Freedom of Speech

What is free speech? When does free speech need to be curtailed? What does the 1st Amendment actually protect? When should the government step in to promote or prevent certain kinds of speech? Who is free speech for? What is the impact of free speech on today's society? What is the impact of limiting free …

Dealing with Mental health in the Ukraine war

The Ukraine war has been going on for a full year now and as a way to understand some sections of it I've decided to write about the mental stress on those involved in it. When it comes to war Mental health is something that doesn't always have as much attention put towards it. I've …

Taylor Swift and Activism

How many influencers/celebrities do you follow and are fans of? Everyone has at least a few celebrities they are fans of. Celebrities are, in today’s day and age,  known for being very influential to their followers and fans. Social media, especially, has created this new connection between celebrities and their fans. Fans follow to see …

Can Social Media Create Community?

A lot has been made of the negative and positive impacts of social media platforms such as Facebook, but the extended reach that the platform gives to its users is typically chief amongst the list of potential positive impacts, but is this actually a tangible positive impact? In the Afterward section of his novel Bowling Alone: …

Tea Stains: The Destructive Cycles of Internet Drama Communities

"Tea" by chumsdock is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. For as long as there have been Internet communities, there has been drama within them; and as long as there has been Internet drama, there have been people who leap onto it to procure fame and influence for themselves. In communities based on a shared love of specific movies, shows, …

“Back in My Day”— Analyzing the New Form of Social Capital

If you are a millennial or Generation "Z'er," you’ve probably gotten comments similar to these about your electronic lifestyle habits from your parents or grandparents: “Back in my day, we didn’t have all these gadgets. In my day, people actually spoke to one another!” “Maybe if you weren’t on that phone of yours all the …

The Unequal Exchange Rate of Social Capital

People protesting unemployment. "People's Unemployment Line: Demand a Safe & Just Return to Work." Joe Piette. June 22, 2020. Think back to all the jobs you've ever had in your life. Whether you worked as a barista in your local coffee shop, landscaped with your dad's friend for one summer, or landed a major corporate …

The True Impact of Community Centers

Communities we form are at the foundation of American society and are part of what connects us to others around us. One thing in American society that has been able to last decades, even centuries in the US is the idea of community centers. Community centers over the years have gone by many names and …

New Media’s Effects on Social Capital

In the past couple of decades, we have seen a drop in social capital in our society, as it seemingly becomes harder and harder to find things to unite and connect large groups of people in a way that creates an understandable common purpose. When one thinks of the technological advancements of the past couple …

How Social Media Platforms Like Twitter Shape Social Interactions

Everyone seems to use social media these days. Roughly seven in ten Americans told PEW Research that they personally do in 2021. And while the evidence that these forms of communication are replacing in-person interactions is not conclusive, they are certainly at least supplemental. Social Media Landscape by fredcavazza on Flickr. One of the many …