The Wayward Winter Winds (1.29.2018)

Hanover Review Inc. P.O. Box 343 Hanover NH, 03755

Volu m e 3 7 , Is su e 13

Mond ay, Janu ar y 2 9 , 2 0 1 8

THE WAYWARD WINTER WINDS

BAKER-BERRY LIBRARY on a cold winter’s night

Image courtesy of New England Today

Distinguished Alums of The Crypto Dartmouth: Peter Robinson Craze Jake G. Philhower

Contributor Editor’s Note: The Review has launched this series to profile distinguished alumni of the College. Peter Robinson ’79 is a professor at the Hoover Institute at Stanford.

He produces a weekly show in conjunction with the Hoover Institute called Uncommon Knowledge.

The Dartmouth Review (TDR): Who was your favorite person to interview on your show, Uncommon Knowledge?

Peter Robinson (PR): I’ll tell you, I have a lot of favorites. Milton Friedman, whom I interviewed three times in the final decade or so of his life. Milton Friedman’s office was just down the hall from mine, so he and I got to know each oth-

er quite well. Of course, he was an intellectual giant but at the same time, a completely approachable man and a teacher. They’re old now but if you go back and look at those interview, you see someone who is a historic figure doing what he did, which is explaining his views, teaching me how to think about economics as he thought about economics. There one exchange with Milton Friedman in which he made an argument which didn’t seem to me to be a technical or economic argument. So, I said, “Milton I think you’re making a moral argument not an economic argument.” He said, “A moral argument?

Of course, is there any other kind?” That I thought was very telling. That I have always remembered because for this great man, eco-

nomics was not a game. It was a moral matter, human freedom as a moral matter, economic freedom was an aspect of human freedom.

It was enabling people to better their lives. It wasn’t an intellectual construct and it wasn’t a game, it was something deep and important.

Thomas Sowell, whom I just love, and whom viewers love as well. He is in his eighties now, but he is still producing a book every six to ten months. When he produces a new book, we shoot a show together to talk about the book.

In fact, we will be doing another show this coming spring. The marvelous thing about Thomas Sowell is that, he speaks with such honesty and directness that authenticity. And frankly, he is so annoyed

by humbug, by political correctness. I shot a couple of shows yesterday with Stephen Kotkin, a historian who recently spoke at Dartmouth about his new book on Stalin. With Stephen, what you get is a sense of erudition. Stephen has spent three and a half decades immersing himself in the Soviet archives.

He literally knows more about Stalin than Stalin knew about Stalin. His book, volume two of his biography of Stalin which was about some nine hundred pages long. Yet, he’s such a fine teacher, that he’s able to compress his findings and offer one or two telling details or tell one story that illuminates the entire subject of Joseph Stalin.

> FEATURES PAGE 9

Joshua D. Kotran William J. Brandon Executive Editor Contributor

A young boy asks his dad, “Papa, can you buy me a Bitcoin?”. “A Bitcoin?” says the father, “What? $15,232??? $14,354 is a lot of money!

What do you need $17,782 for anyway?”

As of late, Bitcoin and other “cryptocurrencies” have soared in popularity among investors with an appetite for risk and high returns, and it’s not hard to see why. Over the past twelve months, Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest “cryptocurrencies” by market cap, have gone up by 1,146% and 11,410%, respectively (though these numbers may be markedly different by the time you read this article). More recently, the

month of January has seen a major “Altcoin” rally, where many coins with smaller market caps have generated astronomical returns. It is not uncommon for a coin to jump 500% or more in a span of a few days. Nor is it unheard of for a coin’s value to drop by 50% or more in a few hours.

It is difficult to fully understand the optimism and excitement surrounding the cryptocurrency craze without some background on the currency’s underlying mechanics. Unlike traditional currencies that are distributed by a centralized authority, cryptocurrency transactions are verified by the computational power of coin miners who work independently and without affiliation.

> FEATURES PAGE 9

ALL THE SMALL THINGS

AT THE MARCH FOR LIFE

STAHEL SAYS: THE LAST JEDI

Editor-in-Chief Jack Mourouzis discusses the College’s recently released new logo and wordmark

The Review looks at this year’s March For Life prostests in the nation’s capital

Senior Correspondent John Stahel discusses the many issues with the newest Star Wars film

> EDITORIAL PAGE 3

> FEATURES PAGE 8

> FEATURES PAGE 11

2 Monday – January 29, 2018

The Dartmouth Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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For thirty-five years, The Dartmouth Review has been the College’s only independent newspaper and the only student opinion journal that matters. It is the oldest and most renowned campus commentary publication in the nation and spawned a national movement at the likes of Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, and countless others. Our staff members and alumni have won many awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, and have been published in the Boston Globe, New York Times, National Review, American Spectator, Wall Street Journal, Weekly Standard, Village Voice, New Criterion, and many others.

