By Laura Jost The rise in political partisanship in the United States has been growing more evident over the past decade, coinciding with the formative years of Gen Z as well arguably both promoting and neglecting our generations’ coming issues. Radicalization on both ends of the spectrum has emerged as a result whether that has proved to be beneficial or not -- is yet to see. In order to be cognizant of the platforms many prominent far left figures have risen on, research into AOC and Bernie Sanders policies is necessary. AOC primarily runs on lines of promoting immigration policies, increasing access to ascend in social mobility and reducing income inequality. Similarly, Sanders considers himself a democratic socialist -- promoting access to free healthcare and a free college education. These policies in particular have resonated with millions of youth, however what exactly would these economic and social agendas entail? And what is the importance of them? Economically, AOC and Bernie’s funds will be insufficient to pay for all the welfare and spending programs they hope to implement: in fact there are roughly 16,000 households as of 2016, according to IRS data that have taxable income over the $10 million threshold they propose which amounts to roughly $245 billion. This plan would further the federal deficit and put strain on the system. Ultimately the apparent benefits would be outweighed by the consequences given that the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Tax Commission run on the “crowd-out” assumption meaning that government borrowing will “crowd out” funds that would otherwise have been lent to the businesses. With less money available to businesses, they invest less, and the workers are less productive. As a nation, it’s argued that the far left has indeed done the opposite of what they proclaim they stand for: inclusion and tolerance. Yet, the intolerance - from both political parties on the extreme ends - arguably, has only divided the country as a whole. The notion of “cancel culture” and overarching phrases such as “defunding the police” has only pushed moderate politicians and voters away leaving candidates such as Bernie versus other extremes such as Trump on the stage. On the other end, the rise of right wing populism has built up momentum as seen with Trump in the US, Modi in India, Widodo in Indonesia, Chavez in Venezuela, and Erdoğan in Turkey which can be linked to rises in authoritarian populism -- posing a global risk by dividing already divided countries and escalating nationalistic tendencies against other nations -- the exact opposite of what is needed in order to formulate solutions. It would be ignorant and inaccurate, however, to simply argue that Bernie and AOC are destroying the democratic party. An old friend of mine who worked with the House Democrats in DC recently gave some input that resonates with this article: that the emerging popularity and growth of candidates like AOC and Bernie “forces us to have conversations in the Democratic Party that otherwise maybe wouldn’t be considered. That it doesn’t always work, but that it’s critical in our democracy to have conflicting views, even within the party.” Indeed, the obligation of intraparty discussions and disputes are inherent in parties as diverse regionally and demographically as the Democratic Party. Julie Wronski from the University of Mississippi explained to the New York Times that “what works in local campaigns between urban, suburban and rural areas cannot be neatly packaged into a one-size-fits-all national message”. Aligning constituencies to work together is a difficult task indeed which is why this is necessary, but there also must need “a strong, passionate, determined base”: progressives. Indeed, the far left has also promoted the issues that this nation will have to face sooner or later: climate change, increases in immigration, the escalating prison populations, systemic racism and the rising cost of a college education combined with the fact that US student debt in the last decade has risen higher than both credit card and auto loan debt which directly impact young people’s futures. The voice of younger voters and activism has gained momentum in putting these matters at the forefront of the policy agenda as candidates must appeal to their constituents to continue holding office. In addition to this, demographics in young voters has also changed: racial and ethnic diversity within our generation is the highest ever. The staggering increase in social media use for Gen Z has also led to information exposure unprecedented in generations prior which arguably has led to the disintermediation of traditional sources of information has amplified the emotional reactions, stereotyping and belief distortions that are typically associated with political extremism , whether that be left or right leaning, the echo chamber effect has had its role. According to Pew Research Center, 70% of Gen Z believes that the government ought to have a larger role in solving problems -- making them more likely than any other generation to do this. Analyzing this polarization has left some thought provoking results. After conducting a casual poll of 276 of my peers through social media, roughly 85% reported that they generally supported AOC and Bernie Sanders policies, whereas a mere 15% disputed the far left leaning politicians ideology. (It is important to account for the demographics and political beliefs of my own followers specifically). Diving deeper and asking