When was the last time you picked up a book? Based on a national trend, probably too long ago to remember. According to a 2022 survey conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts, less than half of Americans reported reading at least one book a year. This makes sense, considering that many of my […]
Tag: OpEd
Silent Hill F Might Be the Craziest One Yet
The revival of the “Silent Hill” franchise has been glorious to watch. Years of online dedication and PlayStation 2 emulators have led to a new wave of fans — those who weren’t alive to witness the franchise’s peak years in the early 2000s. Culminating in the Bloober Team 2024 remake of “Silent Hill 2” to […]
Are We Becoming Desensitized to Political Violence?
Recent events are highlighting a disturbing fact: political violence is becoming much more frequent. From a deadly attack on lawmakers in Minnesota to arson threats in Texas and chaos in Washington, D.C., the headlines keep rolling in. But the American public seems…not surprised? Are we as a country becoming desensitized to political violence? On June […]
AI-Generated Music: The Future or the End of Creativity?
Music has long been regarded as one of humanity’s purest forms of artistic expression. With the rise of artificial intelligence in music production, a debate has emerged: does AI-generated music represent the future of innovation or the demise of creativity? This question cuts to the core of artistic integrity and technology’s evolving role in creative […]
Fashion Is a Way to “Fake It Till You Make It”
Do you remember the first time you put on a business casual outfit to go into the office? It probably felt like you were just roleplaying as an adult, never feeling quite right in your own clothes. Maybe you’ve felt that way on other occasions, like wearing an evening gown or a suit — dressed […]
The Importance of Ambiance in Game Design
Nowadays it feels that everything in video games is hand fed to the player. Gone are the days where you can find something hidden behind a waterfall, alerted by the sparkly sound being emitted by a concealed collectible. Gone are the days of sneaking through halls and knowing where your enemies are by the sounds […]
Why Practical Effects Work When CGI Doesn’t
CGI has been a greatly effective tool for filmmakers in the modern day. It allows for a greater capacity for scenes and scenarios to be depicted on the big screen that just wouldn’t be possible back in the day. Take the original “Jurassic Park” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” for example. These films were praised […]
Sampling as a Cultural Archive
By tapping into obscure jazz riffs, dusty gospel loops, and forgotten soul grooves, music producers are doing more than just crafting new beats — they’re curating cultural history. Sampling, historically a foundation of hip-hop and electronic music, has matured into a powerful form of archival work. When a producer plucks a melodic phrase from a […]
Politicians Are Trying Too Hard to Be Relatable
Politicians’ campaigns and online presence are nothing like they used to be. In an era of Trump, political figures are reimagining how they attract and maintain supporters. They now guest on podcasts, post humorous videos to their page and spread messages on social media almost as casually as texting a friend. Yes, this may attract […]
Is Trash Talk Dying? And Should We Care?
Trash talk has long been a staple of competitive sports. From Muhammad Ali’s poetic jabs to Larry Bird’s icy confidence, verbal sparring has elevated rivalries and fueled iconic moments. But in today’s era of heightened sportsmanship, social media scrutiny and league-enforced fines, some wonder — is trash talk a dying art? Athletes once thrived on […]
Netflix’s New East Coast Studio Could Bring Problems
The opening of Netflix’s New Jersey production studio represents the ongoing shift within the American entertainment industry. The ever-rising prices and strife within Hollywood have prompted studios to expand their operations nationwide and even internationally. These new studios hope to bring in new talent that would have otherwise had these opportunities if media companies had […]
The Art of Yume Nikki and Many Like It
“Yume Nikki,” is a Japanese indie title, created by the video game developer, Kikiyama and released on June 26, 2004. The game receives praise for its surrealist nature, with many popular games such as “Undertale” and “Doki Doki Literature Club” having drawn inspiration from it. The main protagonist of the game is a girl named […]
