“With the rise of social media ‘cringe culture,’ … we simply aren’t motivated to organize ‘spontaneous’ dance pieces that draw in massive crowds of strangers, united in their shock and delight at the earnest spectacles before them,” Zara Seldon PO ’29 writes. “Our world is lonelier than ever, making flash mobs a perfect example of the unapologetic, out-in-the-open whimsy necessary to harness the power of communal joy.”
Opinions
OPINION: Have you been in pain? If so, care about pregnancy.
“The Claremont Colleges’ insufficient support for pregnant students, whether they carry a pregnancy to term, have a miscarriage, or seek an abortion, is both indicative of and an inadequate response to the American legal and medical system,” Vivian Fan PO ‘28 writes. “The Title IX and Accessibility offices ought to collaborate with SHS to ensure that students, regardless of whether or not they carry a pregnancy to term, are able to access relevant resources and comprehensive healthcare.”
OPINION: In defense of PDA and reflections on embodied love
“We have a collective problem, not only of loneliness, but of an inability to celebrate the manifestation of real love upon exposure to it,” Alex Benach PO ‘28 writes. “In other words, seeing love represented can act as a medicine for our repulsion to love.”
OPINION: When you travel, don’t start with English
The modern expectation of everyone to speak English quietly places the burden of communication on local people in linguistically diverse areas, treating them as the ones who must adapt.
OPINION: Maybe we should do our readings
“The Claremont Consortium’s unique take on the small liberal arts college model allows students to explore many interests and gives rise to constructive discussions. But we seem scared to honestly discuss how this impacts the rigor of many of its core academic programs,” Nicholas Steinman ’28 writes.
OPINION: We don’t need to go to Bentham’s Prison, we have panopticons at home
College campuses have long existed as hubs of student expression and activism and Pomona’s attempt to diminish that through increased surveillance disguised as security is reprehensible.
OPINION: Claremont can’t preserve its way out of a housing crisis
“A neighborhood’s true ‘character’ is not defined by manicured lawns and single-family houses, but by how its people work together to create an inclusive and livable place for everyone,” writes Zara Seldon PO ‘29. “Expanding housing supply in Claremont is a project that extends beyond the unhoused—setting a city-wide precedent by bolstering projects that provide space for residents from all walks of life could transform Claremont from a high-class community into a place we can all afford.”
OPINION: The 5Cs support abortion but not pregnancy — what about choice?
“There is no centralized pregnancy resource page outlining Title IX rights, no clear guidance for students who choose to continue a pregnancy.” Grace Rutherford PO ‘28 writes. “Choice requires more than options in name. It requires a generous distribution of resources and support so an individual can make a fully informed choice.”
OPINION: What Minneapolis can teach us about America’s descent into fascism
“As students at the 5Cs, we have the privilege of residing in a community that feels physically and emotionally distant from ICE activity, despite deportations taking place as close as Pomona County,” Olivia Brinkman PO ’29 writes. “Scrolling through horrific reels, at a loss for what to do, we think to ourselves: What impact do we really have when our government is crumbling around us? This sense of helplessness is exactly what Trump and other elected officials want you to feel — it allows them to continue to exercise their power to commit crimes without facing the consequences. ”
OPINION: What we can learn from South Korea’s 4B movement
“Astounding rates of gender discrimination in South Korea are one of the biggest drivers of the country’s declining population,” Ansley Kang ’29 writes. “South Korean women, tired of the lagging behind in women’s’ rights, have begun pushing back against this discrimination with the radical 4B movement: bihon (no marriage); bichulsan (no childbirth); biyeonae (no dating); and bisekseu (no sex). ”