Crescent Valley students personally why these politicians resonated with them whether positive or negative, led to some compelling arguments and personal accounts. Most of those who supported AOC and Sanders platforms stated that “they very obviously care about people other than themselves” and that she“ is an amazing role model for young girls and women everywhere. Seeing the strength of her presence in politics is amazing”. Others responded that “young people in general resonate with Bernie’s/AOC’s message because they are championing policies that benefit a greater swath of America than what is being passed through Congress” and that “their vision would lead to greater wealth and prosperity for everyone”. One senior responded that “I’m drawn to Bernie and AOC because they care about our generation (the youth), especially things like college costs and climate change which are very immediate for us." On the other hand, others pointed out some of AOC’s anti-Semitic patterns that often go unnoticed. Still others argue that they believe in almost everything Bernie stands for “except some of his views on the Israeli Palestine conflict”. A recent letter sent by a dozen members of House Democrats including AOC and Sanders argued against Israeli annexation of Palestine claiming that this was a measure to protect the rights of Palestinians yet Palestine is predominantly controlled by the Palestinian Authority which is known for corruption, human rights abuses and even terrorism against Israelis. This issue is only worsened by potential soured ties in US-Israel relations if this letter were to be put into act. Another recent alum recounted in reference to Romanian and USSR policy that “my own family lived under socialist economic policy for multiple generations and my mom lived in poverty because the socialist economic system prevented my family from building wealth or rising up in the socioeconomic ladder." To be sure, establishing full blown socialism in the United States would prove to be a very difficult and divisive goal. Gathering input from friends and colleagues has allowed for discussions that may not have taken place if it wasn’t for writing this piece. Decidedly in the end, it will be up to our generation and future generations to make what we want of this country through difficult conversations and genuinely understanding the “other side”. Hopefully we will make the decision to push forward and create progress that will benefit the world to come -- whether it be through left or right wing politicians willing to take grassroots action while still keeping in mind the consequences of their actions. If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
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By Kate Voltz Book of the month: They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera Imagine a world where you would be informed when you only had one day left to live, starting then and there. How would you act? Would you try to experience what you could of the world? Make new friends? Throw caution to the wind? This book explores a world like that through the intertwining story of Mateo and Rufus, who met through an app for making friends on your last day on Earth. They have a lifetime to fit in one day, making for a great story that you don't want to miss. Often in the book you find yourself asking, is the title a misnomer? I won't spoil anything; you'll have to read to the very last page of the book to find out. They Both Die At the End is a truly incredible book with compelling characters that would appeal to a wide variety of readers, despite the grim title. Don't take my word for how great a book it is: it's been widely recommended and acclaimed, including by fellow Crier writer Vincent Bottaro. When asked about the book, he said, "What would you do if you knew you had only one day left to live? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that I would end up reading this book at least one more time." Jokes of the month: Why did the banana go to the doctor? It wasn't peeling well. What is a pizza maker's favorite song? Slice, slice, baby. Quotes of the month: "Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs." - Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë “We can experience nothing but the present moment, live in no other second of time, and to understand this is as close as we can get to eternal life.” - The Children Of Men, P.D. James If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! By Althea Balisi “New year, new me.” But how new can we really get? How do we change the old us whilst keeping track of what we want to achieve? According to a PhD director at Columbia University, “Behavioral change is hard. Yet sustaining healthy behaviors is one of the most important things people can do to live long healthy lives.” But how can we identify if our behaviors are unhealthy? And most importantly, how do we change it? Oftentimes, people refer to this change as their new year’s resolution, but it’s not a simple, three-word phrase. It’s a process of change itself. Imagine you’re now who you want to be, what does that look like? What does it feel like? Strange? Fulfilling? Successful? Realize that what you envisioned was the change, but not the process. Because the process is hard, and it almost seems impossible because of how great the change looks like. In accordance with The US News and World Report, 80 percent of new year’s resolutions fail. Here’s the timeline: January is for the enthusiastic approach for