The
Technician bulldogs.kettering.edu/technician
July 30, 2016
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Volume 120
Issue 1
Know Your IX At Kettering
By Adam Lecznar Editor in Chief Among the many physical changes and renovations being made to Kettering’s campus, a few administrative initiatives are also being implemented. One of these comes in the form of a campaign to raise awareness of Title IX, an anti-discrimination law that prohibits the discrimination of any person based on sex in educational systems or organizations which re-
Photo Courtesy of KetteringCommunications
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What’s Inside
Poetry Contest Reception
Kettering Odyssey
Movie Review The Junglebook
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Pokemon Go
Milkshakes Self-Serve
Catching Them All
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Road Construction
By Megan Cox Layout Editor
By Robert Lyman Staff Writer
Odyssey is a name and website that is quickly gaining popularity among younger generations, especially millennials. Launched in June of 2014, Odyssey was originally created to “...democratize the media business and elevate engagement, by magnifying broader perspectives and facilitating deeper conversations in and about the world...” In other words, the site gives people of all ages, genders, and cultures opportunities to voice their opinions and become more engaged in the happenings of today’s society, and it introduces them to the art of written expression. One can find pieces on topics ranging from domestic affairs to personal memoirs or experiences. Thus far, Odyssey users total about 30 million, which includes contributors and readers, and distribute about 50,000 pieces per month. People who are interested in being involved in Odyssey can apply on their muse website. They can apply to be a Creator, Editor-In-Chief, or Contributing Editor. Some students here at Kettering have started to write for the Odyssey and have spoken out about topics like Greek and college life. According to Ellen Hoffman, who said, “...it gives students a new platform to voice their opinions on topics that interest them..." For those people who would prefer to read what those in their community have to say, they can find Odyssey content either on their website or throughout social media.
Like most students staying in Campus Village this term, I arrived on campus early, ready to move into the apartment that would be my home for the next three months. And like most students, I was surprised to see construction workers all over the place on Chevrolet Avenue. It wasn’t a surprise to see them working on a road in Michigan, but it was a surprise to see them working on a road so close to Kettering so near the start of term. The reason they were there was easy enough to work out: new, white-cement berms formed pedestrian islands in the left-turn lane, which meant that I wouldn’t have to make a mad dash across Chevrolet Avenue every time I wanted to go to class or get something from BJ’s at 12:30am on Friday night. Like every student in Campus Village, I very much appreciate that. The berms aren’t the only new additions to the streets around Kettering, though. The pedestrian island on University Avenue has new, waist-high LED lamps that blink on at night to light the island, making sure that the cars whose drivers would normally refuse to slow down will actually see you crossing the street. Take it from me, NOT being hit by a car is the much better option for both you and the car. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. The new freshmen might not realize how nice it is to have a lit crosswalk at night while we’re out searching for Pokémon, but we older students sure do.
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Kettering Celebrates Library Renovations By Adam Lecznar Editor-In-Chief The library on the second floor of Kettering University’s Academic Building was filled with an unusual amount of activity on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Alongside diligent students studying and completing homework, other students and faculty members mingled in the newly spacious library study area. The guests were gathered to attend a reception celebrating the renovation of Kettering’s only student library, which had seen major changes to its layout and updates to computers open for student use. All in attendance enjoyed refreshments as they waited to hear a short address from university president Robert McMahan. Once McMahan arrived, he greeted all in attendance and spent a few minutes talking with some of those gathered before beginning his talk. “Have any of you tried the new milkshake machine?” McMahan asked the crowd with a grin, referencing another addition to the university that was one of his personal favorites, then continuing with his discussion of the library space. “This upgrade is part of a campus-wide effort to create student collaborative space. Many of those are here in the Academic Building.” McMahan was referencing areas such as the DSpaces, which are collaborative spaces for students to share ideas, new updates for the Chemistry DeContinued on Page 2
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The Technician
Announcements
