to start dating again, and that's how she and Doyle—the Yale Daily News editor at the time—commenced their relationship. They lasted as a couple throughout the rest of the show, and in A Year In The Life—the Gilmore Girls reboot mini-series—we see that they are happily married with kids. Paris realized that a relationship goes both ways, and the effort someone puts in should be matched by the other person. Moreover, she learned how to express her needs to a man instead of trying to change herself—which can be noted in relation to Tristan, who didn’t care whether or not she showed up to their “date” with conversation cue cards. I assume that as Paris grew older, she learned a lot about caring for other people and reconfigured her priorities. She was always there for Rory—even if oftentimes it seemed as though she came off as harsh —and understood she deserved people who cared about her even when her own family didn’t. Thus, Paris grew to become extremely successful while making some good friends along the way. Though I did not discuss every character or life lesson in Gilmore Girls, I surmise I covered the most important and unforgettable ones. Evidently, Lorelai, Rory, and Paris all had different character development and mindsets throughout the show—at the end of the day, I love them all. I grew up watching and rewatching this show and have truly learned so much from it—so if you’ve read this article and still haven’t sat down to binge, I suggest you start now!

BEFORE SCREENS, BEFORE SUNRISE SIPORA WEST

“If there is any kind of magic in this world, it

Before Sunrise follows two characters. The

must be in the attempt of understanding

American Jesse (Ethan Hawke), who has completed

someone, sharing something.” -Celine, Before

some weeks of travel on a Eurail pass and is heading

Sunrise

to the outskirts of Austria for a cheap flight home. French Celine (Julie Delpy), is a student at Sorbonne, who is taking the train back home to Paris. They meet

An American man and a French woman meet on a train to Vienna. They’re both young, beautiful, and obviously attracted to each other. A story setup that could have easily become a run-of-the-mill rom-com managed to become a magical, enchanting, visceral experience. Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise premiered at the indie film festival Sundance in 1995. With his two previous films, Slacker (1991) and Dazed and Confused (1993), Linklater had established himself as a filmmaker fascinated by the mundane; a storyteller who wishes to tell stories about average people’s everyday lives. That is the essence that charges Before Sunrise, and it is the spark that sets the film apart from cookie-cutter rom-coms of the 90s.

when Celine is forced to switch seats due to the loud arguing of a German couple who had been sitting next to her in her previous spot. Jesse and Celine get to talking, and they really hit it off. Jesse introduces a wild idea, what if Celine gets off the train with him and they spend the night roaming the streets of Vienna together? Celine also has a wild idea: to agree to Jesse’s plan. The rest of the film follows the two as they explore the streets of Vienna together while engaging in intellectually stimulating conversation. Jesse and Celine talk about everything with pure genuineness and raw honesty. Jesse shares his idea for a cable reality show that simply follows 365 normal people each for one day as they perform their humdrum tasks.

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He also shares his ponderings on reincarnation - if

The “indie vibe” of Before Sunrise was also

the human population is on an incline, does that mean

ubiquitous in the film’s scriptwriting process. Initially,

that souls have to split in order to be reincarnated?

Linklater had hired Kim Krizan to co-write the script

Celine discusses feminism, she discusses her

with him. “In my previous films, I felt the male view

perception of male fantasies and relationships with

overwhelmed. So my absolute goal was to have a

ex-boyfriends. She talks about her father urging her

strong female perspective,” Linklater told the New

to be more practical when her natural inclination is to

York Times in 2020. However the writing process

be a dreamer. They meet eccentric folks on the street

didn’t end with Linklater and Krizan. Ethan Hawke and

—a palm reader and a street poet—and debate over

Julie Delpy were integral to the film’s writing process.

the frivolity of such activities. Their minds make love

Their own personalities influenced their characters’

before their bodies ever do - if their bodies ever do,

conversations. Many viewers assume that Hawke and

whether or not the couple has sex is one of the

Delpy were improvising their lines due to the

questions that the film leaves open for viewer

spontaneous nature of their characters’ discourse; in

interpretation. Before Sunrise reads more like a

actuality, Hawke, Delpy, and Linklater would revise

documentary than a film. As audience members, we

scenes upwards of twenty times before shooting the

are convinced that we are watching a connection

final cut. One scene, however, can be credited as

unfold in real-time; at no point during the films’ 101

improv. There is a scene where Jesse and Celine are in

minutes do we feel that we are watching anything

a record store, where they notice a listening booth,

remotely contrived.

and head inside to listen to Kath Bloom’s Come Here. Linklater hadn’t allowed Hawke or Delpy to listen to

Before Sunrise was made on a mere $2.5 million

the song before shooting time; the first time the

budget, made possible due to subsidy money reserved

couple heard the song was on camera, and their

for unconventional, artistic, films. The true “indie film”

reactions were completely organic. “It was like magic

aspect of the project was felt on set; when the cast

— each time I felt Ethan looking away, I would look at

and crew had to design creative ways to navigate

him and vice versa. I almost fell in love with him right

natural blockages. The establishing shots of landscape

there, but then Rick said cut.” Delpy revealed to the

scenery through the windows of the train had to be

New York Times. The result of that scene is, in my

filmed over a three-day period, with the team riding a

opinion, perhaps one of the most truthful and

train back and forth from Salzburg to Vienna. It

breathtaking moments in cinematic history. Watching

seemed that every time the train reached a speed

Hawke and Delpy live in that moment reminds me of

they could use to shoot, the vehicles’ movement got

why I love the art of cinema.

shaky again. Similarly, Jesse and Celine’s first kiss was written to take place on a Ferris wheel at sunset, however, the Ferris wheel operators only allowed the

Sunrise when he had his own Jesse-and-Celine-esque

ride to be stopped for 10 minutes before it revolved

experience. He was in another city, waiting around for

around again. By the end of the shooting day, they had

his sister to finish shopping. A woman was flirting with

acquired footage in three different lighting levels. The

him, so he impulsively wrote her a note asking her to

scene had to be retried the next morning, and the

hang out that night.

shot that made it into the movie was filmed in the morning.

Linklater got the idea for the story of Before

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The woman accepted, and at some point during

The exhilaration of experiencing a connection in

their rendezvous Linklater said, “I want to make a film

completely real-time is implausible today when we are

about this. Just this feeling.” “That’s really all it was

constantly connected to the online universe.

trying to ever capture — that rush of meeting someone and that undercurrent of flirtation and

One cannot watch Before Sunrise without wistfully

romance.” Linklater noted on his motivation behind

yearning for that sort of experience in their own lives.