the change we want, but by February (right about now), 80% of those resolutions are already discarded. Now the question is, how much do we really want this change? Why does it matter to us? That is what's missing - the why? According to Daniel Wallen from lifehack.org, one reason why resolutions fail is because “we know the what, but not the why.” The answer to the why is important because it is what drives our desire for this change, and it can be enough reason to endure the process for the change. It’s a requirement: the process. Because like what they say, “The process won’t be easy, but the outcome will be worth it.” Everybody might have heard of the term SMART Goals, and you might not have wanted to do it when your teacher told you to do so, but you did it anyway. Beyond the process and the change, there’s the planning. It might be the time when you realized you wanted something, so you tried to do it, but you never got there. Then you thought it wasn’t meant to be, but deep inside you, you still want it. So maybe SMART Goals can really help us, because through it, we can be aware of what we want and why we want it. We’ll be aware of the internal things that can help us endure the process, thus achieving the resolution. Specific - What, specifically, do you want? Why do you want it? Why does it matter to you? Measurable - Know when you have reached the goal, appreciate it no matter how small it is. Because it’s the beginning of having the attitude towards what you want next - and it will most likely be a big thing. Achievable - Ask yourself how are you going to achieve it. Who are the people that can help you? Realistic - Acknowledging how realistic the thing is, is what makes it more realistically achievable. Timely - It’s not a race, it’s a process. Sources https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-reasons-why-new-years-resolutions-fail.html https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/science-behind-behavior-change https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/ https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/ https://cce.bard.edu/files/Setting-Goals.pdf If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! by Cecilia Bahnson Discrimination based on gender is nothing new. We have hundreds of historical movements and events to back up the fact that women have faced, and continue to face, many obstacles on the road to success. This is true in both career and societal settings, because, simply put, the world tells women that they should behave a certain way, look a certain way, and strive for certain things. This internalized misogyny influences many different aspects of our government and society, but the issue is strikingly evident in the journalism and news industry. Women make up a little over one third of the media industry (print, broadcast, internet, etc.), despite the fact that over two thirds of journalism graduates are women. In 2017, men received 63% of bylines in print, internet, and TV reporting. This imbalance could be attributed to the online media’s tendency to amplify male voices more often than female voices, or it could be a result of the huge lack of female leadership in the news: two thirds of newspaper supervisor positions in the US are held by men. Either way, this gender bias stems from deeply rooted sexism, and the issue has not been given enough public attention or awareness to spark any significant change. Why should we make changes to address gender discrimination in this field, anyway? What’s the problem and why does it matter? Mary Shedden (WUSF Public Media Director) and Alexis Jones (multimedia journalist and Women’s Health assistant editor) have shared a little bit about their experiences as women working in media. In an interview at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention, they talked about lagging female leadership, the strain that work puts on their work/life balance, the constant search for perfection, the struggle to prove themselves to their male coworkers and leaders, and the differences in the ways that men and women approach stories and sources. Both women found that even after working for an outlet for several months or even years, they still faced skepticism from their colleagues about their ability to get the job done. This feeling of constant doubt is one that haunts many women and leads them to question their capabilities, competence, and self worth. Shedden and Jones have both been frustrated by male coworkers and leaders who react with surprise when they realize the accomplishments and successes of the two women. Female journalists have found that they end up spending much more time and effort on articles and research than their male counterparts do in order to be taken seriously. Both Shedden and Jones have felt that perfectionism is needed in order to “prove their worth”. The need for perfection isn’t just in their own heads, though. Studies have shown that male editors and publishers are far more likely to hire men as journalists, ask for men as sources, and publish articles written by men. In addition, nearly 67% of the headshots in newspapers are of men. There’s even a difference in the way that the photos are taken: male faces are usually shot dramatically close up and large, and most group shots featured in newspapers are male dominated—despite the fact that nearly 51% of the population is female. Another example of how much the news industry favors men is in the percentage of news stories told and published about