F'Real Milkshakes Continued from Front Page By Becca Roughton Staff Writer If you haven’t been to the C-Store recently, the new F’Real milkshake and smoothie machine may be worth visiting. From the start of its service, this new installation had a number of students saying “shut up and take my BJ Bucks.” With each drink being advertised at $2.99 and numerous choices for flavor, it would be difficult to turn down such an offer. The machine began several different options for milkshakes, smoothies, and frozen coffee which includes: vanilla, chocolate, cake batter, cookies n’ cream, chocolate malt, peanut butter cup, mint chip, and cotton candy for milkshakes, mango, strawberry banana, and blueberry raspberry pomegranate for smoothies, and one frozen coffee option, frozen cappuccino. In addition to the vast amounts of flavors, the machine also boasts three different thickness options: less thick, regular, and more thick, allowing for even more customization of the desired treat. With these flavors and thicknesses in mind, there are a total of 36 different combinations available. In addition, F’Real offers a point-redeeming system which can be exchanged for gift cards, music, movies, books, and TV shows at the F’Real online store. No students have yet commented on their usage of the store or point system, but the system seems to require purchasers to text a picture of their receipt
to F’Real to be credited these points. Despite the attractive packaging and presentation, the facts behind the drinks aren’t quite as lovely. Nutritional information varies between flavors, but the sight usually isn’t pretty. Each milkshake contains almost 600 calories, 20 grams of fat (with between 50-60% of that being in saturated fat), and 60-70 grams of sugar. Meaning that in each milkshake, a drinker gets around 30% of their daily calories, 25% of their daily fat (and 70-80% of their daily saturated fat amount), and 25% of their daily carbohydrate amount in sugar (based on a diet of 2,000 calories). Smoothies fare a bit better, with one serving of fruit and their numbers being around 300 calories and 0 grams of fat; however, they still do contain 60-70 grams of sugar. The frozen cappuccino is also 300 calories, but contains 3 grams of fat (2.5 of which is saturated), and 58 grams of sugar. It is also important to note that the brand does warn against potential peanut allergy issues, stating that the drinks may contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, wheat or eggs from manufacturing and blending. Despite this, the milkshakes and smoothies have been a hit. When asked about their preferences, students had a variety of answers, indicating that there are several flavors worth trying. For milkshakes, mint chocolate chip, cookies n’ cream, and vanilla were the most popular, whereas mango was the most popular for smoothies. Most students asked reported choosing either regular or more thick for milkshakes, and regular for smoothies. So if you choose to treat yourself, consider stopping by and trying one of the new dessert options from the C-Store--there is a reason it’s bringing all the students to the yard, after all.
The
Technician Adam Lecznar
Editor-in-chief
Megan Cox
L ayout Editor
Gabrielle Feeny
Copy Editor
Jacob Hankerd
Online Editor
Bryan Boyse
Distribution Editor
Staff writers Ciro Napoletano Jacob Watt Jordan Mayer Robert Lyman Rebecca Roughton
Faculty Advisor Christine Levecq Special Thanks To Betsy Homsher & Debbie Stewart
Library Continued from Front Page partment, and recent renovations to third-floor study areas, which saw similar updates to the library. “These spaces are just wonderful,” McMahan said. “And we’re adding more and more. These spaces are widely popular, and reflect what will be added in the Learning Commons Building. Libraries especially continue to be centers of learning.” The library space had been outfitted with new computers linked to KUCloud, and several new whiteboards and desk spaces, and the previously obscuring rows of books had been reorganized and compiled in a more compact design, which opened up a large portion of the library. “This place was an absolute flurry of activity in the summer,” McMahan explained, referencing the huge amount of work that was required to make such updates, all taking place between the Spring 2016 and Summer 2016 academic terms while students were away. Finally McMahan thanked all those involved in updating these spaces for their hard work, welcoming them and the entire Kettering Community to “enjoy the fruits of your labor by seeing it in use.” After he had finished speaking, McMahan once again joined the crowd and spent some time talking with students and faculty before the event ended and students continued to make use of the new space.
Submissions Policy The Technician encourages any interested students to attend staff meetings. Meetings for Winter 2016 will be each Monday and Thursday over the lunch hour in The Technician office, located on the 3rd floor of the Campus Center above the Sunrise Café. Student submissions are encouraged and will be published if their material is in the public interest. Submissions or letters to the editor from faculty and administrative entities will be published if space is available. The Technician reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for brevity and clarity. Anonymous submissions are rarely published and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Individuals wishing to publish anonymously should consult the Editor-in-chief. The deadline for the upcoming issue of The Technician is 6th Tuesday at 6pm. Expected distribution is 7th Monday. Send submissions to atechnician@kettering.edu.