Before Sunrise. The liberating feeling of taking chances

The experience of roaming a city at night, not knowing

and living in the moment emanates in every second of

where to go because Google Maps isn't being toted

the film. Before Sunrise is, undoubtedly, a story of the

around in your pocket. The experience of connecting

pre-cell phone, pre-social media era. Jesse and Celine

with a human being who you had never seen before

couldn’t have just looked each other up on Instagram

and may never see again, not even in meticulously

and judged one another based on a superficial online

selected social media photographs. An uninhibited,

image - Instagram would only be created fifteen

carefree night; where the stress of this intimate

years in the future. They couldn’t exchange cell phone

moment being posted for others to see is nonexistent;

numbers like it was no big deal - mobile phone numbers

where the nagging to share your impromptu

weren’t commonplace until the mid-2000s. There was

adventure on the blogosphere is absent. “Life insisted

no stalking each other’s Facebook for evidence of

that you live in the moment more.” Hawke articulated

past loves or checking each other’s Twitter for

when discussing how the times have changed since

undesirable political opinions. Jesse and Celine learned

Before Sunrise. “There’s something about always being

about each other in real-time, they formed

digitally present that allows you to not be present,

perceptions of each other through questions and

and part of what Jesse and Celine try to do in that

laughter and listening. I daresay that Jesse and

movie is actually be present with each other.” So, if

Celine’s experience in Vienna, much like Linklater’s

you feel a dash of envy when watching Before Sunrise,

experience with that woman, would be impossible to

know that you are not alone, for there is something

replicate today.

quite romantic about the age before the digital age.

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Female film tropes and the misrepresentation of women in film Gloria Yan 34

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Films have the unique ability to deeply immerse their audience into narratives by capturing life through a gaze that could very well substitute as the viewer’s own. As a result of their hyper-realistic nature, they tend to have a profound cultural impact and can be used to reinforce gender equality and provide representation. Nevertheless, women in films are often reduced to two-dimensional characters that serve no purpose other than to hang off the arm of the male lead—and, of course, look pretty while doing it.

craft uniformly bland female characters that do not serve as real representation, simply out of the lack of first-hand experience at their disposal. These characters are often unrealistic fantasies of their “ideal” woman, yet are presented as the normal, achievable standard. As the trend of similarly inconceivable female characters in mainstream media has emerged, they have been classified into specific tropes that highlight the male gaze and perception of how women think and act.

The “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” trope has found The metric for evaluating female representation its way into mainstream pop culture as a frequentlywas introduced in 1985 by Alison Bechdel, in the referenced character archetype, typically used as form of “The Bechdel Test.” In order to pass, a film criticism for poor writing. The term was coined by must feature at least two women who engage in film critic Nathan Rabin in his 2005 review of dialogue concerning anything other than a man. Elizabethtown, describing the lead female character This evaluation is often referred to when classifying as one that "exists solely in the fevered a film as being “feminist enough,” as proven by the imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach annual lists of compiled films that meet its broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and standards. Although the notoriety of the test has its infinite mysteries and adventures." The women caused a push for more women in film, it fails to that fall into this category are reduced to stock account for nuanced or even constructive characters who have no discernable self-serving portrayals. If anything, the test can be used to motivations. The quirky and eccentric Sarah Deever illustrate how women are often used by Hollywood from the 2001 film Sweet November is the epitome of as plot devices and props. Take Gravity, a film this archetype. She is written as a woman who where its ambitious and strong-willed lead is played literally has to die from terminal cancer in order to by Sandra Bullock, yet fails the test because she is bring Keanu Reeves’ character to a shocking the sole character on screen for the majority of its epiphany—that there may be more to life than his runtime. On the other hand, exploitative and advertising job. Sarah has decided to spend her final gratuitous films projecting absurd male living months collecting troubled strangers to take fetishizations of same-sex female relationships into her home and live with, on whom she employs effortlessly pass the test. The degree of feminism in her “special ability to help men with problems.” The a film does not equate to simply the number of main issue here isn't her aptitude for hospitality, but women who are present—as their portrayal may the fact that other than devoting herself to men who still be misogynistic. In most cases, harmful benefit from her skillset, she has no other desires or representation is worse than a lack of, and simply plans to seek closure or fulfilment before her death. inserting women into films for the sake of doing so Manic Pixie Dream Girls take an active role in is not enough. seeking out their male subject and are always the ones who invoke relationships—further The issue of misrepresentation of women in film perpetuating the fantasy that a woman will someday traces back to the lack of women employed behindsuddenly come into your life unprecedented and fix the-scenes and in the pre-production stages, who all your problems in a convenient exchange where can intervene before it’s too late. Movies and the beneficiary does not have to put in any amount narratives are inherently created out of the writer’s of effort. fantasy, and predominantly male writers tend to ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

Like most terms and cliches that gain a massive amount of popularity, the term “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” itself has become overused to the inevitable point of its now frequent misuse. The term has now been utilized to diminish the writing of any film in which there is a bubbly, flirty, and talkative female character by automatically bestowing upon it the “bad-writing” label. Characters who are undeserving of the term, such as the iconic Annie Hall—who the director had based on a real-life, nuanced person—have been thrown into the same category as Sarah Deever from Sweet November. Following the criticism, the creator of the term, Nathan Rabin himself has since revoked it and even apologized for ever coining it in the first place. While its role in pop culture is most likely non-reversible, it is important to fully consider whether or not a character truly falls into the rubric, as women are allowed to be quirky and eccentric—and those characteristics alone do not define them as a trope, nor a sexist man’s unrealistic fantasy. While Manic Pixie Dream Girls are otherworldly and unpredictable, characters that fall into the “Cool Girl” trope are their anthesis— serving as an exact projection of a man’s personal interests. Crafted for those who do not want their ideals to be challenged, but instead validated by someone with conveniently identical interests, and whose conformity results in the absence of conflict. The existence of the Cool Girl is inherently paradoxical— requiring an extreme presence of nonchalance and apathy, while simultaneously adhering to all the meticulous and time-consuming standards of beauty. The combination of these traits is all too familiar in film, with characters such as Cameron Diaz’s role in There's Something About Mary, whose ambiguity hinges on her laidback disposition, love of sports, ability to chug beer, and effortlessly gorgeous appearance. It is important to acknowledge that simply possessing “typically masculine” traits such as the

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ones Mary exhibits does not equate to inauthenticity, as women do contain multitudes and their actions don’t always adhere to gender stereotypes. It’s the unsustainable aspect of performance and curation of intereststhat categorizes characters into this trope and makes them an impossible standard for viewers.

