Safety or Strength: Body-Regulating Policy in America

What are Steroids? Androgenic anabolic steroids are hormone supplements that can boost one's athletic performance, significantly increasing his or her odds of building muscle. According to a study by the International Journal of Sports Medicine, anabolic steroids can speed up the rate of muscle growth by a factor of up to 16. Accelerating muscle growth … Continue reading Safety or Strength: Body-Regulating Policy in America

Why Does the American 1% Love Parasite?

[WARNING: spoilers for Parasite (2019)] Chrissy Teigen really loves Parasite. To anyone who's seen the film, this probably comes as a bit of a shock. The Best Picture winner is a pretty clear critique of class hierarchy, capitalism, and the tendency of the rich to systematically exploit the lower classes. Bong Joon-ho presents a dichotomy … Continue reading Why Does the American 1% Love Parasite?

Identity vs. Ideology in Modern American Politics

http://pmd.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/politics/2019/01/21/kamala-harris-presidential-2020-announcement-lah-pkg-vpx.cnn_1280x720.mp4 You don't have to watch the full video above but the first half highlights the identity-focused dynamic of modern political news Last year CNN was running on my living room tv and while I wasn’t paying particular attention to their usually breathtaking and earth-shattering reporting one thing caught my focus: 2020 Democratic Power Rankings. … Continue reading Identity vs. Ideology in Modern American Politics

Feminism and Grand Theft Auto V

TRIGGER WARNING: Violence, Sexism and Misogyny Michael drives into a dark parking lot. On his passenger seat sits a girl that he ‘purchased’ for $10. After a 10 minute ‘service’ the girl opens the door and leaves the car. Michael approaches her from behind and pulls her hair backward. She screams as Michael assaults her … Continue reading Feminism and Grand Theft Auto V

I’m watching You

**SPOILER ALERT: 2nd season of You details are revealed** I see you, sitting by yourself. On your laptop, 5 tabs open. Does it count as studying if your reading assignment is on the screen but you're just scrolling Insta on your phone? iPhone 7 I see. Frugal? Or just not into material things. You're more … Continue reading I’m watching You

The John Oliver Effect

John Oliver is a television host known for the series "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" on HBO about controversial and misunderstood topics in the United States and elsewhere. Oliver has hosted segments on abortion, vaccines, China's One Child Policy, and many more current areas of policy concern. In August of 2019, a segment from … Continue reading The John Oliver Effect

The Reality Behind the Memes

Only 3 days into 2020, teens in the US were making memes about the newest world crisis: the potential war between the US and Iraq. While it wasn’t likely that the conflict would escalate into a full blown world war, the increasing tension and threats led supporters and opponents alike to discuss #WorldWar3. And as … Continue reading The Reality Behind the Memes

“Blackfish” and the Politics of American Consumerism

When the documentary “Blackfish” came out in 2013, SeaWorld was a well-known and beloved attraction visited by thousands of families each year. Kids eagerly begged their parents to take them to see the iconic orca show starring Shamu at one of SeaWorld’s 11 different locations. But during the year that the film aired, the stock … Continue reading “Blackfish” and the Politics of American Consumerism