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Campus News
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Title IX Continued from Front Page ceive federal funding. Title IX began as a very simple, straightforward law when it was implemented in 1972. However, over time, the law was challenged in court by organizations in cases of sexual assault and misconduct. Each time it held up in the court of law, and as such has become one of the pivotal laws used in sexual assault cases. That is the reason Kettering is beginning this initiative. In a period in our history when numerous colleges and universities struggle with high numbers of sexual assault cases, Kettering is choosing to be proactive and improve knowledge and awareness of this important law. “We take this very seriously,” explained Kettering’s Title IX Coordinator and Dean of Students Betsy Homsher. “But we want people to know that [Kettering] does not have a huge issue with this. There is no evidence we have a huge problem.” The prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses is an issue that is still coming to light in the U.S. One of the most recent cases occurred at Baylor University, where the head coach of the football program and the president of the university were both fired because cases of sexual assault within the football program were not reported by staff. Indeed, one of Title IX’s initial intentions was to allow females athletes equal opportunity for joining athletic teams. Today it is often used in cases of sexual misconduct in university athletic programs, which see unsettlingly high numbers of sexual misconduct cases. “The notion of consent is becoming increasingly
important,” said Homsher. “It’s a contentious issue.” By launching the “Know Your IX” initiative, Kettering is attempting to raise awareness about Title IX and what it means. Part of the campaign involves Title IX training for every university employee, including RAs. Likewise, starting with the Class of 2021, each new student at Kettering, including transfer students, will be required to take a similar training called “Turning Points” to help students understand how to distinguish between different types of consent and make them aware of what resources are available for those who are survivors of sexual assault or misconduct, as well as how to go about reporting it if they would like that.
“We want our students to live by our values, particularly respect and integrity,” remarked Dean Homsher, who was surprised and impressed to see a 100% compliance in completing training by university staff. “We don’t want this to be a one-off thing. We want ongoing education.” All university staff will be required to take annual Title IX training in the future, and upperclassmen will be offered optional training on an annual basis, as well. By launching the Title IX initiative, Kettering will change very little in terms of its procedures for dealing with cases of sexual misconduct, which primarily existed prior to the initiative. Resources such as the Wellness Center, Campus Safety, and access to Ulliance will not change. Kettering is simply making students more aware of the actions that may be taken in cases of sexual assault or misconduct. “There are lots of places to find information,” said Homsher, referencing websites such as campusclarity.com and even the novel Missoula by Jon Krakauer, which is a case study of rape and justice in the Montana town of Missoula. “Small slights are tough to deal with, but if you treat people with respect and dignity, you won’t ever be faced with allegations of sexual assault or sexual misconduct.”
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The Technician
Through The Camera Lens
July 30, 2016
Top: The Kettering University A-Section Class of 2021 poses for a group photo during Orientation. Left: Residence Life Staff gather together for a group photo as they prep the Residence Hall for New Student Move-In. The staff includes RAs and a Hall Directors who work diligently to create a welcoming environment for Kettering Students. Bottom: Kettering Professor Pete Gheresus works with students participating in the LITE Summer Camp. Gheresus participates frequently in these and other camps, which aim to introduce high school students to STEM fields by giving them the opportunity to visit Kettering for a in-depth experience with STEM.
July 30, 2016
The Technician
Kettering In Pictures
Top: Members of Alpha Phi pose for a groups shot during New Student MoveIn for A-Section Summer 2016.. Right: Kettering Students worked to improve the community around Kettering during New Student Orientation by clearing overgrowth, cleaning sidewalks and working on vacant homes. Bottom: A parent embraces his daughter immediately before returning home and letting her begin her Kettering Career. Parent Good-byes are an emotional part of starting a college career, but they signal the start of something new and exciting for the student as they finally begin living independently.
