The growth of “side hustle” culture and the desire to monetize hobbies What is the value of a hobby? Ask yourself that question and think about the way you frame your answer. If your first instinct is something along the lines of “it brings happiness or fulfillment” or “it satiates the feeling of ennui in my life,” then you will find yourself met with an exasperated sigh from judgmental on...
The present intrigue around AI and its potentially detrimental effects on the future In 1984, pop culture staple The Terminator was released in theatres to what I would imagine was largely fanfare and positive reception premised on its interesting concepts of what the future may look like. The chiseled frame of Schwarzenegger enacting sweet violence against another sentient robot touches on a key...
With the recent arrest and looming trial of the Tate brothers, what better time than now to evaluate how we got to the point where people (virtually) shout for the liberation of alleged human traffickers? For those unaware, a police raid of the Romanian residence of popular internet personality Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, ended with the two in custody on human trafficking charges...
When I first heard, all the way back in April, that Elon Musk was putting in a takeover bid to purchase Twitter, I was skeptical that the plan would ever even materialize. So far removed from Musk’s typical business ventures, I frankly did not understand the profitability scheme he was envisioning with the acquisition. It felt more like a statement than a serious offer. My hunch was proven...
November 12 saw one of the most anticipated UFC pay-per-views of the year come and go: UFC 281. The card featured several stand-out fights that resonated with both die hard and casual fans alike. I watched the card with some friends, most of whom rarely tune into UFC cards or combat sports in general, and they were all clamoring that the Poirier versus Chandler fight was one of the best fights...
The watering down of DEI through personal preferences Recently, I read a post on LinkedIn which had one of the hottest takes I have ever seen on the platform, but that does not say a lot considering that most posts are cookie-cutter motivational pep-talks and pitchfork-in-hand rants about someone’s crappy day. The post in question, with almost 10,000 reactions when I read it, discusses the...
The double-edged sword of stoicism “I am doing good” may be my favourite white lie. We, as professionals, as friends, as family members, tell it to those closest to us all the time. Not only is it grammatically incorrect (Superman does good, I am doing well), it communicates nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to avoid spilling our stresses and our worries onto unsuspecting victims. What...
Shadows paint the sidewalk in all shapes and sizes, a slight breeze whistles in the air, and the sun is bright but calm. Leaves spread across forest trails, gently being carried onwards by the wind, unknowing in their journey. Fall is as beautiful a reminder to take it easy as it is a time to think back on where you have been, and where you will go. I have gone through several different phases of...
A philosophical inquiry into criminality, vindication, and morality We as humans are capable of so much good; we are inventors, liberators, and teachers, driven by the desire to selflessly improve life around us. Yet, we have just as much potential to be dictators, thieves, and narcissists. Just as easily as we create worlds, we can be their destroyers. Many live under the assumption that...
Long ago, as a child, I was told that driving is a privilege, not a right. It makes sense, right? To ensure that only the most capable get behind a wheel, we hold prospective drivers to high standards. After all, being at least sixteen years old is a pretty high standard and does demonstrate that you would be ready to deal with all the stresses of the road. However, the idea that you are a driver...
There are three words I absolutely despise saying: I am sorry. See, remorse is funny. It’s the precursor to redemption and a byproduct of doing the wrong thing. Yet, we all feel remorse while simultaneously avoiding those two magic words. We let remorse fester and eat us up while we turn blue in the face, unable to blurt out those healing syllables. All too often, we just say “I’m sorry” not to...
When I was a very young child, I used to be unreasonably scared of the dark: I had to have a nightlight, an adult awake when I was going to sleep, and of course, my trusty anti-ghost water gun under my pillowcase. Then, as I grew older, I developed this irrational fear that I would somehow swim out to the deep end of the beach and a tide would submerge me into a watery prison where I would be...
The misrepresentation of squalor made by the most privileged. From the time we were children, most of us dreamed of being something greater than the little pea-sized humans we were. For many, a vivid caricature of what we aspire to be was found in fiction, through fables that depicted heroes as the antithesis to evil and all that was wrong in the world. Heroes, however, are rarely free from...
Before I went into grade school, having immigrated from the other side of the world and thrust straight into the North American education system, my mom told me to always be mindful of conflicts and do your best to avoid them. She told me that I should a) always try to deescalate a situation and avoid physical confrontation where I could, and b) to never take anything from anyone when that...
September 24th marked the 30th anniversary of one of the most influential modern(ish) albums: Nirvana’s Nevermind. The album featured the trio ditching their metal riffs and center-of-the-show bass lines for a more alt-rock-y sound that synthesized the three core instruments into a more cohesive and narrow sound. We also saw a shift in lyrical style, where Nevermind took an analogous approach of...