The 2012 novel Gone Girl calls out the Cool Girl trope, explicating its unrealistic nature through the lead character Amy Dune’s monologue: “Men actually think this girl exists. Maybe they’re fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl.” Amy Dune further says, “You are not dating a woman, you are dating a woman who has watched too many movies written by socially awkward men who’d like to believe that this kind of woman exists and might kiss them.”Amy Dune inevitably loses her ability to maintain the calculated persona that she once used to attract her husband, which ultimately leads to the downfall of their marriage—thus revealing what happens when people attempt to replicate this trope in real life. The misrepresentation of women in film doesn't remain exclusive to the screen and has many realworld implications. Although these tropes are fabricated myths created by men that cater exclusively to the male gaze, that doesn't stop women from attempting to achieve the impossible standards. Women who attempt to replicate the “Cool Girl” trope will laugh at sexist jokes, because she's “not like other girls,” and will put each other down—all fueled by the media convincing them that it is an effective way to gain approval. Girls grow up with the notion that they are meant to play the supporting role in somebody else’s story and with an inexplicable obligation to fix flawed men at the cost of their own wellbeing. Men can also be negatively affected by female film tropes, as their belief in these mythical characters will lead to their disappointment when confronted with the realities of women who have agency and don't cater to their every desire.

WHEN FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN FILM IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY UNREALISTIC, IT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR WOMEN TO IDENTIFY WITH THE CHARACTERS—FORCING THEM TO INSTEAD VIEW THEMSELVES FROM A MALE PROTAGONIST'S GAZE. POINTING THESE TROPES OUT DOESN’T INVALIDATE A MOVIE, BUT DOES, HOWEVER, HIGHLIGHT THEIR FICTIONAL NATURE. HOLLYWOOD NEEDS TO RETIRE FEMALE ARCHETYPES AND INCLUDE MORE NUANCED AND VARIED PORTRAYALS OF WOMEN, AS THEIR CURRENT REPRESENTATION IS UNREALISTIC AND HARMFUL.

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I HATE COLLEEN HOOVER, and here’s why HAZEL KURNIADI

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover was the end of me–and not in a mind-blowing, revolutionary way that leaves you lost in a shock of spiralling thoughts for days. Maybe I was lost in surprise at how quickly I could devour pages of poor prose, but more so how the internet was praising these works as if they changed the entire course of literature—and, furthermore, how the shocking glorification of abuse and unhealthy relationships has and continues to circulate the media. After finishing It Ends With Us, swayed by the frenzy of high praise revolving “BookTok,” I decided it entertained me and thus I awarded it a whopping 4/5 stars. Upon further reflection and discussion with another one of my friends who shares a burning hatred for Colleen Hoover books, I removed my high star rating for these reasons: First off, the writing was just bad. The book being 90% dialogue repetitively consisted of just “he said, she said” while the inner monologue narrations built up personas through direct characterization. Essentially, you’re reading exactly what’s on the line—nothing behind, nothing between. Now, some people love this, and I get that. It’s simple, light hearted, a fun quick read. When encapsulated in the fictional world of Colleen Hoover’s books, I admit, time flies by. The engrossing plot twists and captivating storylines wrapped in a dramatized style provide riveting pieces of entertainment that appeal to new readers. 38

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Yet don’t let this compel you towards an automatic five stars, since this is just a scratch on the surface of the world of literature! Throughout It Ends With Us, my mind was driven to notice the poorly structured sentences chopped up amongst each paragraph. Personally, I lean towards poetic narratives with character driven plots, so it’s reasonable to suggest that this style simply wasn’t for me, yet I couldn’t help questioning over the course of the book whether I was reading an internet sensational novel, or a Wattpad story. While browsing through the book aisle of a Value Village, Colleen Hoover’s November 9 caught my eye and I can’t say no to any $5 book—so here I am again with high hopes and a second chance. I now understand why this book ended up in the donation pile because no plot has mortified me more than the atrocity of November 9. More importantly beyond merely just preference in writing style, the sickening offences that are overly romanticized in the Hoover community, such as rape culture and abuse, overrules all. The profuse amount of trauma her novels contain becomes so absurd to the point where it becomes tiringly repetitive, unrealistic, and above all, incredibly harmful for an audience of young readers (largely women). In response to a passionately angered reader named Whitney, who pointed out a scene that directly contributed to rape culture in which Ben forcefully shoves his hand up Fallon’s skirt demanding she asks him to stop for a second time, Colleen Hoover went back and edited the scene out.

Hoover lacks sincerity for heavy subject matter and in fact exploits people’s trauma to attempt to heighten her novels, and that is what makes her a terrible author. Throughout November 9, Fallon is constantly objectified by Ben, starting at the very first chapter where his first thoughts begin by sexualizing her to satisfy his curiosities, “If we’re just going to sit here and stare at each other, it’d be nice if she were showing a little cleavage, instead of wearing this long-sleeved shirt that leaves everything to the imagination.” (24) and on the next page, “I begin to mentally undress her, and not in a sexual way. I’m just curious. Really curious.” (25). These ideas flat out reinstate the essence of the male gaze, that is, “we as women exist to please men”, shown again through the quote “There’s just enough showing at her neckline to keep me good and happy.” (56) Ben’s obsession with any given opportunity to view Fallon’s burn scars from her accident becomes a fetish, as he forcefully manipulates her into vulnerability she’s not ready for. In multiple scenes, Fallon is hesitant and uncomfortable, and Ben fools her into believing what he’s doing is okay because it is love, “She’s tense everywhere beneath my touch. ‘Does this bother you?’... ‘I don’t know,’...There’s something about the way it feels beneath my fingertips that makes me want to keep touching her.” (60-61). The uncertainty of Fallon’s response is an answer in itself. Hoover perpetuates misogynistic ideals to readers by romanticizing a man’s control over an uncomfortable situation, marking it as playful seduction and normalizing submissiveness as food for male dominance. ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

Stringing along the thread of male superiority, Hoover repeatedly writes the ‘damsel in distress’ trope through the struggling protagonist who is repeatedly hit by a million curveballs throughout the novel until they finally stumble upon a man who in the end fixes all their problems. People turn to reading as a method of escapism through the fantasy of happy endings and the comforting thought of the survival of love through it all, but I was turned off at the level of sexist unrealism. My initial intrigue towards Colleen Hoover’s most popular book, It Ends With Us, revolved around the fact that its basis on a true story gives a voice to domestic abuse survivors, yet I felt like the rushed ending and focus on romance in the novel took away from the message behind it. Colleen Hoover's novels are branded as contemporary romances, yet I couldn’t help feeling throughout her books that they would be better off without the unnecessary love triangles. It felt unnatural and irrelevant to the plot—especially when touching on serious topics of traumatizing events. The addition of romance interpreted the message that a partner can heal you when, in reality, the two (healing from trauma and getting into relationships) often don’t mix.