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Pokemon Go Released to the Public By Becca Roughton Staff Writer If you’ve noticed an influx these days of people who want to be the very best, like no one ever was, you’re not alone. If you’re not already playing, chances are you know of someone who has been caught by Pokemon Go, the latest craze among young and old alike. For anyone who’s been living under a Graveler, Pokemon Go is an augmented reality mobile application based on the popular video game, Pokemon It is set in a world in which “trainers” go out in search of creatures called “Pokemon,” which they raise to grow into new kinds of Pokemon and train for friendly battling purposes. This is reflected in the application, which encourages players to explore the world around them in search of computergenerated Pokemon with the intent to evolve them into different forms to battle at certain, real life locations. In addition, users are heavily encouraged to visit particularly notable areas of an area or town, such as monuments, certain businesses, and churches to receive in-game items at these “Pokestops”. On campus, the experience has so far been positive. With four “Pokestops” located in the vicinity of the pool and another two outside of the Mott Center and Academic Building, students needn’t walk far to accumulate goods. In addition, due to the high amount of players, these stops commonly have “lures” on them, which increase the spawn rate of Pokemon for 30 minutes in the area. With two gyms at the Rec Center and Rings of Isaac statue, battle is always intense, with three teams of players vying for their spot at the top. And while Drowzees, a specific kind of Pokemon, seem to flood the area, there have been exceptionally rare Pokemon around as well, to the delight of many. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see a handful of students rushing to find these Pokemon, often sharing helpful information with passersby. Pokemon Go has been widely praised for a number of reasons, most notably the way it’s improved people’s lives by incentivizing going outside and walking around. Health critics have commented on the increase in exercise users get. After offering users to walk their dogs while they meander around town, Muncie Animal Center has reported that several dogs have been adopted. People who previously struggled with problems such as depression and anxiety have found Pokemon Go to be an excellent way to get them out of the house. In addition, many report an improved sense of community with strangers with whom they normally wouldn’t have interacted. However, there have been some real-life troubles players have faced, too. Car accidents have been caused by distracted drivers playing the game. People have been shot at for fear of trespassing while wandering through and around private property. Some clever thieves used the games items to lure individuals to secluded areas to rob them. Some
July 30, 2016
The Technician
News
people have even fallen off of cliffs or been attacked while playing the game. Even on campus, a Kettering Student reported being shot in the head by a paintball drive-by while biking outside to hatch eggs. This has called into question the morality of releasing the game. From the very beginning, concern over “who would die first from Pokemon Go” was a commonly shared idea. Given that the game’s predecessor, Ingress, was reported to lead to the death of two players, the enormous influx of players, a number of whom are children, easily spelled disaster. In fact, as it was predicted, numerous amounts of robberies, accidents, and deaths have been reported since the game launched. This leads to questions such as “is the worth of millions of people’s happiness equivalent to the sadness caused by accidental death and crime” and “should Niantic have released Pokemon Go after being aware of the tragedies which occurred in the far less popular Ingress.” Despite these ethical questions, Pokemon Go doesn’t seem like it will be Pokemon Gone any time soon. At the recent San Diego Comic Con, it was announced that future generations of pokemon will be released. In addition, there are plans for legendary Pokemon to eventually be released as well. Niantic stated that its current most important goals is to ensure stable servers, work out a number of bugs within the game, and implement a trading feature. So players should be able to look forward to new updates and options within the coming months. Until then, expect to see the wandering person or two on their quest to catch ‘em all!
Poetry Contest Reception By Jordan Mayer Staff Writer Kettering University is a STEM based university, which is not a shock to anyone that is a student here. That’s one of the main reasons people are enrolled here. While Humanities courses and Social Science courses are offered, art in the more traditional sense isn’t exactly common here. The Art of Poetry was introduced for the first time this year, as a poetry competition opened to both A and B section students. The competition opened on April 13th, collecting submissions until June 28th. Professor Joy Arbor was the judge for the competition. The only rules were that the poems had to be 25 lines or less and they had to be free verse. Two submissions were allowed per person. Cash prizes were awarded for four poems, but all poems that were submitted are exhibited in the Humanities Art Center. Thursday July 21st was the day of the reception; lunch was provided at the Humanities Art Center. Each poem was blown up on colored foam core Continued on Page 7
Movie Review: The Jungle Book By Jacob Hankerd Online Editor Many of us can remember the excitement we had as children when we sat down to watch a Disney movie, and as we get older that is something that apparently doesn’t change. The Sunset Café inside Kettering’s Campus Center was packed the night of Wednesday, July 13 as everyone was waiting in excited a nti c ip a tion to see The Jungle B o o k . It was a movie that had great expectations and left viewers with m i x e d emotions by the end. If you went into this movie hoping/ expecting it to be like the book, or the original Disney make, you would have been sadly disappointed. However this is not uncommon in the film world and you should never go to a movie ready to compare it to the book. Ignoring these discrepancies the movie had a lot of notable features to be excited about. The animations were surreal CGI that truly felt like entering a new world. The voice actors did an excellent job. A couple of the stars include Scarlett Johansson (Ra) and Bill Murray (Bleu). The plot of the movie follows young Mowgli as he struggles with a huge decision. The Tiger Sheer Khan has threatened his pack and all who support Mowgli unless they hand over the “man cub” to him. In order to protect the pack Mowgli is sent off, intended to reach the man village and assimilate into the culture he originated from. However, as events unfold on his journey to the village and are revealed to him, he makes a fateful decision to return to his pack and defend his family, eventually facing Sheer Khan and embracing his human roots while maintaining the wild family he grew up with. The movie uses fire, called the “Red Flower,” as a literary device to distinguish Mowgli from the other animals. Where they fear the Flower, Mowgli is able to control it, and for that he is feared by the likes of Sheer Khan. Additionally, Mowgli, initially kept from using human innovations dubbed “tricks,” ends up using those same tricks and the Red Flower in his battle with Sheer Khan, where he outsmarts the big cat and wins back the trust of all the animals in the jungle.
