Zoom and its impact on American Privacy

Last Supper, Work From Home edition (Source: knowyourmeme.com) Last month, Nashville Mayor John Cooper released his “Safer at Home” order regarding COVID-19 urging citizens to stay in their homes and connect digitally rather than in person to protect against the global COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with this new recommendation, you can find me curled up … Continue reading Zoom and its impact on American Privacy

Activist Art: Confronting Climate Change

While it may not always provide solutions to the world’s problems, art certainly offers valuable insight into some of our most deep-set anxieties. As devastating climate-related news has continued to occur (particularly throughout the last several years), it is only natural that a subset of contemporary art reflects our ecoanxiety: the intense worry that we … Continue reading Activist Art: Confronting Climate Change

Fashion: More than just a statement?

In November 2019, Tan France, the fashion expert from Netflix’s beloved series Queer Eye, visited Vanderbilt University and shared how fashion has shaped his identity. As someone with minimal interest in the world of fashion, I was intrigued by France’s wholehearted emphasis on fashion’s ability to empower. Sure, we may all find ourselves feeling especially … Continue reading Fashion: More than just a statement?

The True Cost of Live Music

Image Courtesy: Billboard What would you give to see your favorite band in concert? How much would you cash out to see their songs performed live, rather than just played full blast on your car stereo? If you are a Beyoncé fan, her average ticket prices usually don’t dip below a hundred dollars The same … Continue reading The True Cost of Live Music

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?

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

“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

School Segregation through Illustrations

Integration of public schools in the United States was supposed to take place more than 65 years ago. Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 declared that the segregation of schools was unconstitutional under the 14th amendment and that children of all races should have equal access to education. While this court case could and … Continue reading School Segregation through Illustrations