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Hoover’s twisted perception of romance is just not a ‘trend’ I can get behind. My admittedly biased opinion, influenced by the fact that romance is one of my least favourite genres, is an unpopular one—yet I hope you give Colleen Hoover novels a second thought. An uncommon claim holds no superiority for simply straying from the crowd, but I encourage you to take an independent stance in our day and age of heavy social media influence—whether it stands with or against the majority, let it be one that reflects your morals, in balance with your emotions (that like myself, may, in all honesty, admire the fastpaced passion of a sappy romance once in a while). The internet can agree that it’s not hard to burn through a Colleen Hoover book, but through the recognition of its problematic concepts, it fell nowhere near my expectations of a good read.

LEILA’S SONG OF THE MONTH: MARCH 2022 “Everything You’ve Come to Expect,” the fourth track on the same-titled second album of The Last Shadow Puppets has March written all over it. If I had to choose any song to represent this month, it would be this one. The heartwarming, calming vocal notes and guitar riffs created by frontman Alex Turner and guitarist Miles Kane form delicate melodies that match the vibes of this month perfectly; halfway done school, in the dead of winter, counting down the days until the summer. The intriguing lyrics have been considered art by many, especially when accompanied by the art that are the unique sounding tempos and band chords over top Turner’s vocals. When choosing a song for this month, I was immediately drawn to this one due to the fact that once this time of the year comes along, I get reminded of this wonderful tune and end up listening to it any chance I can. Whether you’re riding the bus home from school, completing homework, or spending time with yourself, use this song to relax and rejuvenate. I hope you enjoy this piece of art just as much as I do. 32

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS

Analysis of III: Two Different Perspectives ANASTASIA I discovered the Lumineers album III last March at home during the pandemic. Cadence was kind enough to share it with me, and it would be an understatement to say that it’s changed my life forever. I like to say that it had such a substantial impact because of how it was openly able to evoke so many emotions that as a society we simply never talk about. Oftentimes, all it takes is a song to bring out so much that we hold inside of us for so long. Something that made this album so incredibly special for me was the short film that evolved into a cinematic masterpiece. Despite there being somewhat of an intended storyline behind the album, it is not blatantly clear, and can be interpreted differently. My overall interpretation is that the album is an introduction to the tragic story of the Sparks family. Although, I am a strong believer that we should not give so much meaning to a song before listening ourselves, and rather let the listener develop their own meaning, personal to them.

CADENCE I have always been a Lumineers fan and, from the ripe age of seven, my mom would play “Ho Hey” all throughout the house. Something about the Lumineers really stood out to me, whether that was Wesley Shultz’ vocals, or Jeremiah Fraites’ instrumentals, I had connected to their songs on a level I’ve never before. Even though the Lumineers have their famous classics that everyone knows, like “Ophelia,” I have to say that the album III has to be my favourite. Not only did they create a storyline for the album, but they made short films with each song as well. I got to learn about such complex and raw characters, some of which are familiar to me. Of course each interpretation is unique and different, hence why Anastasia and I will be comparing and contrasting ours. I encourage you to listen to this album on your own and watch the short films. Your interpretation is uniquely yours and just as important and impactful. I hope it has as big of an impact on you as it does me.

INTRODUCTION

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA DONNA This piano ballad paints a picture of a lost mother, grown and having lived— or rather, wasted a life already. I believe Donna is the oldest or furthest in the family cycle we’re introduced to. She is in the midst of new love with her stable husband, and is slowly becoming exhausted of her need for independence she developed as a child, now having to care for her own newborn. As she is bringing to life a new generation of her own, she is struggling with her demons: alcoholism, trauma, and suicide. As much as she wants an alternative life for her new baby, she has trouble moving forward from her childhood. As hard as she tries to change things for the better, her past will continue to follow, or rather, chase her. No one understands the way she feels, and her husband is in confusion over her disproportionate behaviour, however, he will never understand her past, nor her struggles. LIFE IN THE CITY I like to think of this song as a grand feeling rather than a moment. I believe this is the story of Donna when her daughter, Gloria, fell in love. She grew up and is experiencing life for herself, still dealing with her tricky childhood with Donna. In the moment, she was transformed and it felt in the simplest form, different for her. Her whole life just felt numb, except for this one moment where everything felt unearthly. (continued on next page)

CADENCE DONNA I believe that Donna is the mother of the family—not only of the members. but also the addiction that runs through it. Her own mother is not present in her life and Donna, due to her depression, wishes she could join her in the afterlife. Her entire life she has been followed by these traumas and battles, and now they've crept up until the time where she is now a mother; she can't take care of herself and her child at the same time. How do you properly care for your child if you can't take care of yourself? She is alone in this battle, and her husband can not fathom the kind of pain she is in, nor the depths of it. It is a beautiful representation of the realities of pain and trauma, it is not something that is easy to escape. Whether or not you've experienced it, it is obvious that one's lifetime is extremely affected by the hurt they’ve previously felt. Often, the feelings never leave. LIFE IN THE CITY The second song from the album brings the listeners back in time to watch the beginning of Gloria’s addiction. Gloria is Donna’s daughter and the baby described in the previous song, Donna. To me, this whole song tells the story of her downfall with alcoholism as she uses it as an escape (continued on next page)

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA LIFE IN THE CITY (continued) She was always a country girl, however, when she visited the city, her whole life changed. She felt renewed, and wanted to stay still in that moment of time forever. At the end of the song, were given a piece from Sleep On The Floor as the beat slows down, “And if the sun don't shine on me today, and if the subways flood and bridges break, will you lay down and dig your grave, or will you run against your dying day?” I think the very end of this song brings us back to her tragic reality: that life will never be like this. How can Life In The City be so close to touching, but never able to be fully grasped? It also poses a salient question she is asking herself. She is on her own and must fend for herself. She can live in the moment and experience life, however, she will only be escaping confronting her past. GLORIA I gather that the whole album has a theme of alcoholism. The family’s problems dealing with their addiction are passed down through generations and, as much as they battle, they are tied to their chains. I believe this song has a faster beat and is considered one of the happier songs of the album, however I believe the quickness of the beat is to demonstrate the neverending cycle that cannot reach an end. In the song, we find Gloria praying “heaven help me now, heaven show the way, get me back on my own two feet.” (continued on next page)

CADENCE LIFE IN THE CITY (continued) from the negative things in life; including her childhood. Her upbringing occurred in the countryside, surrounded by smalltown buildings and hay piles—and this is the life she needed to get away from. This was the root of her trauma. as her mother was an alcoholic herself, while severely struggling with her mental illness. Life In The City is a life away from everything, all her monsters and all of her past. It is almost as if she viewed it as a rebirth, a fresh start at life. In these moments in the city, she forgot it all. It felt amazing. However, that is not how it works, you can just run away from your damage, it will follow you..