The Review aims to provide a voice for any student who enjoys challenging brittle and orthodox thinking. We stand for free speech, student rights, and the liberating arts. Whatever your political leanings, we invite you to come steep yourself in campus culture and politics, Dartmouth lore, keen witticisms, and the fun that comes with writing for an audience of thousands. We’re looking for writers, photographers, cartoonists, aspiring business managers, graphic designers, web maestros, and anyone else who wants to learn from Dartmouth’s unofficial school of journalism.

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Meetings held Mondays at 6:30 PM at our offices at 32 S. Main Street (next to Lou’s in the lower level office space)

INSIDE THE ISSUE

PERHAPS YOU SHOULD COME TO ONE OF OUR MEETINGS BEFORE MAKING LUDICROUS ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT US.

An Interview with Peter Robinson.....................................Page 1 The Crypto Craze Hits Dartmouth....................................Page 1 Editorial: All the Small Things............................................Page 3 Great Professors: Kevin Reinhart.......................................Page 6 An Interview with Dr. Stewart Levenson..........................Page 7 The March for Life.................................................................Page 8 Stahel Says: The Last Jedi...................................................Page 11

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NIGEL FARAGE READS THE REVIEW.

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MASTHEAD & EDITORIAL EST. 1980

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win great triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to takerank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

—Theodore Roosevelt

EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief

All the Small Things

Jack F. Mourouzis

Executive Editors Joshua D. Kotran Marcus J. Thompson

Managing Editors Devon M. Kurtz B. Webb Harrington

Associate Editors Rachel T. Gambee Daniel M. Bring

Senior Correspondents Michael J. Perkins John S. Stahel

BUSINESS STAFF President

Robert Y. Sayegh

Vice Presidents Jason B. Ceto & Noah J. Sofio

ADVISORY Founders

Greg Fossedal, Gordon Haff, Benjamin Hart, Keeney Jones

Legal Counsel

Mean-Spirited, Cruel, and Ugly

Board of Trustees

Martin Anderson, Patrick Buchanan, Theodore Cooperstein, Dinesh D’Souza, Michael Ellis, Robert Flanigan, John Fund, Kevin Robbins, Gordon Haff, Jeffrey Hart, Laura Ingraham, Mildred Fay Jefferson, William Lind, Steven Menashi, James Panero, Hugo Restall, Roland Reynolds, William Rusher, Weston Sager, Emily Esfahani-Smith, R. Emmett Tyrrell, Sidney Zion

NOTES Special thanks to William F. Buckley, Jr. “Oh, yeah, I go to DoubleTree.”

The Editors of The Dartmouth Review welcome correspondence from readers concerning any subject, but prefer to publish letters that comment directly on material published previously in The Review. We reserve the right to edit all letters for clarity and length. Please submit letters to the editor by mail or email: editor@dartreview.com Or by mail at:

The Dartmouth Review P.O. Box 343 Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-4370

Please direct all complaints to: editor@thedartmouth.com

In his novel, David Copperfield, En- him as saying that “Dartmouth is recogglish writer Charles Dickens wrote, “my nized around the world as one of the great meaning simply is, that whatever I have institutions of higher education, and we tried to do in life, I have tried with all must have a clear, consistent brand identimy heart to do well; that whatever I have ty… It is essential that we speak with one devoted myself to, I have devoted myself bold voice.” As if Dartmouth did not alto completely; that in great aims and in ready have a consistent brand identity prismall, I have always been thoroughly or to the overhaul, his words serve only to in earnest.” When it comes to the Dart- continue touting the failing narrative that mouth administration, however, it is the new branding system is successful. Not clear that excellence – or even compe- only does an updated logo have nothing to tence – is not a priority. do with speaking with a bold voice, but the This past week, the College unveiled bold voices surrounding the issue are not its new branding trademarks – or, in their even favorable ones. Student reception to words, a “new visual identity” – consisting the logo has been overwhelmingly negaof a new logo and font for the school, replac- tive. At the end of the day, it simply looks ing the shield and serif “Dartmouth” word- worse – cheaper and less prestigious (almark. The College’s official web page though prestige seems to be an enemy for the change is full of the usual, of the Hanlon administration) – meaningless buzzwords. See its than our previous shield insigintroductory paragraph: nia and wordmark.