women. In 1995, only 17% of news stories worldwide were about women. Today, that number is still disappointingly low with around 24% of news stories told about women in 2020. This happens because, in general, editors and publishers are more likely to ask reporters to seek out male sources. There is no real reason or logic to excuse this modern gender bias, other than the deeply ingrained idea that men are stronger and more reliable than women. Women in the news are constantly fighting the battle for gender equality and equity and they often go out of their way to connect with other women, both colleagues and sources. What many of these reporters have found is that men and women tend to tell stories and ask for stories differently. The lack of female presence in published news leads to a lack of depth and variety that publishers don’t even know they are missing. It also reinforces some of the internally sexist ideas that influence the world outside the news industry. When young people watch the news, scroll through articles online, or listen to the radio, 76% of the stories they hear are about men. This causes generations of people to grow up with men dominating in the spotlight and with not enough attention directed towards the women who are working harder and more efficiently for less money and less recognition. It leads young people to believe that women are less deserving of attention than men, and they will grow up holding onto this misogynistic idea. Gender discrimination in this field also affects our country on a larger scale. Smothering the voices of strong, intelligent, and empathetic women undermines our democracy at its very core. The credibility of American journalism is tarnished by gender inequity, and that inequity contributes to the decreasing value and trust in the First Amendment. The First Amendment declares the freedom of press, and with that freedom comes the responsibility to discover and present true, unbiased information for the benefit of the public and the people of America. When media outlets fail to represent and give voice to all communities and people in an equitable way, they are failing our democracy. As the gender gap increases, democracy and our idea of self-governance weakens. When the news industry fails to express and represent true diversity, the trust put into the industry by the people is reduced and our modern democracy begins to crumble. Gender inequity in journalism is relevant even in our own communities of Corvallis and Albany. Of the twelve people listed on The Gazette Times’ newsroom staff, only three of them are women: Jane Stoltz, Nia Tariq, and Caitlyn M. May. What’s more, all three of these women write for several other papers including but not limited to The Oregonian and The Albany Democrat-Herald, along with their work for The Gazette Times. The Gazette Times and The Albany Democrat-Herald actually share a lot of staff, and, like the Gazette Times, Albany’s newsroom staff is made up of nine men and three women-- the same three women who represent the Gazette Times in Corvallis, in fact. The persistency of all of these issues only helps to strengthen misogynistic ideology in journalism. By refusing to address any problem we face, we encourage the idea that the problem is not serious enough to deserve our attention. But gender bias absolutely deserves our attention, especially when it affects everything from our local news outlets to the structure of our democracy. Luckily, some media outlets have begun to recognize gender imbalances and some have started to take action. A few large-scale projects have been launched, including The Financial Times’ newly developed bot, which detects gender imbalances in sources, as well as in readership. Several radio and television media outlets have begun initiatives to amplify female voices by increasing their number of female guests and leading experts. There have also been discussions written by columnists in The New York Times, which address gender bias in journalism and reveal some of the striking statistics related to the issue. Samara Klar, a political scientist and writer, even created a website known as “Women Also Know Stuff”, which allows nearly 2,000 female writers, scientists, and researchers to connect with each other and exchange insight on a wide variety of topics. But even with the use of these initiatives and projects, there is still a long way to go. News outlets must address this gender issue, not to mention the issues around racial bias, homophobia, and transphobia. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find a “perfect” way to address internal bias. But as our society changes and finally begins to recognize the people who have so long been deprived of the acceptance and validation they deserve, journalism must change with it. In fact, journalism should be a leading factor in this change. No matter how old you are, or how involved you are with the news, each and every person on this earth can contribute to the fight for gender equity in journalism. By holding each other accountable for the way we collect and distribute information, we can make change happen. Speaking out and recognizing gender bias within your community, whether that bias is intentional or not, is incredibly important. Amplifying quiet voices and uplifting marginalized ones are things you can do in your everyday life. Listen when you are talking with a group; notice who is being talked over and whose voice is being smothered by a louder one. Every voice deserves to be