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News
Art of Poetry
Zootopia Review
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A Must See Movie About The Signifacne of Our Differences and Overcoming Them
hanging on the walls, with the four winners gathered on displays. Laura Peters was playing soft music on the piano, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Regina Schreck led the ceremony, by first introducing Professor Arbor, Associate Professor of Communications, and Karen Wilkinson, department head of Liberal Studies. “We had been discussing this idea for a few years, but didn’t quite know how to execute it,” Schreck stated. With 48 submissions and 42 writers, the competition had a remarkable turnout. The microphone was then handed over to Professor Arbor to announce the four winners and the four honorable mentions. “I really really enjoyed reading each of your submissions,” said Professor Arbor. She stated this a few times throughout the reception. First the four honorable mentions were announced: 1st I Saw Squash by Douglas Blaisdell 2nd A Twilight Dance by Joseph Zolinski 3rd Broken Branches by Alex VanTol 4th Gen Z by Jake Stevens As the winners were announced, they were asked to read their poem to the crowd. Professor Arbor read two of the poems, one due to absence and the other due to preference. The winners of the competition were: 1st Place- Unwind by Chad Christy (read by Chad Christy) 2nd PlaceTaste of Diversity by Monique Gabriel (read by Professor Arbor) 3rd Place- A Glass by RichardPhillip Rupinski (read by Professor Arbor) 4th PlaceThe Ice Cream Case by Rebecca Roughton (read by Rebecca Roughton) This competition was a great display of the creativity that lies within Kettering students. With over 60 people in attendance at the reception, this exhibition was well received. The poems will remain in the Humanities Art Center until September 16th.
By Adam Lecznar Editor -In-Chief Warning: Potential Spoilers Ahead Released in the United States on March 4, 2016, the movie Zootopia wowed audiences with its vibrant world design and well-developed, relatable characters. What the movie also offered audiences was a telling case-study about the nature of society, something that took some viewers by surprise. Pro d u c e d by Walt Disney Animation Studios, a movie studio that has expanded into multiple markets in recent history, Zootopia takes place in a world of anthropomorphic mammals that have evolved in the place of humans, and populate a vibrant city with the movie’s namesake.. The movie tells the story of officer Judy Hopps, the first bunny to ever reach the title of police officer in Zootopia, and her struggle to prove to everyone that she has what it takes to excel in a police department brimming with megafauna such as polar bears, elephants and rhinos. The movie itself is beautifully rendered, with gorgeous animation that is filled with motion. Each character seen in the movie has dynamic motion built into its model, something Zootopia pioneers as the first m o v i e to accomplish animating a completely dynamic, energized environm e n t . C l o s e wat c h er s will notice the detail put into almost every character model and what it could mean for their part in the story. The characters of Zootopia are equally deep and vibrant, if not more so, than the world they live in. Officer Hopps, for example, is incredibly optimistic
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about the opportunities she has to make the most of her training as a police officer, but also has to contend with the fact that she cannot make all the difference right away, partly because she is held back for being a bunny. Instead of realizing her goal of solving police cases, she is assigned to parking duty. Young people entering the workforce will likely sympathize with her because they, too, may struggle with the reality of their own limitations or the limitations being placed on them. The real magic of Zootopia, however, is the meaning and message presented throughout the course of the film. Framed as an action noir film about an animal cop taking on a tough case to prove herself, Zootopia uses this angle to tackle the issues of racism, sexism, prejudice, discrimination and bigotry. The movie makes it clear that though all animals live together and cooperate to improve society, there are still divisions between different groups, primarily between Predators and Prey animals. This acts as a major conflict throughout the movie, and is used as an allegory for the real life issues listed prior. In the film, Officer Hopps takes on a case to find one of 14 missing mammals, all of them being Predators, in hopes of receiving a promotion from simply being a meter maid. Given 48 hours to find the mammal in question, an otter, Hopps risks her career on the opportunity, even though she lacks access to police systems at the time. To find the otter, she enlists the help, of Nick Wilde, a con artist fox who helps her under threat of imprisonment for tax evasion. Together they eventually find the