“The forward-looking sysThis contradiction is furtem, designed for a digital ther evidenced by the onage, embraces Dartmouth’s going controversy regarding singular identity and rich the destruction of College legacy. The system is made Park to make way for new up of design elements for dormitories, coupled with print and digital commuthe vast expansion of nications, and includes Dartmouth’s student colors and designs to be body. The new comused across campus. The munications booklet graphic design elements offered concurrently are largely inspired by with the new branding Dartmouth’s profound program – entitled “TellJack F. Mourouzis sense of place.” ing our Story” – includes Besides the fact that half of the para- a section about the College’s “Profound graph has no meaning whatsoever, the Sense of Place,” which dares to invoke the message it does convey is dubious at best. BEMA as an important natural setting This theme is consistent throughout all at the College. College Park as a whole, of the College’s available materials re- however, is neglected; as the most accesgarding the new branding marks, partic- sible and immersive natural setting on ularly in the section on the “brand mark” campus. Perhaps more telling, however, – the insignia. While first describing how is that the small, tight-knit nature of the the “Dartmouth insignias have a histo- College’s community is entirely ignored. ry as rich and intricate as the College It is mentioned once briefly, but in the secitself ” – a claim with which this author tion entitled “Base Camp to the World,” would agree with – the new brand mark and used in the context of the College’s (I find the word “insignia” much too global programs. The fact is now all but prestigious a word to describe the mark confirmed: the Hanlon administration no – “logo” would be more appropriate) is longer values the small, intimate nature simple and minimalistic. A ‘D’ printed of its undergraduate college. in an undistinguished font with the imThe words of Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurasage of the Lone Pine superimposed on it sic Park here ring true: “Your scientists cannot reasonably be described as rich were so preoccupied with whether or not and intricate. On the contrary, it is cheap they could that they didn’t stop to think if and inadequate. Also worth mentioning they should.” The true method to the Hanis the logo’s extreme similarity to that of lon madness is appearing to effect subStanford University, which has used its stantial, positive change, but in fact, what tree-on-letter logo for years. The results little change has occurred is quite clearly clearly seem to be lacking in originality, leading to the destruction of Dartmouth. despite the efforts of outsourced profes- It is indeed the small things that matter – sionals working to overhaul the visual things like a cheap new logo or a change identity system. in marketing strategy – are often telling President Phil Hanlon’s rhetoric sur- of larger, more dangerous shifts. And alas, rounding the new logo is equally empty the night will go on; we can only hope for and inconsistent. Dartmouth News quoted the rise of a sun.

4 Monday – January 29, 2018

The Dartmouth Review

WEEK IN REVIEW FIRE SURVEY ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH YIELDS TROUBLING RESULTS The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which grants all citizens freedom of speech, is one of the core values that this country is built on.

Unfortunately, many Americans, particularly college students, have become disillusioned with the First Amendment. Freedom of Speech has become a controversial topic on campuses across the country. Students have been rioting against Conservative guest speakers and demanding safe spaces and protection from ideas with which they do not agree. At the center of the Free Speech dispute is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting civil liberties and First Amendment rights in colleges and universities.

FIRE recently published a report called “Speaking Freely: What Students Think about Expression at American Colleges.” The report provides an analysis of a survey FIRE conducting in collaboration with YouGov, an international data analytics firm. 1,250 college students around the United States were asked questions about their opinions on free expression, hate speech, censorship, and guest speakers. Students were also asked about their political opinions and were divided into “liberal” and “conservative” categories to test whether partisan divides were present.

The results of the survey present clear ideological differences regarding Freedom of Speech between liberal and conservative students. 78% of “very liberal” students and only 38% of “very conservative” students supported the withdrawal of guest speaker’s invitation to their college campus. Students who identified as Democratic are 19% more likely than Republican students to agree that speakers should be disinvited given certain circumstances. However, the two groups of students disagreed on which circumstances would warrant a speaking being disinvited. A larger percentage of “strongly Democratic” students supported disinviting Donald Trump (43%) than a Holocaust denier (41%) or an anti-Semite (35%). The only circumstances where a larger percentage of “strongly Republican” supported disinviting a speaker were if the speaker was a Communist (21%) or “anti-American” (31%).

Another subject with divided results was hate

speech. 60% of “very conservative” students and 46% of Republican students think the First Amendment should protect hate speech. Meanwhile, 64% of “very liberal” students and 57% of Democratic students think hate speech should not be protected. Less than a year ago, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the First Amendment protected hate speech.

Still, 48% of college students do not support Constitutional protections for hate speech.

Self-expression was another major issue that was surveyed. “Very conservative” students were considerably less comfortable than “very liberal” students sharing opinions inside (14%) and outside (21%) of classes. These results suggest that college students are more critical of conservative viewpoints than liberal viewpoints. 50% of students reported self-censoring themselves due to fears that they may offend someone or be politically incorrect.

Overall, the FIRE and YouGov survey results demonstrate a more significant lack of support for Freedom of Speech among liberal and Democratic students, particularly regarding conservative ideas and speakers. Additionally, many students, especially right-wing students, are more afraid to share their views on campus. The survey results show an essential need for colleges to reaffirm their commitment to protecting students’ First Amendment rights and dismantling a culture of censorship and stubbornness.

PROFESSOR MARK BRAY GIVES PRESENTATION ON THE ANTIFA MOVEMENT As music blared through the auditorium, Professor Mark Bray began his presentation “Antifa: The History and Politics of Anti-Fascism” on Thursday, January 18 th. Bray summarized the Antifa movement as “history, politics, and theory on the run.” With said formula, it seems that Antifa has continually shattered the test tubes. However, the presentation focused more on the historical development of anti-fascist groups in Europe, and ultimately America.

