by PJ Heath “Pretty privilege” extends beyond a person’s skin; it also includes idealistic weight standards perpetuated through flawed societal beauty standards and edited pictures. The world shown through media and advertisements tend to establish unrealistic and unhealthy standards that exclude most of the population. Research has shown that this phenomenon is associated with and provokes fatphobia. The Boston Medical Center defines fatphobia as the implicit and explicit bias of overweight individuals that is rooted in a sense of blame and presumed moral failing. Being overweight is highly stigmatized in…
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Banks should never be “too big to fail”
by Sheldon Bloom “Too big to fail” is now a common phrase you might hear in the modern world, especially when discussing fiscal politics. The phrase, which emerged in popularity during the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis, refers to financial institutions that have become so interconnected that their failure could be detrimental to the overall health of the economy. These institutions, which range from insurance companies to investment banks, have been deemed too important to be allowed to fail by their respective governments. Due to their perceived importance, authorities across the world…
Read MoreUtilitarianism has a false premise
by Alex T. Arnold One of the most influential moral philosophies alive today is utilitarianism. The basic idea is that moral decisions should be calculated based on what would bring the greatest amount of overall happiness (“utility”) to the highest number of people. In this view, morality can be adjusted to fit whatever the situation calls for. For example, a classical Utilitarian will argue that it is morally justifiable to murder a person if the death of that person would bring more benefit to more people than that person being…
Read MorePretty Privilege: A Deeper Look in the Mirror
by PJ Heath William Shakespeare, one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language, once wrote, “Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good; A shining gloss that fadeth suddenly; A flower that dies when first it ‘gins to bud, A brittle glass that’s broken presently.” Many say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that it is subjective, but years of history and research suggest otherwise. The topic of pretty privilege has recently surfaced in conversation worldwide and is becoming recognized as a…
Read MoreMy friend Stanley; Why I love this cup
by Raeleigh Woodfin Today I am going to be so honest with you all. I did something that I told. myself I would never do. On the outside looking in, it is not that big of a deal. But to me, it makes the biggest difference. It sounds very silly and honestly is quite silly, but here is my truth. I bought a Stanley cup. I know, silly. But let me tell you all how this cup has changed my life. The Stanley cup comes in various sizes and colors…
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