location of not just Emmitt Otterton, but all the other missing mammals, and at the same time revealing that they had gone “savage” and were imprisoned secretly by the lion mayor of Zootopia, Mayor Lionheart, in order to maintain his position and avoid civil unrest. Here is where the movie shines at its brightest. With the case solved and Lionheart arrested and usurped by his sheep subordinate, Assistant Mayor Bellweather, one would think everything is fixed. Far from it, the reveal that the missing Predators had turned “savage” creates social schisms and civil turmoil, especially when Judy insinuates at a press conference that the outbreaks of “savage” behavior could in some way be related to Predator biology. Just when Officer Hopps is recognized for her exemplary police work and asked to be the spokesperson hero she wanted to be, bringing reassurance to mammals who are afraid and confused, Judy resigns, saying, “I came here to make the world a better place, but I think I broke it.” With this, the movie tries to tell the audience that issues such as this do not have an easy solution. Sometimes the solution thought to fix the issue actually causes worse problems. In this case, Predators and Prey become divided because the population is unaware of what will happen, what the cause is, and how they can fix it. Zootopia become a charged cannon, ready to explode. It is a narrative all too relatable to our world in recent years. Yet the movie tells us that we have to stay strong.
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July 30, 2016
Zootopia Continued from Page 7
In the words of the egalitarian pop star Gazelle, “Zootopia is a unique place. It’s a crazy, beautiful, diverse city, where we celebrate our differences. This is not the Zootopia I know. The Zootopia I know is better than this. We don't just blindly assign blame. We don't know why these attacks keep happening. But it is irresponsible to label all predators as savages. We cannot let fear divide us. Please, give me back the Zootopia I love.” Another cinematic aspect that makes Zootopia great is the fact that the characters, though amazing, are also imperfect. Officer Hopps and Nick Wilde, for example, both suffer traumatic experiences as children at the hands of Predators and Prey respectively. Because of this, Judy harbors some latent distrust of foxes and Nick pledges to not let others get to him. If they see him as a sly fox, that’s what he’ll be. And these small flaws cause a divide between the two, even after they bonded an incredible amount thanks to the case they solved. Judy’s remarks during her press conference, though harmless and perhaps accurate to her, deeply hurt Nick. Small microaggressions such as these laid throughout the movie, some exceedingly difficult to pick up on, highlight how easy it is to cause divisions between people, and how present they can be in daily life. Nick and Judy eventually reconcile after she inadvertently discovers the actual cause of “savage behavior,” from an old fox bully, no less. Together they uncover a government conspiracy to control the public using fear and using “savage” Predators as a scapegoat. Zootopia itself is also imperfect, which is one of the things that makes it beautiful. Many people will claim this movie handles topics such as racism and bigotry poorly, others will laud it for its presentation of tough issues. The film is wonderful because each person can take something different away from it. It shows us the complicated nature of life and society, and takes us on a journey to see how we can poten-
tially grapple with it. Additionally, even though Zootopia avoided disaster, the underlying issue, allegories for racism, sexism, prejudice, discrimination and bigotry, are not gone. They still exist and Zootopia must still contend with them, just as we continue to struggle with them in real life. This is perhaps the greatest message the movie has to offer, however subtle. This idea is beautifully summarized in the words of Officer Hopps, “I thought this city would be a perfect place where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out, life's a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what kind of person you are, I implore you: Try. Try to
make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you.” In a time of social stratification, Zootopia offers a smart, funny, energized analysis of the difference found in any society. It comes in a time when we as audiences are seeing not only the quality of animation increase significantly, but storytelling improve as well. It joins other movies that teach us something about ourselves, such as Inside Out and Wreck-ItRalph, as a standout film that may signal that we are in a golden age of animation in regards to quality and message. The film will surely stand the test of time, though some of its references and easter eggs may become obscure, for its ability to say something on the nature of society, and teach each person watching it something for themselves. In this movie, we can see ourselves, and that is why we love it.