Starting in Europe with the rise of Nazism in Germany, Bray concluded that fascism, even in small groups, must be put down violently to prevent the mistakes of the past. While he may be correct about Nazism, the applicability of this example to our current political reality is more than questionable. Currently, the Antifa symbol found in the United States

carries the slogan Abolish Capitalism. Ironically, every socialist or communist state that has existed has devolved into a totalitarian monstrosity.

The far-left, as portrayed by Bray, seems to fight the ‘noble’ fight against fascism around the world.

However, Antifa seems more than happy to promote totalitarian communism. Bray discussed the Battle of Cable Street, in which Antifa demonstrators and the British Union of Fascists clashed in the East End of London. Modern Antifa members have resorted to merely role-playing the supposed glorious past of the Antifa movement. Bray flashed over the fact that by calling it a “battle,” he glorifies violence and ignores the damage caused upon the public. Furthermore, Bray continued his discussion on the development of Antifa in England during the punk scene during the seventies. The punk scene, which has historically been anti-authoritarian, and, therefore, anti-fascist, has by no means the same intentions as the modern Antifa movement. Bray claims that Antifa is self-defense against the actions of the far-right, but then states that one of the critical tenets of Antifa is “we go where they go.” At the end of the presentation, Bray took questions from the audience, in which he surprisingly admitted that “Donald Trump is not a fascist.” Whether or not this undermines his thesis on the importance of modern Antifa deserves another presentation.

DARTMOUTH RELEASES CONTROVERSIAL NEW BRANDING MATERIALS Last Monday, Dartmouth announced a new branding initiative that is meant to unify and update the brand of our school. The most significant change is the new “D-Pine” logo. The new logo is a simple “D” in a different font with an updated lone pine in the center. The logo has a striking resemblance to the Stanford University logo, which similarly is an “S” with a tree in its center. One of the reasons for the updated design is that the school intends to combine the message it sends to the world through one central logo. As of late, many different logos are floating around campus. For example, Collis, the Geisel School of Medicine and the school’s website all display different logos. Another benefit of the new logo is that it can be easily shrunk down to fit as profile logos on social media platforms. The Crest was too intricate to fit into an Instagram avatar. According

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Robert F. Carangelo William J. Brandon Alexander Rauda Scotch Cara Alec R. Kaplan to Vice President of Communications, Justin Anderson, the Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck School of Business could also see changes to their respective logos in the future as well.

The change in logo is a part of an overall pivot by the college to a “strategic communications framework.”

This change in outlook consists of five “pillars” that reflect on the college’s mission. These include liberal arts at the core, scholars who love to teach, adventuresome spirit, base camp to the world, and a profound sense of place. We at The Review feel the new logo is inferior to the old crest logo that the college has had since the 1940s. The “D-Pine” is not very aesthetically pleasing and looks more like the logo of a large corporation than an Ivy League college.

This year eight individuals affiliated with Dart-

DARTMOUTH ATHLETES PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN OLYMPIC TEAM mouth will be competing in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which will be held from the 9th to 25th of February. Seven of these eight Olympians are competing for the United States and one for Canada. Three of those competing are cross-country skiers, two are in the biathlon, two are Alpine skiers, and one is on the Canadian National Hockey Team. Additionally, the coach of the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team coach is none other than Dartmouth’s current coach Laura Schuler.

Dartmouth has not only found success in qualifying individuals to compete on national teams, over the years Dartmouth alumni have achieved a total of 13 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Dartmouth College has played a vital role in the development, proliferation, and popularization of winter sports. In 1927, the first recorded organized ski race in the United States was hosted by the Dartmouth Outing Club and held on our very own Mt. Moosilauke. A year later, Dartmouth staged the first FIS slalom course in the united states, bringing a level of professionalism and precision to the sport that was then unprecedented in the United States.

In 1930, Otto Schniebs, one of the most famous exponents of early downhill ski racing technique, was made Dartmouth’s coach, propelling Dartmouth’s consistent dominance in the sport.

As both Winter Carnival and Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics approach, it is important to remember not only how winter sports have served as a stage to highlight Dartmouth’s athletic prowess, but also the role winter activities play in uniting and bringing happiness to Dartmouth students.

Georgetown University’s public statement on the issue clearly condemned his reprehensible action as well.

First, Suckley’s assertion that “we live in a broken (sinful) world, and sexual assault and harassment is symptomatic of that brokenness” is barely distinct from the leftist argument that patriarchy and toxic masculinity are both ingrained in the very structure of society. Both lenses condemn sexual violence.

Both lenses claim that there are ways to try to improve the treatment of women. Virtue—regardless of whether one uses a secular or Christian justification for it—and viewing individuals as persons with inviolable worth are two important features of both conservatism and modern feminism. To condemn a woman for advocating for morality is absurd.

Second, there is no excuse for Bernstein’s uncouth, unacceptable behavior. The blatant hypocrisy in wishing sexual assault upon someone while simultaneously condemning sexual assault is both palpable and indecent.

