According to philosopher-writer Albert Camus, “the only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” It is harder for a woman of colour to achieve the same metrics of success as a white man. The very[Read More…]
Off the Board
Social media normalizes misinformation in US presidential primaries
“This is a rigged economy, designed by the wealthiest people in this country at the expense of everyone else.” A picture of US Senator Bernie Sanders with these words emblazoned above his head currently has over 14,000 shares on Facebook. The continual stream of such photos from Sanders’ official page[Read More…]
A plea to Americans at McGill: Your vote counts, too
The New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary on Feb. 9 kicks off a long election season with many opportunities to cast a ballot on a national, state, and local level; however, engaging in one’s civic duty may seem like a daunting task when living abroad. Each one of the 2,276 students of[Read More…]
Kevin O’Leary’s legacy of ashes
Dragon. Shark. Mr. Wonderful. These are all nicknames of Canadian entrepreneur and TV personality Kevin O’Leary, the unfiltered personification of capitalistic inhumanity. More than usual, he has been artificially inserting himself into the nation’s headlines. O’Leary has offered the tidy sum of $1 million in investment to the Alberta energy[Read More…]
New name for the McGill bookstore, “Le James,” should stand
The decision to rename the McGill bookstore’s new iteration “Le James” raises the question of the value in using the names of past figures who were known to be racists, misogynists, or bigots on campus. While these questions began to be asked at universities in the United States, such conversations[Read More…]
Evaluating practices when students grade their professors
“Very helpful and really hot!” “Great lectures that keep students engaged.” “He is a bumbling fool.” These are common comments that one might come across while browsing instructors’ profiles on RateMyProfessors.com. The site is widely used by university students, and is regarded by many as an indispensable tool for selecting[Read More…]
When users perish, their social media accounts live on
Two weeks ago, I received a rather typical notification from Facebook. “One of your friends has a birthday this week,” prompted the note. “Wish her a happy birthday.” To a vast number Facebook users, this notification is oftentimes annoying, yet surely innocent in its intentions. But one thing Facebook failed[Read More…]
Straightening out our public health priorities
The world has been focused on the eradication of polio since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. The campaign is backed by massive funding from private philanthropists such as Bill Gates, and by the Global Alliance for Immunizations and Vaccinations (GAVI). Today, only one wild[Read More…]
Michael Angelakos’ coming out and sensationalism in media
During a recent podcast interview, Michael Angelakos—lead singer of Passion Pit—discussed his sexuality, stating that “I like girls, I like boys, everyone’s fantastic; but you know what? I’m gay. Finally.” The interview revolved around a number of other highly personal topics: His anxiety, bipolar disorder, history of suicide attempts, and[Read More…]
Grantland is dead; long live Grantland
On Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, Grantland died. After four years, the sports and pop culture website’s time has come to an end. In its short existence, Grantland became known for its wide range of longform journalism and blogging. Despite its cult following and consistent high-quality writing, Grantland was doomed from[Read More…]