heard. Sources: https://www.fastcompany.com/90401548/theres-a-gender-crisis-in-media-and-its-threatening-our-democracy https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2017/women-dominate-journalism-schools-but-newsrooms-are-still-a-different-story/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/625775/gender-news-reporitng-us/ https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/women-and-leadership-news-media-2020-evidence-ten-markets https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/03/25/male-journalists-dominate-the-news https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/07/30/asne-two-thirds-of-u-s-newspapers-employ-women-in-top-editing-jobs/ https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/9307/study-women-say-y-need-to-work-harder-than-men http://orlando.journalismconvention.org/ If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! By Vincent Bottaro Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and if you aren’t heading on down to the Love Shack this February 14th, you may be feeling like love is dead. Well, here in Corvallis, there are a couple other places where things are dead, but you might still be able to see them. This set of hauntings will take you across town and back again. Be warned, some of them may be closer than you think. The list will increase in creepiness as we progress. The veil between worlds becomes thinnest at night, so beware of going to these places alone… First up on our local locations is the Corvallis Courthouse. I remember going there on a field trip with my class in 5th grade, and one of the other students asked if it was haunted. And the tour guide replied with the best answer, which was yes. She said that he was a good ghost, and that his name was George. He would move around the courthouse at night, when there were less people around. One security guard said they saw him standing in the basement once, and then he vanished. Most people agree that he lives up in the clocktower, as there are sometimes unexpected noises coming from up there. Occasionally, George also likes to play with the knobs on the radiators, and twists them during the night. The true history of George is not truly known, since the courthouse itself has a long history, and the truth is that George may not exist entirely, but that doesn’t stop the employees from bidding George a goodnight before heading home for the night. Next up is Cheldelin Middle School. Supposedly, a janitor died of a heart attack in the upper gym while cleaning. Some people say, if you go up there alone, you can still hear the jingling of their keys as they make their way up and down the staircase. Personally, I went to Cheldelin Middle School and never experienced this, but perhaps the jangling of keys got lost in the sound of my PE class heading up stairs. Believe it or not, our own cross-town rivals have a ghost of their own in the theater. During one of CHS’s productions, they left the trapdoor on the floor of the main stage open since there was going to be an orchestra down in the pit underneath and the conductor needed to see what was going on up onstage. An unfortunate custodian was sweeping the stage and not looking when they fell down, where they broke their neck. Now, whenever you visit the Pit, the creaks and moans you hear may not be the settling of the stage or the movement above, but possibly the spirit of an unfortunate soul, trapped in a high school, forever. Night hiking in McDonald Forest can be dangerous for more reasons besides encountering cougars and Bigfoot. It's said that about 150 years back, around the time of the founding of Corvallis itself, two kids went missing around this area in the Willamette Valley. Maybe they did encounter said cougars, maybe they just got lost in the woods, but either way, no one saw them again. Well, saw them again alive. People have reported seeing two children run across the paths, laughing, and then fading from view. The laughter of kids can be heard from ahead in trails, but there is no one there. One person reported simply just seeing a kid pointing. While these two don’t cause harm necessarily, they are more of just a mystery as to what happened to them and why they are still here, potentially leading travelers astray. The next story in this list brings us back to our own school, Crescent Valley! The auditorium is typically a huge empty space, perfect for ghosts to roam around in. A similar story to Cheldelin and CHS, with another janitor dying whilst cleaning the theater. Evidently being a custodian is a dangerous job here in Corvallis. Stories range on how their death occurred, from heart attacks to breaking their neck. But people say that this is a less-than-happy spirit. While on the stage and in the costuming room, some people report a feeling of being watched, from an entity not known to be sitting in the audience. It has been described as a cold and unwelcoming presence, and delivers a sense of unease to people in productions. Maybe we should offer them a job in the talent show. Oregon State University has its fair share of ghosts and hauntings, and are grounded in facts. First up is Mrs. Ida Kidder, who haunts Waldo Hall. She worked at the university as a librarian for a very long time, up until her death in 1920. After her death, people have reported seeing an apparition that looked similar to her looking out of the windows in Waldo Hall. She has also been known to occasionally show up in photos taken by students outside of there, so be on the lookout