Third, in general, the modern social justice movement sometimes suffers from a self-defeating insincerity. No reasonable person disagrees with equal treatment. No American conservative tries to dismiss the legal protections provided by the Civil Rights Act or the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act— the

newly re-introduced Equality Act to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protections on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity has strong bipartisan support. By creating a false narrative that conservative values run counter to decent treatment of others, modern social justice warriors alienate the very people who might seek to support their movement on the basis of classical liberalism and a care for freedom. Bernstein’s incompetence, short-sightedness, and unfounded anger is only one of the many examples of this sad phenomenon.

CARTOON

“But that CAN’T be the new logo!!”

CARTOON

It’s a shame that people tweet before they think. An

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ADVISOR RESIGNS OVER CONTROVERSIAL TWEETS advisor for Georgetown University, Jeff Bernstein, resigned from the university’s Master of Science in Foreign Service Program on Monday in wake of his recent poor behavior on Twitter. In response to conservative millennial commentator Allie Stuckley’s tweets saying that the #MeToo movement was symptomatic of a “broken (sinful) world,” Bernstein tweeted at her “Wishing you a #metoo moment.

Maybe then you won’t be so insensitive.”

Bernstein later privately apologized for his behavior.

“Sometimes I wonder if this college can get ANYTHING right...”

6 Monday – January 29, 2018

The Dartmouth Review

FEATURES

Great Professors: Kevin Reinhart who spend two or three years intensively studying the language, even spending time studying abroad, the level of conversation in the class is raised for all students.. Therefore, if it were possible for Dartmouth students to take classes with graduate students, not to be taught by them, I think it would be very beneficial. I don’t think that this is significant justification for Dartmouth to develop extensive graduate programs, but it was certainly one aspect of my undergraduate education that I enjoyed. When I was a junior and senior at UT, I took graduate seminars; I wrote graduate seminar papers. That was really exciting for me, and I think it really made a difference in my undergraduate experience.

TDR: One of your specific areas of interest is Islamic law. What sparked your interest in this area of study?

PROFESSOR REINHART One of Dartmouth’s finest Image courtesy of Dartmouth College

Rachel T. Gambee

Associate Editor

Editor’s Note: Professor Kevin Reinhart has been a professor of religion at the College since 1986. He has a BA in Middle Eastern and Arabic Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA and a PhD in religion from Harvard University. Professor Reinhart is Dartmouth’s resident specialist on Islam, with his research pertaining specifically to Islamic legal theory.

The Dartmouth Review (TDR): I’ll just begin with this question: you spent much of your youth living abroad — how did this experience shape your undergraduate and graduate education?

Kevin Reinhart (KR): Well, the fact that I did Middle Eastern Studies as an undergraduate was because I had lived abroad in high school. It just was interesting — I had always had some fear of being bored, of having a job that was boring. I found the Middle East interesting, so, in a sense, my study was just a positive feedback loop.

Also, I, partly as a result of the particular professors that I had, came to feel that talking about another culture if you have not lived there and do not speak the language is illegitimate. It drives me crazy when people pontificate about the Middle East who have never lived there or who couldn’t talk to anybody from the region who has not been educated at a university to speak English. The Ms. Gambee is a freshman at the College and an associate editor of The Dartmouth Review.

usual, “my taxi driver told me” kind of stuff is just so inauthentic.

I think it accounts for a lot of why American policy in the Middle East is so off the wall. U.S. officials can’t imagine what is actually motivating people, because they can’t talk to them. I always think: imagine some Japanese guy who comes to the United States and writes all these things about American politics or culture or such, and he can literally not speak to a single American. That’s what it’s like for most American journalists and a lot of policy makers who work in the Middle East.

TDR: Is there an aspect of your education, either at the University of Texas or at Harvard, that you wish that Dartmouth students got to experience?

KR: Graduate students serve a lot of purposes at schools that have graduate programs. Much of it, frankly, is just slave labor.

They’re just teaching people so you don’t have to hire a professor to teach. TA’s who are just getting their PhD and work for very little money. But I do think it is true that having graduate students in a course raises the level of that course. They add a sense that your undergraduate education is not simply highschool extended. That’s something, perhaps for good reason but nonetheless, effectively Dartmouth does not have. To that point, before we had majors in the Arabic program, the level of the conversation that was possible in class was always relatively low. Now that the program has committed Arabic students

KR: Well that’s easy — I wanted to study the things that Muslims thought were important historically. Just as theology was the queen of the sciences for Western Christians, law was the queen of the sciences for Muslims. A lot of the self-reflexiveness, the study of what it means to be an adherent of the faith that was being done in theology pertaining to Christianity, was being done in law pertaining to Islam. Because of a certain intellectual provincialism, modern historians of Islam had focused heavily on theology. They had neglected the study of Islamic law. I wanted to see this change.

By and large the study of Islamic law began with my generation.