GLORIA “Gloria, will you just decide? Gloria, there are easier ways to die Gloria, have you had enough?” From a strangers perspective, watching someone destroy themselves from the inside out is extremely toilsome and arduous. Gloria Sparks was inspired by a member of bandmember Wesley Shultz’s family, and he stated that “Gloria is an addict and no amount of love or resources could save her. She’s now been homeless for over a year.” It is evidently demonstrated to just what extent surrounding can do. The honest answer, and the one people may not like to hear, is close to nothing.(continued on next page)

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA ANASTASIA GLORIA (continued) As much as she grieves her independence just like her mother, she cannot battle this one alone and struggles with confronting that. IT WASN'T EASY TO BE HAPPY FOR YOU I believe this song is written about a girl, by someone from the line of the Sparks family—perhaps Junior, Gloria's son. It is a song about love, loss, and redemption. They are both broken, longing for the same poison. However, they love each other—or perhaps they are sticking together because they only have each other anyway. One of the partners is struggling with depression, and the other is singing about how they want them to be happy, however, they continuously fail to succeed due to their mal mental state. It is clear that they have anger management problems, and either is staying with each other because that seems like the only possible option for them. They think this is the closest they can get to happiness. LEADER OF THE LANDSLIDE This song was the first song I ever encountered that touched me in a deeper form. The short film outlines a clear story: alcoholic father and hopeless romantic son, both longing for love they never received. It does not explicitly answer our questions, however, I believe it is a developmental song of the (continued on next page).

CADENCE GLORIA (continued) It is one's duty to help themself, there should be no relying on other people. Especially when it comes to a matter so serious, detrimental, and destructive. This one song had such an impact on me because I am a person who, when I see people struggling or even upset. I put it upon myself to comfort them and make them feel better. Once I find out that there's nothing I can do but offer them my support and watch, it breaks my heart. It is a sense of guilt and agony I will never experience in any other situation. Hearing this song made me feel heard, understood, and comforted. Now that sounds odd considering the context of the song, however, once you have confirmed that there is really nothing you can do, it helps you detach yourself from the person doing the damage so that you don't get as hurt. Please remember, it is never your fault. IT WASN'T EASY TO BE HAPPY FOR YOU This song was stated to be about heartbreak and loss, and the theme of young love. Junior Sparks, Gloria's son is shown to have a significant other of some sort and is exchanging romantic moments with one another. Junior's eyes look lifeless, he doesn't look alive enough to be in a relationship or to be sharing his life with anyone. The love interest tried to make him interested and able (continued on next page).

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA LEADER OF THE LANDSLIDE (continued) five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, however, he does not get to the latter. The song is written from the Junior's perspective, describing their analysis of his father. It is outwardly clear that the father is abusive, and that the two of them frequently get into fights. The son notices that the father is in love with someone he never met. He is asking questions to discover more information on this supposed woman that he is infatuated with, and then ends up finding a woman of his own which develops into an almost identical storyline. He chooses to have a different ending to his story with this girl. Junior is frustrated and upset—at what specifically is unknown. Perhaps not his father directly, but at the illness, at the alcohol, at the cycle no one is taking responsibility to end— perhaps at his parents themselves as well. As a child, he had his fight trying to help his dad change, but he could only do so much as a kid. At the end of the day, he realises he was only ever a child robbed from his innocence. He struggles to deal with the feeling of powerlessness, wanting to help but not able to. A few minutes into the song, he perceives it as a plea for his innocence, a plea for his childhood, for everything he never received. He is asking for it all back and recognizes what he's been dealt with. Amidst his singing, he builds courage to realise he was never the problem (continued on next page)

CADENCE IT WASN'T EASY TO BE HAPPY FOR YOU (continued) to be with her, however, there just isn't a chance of it working. While they struggle to achieve that level of connection that a couple has, the girl becomes frustrated and leaves. This is a beautiful demonstration of how, to love another person, you have to first love yourself. You must try to be in a romantic or non-platonic relationship without first being able to be happy and satisfied with yourself. It is obviously inferred that Junior struggles with some sort of mental health difficulties, making it difficult to have that love that's needed. LEADER OF THE LANDSLIDE As I stated before, Gloria is the mother of the family and the one who symbolizes the root of the addiction that runs through it. I believe that the Leader of the Landslide means the person who initiated and almost caused, the downfall of everyone else around them. The song is stated to be in Jimmy’s perspective and shows the dynamic between him and his father in his daily life. It is obvious that Junior is still disappointed with his father as he watches him pour alcohol in his morning coffee. As the song is slow, so is the content of the story. Once the beat picks up and the instruments play louder, so does Junior's head. Jimmy invites his friends. who are also substance users, over to his house for what seems to be a party (continued on next page)

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA LEADER OF THE LANDSLIDE (continued) He discovers he is done with his fathers behaviour and will no longer fight with his demons. He is singing to take back the power he lost. Growing up, he only ever wanted a father. Someone to guide him into adulthood, however, he never received that. He is realising that this outcome was only one of terrible grassroots for his dad as well. He has never gotten a break from his father and can only hope for his departure. Although it seems selfish, he has no other option. His innocence was robbed from him. After grieving for so long, he surpassses the anger and once again realises he can only do so much. No matter what, he is tied to his roots, and as much as he tries to be better, there will always be a part of him that is connected to his father. Overtime, the song becomes a scream of frustration, to a cry for help. He is upset that he needs to be an adult and break the cycle, because he himself is a teenager in love and wants to experience life for himself. At the end, he is left alone with his father and his trauma. In conclusion, he connects his dad to himself, as believes he was always his son in the first place and will never become better than him. He will always be the product of failure. He believes he is too far gone to begin the necessary change.“The only thing I know is that we're in too deep.” He is left with two inevitable decisions: pain or death. He is debating whether it is better to be left with an abusive addict, or by himself. He then realises it was only ever himself all along.

CADENCE LEADER OF THE LANDSLIDE (continued) To no one's surprise, there are drugs, alcohol. and even weapons everywhere. Junior is evidently uncomfortable, but he doesn't look surprised—almost as if this is not something that has happened before. Jimmy looks at his son fondly just before tossing him a beer. I believe his intentions were to include his son in something he likes to do, and it shows he was happy he's there. This is seemingly normal and okay to Jimmy because of his childhood—and due to the fact that he lived with an alcoholic mother. Junior refuses the beer and throws it back at him, sending Jimmy into a chaotic rage. Of course Junior knows that his fathers behaviour is not normal and that he is an alcoholic with deep-rooted battles of his own— and I can infer this because of the modern setting of the album, where we see Junior scrolling through Instagram. The lyrics, “Is she dead, is she fine....Every day, every night....Fate has dealt me a lonely blow, I said, ooh....Tried to help, only hurt.....In the end I made it worse.....Is she dead, is she fine....Every day, every night.” lead me to believe that, while Jimmy was struggling with his mother's alcoholism and trying to help her, he kicked Gloria out of the house, to save Junior’s innocence and to keep him safe.