for any ghostly photobombers near Waldo Hall. Next up on the collegial collection of crazy encounters is Benton Hall, where many ghosts exist. Loud sounds are very common occurrences to come from rooms above you; footsteps in a seemingly empty hall, and items not being in the same spot where you left them have become facts of life while living in Benton Hall. There is no real urban legend as to how or why there are so many ghosts in this one location, so this could be a whole family of ghosts or simply one really active one. Here’s a not-so-fun fact for today: Ted Bundy abducted one of his victims from Sackett Hall here in OSU. Ted Bundy testified in court to murdering here, but wouldn’t reveal where the body was located. This sparked the urban legend that her body is stashed somewhere in the catacombs beneath Sackett. The catacombs themselves have an eerie vibe to them, even without the knowledge of Ted Bundy possibly stashing a body down here. Maybe you could round a corner and come face to face with an apparition. The final entry in this list is the most gruesome urban legend based around Corvallis. It involves a gate on abandoned property, and the death of a family. The legend says that the farmhouse was inhabited by a farmer and his family. One night, he eventually killed them all, in a variety of manners that seem to change with every rendition of the story. Either way, he killed them and then died out near the gate to the edge of his property. His spirit is supposedly more malevolent than others due to the nature of his death, and Ouija board sessions held at the aptly named Hell’s Gate have spooked more than one participants. Pictures have also shown the face of a woman appearing behind, so the spirit of the wife could haunt this place as well. Either way, if you do visit here, know that you may be unprepared for whatever happens next. The truth of the matter is that facts get intermixed with fiction—who's to say that all of these stories weren’t made up a while back just to spook their friends? Either way, the stories still stand. The power of the stories comes from belief. The real question is, just how many of them do you believe in? Those might just be the ones that come back to haunt you... Major sources/further reading: This OSU Daily Barometer Article and this Corvallis Advocate Article. If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/space-x-first-all-civilian-commercial-flight/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-testing-kits-vending-machines/ - Rain Scarborough If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! By Kate Voltz (editorial) Waves of headlines have come and gone about the boy bands of the day. First it was Beatlemania. Then it was the “hysterical crowds” at Backstreet Boys concerts. For Gen Z, it was “One Direction hysteria” and BTS causing hysterical crowds. Hysteria. We hear it a lot in reference to boy bands and their “manic,” “obsessed,” “vapid” and “shallow” teenage female fans. Hysteria. The word “hysteria” is not like other words for obsession or fanaticism, which are usually applied to crowds and fans across genres and demographics. In fact, the word does not originate from a root that means “madness” or anything of the sort. Hysteria is derived from the Greek root hysteros, which means uterus. It was thought that only women could suffer this affliction, making them emotional, irrational, and unsuited for public life. And now, we see it applied to fans of boy bands, who, yes, are often teenage girls, as a derision of their taste and even ability to have taste at all. Everyone is entitled to their musical taste, and not everyone is going to like boy bands. That’s expected - plenty of people won’t like other genres too. But the particular vitriol directed at boy bands and their fans isn’t merely about taste or talent. It’s true that boy bands often don’t play instruments - but that’s true of many solo artists of other genres, and it’s in fact not universally true of boy bands either. Boy bands “not writing their own music” is also not a universal truth, as any fans of BTS or One Direction these days will happily tell you, and certainly isn’t unique to boy bands whatsoever. I spent an hour or so talking with Mrs. Leah Tomlin, the choir teacher for CHS who also teaches an online music appreciation class, about this idea on January 8th of this year. We discussed that boy bands are successful for many reasons: they can work with some of the best writers in the world, they’re charismatic, and they have talent, in vocals and in many cases in dance or other musical skills. She also described that many times, assumptions about the fans of an artist color people’s willingness to accept that music, comparing boy bands to many of the assumptions made about artists like Shawn Mendes: “‘Oh, well, only girls like them…’ and for some reason that means that that music isn’t worthwhile?” We talked about how, since music marketing has changed to become even more targeted to specific demographics, “men are less interested in boy bands.” Headlines about boy bands love to portray them as insipid and silly and their fans as obsessed, hysterical, shallow teenage girls. In fact, the whole discussion about what is considered a “boy band” at all belies the distinction: a Billboard article describes the Beatles as being a traditional “boy band” in the beginning and later becoming somehow less of one in their later years. They were the same men, playing the same instruments, but making a different style of music