Spontaneously, different people across the country came together with the notion that this was an important field of study. Now we have a lot of people and many organizations devoted to the study of Islamic law. All of this has happened since I was in graduate school.

TDR: As a professor of religion, a department in the humanities, what do you think is the role of a liberal arts education in today’s pre-professional society?

KR: Well the short answer to that is simple: people who do pre-professional work, someone who comes to Dartmouth and just does economics all the way through, I think are being trained to be middle-management. It is a luxury to be one of the people who, to use the business cliche, can see around corners. People who can draw on a wide variety of, not just American but also world cultural features — history, languages, so on and so forth

— have that kind of ability. They are the ones who are going to be leaders. The ones who do solely pre-professional work may be well compensated, but they will not be leaders. To that end, I would point to the fact that two of Dartmouth’s most successful graduates in finance, one the head of the Fed and one the Secretary of the Treasury, both studied subjects other than finance.

One was a history major and one was an Asian Studies major. It is a shame that students feel discouraged from taking advantage of a liberal arts education when, in fact, that is both what will benefit them and what Dartmouth is best at.

TDR: Do you think that Dartmouth’s current system of distribution requirements does a good job of encouraging this kind of liberal arts education?

Why or why not?

KR: Well it’s an interesting thing.

We are moving towards a new program, a new system of distributions as you know. I think the jury’s still out as to how well that is going to work. We will see what is going to happen, but I would like to think that Dartmouth students will remain curious under the new system and will continue to take classes in wide breadth of subject areas. My fear is that it will allow students to become more pre-professional. When I taught it Brown, it was possible for you to take thirty-seven courses in English and get a degree. I don’t think that’s a good thing. As an undergraduate I was forced to take distribs. I resented them to no end, but some of those courses have been the ones I have most drawn on during my adult life. They made me more broadly interested in things outside of my own little bailiwick.

TDR: If you were advising firstyear students, is there a particular course, on Islam or any other subject, that you would encourage them to take?

KR: I wouldn’t name any particular course. What I would say is that students should approach their education with a sense of tentativeness. They should not be absolutely tied down to the idea of majoring in one subject. For instance, in my first year as an undergraduate, in addition to courses in Middle Eastern studies, I also took courses in Russian history and political science because those both seemed like potential options for me at the time.

TDR: Students in your courses commonly say that they learned more about writing in your class

than they did in their first year writing seminars. Has instructing students in this way always been important to you?

KR: Well first, if that’s true they have not taken a writing seminar with my wife. [Professor Reinhardt’s wife, Professor Marlene Heck is a professor in the Art History Department focusing on the architectural and social history of Jeffersonian America] There are many freshman seminars that do a terrific job. For me, a focus on writing education has become important as I’ve become increasingly influenced by Orwell and the idea that bad writing is bad thinking. I think the people who are bad writers are often politically confused. I don’t mean politically in the sense of Democrat or Republican, but rather your view of the world. Poor writing demonstrates that you do not push yourself to be logical and clear. It’s become more central to my concerns over the years. There is so much lousy academic writing — pretentious, full of nouns as opposed to verbs, so on and so forth — that I see the need for a kind of corrective. The faculty that I admire most at Dartmouth are similarly very focused on developing students writing. If my students don’t remember who founded the Zaydi Imamate version of Shiaism in twenty years, alas, but if they are still mindful and aware of their writing then I have done my job.

TDR: Finally, to what degree would you agree with the statement that “it is more important now than it ever has been for all Americans to have an understanding of Islam?”

KR: I guess I would agree with that, but not for the reasons that most people would suppose. I think that the most important reason is that now a lot of us in America are Muslims. The number keeps shifting, ordered according to Pew I now see that by 2040 Islam will be the second largest religion in America. Here at Dartmouth, we have a lot of American Muslims. I also think that those American Muslims have a fairly narrow exposure to their own tradition. They are often not aware of the rich potential of being a Muslim. For that reason particularly I think that Americans should know about Islam. And then of course there is the fact that it is already the second largest religion in the world and either it impinging on us or we are impinging on it a lot. But still the most important reason in my view is that as citizens we ought understand our fellow citizens.

The Dartmouth Review

Monday – January 29, 2018

7

FEATURES

An Interview with Dr. Stewart Levenson TDR: What strategy will you take to win first the Republican primary and then defeat Congresswoman Kuster in the election in November?

DR. LEVENSON with his hound

Daniel M. Bring

Image courtesy of Levenson for Congress

Associate Editor

Could you expand on that?

Editor’s Note: New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district is one of the 435 that will be contested in the midterm elections this coming November. One of two districts in New Hampshire, it covers the northern and western parts of the state and includes Dartmouth and Hanover, as well as Nashua and the state capital in Concord.

