One of the most pressing social issues of our time is fake news. Nurtured by the great diffusive strength of the internet and by the easy access modern technology gives to this stream of power, fake news has grabbed a concerningly wide foothold in our society. Fake news appears as a rampaging menace, crashing through any obstacles we have to this point put in its way, its evil … [Read more...] about Technology as Our Savior: Hope in Technology as a Means of Fighting Fake News
I Want YOU, Girl: How Captain Marvel Exploits Feminism for Military Propaganda
Around the same time the United States military was in the process of withdrawing from Syria, a move that all but ensured the deaths of its Kurdish partners in the fight against ISIS, a different army was also mobilizing. This formidable force was none other than male Marvel fans, enraged and ready to boycott the studio’s latest release because of alleged comments by star Brie … [Read more...] about I Want YOU, Girl: How Captain Marvel Exploits Feminism for Military Propaganda
The Wolf of Wall Street and America’s Ambivalence Towards Wealth
Tackling crime, greed, and corruption, Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street explores the insidious underbelly of modern American life. Based on the true memoir of a former Wall Street broker, the 2013 film follows the story of Jordan Belfort as he navigates wealth, Wall Street, and the federal government over a 10-year period. At its release, The Wolf of Wall Street was … [Read more...] about The Wolf of Wall Street and America’s Ambivalence Towards Wealth
Air Pollution in Zhaoqing
“Dawang is a toxic town. You can't imagine that those industries dare to emit toxic air nowadays. We can't open the windows or use the air-conditioner because there is a strong, pungent chemical smell in the middle of the night” (“Air Quality of Dawang”). This quote is from an online forum, discussing the air quality of a town in Zhaoqing. Zhaoqing is a tourist city in … [Read more...] about Air Pollution in Zhaoqing
The Death Enigma Prompted by Morbid Curiosity
“Don’t look.” Look. Slowing down, I peer across two lanes, scanning the scene. A man lies still, face down on the cement with a marine corps baseball cap sitting next to him. Behind him is the wreck. Though told not to look, I have to. What was once a pickup truck is merely a hunk of metal, shaped and bent like an abstract piece of art. I can’t help but stare. The thrill … [Read more...] about The Death Enigma Prompted by Morbid Curiosity