that catered to different interests as they grew. Mrs. Tomlin discussed this with me as well, describing that they transitioned from a boy band to a rock band with a fan base more in counterculture. In reality, all major artists or groups in the music industry are marketed towards a specific demographic, but boy bands are dismissed because of the one they largely cater to: teenage girls, who are stereotypically boy-crazy, silly, and emotional, and thus derided as not possibly being able to have a taste in music beyond their celebrity crushes. I’m writing this from the point of view of someone who likes boy band music, namely one in particular - shout out to my fellow Directioners. The main reason I say this is to ask you to check what you just thought when I said I like One Direction. Did you immediately think, “she likes them because they’re cute and they sing love songs”? Did you think, “ah, well, she’s a 16-year-old girl, of course she likes boy bands”? And above all, why did you jump to that conclusion? Boy bands are undoubtedly catered toward teenage girls; there’s no denying that. In the same way that heavy metal isn’t for everyone and neither is musical theatre, the music industry hits target demographics the same way fashion and toys and every other segment of the economy does. This is part of the trend of segmentation and being smart about marketing in capitalism overall, not evidence of a market divided between “crazy teenage girls” and “everyone else with good taste” in the music industry. From counterculture to country, there are niches to be filled, and boy bands hit one of those. However, their fans are portrayed as somehow “falling” for something, like a gimmick for teenage girls’ combination of hysteria and lack of taste. Hysteria. Nolan Feeney of The Atlantic describes this, saying “morning news hosts [marveled] at the mania surrounding the band, throwing out phrases like ‘One Direction fever’ or ‘One Direction hysteria’ as if a spike in hormones or an illness is solely to blame for the band’s multi-platinum success—something that happens to young girls, instead of something they choose.” Teenage girls face dual daunting opposition to their opinions being considered valid. They’re women, and they’re young. This is the very source of the saying “I’m not like other girls”: being like “other girls” is considered an insult, something you don’t want to be. “If girls were into One Direction, dresses, and high heels, I was into books, jeans, and sneakers,” writes Miranda More. Besides the flaws in this false dichotomy, it also illustrates part of the derision of boy bands. They’re what many mainstream teenage girls like - the target demographic. And liking them lumps you in with the girls that society deems airheaded, shallow and tasteless. Mrs. Tomlin also talked about this, and how many of the things teen girls enjoy turn into the butt of jokes. I know someone who used to hate One Direction but changed their mind later as they grew up; they’re not a super-fan, by any means, but they like some of their songs. I, myself, have felt the sense that somehow liking their music makes me less intelligent and more, well, girly, at least in the eyes of others, and in our society, “girly” isn’t often a compliment. Femininity in general leads to your interests and work being less valued. This is illustrated in the fact that, as the New York Times reported, the pay for fields drops when they transition from male-dominated to having more women. This is why fashion and makeup are connected with frivolity, why “chick flicks” are so called, why women in fandoms overall often face uphill battles, and why boy bands are considered by some as somehow less legitimate music. But teenage girls being fans of boy bands isn’t just being a part of a cult of handsome stars, despite what many think. “Anyone who's survived adolescence, works in an office, has a family or interacts with other humans knows how important it is to feel like you're part of something. When Beatles fans, Beliebers and One Directioners scream, they're just asking for that,” described Kate Leaver for VICE News. Teenage girls can be passionate, committed, and excited - and what they’re excited about shouldn’t be illegitimate as a thing because it’s associated with them. Alexandra Pollard of The Guardian describes this thus: “It’s high time we recognized that it’s not only men with extensive vinyl collections who are the bearers of good taste.” The Beatles. The Temptations. The Beach Boys. The Jackson 5. New Kids On The Block. *NSYNC. Backstreet Boys. One Direction. BTS. Boy bands have been around for decades. You don’t have to like them, or be a massive fan, or love their music. But respect the people who do. Yes, the people, not the girls, because it’s also not only teenage girls who like boy bands. Respect the people who like boy bands. Dr. Heidi Samuelson in her Medium article put it well: “I don’t like that little scoff that people give you when you tell them you like Harry Styles.” Boy band “hysteria” is part of being in a fandom, like any other fandom. And teenage girls who are fans of anything aren’t hysterical: they’re having fun and enjoying something, no differently than anyone else. Boy bands aren’t any more or less legitimate than any other structure or genre of music; it’s all about taste and marketing, and deriding those bands because their fans are primarily teenage girls is not only simply rude, it’s sexist and prejudiced. Overall, people often make assumptions from demographics that