It is currently represented by Ann Kuster ’78, a Democrat, who has held on to the seat since the election in 2012, in which she triumphed over incumbent Republican, Charles Bass ‘74. Between the 2014 and 2016 elections, Rep. Kuster’s margin of victory has fallen from 10% to 5%, meaning that the race will probably be tight this year. Review Associate Editor Daniel M. Bring spoke with one of the Republican primary challengers, Dr. Stewart Levenson of Hopkinton, running for the chance to face off against Rep. Kuster in November.

SL: It’s not only about veterans, it’s about accountability in government. The VA is one agency in government and it’s demonstrative of how government is no longer serving the people. The government shutdown was proof that the politicians in Washington are posturing for their own end and not taking care of the people who elected them to office.

The Dartmouth Review (TDR): Dr. Levenson, to start, could you tell us why you are running for this seat?

Dr. Stewart Levenson (SL): I’m running to restore accountability to government. I’m the conservative outsider who is listening to the people, and that’s something that has just been so rare in modern politics. I worked at the VA taking care of my patients, then when care could not be provided to my satisfaction I became a whistleblower, only because Congresswoman Kuster would not work to improve the healthcare for the veterans.

TDR: When I first met you at the Dartmouth College Republicans event, you talked a lot about your commitment to the VA and to the care of the veterans.

Mr. Bring is a freshman at the College and an associate editor at The Dartmouth Review.

TDR: Could you tell me what other platform points are key to your agenda?

SL: Well, of course, healthcare.

I’m a physician who has public health experience, I’ve been a director in a large medical organization, so I’m in a unique position to improve healthcare in the United States. This is a key issue for the citizens of New Hampshire. Healthcare does no one any good if they can’t afford it. People are avoiding seeing their doctor, going for healthcare, because it’s become so unaffordable. That’s one part of my platform, but also there are many others. I’m a staunch spokesman for border security. I believe that until we have border security, many other problems just won’t go away. The opioid crisis. We have to stem the flow of illegal opioids through our borders. The immigration problem. We’re not going to solve the issues with immigration until we have secure borders. Also, national security is extremely important to me. We must maintain the world as a safe place without being the world’s peacekeeper.

We set an example, we use our influence to see that our national security is preserved.

TDR: What other domestic policies are critical to your platform, especially on such issues as civil rights and education?

SL: Well, education is the basis of a well-informed electorate. We are blessed in this country with many

top institutions. New Hampshire has a superb education system.

We, in New Hampshire, take into account individuals’ views on education, more so than New York state.

TDR: So do you support school choice?

SL: Yes, I do, depending on how it’s specifically worked out. I am a proponent of school choice. I agree with the Governor on his view of the latest bill at the statehouse on school choice allowing for savings accounts. I think this will enable to make choices they feel are best for their families.

TDR: How do you think you can avoid the divisive partisan politics that have been causing a rift in this country and bring people together with your campaign?

SL: I have no problem reaching across the aisle. As a physician and as someone who has a lot of education behind me, a lot of my friends are from different parts of the political spectrum. I respect differing views. I enjoy debating people, but at the end of the day, I go by the theory that we all want the same things, but we might have different ways of getting there.

TDR: What do you feel are some of Congresswoman Kuster’s major shortcoming in representing New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district?

SL: Congresswoman Kuster does not represent her district is the big problem. Her vote on the recent tax bill; 89% of New Hampshire residents will be getting more money in their pockets and Congresswoman Kuster. She is completely unaccountable to the voters. She has said things like she’s with the veterans, she’s worked to help improve care, but when I met with her, her response was that the VA in Manchester was not in her congressional district.

SL: In both the primary and the general election, my message is other people have always promised accountability, but I have shown that I can deliver it and that I hold myself accountable. I could no longer work in a system that would endanger veterans so I left. People ask me all the time: “We like what you have to say, but we’re concerned when you get to Washington, you’re going to be just another politician.” I say, look what I did at the VA. When I could no longer maintain standards for the veterans, I went to the press and effectively ended my career there.

TDR: Assuming you win the election, what will be your first actions individually and legislatively when you go to Washington?

SL: When I go to Washington, I want to be assigned to the appropriate committees. Of course, I want to be assigned to the Veterans’ Affairs committee. That’s the first step, get on the appropriate committees. Start working with people of a like mind, because I’m sure there’s a lot of people in Congress who want to do the right thing, but have trouble doing so because of the overall number of congressmen who are just career politicians looking out for themselves. This is what we found at the VA, that people wanted to get involved, people want to do the right things. They need people willing to work with them and form a group that will march in the right direction.

TDR: What are you views on some of the major policy initiatives from both the Left and the Right today in Washington?

For example, tax reform and the DREAM Act, these big issues of debate in the House and the Senate.

SL: Specifically with the DREAM Act, I agree with the President in tying this to border security.

I’m quite pleased the tax package passed, it will mean more money for New Hampshire families.

Furthermore, I’m in favor of the deregulation as a policy that the President has put forward.

