BY ALEXEI BATTEN The philosopher Alfred North Whitehead once wryly observed that although academics celebrate the intellectual achievements of ancient Greece, the typically successful man in that age was still more brutish thug than gentle professor. An Athenian general, upon being questioned about the justice of his acquisition of…
By Cécile Richetta What does it mean when your education system relies on cyclical anxiety? When a nation systematically terrifies its children and marginalizes uniqueness? What does it mean to value mathematics more than the arts? To evaluate a child’s worth? And what should we conclude when…
Nearly a year into one of the most unpredictable election seasons in the history of American politics, the race for the White House is finally picking up steam. Time is running out for voters in both parties to choose between the political “outsider” and the Washington machine that has dictated the…
Contemporary North America is as health-obsessed as a society could be imagined to be. But it would also be odd to think of a society where there is more disagreement and uncertainty about what constitutes healthy eating. Government guidelines, magazine articles, celebrity-promoted fad diets, professional, self-titled doctors and and nutritionists…
Choice is good, right? In some ways, yes. When faced with a choice, we are forced to think critically about the available options, judge the merit of each one, and ultimately choose whichever seems most suitable. This sort of critical thinking is what allows us to learn and grow. One…
From environmental degradation to obesity and cardiovascular diseases, drug or even social media addiction, the plethora of options that presented themselves inspiration for the topic of overconsumption were as diverse as they were depressing. The only point of convergence on overconsumption was this: the culprit for these nasty developments was…
When those of us from outside Quebec first arrive at McGill, we all hear variations on the same theme from someone who is earnestly trying to welcome us. Do what you can to leave the McGill bubble, they tell us, get involved with the Montreal community – after all, there’s…
Seldom has the phrase “fighting fire with fire” been more directly applicable to reality. As war rages on in Syria, the chances of a short-term resolution, peaceful or otherwise, seem increasingly slim. The country’s already brutally violent civil war has only escalated further in recent weeks, as major powers ramp…
Today the globe is completely dominated by big banks and multinational corporations. They own and control the economy and use their position of power and privilege to dominate the political process and control the world’s governments. Power is almost completely consolidated into the hands of the owners and large shareholders…