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA

CADENCE

LEFT FOR DENVER I believe this song is a runaway song, but rather metaphorically. I theorise that it’s written from Juniors perspective, as he is witnessing a reflection of his partner's childhood, and they decide to finally leave their chains they were tied to. The girl, who has a neglectful childhood of her own grows up and eventually learns she is better off gone from the same old town and the same old feelings. She is not sure why, but she wants to leave and forget everything. We're not sure if she were able to find a better future for herself, however, we discover that she does decide to move on. She is provided with a new start, whilst Junior is struggling to comprehend why she left in the very first place. Perhaps he is looking at his partner, jealous of her ability to break free and find a new start when he cannot, despite all his efforts.

LEFT FOR DENVER Ths was the first song where I really truly empathised with a character. Junior is really truly trying to break the destructive cycle he was born into and I have a lot of respect for him. Not only was he born into it, but he loathes it. Every single day. Waking up to a father like Jimmy and spending your life watching someone you love self destruct, every single day and still having the courage and determination to attempt to break through it. As he walks around his house—looking at the mess, destruction, and filth—it hurts him to know that this was his entire life. His childhood. He decided to burn the wooden piano that sat in his house, and he does so in a freeing way. He watches it as it burns, almost as if the piano symbolises something he wanted to lose or get rid of. The video leaves the audience in suspense as Junior leaves into his car with a gun, and drives away.

MY CELL This song dives more into Junior's father who we recognize as Jimmy Sparks. Although throughout the album he is depicted as the reason Junior's life is destroyed, he introduces us to a glimpse of his life and how he was never dealt the easiest cards either. He talks about the wonderful things he's experienced in his life, and he is struggling to understand his life in retrospect—acknowledging the ecstatic memories while being blindsided (continued on next page)

MY CELL This song is from the point of view of Junior's father, Jimmy Sparks. Jimmy is a man who, with no surprise, struggles with his own issues and past. What is a cell? It is like a home, but one that's forced upon us. That seems to be accurate to what Jimmy is living in, a life that had seemed to be forced onto him. The abuse that follows him in all aspects in his life. He is in a constant state of trouble and (continued on next page)

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ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA MY CELL (continued) by his past hurt as well. He is stuck in his own “cell” of never ending pain and addiction that haunts him forever. He dives deeper into his loneliness and how he uses alcoholism to escape from his negative emotions as well. He feels uncomfortable acknowledging his behaviours, and feels the only option is to continue. JIMMY SPARKS I think that Jimmy Sparks is the follow up Juniors life once the “girl” leaves. He is doing well, out on his own living in the same old town. He was a hard worker and developed a great work ethic, he aspired to be different from his father. He did not have an easy life, however, he himself became a father— and he needed money. He was put in a difficult situation, due to which he dwelled into his past. He stole to make a living, and he hated how the greediness and impulsivity reminded him of his father. However, he knew that he did it for his kids' future. He gets caught and asks for some empathy, elucidating his situation and how he was inclined to do it. He realises it is impossible to describe years and years of trauma and cycles that words cannot explain. He gets put in prison and is not able to be there for the upbringing of his child. He is continuously pleading for a different future. He feels so much guilt for what he did, and is now stuck in his own literal “cell,” not being able to make changes (continued on next page)

CADENCE MY CELL (continued) destruction that he doesn't have any way out. It is impossible now, being born into it and having these addictions and demons follow you all the way up until you yourself have children. He will forever have to live with his brain, the one that endured and suffered all of the trauma. He is forced to live with it, just as one is forced to be locked up in a cell. He is alone and isolated in this cell, and doesn't have anyone to help him out. He’s locked up with his alcohol addiction and his regret. At the same time I believe that. although he is stuck there, there is a part of him that enjoys it— he doesn't have to do the hard stuff outside, and he has found comfort in the pain. JIMMY SPARKS In this song, we are brought back in time to an earlier period of Jimmy’s life. He worked as a prison guard, a career where having tough skin is required. This song, along with Leader of the Landslide, relate back to the philosophical contemplation and result of the choices of Donna, Jimmy, and Junior. It was honestly heartbreaking to listen to this song. Jimmy was just a father who tried to do the best for his son—he went to extreme lengths and got into dangerous situations just so he could ensure that his son had a better life than him. When his wife left him, that's (continued on next page)

III: THE LUMINEERS

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA

JIMMY SPARKS (continued) for his future, however, in a different way from his father. It is now society that is keeping him from changing, and he feels the same powerless feeling he always felt as a child which terrifies him. APRIL This short piano song I believe ties together the tragedy of this family. They alternate from the same feelings of brokenness and hope that they never received. They all want better for each other, but no one takes the initiative to end the cycle because they believe it was their parents that should've taken the responsibility. There is no one to blame in the end, because they all had their faults, however it all came from their own childhood. Everyone has fought so hard for a new future, especially Junior —however, they never got it. Now Junior's son lives without his father, and it distinctly reminds Junior of how his father was never present in an emotional sense, as he was severely abusive. In the short film, we see a picture of the Sparks family. They look tired, exhausted and truly hopeless. But, at the end of the day, how do you find the line between anger for their behaviour, and remorse for their childhood? We are observing a family of lost opportunities and failure as it is depicted.

CADENCE

JIMMY SPARKS (continued) where the addictions and the abuse really set in—which makes sense. It doesn't excuse it but it explains it. Due to the fact that Bonnie also was not the first significant woman in his life to leave him, he probably felt hopeless and depressed— contemplating his worth. When we see Jimmy—whose motives and actions were so pure deep down—be mangoed and bloody, stumbling down the road, it is truly upsetting. After all, Junior did not deserve the childhood that he was given— and Jimmy was truly an awful father to Junior. Junior was the one who ended up suffering after something that his mom and grandmother had caused, it is not fair. APRIL It made me really happy when I heard an instrumental song on the album. I believe that it gives the audience a blank canvas to improvise the meaning and the story begging for it, and permits them to try and fill in the blank. There finally are not any words to fill it in for you. To me, it represented the unfinished purpose of the family, to break the cycle that they are all stuck in. Their addictions. Their trauma. Most importantly, they're carrying it on to others around them. No matter how hard they fought, it just was not possible for any of them—they could not come back from the grave.The end of the short film is a family photo of all of them, sitting on the porch of the childhood home that we keep coming back to. They are all sitting there, and while we see them physically standing, they are neither mentality nor emotionally available. They are broken souls screaming and pleading for help, a away to break out of this murderous cycle. .

