Essay
Twenty Children Sat in the Same Classroom - But Their Futures Were Already Being Written
I wrote this after reflecting on many classrooms I’ve been part of as a teacher. Sometimes the quietest student in the room is carrying the heaviest story. I’d love to hear from others - was there a student in your class who surprised everyone later in life?
By Ajan Lori A. 8 months ago in Critique
Shots fired at Rihanna’s house sparks a bigger conversation about stan culture and celebrity obsession
The way that Internet culture in some sectors has devolved has yet to outshine the wondrous tool. This incident with Rihanna becoming a victim of an attack on her household in Los Angeles is an example of the former. Parasocial activity is a serious condition in the minds of people who wish harm on the famous people they adore allegedly. These individuals see a blurry, murky line between reality and the necessity of boundaries.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
DJ Akademiks' Trolling Backfires After He Said Young Thug Has The "Worst Build"
DJ Akademiks did Thugger wrong. Rather than talk about his music and other projects, he decided to discuss the rapper’s weight. He remarked that Young Thug had possibly the worst build. He mentioned that Thug is skinny with a “Gucci… gut.” This is ironic because Gucci Mane has a six pack now after getting out of prison.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
"You should smile more "
A few weeks ago, I was at the dmv and a random man had the audacity to tell me "why aren't you smiling, you should smile more". I was so appalled by that man, but even more by myself because instead of putting him in his place I awkwardly laughed. This guy probably went home satisfied with himself. Looking back at it I feel sick. He. caught me by surprise but I should have been faster and clap back at him or even insult him. The thing is, I'm far from being the only girl who has experienced a similar situation. Not to be dramatic, but this particular scenario is one of the many fruits of patriarchy. Why do women always have to look pleasant in public ? Society have been pushing this narative that women owe men in general a good attitude. Some of you may think "It's not that deep". Well it is. To fight a patriarchal society we have to talk about every problem, including the ones that seem smaller at first glance such as this topic. How many of you can tell me an anecdote about a man telling another man he doesn’t know to smile ? Or even better, how many of you can tell me about seeing a woman telling a men to smile ? Probably none of you. That is my point . On the flip side when a woman is seen as "too frindly" by a man, he quickly assumes that she's romantically interested in him. And when his delusional thoughts turn out not to be true, he often gets angry at the woman, leading to insults, public humiliation, v*olence, s*xual agression or even m*rder. Women basically can't win. Studies on workplace perception have shown that women who display authority are more likely to be perceived as less likable than men who behave the exact same way. Even in media representation, ambitious and motivated male characters are admired, while ambitious and motivated female characters are frequently portrayed as manipulative or emotionally rigid. How dare they want more in life than being a constantly smiling little housewife ? They must be witches 😒. On social media, we see the same pattern: a man who speaks firmly is “confident,” but a woman who speaks the same way is quickly called aggressive (especially black women).These reactions are not random. They reflect deeply rooted expectations about how women are “supposed” to behave: soft, smiling, accommodating and what happens when they refuse to fit that role. So the real question is: why must women constantly soften themselves to be accepted? Why is seriousness a sign of professionalism for men but a personality flaw for women? Why are women expected to smile more, speak more gently, and make themselves smaller, while men are rarely asked to do the same? If competence is valued, why does it suddenly become threatening when it comes from a woman? Perhaps the issue is not women being “too serious,” but society being uncomfortable with women who do not prioritize being pleasant over being powerful. And maybe it is time to question not women’s attitudes, but the standards used to judge them.
By Girlygirly8 months ago in Critique
What Is the Difference Between Amusement and Art?
Human beings constantly produce objects, images, sounds and stories that attract attention and provoke reaction. Some of these experiences are described as amusement or entertainment, while others are called art. The distinction between the two has long occupied philosophers, critics and creators, yet the boundary remains uncertain. Both can delight, disturb, inspire or exhaust the human senses. Both are built from the same physical materials: pigment on canvas, vibrating air in music, words on a page, or moving light on a screen. The difference therefore cannot lie in the material itself. The same paint can form a masterpiece or a decorative poster; the same sequence of sounds can be a symphony or a jingle. The difference emerges from how humans use and experience these objects.
By Peter Ayolov8 months ago in Critique
Doechii Will Not Apologize For Disliking Cats
I don’t like cats. I like the idea of them; they’re independent, agile, and selfish. All traits that a human being should hold. However, as domesticated animals, they’re nasty, overbearing, and insolent despite their furry (sometimes), cuddly demeanor.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
Jay-Z's Phone Call With Michael Eric Dyson Is Causing Quite The Stir
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson aka “Soul Glo” jumped on Akademiks live and explained his position on the Drake vs Kendrick Lamar feud. His appearance detailed his conversation with Jay-Z concerning their disagreement with what the battle was really about.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
‘We have enough’: Godfrey renews call for Black entertainers to stop seeking white validation after BAFTAs, praises Image Awards
DEI must die. It’s been far too long for Foundational Black Americans (FBA) and tethers to come up and say things like #OscarsSoWhite. So what? NAACP Image awards are about RAH, Representation, Agency, and Honor. Black people have to stop crying about their snubs at award shows that often overlook them.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
Cardi B Cans Feud With Trump Advisor Over Nicki Minaj Bot Claims Out Of Paranoia
If you had the might of the United States government breathing down your neck, you’d retreat, too. Cardi B has taken to social media to proclaim that she wants no problems with President Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz. She claims that she is protecting herself and family from possible attacks waged by the White House.
By Skyler Saunders8 months ago in Critique
Rage Against the Machine Learning
Rage Against the Machine Learning: LLM Empire of Data (The Ascension of the Machine God and the Great Human Unlearning) There was a time when language was survival. To name the world was to navigate it. To describe danger, to transmit technique, to legislate, to pray—words were tools, weapons, bridges. Over millennia, human language grew denser, more abstract, more technical. Law codes, philosophy, mathematics, theology, bureaucracy, programming languages—each layer added complexity. We built archives. We built libraries. We built networks. And now we are building something else: an empire made of language itself.
By Peter Ayolov8 months ago in Critique
The Theory of the New Leisure Class
The Theory of the New Leisure Class: Homo Essentialis Thorstein Veblen wrote The Theory of the Leisure Class in 1899 to describe a social order in which status was displayed through visible idleness and conspicuous consumption. More than a century later, idleness has disappeared as a badge of honour, yet Veblen’s central insight has only intensified. The ruling class of the twenty-first century does not sit idle; it performs busyness. It does not withdraw from work; it transforms work into theatre. What we are witnessing is not the disappearance of the leisure class but its mutation. This is Leisure Class 2.1. This is Homo Essentialis.
By Peter Ayolov8 months ago in Critique