are often based in negative stereotypes, from rap and country to alternative and, yes, boy bands. Mrs. Tomlin emphasized how music has become divisive, rather than a medium without judgement and a way to experience our emotions and express who we are. To quote her, “Why are we putting artists in a box?” And, to that end, why are we putting their fans in a box? She put it well when she added, “It’s not hurting you… to say, wow, I just don’t like that [music]; I’m glad you like it.” So yeah, I like One Direction. Scratch that. I love One Direction. And that doesn’t make me shallow or hysterical. It makes me happy. In closing: as Harry Styles would say, “treat people with kindness.” And as One Direction put it, “let’s have another toast to the girl almighty.” Works Cited: Block, Melissa, host. The History And Meaning Of Boy Bands. Commentary by Frannie Kelley and Jason King, NPR, 11 July 2014, www.npr.org/transcripts/330685429. Choi, Stephanie. "Why Are BTS Fans Always Dismissed As ‘Hysterical Teenage Girls’?" Hello Asia, 21 June 2019, www.helloasia.com.au/news/why-are-bts-fans-always-dismissed-as-hysterical-teenage-girls/. "Concert of K-Pop Band ‘BTS’ Causes Hysteria in São Paulo." The Rio Times, 25 May 2019, riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-entertainment/music/concert-of-k-pop-band-bts-causes-hysteria-in-sao-paulo/. Espach, Allison. "What It Really Means When You Call a Woman ‘Hysterical.’" Vogue, 10 Mar. 2017, www.vogue.com/article/trump-women-hysteria-and-history. Feeney, Nolan. "Crazy Talk: How One Direction’s Movie Defends Boy Bands' Female Fans." The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/08/crazy-talk-how-one-direction-s-movie-defends-boy-bands-female-fans/279163/. Guillaume, Jenna. "In a world that dismisses teenage girls, BTS takes their fans seriously." Metro, 17 Jan. 2020, metro.co.uk/2020/01/17/bts-art-takes-fans-seriously-12074347/. Haruch, Steve. "One Direction, Unadulterated Joy, and Girl Worship: An Interview With Maria Sherman, Author of Larger Than Life." Musing, Parnassus Books, 31 July 2020, parnassusmusing.net/2020/07/31/one-direction-unadulterated-joy-and-girl-worship-an-interview-with-maria-sherman-author-of-larger-than-life/. The hyper‐fragmented world of music: Marketing considerations and revenue maximisation. Nielsen, Mar. 2011, www.nielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/04/Nielsen-Fragmented-World-of-Music.pdf. Lancaster, Brodie. "Pop Music, Teenage Girls and the Legitimacy of Fandom." Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2015, pitchfork.com/thepitch/881-pop-music-teenage-girls-and-the-legitimacy-of-fandom/. Leaver, Kate. "How Teen Girls' Hysteria for Boy Bands Became an Unstoppable Force." VICE, 7 Mar. 2016, www.vice.com/en/article/kb4dp9/how-teen-girls-hysteria-for-boy-bands-became-an-unstoppable-force. Miller, Claire Cain. "As Women Take Over a Male-Dominated Field, the Pay Drops." The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/03/20/upshot/as-women-take-over-a-male-dominated-field-the-pay-drops.html. More, Miranda. "The Problem With Saying You’re ‘Not Like Other Girls.’" Medium, 19 June 2020, medium.com/write-like-a-girl/the-problem-with-saying-youre-not-like-other-girls-8ce0bf94d768. Nunn, Gary. "The feminisation of madness is crazy." The Guardian, 8 Mar. 2012, www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2012/mar/08/mind-your-language-feminisation-madness. Pollard, Alexandra. "Bands who bemoan their 'teenage girl' fans are missing the point of music." The Guardian, 15 Apr. 2016, www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/apr/15/bands-who-bemoan-their-teenage-girl-fans-are-missing-the-point-of-music. Samuelson, Heidi. "The Social Implications of Dismissing ‘Boy Bands.’" Medium, 6 May 2018, medium.com/@heidisamiam/the-social-implications-of-dismissing-boy-bands-d7d3a098b87e. Sigler, Gabriel. "Backstreet Boys brought the DNA tour to a hysterical crowd at Bell Centre." Bad Feeling Magazine, 16 July 2019, badfeelingmag.com/2019/07/16/backstreet-boys-brought-the-dna-tour-to-a-hysterical-crowd-at-bell-centre-photos/. Song, Sandra. "In Defense of Fangirls." Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2015, pitchfork.com/thepitch/719-in-defense-of-fangirls/. Thomas, Stephen Rötzsch. "Demographic Segmentation Defined with 5 Marketing Examples." Yieldify, 31 July 2020, www.yieldify.com/blog/demographic-segmentation-ecommerce-marketing/. Tomlin, Leah. Interview. Conducted by Kate Voltz, 8 Jan. 2021. Unterberger, Andrew, and Joe Lynch. "Are They a Boy Band or Not? Two Billboard Staffers Debate The Beatles, Brockhampton, 5 Seconds of Summer & More." Billboard, 23 Apr. 2018, www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8371548/boy-band-or-not-beatles-5-seconds-of-summer-debate. Author's Note: I know this seems to many like a "first world problem." But, in defense of this, we have to recognize that while national/higher-level news outlets will cover the big issues, we can discuss trends that affect people around us. The dismissal of teenage girls' opinions deeply matters to many students and members of the CV community, and that includes how we treat other people's taste in music. Beyond boy bands, this extends to all genres and tastes, and I hope that by writing this article and by your reading it, we can take steps toward greater acceptance of other people and artists and a more accepting society overall. If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
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