III: THE LUMINEERS

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

ANASTASIA DIMAS AND CADENCE PARSONS ANASTASIA

SALT AND THE SEA As the last song of the III album, I believe this song talks about the love, or rather the lack of, present throughout the album. Although the album takes a rather mellow tone, this song provides us with a glimpse of love that they experienced throughout their lives, relating the “salt and the sea.” At certain points in their lives they were able to experience their own versions of love, and for that they are grateful. Perhaps they were searching for the love they never received in others, hopelessly longing and searching for a person that could give them an alternative ending to their story. Of course, they were never able to succeed because they did not face the root of their problems, however, their lust for other beings felt refreshing, until they realised they were searching for a replica of their parents. As this is the last song on the album, we’re finally reminded that they are tied to their addictions. Eventually they become aware of this, realising that the love they found was too similar to compare to their own childhood, what they're used to. It is a frustrating process for them because they somehow ended up in the same place they were trying to escape. To them it feels like they've lost their independence because they did this to themselves. Set themselves up for destruction, however they know it is not their fault at core. It is a constant battle between reality and the past. In conclusion, this album dives into our tragic inability to fully escape from our past at times, and how it can appear in any place of our lives, even love.

CADENCE

SALT AND THE SEA This is such a powerful metaphor, stating that the two are permanently intermixed. Jimmy's struggle with addictions, even when he's alone. In a social way, he still has a friend to turn to —that being his addiction. Old enemies like salt and the sea is such a powerful metaphor—it means that they are almost permanently intermixed, changing the water and making it undrinkable for humans. Just as the water is undrinkable for people , Jimmy is also incapable of personal connections because of the grip that addiction has on him. It's the kind of relationship where when the high passes and things are good - the two get along, and are friends. However, when the addiction takes over again, the other will be the enemy again and fight them from giving in. “I'm not leaving you - like the Salt and the Sea.” The song is written from the point of view of the family member of the addict, the one watching their loved one self-destruct. The end of the song consists of an instrumental piece—a piece that leaves me feeling empty. The lyrics regarding salt and the sea are symbolic to how you don’t always want two things to be together, but they’re meant to be together. He’s singing about how difficult it is to resist, which is also shown by the music which sounds like; it’s meant to sound like a descent into madness and, at the end when things are calm, it’s after he’s been convinced. All the chaos of pain,anxiety,sickness wash away as the music gets quieter and quieter—possibly also representing the life of an addict, chaos until disaster.

III: THE LUMINEERS

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

ATTACHED: ANALYSING THE FOUR DIFFERENT ATTACHMENT STYLES Anastasia Dimas

As humans, we are born with the biological need to be understood, heard, and seen. There are many different psychological theories that suggest an understanding of self—such as the Enneagram, the 5 Love Languages, or the Myers-Briggs test. In addition to these is the “Four Attachment Styles theory” which was developed by John Bowley, a famous psychologist. The theory was created in the late 1950s and began in the examination of the parent-child relationship. Studying infants, Bowley came to the conclusion that an “attachment gene” belongs to each own upon birth. There are four recognized attachment styles: secure, anxious-ambivalent, disorganized, and avoidant. Additionally, attachments can often be passed down through generations. Understanding your attachment style is a fundamental process to discovering your behaviours and thought process. Not only will it aid you towards the comprehension of your own primary needs and faults, however, it also has the power to strengthen your relationships in the belief that everyone is different. Monday, we will look at the four attachments in brief. Anxious attachment: A key component to the anxious attachment style is codependency. For individuals with said attachment style, spending time away from their partner or those whom they heavily rely on can tend to cause high amounts of anxiety. Many with anxious attachments typically have a fear of abandonment that can differ in levels of severity. They often have a deep-rooted fear that others are not as invested in their relationships and do not put in as much effort as they do themselves. It is known that these people have a positive view of others, however, a negative self-image. This style can tend to be the opposite of the avoidant style, as they crave emotional closeness. Their needs include reassurance, support, responsiveness, and approval from those with whom they are close. Once they sense someone withdrawing or disengaging from the relationship, they often become clingy and “desperate” to regain the attention of the other.

Avoidant-dismissive attachment: Those with an avoidantdismissive attachment are very independent beings. Earlier in their life, there may have been a time when they were forced to fend for themselves and, as a result, developed a self-sufficient manner. They typically have a positive view of their individuality and can think highly of themselves due to their own hard work and self-image. They often experience feelings of emotional closeness as uncomfortable, as they are deeprooted in their freedom and independence. Many can develop trust issues. Over time, they learn to avoid growing emotionally closer. They are experts at suppressing their emotions and remaining true to themselves. As they are self-reliant, they internally believe that relationships are not essential to their human experience. They are not worried about social bonds or opinions, and do not feel the need to search for approval from others.

Secure attachment: Three out of the four attachment styles (anxious, avoidant, and disorganized) are all known as insecure attachments. Instead, this attachment style is associated with a healthy ability to express emotions. Individuals with said style have low anxiety and are comfortable with the idea of intimacy. They do not spend their time worrying about rejection or losing their relationships. Empathy, honesty, and emotional intimacy are all important factors which form the base of this attachment style. They can both depend on others and be independent without losing their sense of self. This attachment style is identified as the healthiest, because they are able to have solid relationships through regulating themselves whilst being with another.

Disorganized or fearful-avoidant: Often known as the “mixed signals” attachment style, disorganized attachments have tendencies from both the avoidant and anxious styles. They’re typically drawn by both fear and passion. Although they experience troubles in relationships and may have had negative experiences relying on others, they have an internal desire for intimacy and closeness. They often have unresolved emotions and experience heavy confusion that immerses them in silent overthinking, often having high recollections of past losses or negative memories. In social groups, they can be antisocial and appear to have a lack of empathy or remorse, often caused by their past unresolved attachments. This attachment style can often be the most difficult to navigate as, although they experience difficulty regulating their emotions, they have a fear of getting hurt.

LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS

In conclusion, understanding your attachment style can help guide you in relationships— whether romantic or otherwise. It can provide insight on how you feel and often connects to what you’ve developed throughout childhood. Being aware of the way you attach can also help you in changing and improving your thinking as well as behaviour for the better. Remember that although you may relate to one of the attachment styles, they can fluctuate overtime. Receiving a better understanding is a helpful tool, but is not a replacement for therapy or any other aids. For further research, perhaps check out the book Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller.

LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS | 53

DAAL MAKHANI VEGAN RECIPES WITH ANASTASIA

Recently, I have been immersed into everything there is to know about Indian cuisine. I’ve tried about ten different Indian restaurants and a number of dishes. However, there is sole platter that I make sure to incorporate into my diet on a weekly basis: Daal Makhani—a dish that has always always reminded me of the Greek delicacy, Φακές, though with an Indian twist. Though at first I began to order it mildly spice, however, I slowly transitioned into ordering “very hot.” After months into my Indian cuisine phase, I realised that I can no longer be spending so much money on the same dish each week; so I decided to make it from home. I experimented with a variety of recipes, however, there is only one I’ve been able to find that contains the true essence of Daal Makhani—while still remaining vegan. The traditional recipe is from Rainbow Plant Life, though I switched it up slightly since it was challenging to get my hands on all the spices while staying “very hot.” I also simplified it for those who are always on the move with not much time to add the extra ‘spice’ into their dishes. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

NOTES

LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS

DAAL MAKHANI SERVINGS: 6

PREPPING TIME: 1 HOUR

INGREDIENTS 1 cup (205g) whole urad dal (lentils) ¼ cup (44g) dried kidney beans 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 4 green cardamom pods, seeds only (¼ heaping tsp of seeds) 3 whole cloves 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium-large red onion, very finely diced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated

COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS

DIRECTIONS 1. Boil the lentils and the kidney beans until soft. Drain them afterwards and mash them together with a bit of water with a utensil of your choice. Set aside. 2. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a large pan and add in the chopped onions, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and cumin seeds once hot. Cook for about 5 minutes. Prepare your other spices to add in ahead of time while onions are cooking. Follow up by adding the

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

ginger, garlic, tomato paste, nutmeg, coriander, red

2 tablespoons tomato paste

chile powder, and salt and pepper to taste. A minute

⅛ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon coriander ½ teaspoon Indian red chile powder (1 tsp for a spicier version; 1/4 tps for a mild version) 2 teaspoons kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper 2 medium tomatoes (8-10 oz, 230-280g), diced ½ cup (120 mL) full-fat coconut milk 1 cup (12g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more as needed ½ teaspoon olive oil Tadka 3 tablespoons (42g) coconut oil 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut ½ teaspoon Indian red chile powder 1 tablespoon cayenne

later, add the tomatoes. Cook for another five minutes. 3. Add in your lentils and kidney beans on the pan. Stir, LOTS. Cook on low heat for approximately 50-80 minutes, the longer the better. 4. After cooking, add in the cilantro, lemon juice, and full-fat milk. 5. On a separate pan, cook the coconut oil and add your ginger. Once it is boiling, add in your red chile powder and cayenne. Add right away to the large dal pan. 6. When ready to serve, sprinkle a bit of olive oil over top as desired.

NOTES Be as generous as you wish with the seasoning and spices. If you enjoy spice, add more, or add less if it is not desired. You are your best chef! LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS

SOURCES Attached: analyzing the four different attachment styles https://thewaveclinic.com/blog/what-are-the-different-types-ofattachment/#:~:text=Bowlby%20identified%20four%20types%20of,%2Dambivalent%2C%20disorganised%20and%20avoidant. https://www.attachmentproject.com/blog/four-attachment-styles/ https://www.evergreenpsychotherapycenter.com/styles-adult-attachment/ Vegan Daal Makhani https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-dal-makhani/ Female film tropes and the misrepresentation of women in film https://www.avclub.com/the-bataan-death-march-of-whimsy-case-file-1-elizabet-1798210595 https://www.salon.com/2014/07/15/im_sorry_for_coining_the_phrase_manic_pixie_dream_girl/ I hate Colleen Hoover https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25111004-november-9?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=iw7GUEXjTz&rank=1 https://metro.co.uk/2016/12/28/this-youtuber-is-calling-out-colleen-hoover-for-her-damaging-romance-scenes-6347123/ Our twisted view of addicts and the danger of addiction as a teenager https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt32879/NSDUHsaeTotal2019/2019NSDUHsaeTotal.pdf https://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/information.html The exclusion and underrepresentation of women in the field of computer science https://www.computerscience.org/resources/women-in-computer-science/ https://today.ttu.edu/posts/2021/09/Stories/why-is-computer-science-unpopular-among-women https://www.peijes.com/gallery/no.2-year2-2020-1-proedu_kordaki_and_berdousis.pdf https://ncwit.org/resources/top-10-ways-families-can-encourage-girls-interest-in-computing/ https://code.org/girls What is our fundamental nature? Hobbes, T., & A., G. J. (1998). Leviathan (Oxford world's classics). Oxford University Press. www.vox.com/conversations/2017/5/23/15516752/science-human-nature-free-will-robert-sapolsky-interview http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/cup/xunzi_human_nature.pdf http://www.med.wisc.edu/news-and-events/2011/november/psychopaths-brains-differences-structure-function/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/psychological-power-satan/ Maya's Report on Business: March and April https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/01/stocks-making-the-biggest-moves-midday-target-kroger-foot-locker-and-more.html https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-economy-grew-through-omicron-wave-boosting-chance-of-bankof/ https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/01/with-inflation-and-ukraine-powell-must-thread-a-needle-on-capitol-hill-this-week-to-calmmarkets.html https://www.hedgeweek.com/2022/02/28/312424/new-sec-proposal-would-make-it-easier-sue-hedge-funds-mutual-fundsnegligence https://globalnews.ca/news/8585983/cannabis-canada-economy-legalization-report/ https://globalnews.ca/news/8609587/despite-covid-pandemic-in-person-shopping-still-strong-riocan-reit-ceo/ https://www.hedgeweek.com/2022/02/22/312310/banner-year-laying-foundations-crypto-boom

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CONTRIBUTORS Maya Akkus Mattea Ceolin Amelia D'Arolfi Ami Delabbio Anastasia Dimas Leila Durante Hazel Kurniadi Cadence Parsons Georgia Pomozova-Mann Nicole Sandels Soma Savage Elena Vlitas Sipora West Gloria Yan Allie Zavagno THANK YOU... 57

PEARL MAGAZINE issue 7 @_PEARLMAGAZINE PEARLMAGAZINE.NET PEARLMAGAZINE1@GMAIL.COM DISCLAIMER: ALL IMAGES ARE NOT OUR OWN, ALL CREDITS GO TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS. WE DO NOT CLAIM ANY STATISTICS OUR OTHER INFORMATIVE RESOURCES AS OUR OWN. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR CREDIT, REMOVAL, ETC. OPINIONS ARE INDIVIDUAL TO THE WRITER AND NOT MEANT TO CREATE ANY HARM, DEFAMATION, OFFENCE, OR PLAGARISM.