I believe that while people have been looking at the tax plan, people aren’t looking at the fact that the President has demanded that two regulations be struck for every one that’s passed, and I believe that is a good start. Overregulation has been stifling both the economy and healthcare, and other key industries in this country. I feel we have been taking that for granted in terms of what’s been such a boost to the

country right now. While the previous administration seemed to continually write regulations that were the bane of small businesses and even large ones, the new administration has been working to streamline processes and make it easier to conduct all areas of business and hopefully government.

TDR: Would you say that you are generally supportive of the agenda of the President and the outsider Republican politics that are coming to redefine the GOP? SL: Yes. I was an early supporter of President Trump, I voted for him in the primary, and he gave a voice to those who didn’t have one. I feel that if one removes the background noise in the press, you’ll see how well the country is doing. But, anyone who thinks I’m a blind follower of the President should go ask his VA Secretary.

I’ve been his worst nightmare.

TDR: For anyone who’s reading this and is really excited by your campaign and your platform, how would you tell them to get involved and help make a difference both in the primary in September and the election in November?

SL: Talk to their friends. Tell people to get out and vote in the primary. This is a midterm election; it generally has a lower turnout than presidential years.

Therefore I ask that people get out and vote in the primary. Talk to your Independent friends and ask them to vote in the primary.

Unfortunately, primaries tend to be skewed towards party insiders because that’s just the nature of how primaries work, but once people understand that I am the outsider, who at the end of the day my message resonates with the general electorate.

TDR: How could someone get involved with your campaign specifically, perhaps to volunteer?

SL: I would suggest going to my website: levensonforcongress. com. They’ll see ways of volunteering, of getting in touch with my campaign. That would be most helpful. I realize that your demographic, college students and young adults, don’t vote in the numbers that other demographics do, so I would encourage them to get involved. Knock on doors, get the information out there, become informed. Plenty has been written about me in the newspapers, I’ve been doing interviews.

I feel that the only opponent we can’t defeat is apathy, so I ask that people get involved.

TDR: Thank you, Dr. Levenson, for taking the time to speak with us.

8 Monday – January 29, 2018

FEATURES

Dartmouth at the March for Life

B. Webb Harrington

Contributor

The March For Life is an annual event in Washington D.C. commemorating one of the most controversial events in modern American histor y : the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Following its approval in 1973, over sixty million abortions have been conducted in the United States. The number

year’s march was a testament to the vitality of the modern pro-life movement. In addition to the excellent attendance, the marchers present were enthusiastic and youthful – more than half of marchers were under the age twenty-five. Similar marches were held across the United States, including one in Concord, New Hampshire.

Over forty years after the

The March For Life is an annual event in Washington D.C. commemorating one of the most controversial events in modern American history: the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. of attendants at the march depends upon the year, but this year it was conser vatively estimated at 100,000 attendants. Notably, this was the first March For Life since Norma McCor vey, the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade and an early supporter of the pro-life movement, died in early 2017. President Trump gave a speech at this year’s march, the first time a president has ever done so. This Mr. Harrington is a sophomore at the College and a contributor to The Dartmouth Review.

decision, Americans remain split nearly evenly on the issue of abortion. According to Gallup, 46% are prolife and 49% are pro-choice.

Only a few decades ago, pro-choicers outnumbered pro-lifers by a 20% margin.

However, significant advocacy has bolstered the pro-life movement, and the “Pro-Life Generation” has continued to grow. Whether this trend will continue into the future remains to be seen, but many pro-life groups feel confident that battle against abortion is a winnable one.

The Dartmouth Review

The Dartmouth Review

Monday – January 29, 2018

9

FEATURES

An Interview with Peter Robinson I wrote for him, I was miming Ronald Reagan and his own beliefs.

TDR: One of the biggest projects speechwriters take on in the White House is the State of the Union Address. Can you speak about the process that you had to go through when crafting the message?

PETER ROBINSON A distinguished son of Dartmouth Image courtesy of the Hoover Institution

> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Yesterday I also shot a show with Shelby Steele, a colleague of mine here at the Hoover Institution. He wrote a column in the Wall Street Journal, in which he said that the era of black oppression is over, we are a free people now. That’s a paraphrase rather than a direct quotation, and I found that so striking. He said, I grew up in segregated America, this is not segregated I’m old enough to know the difference. We then talked about his childhood and his upbringing and his experiences as a young man. What’s thrilling about Shelby Steele is that he is willing to tell the truth as he sees it. I suppose that that’s the common thread here, the people I respect and enjoy are the people who tell the truth without fear or favor. And every one of the cases I’ve just mentioned there’s a total willingness to disregard political correctness.

TDR: Are there any common threads that you’ve noticed, while producing your show that Americans can use to sew together this polarized political climate in which we reside?

PR: What comes to mind immediately is the constitution.

I shot two shows with Justice Scalia. Anybody who wonders how we can hold it all together, could do a lot worse than to go to those two interviews and look at what justice Scalia had to say about the correct way of interpreting the constiMr. Philhower is a freshman at the College and a contributor to The Dartmouth Review.

tution and how if we adhere to the constitution, we can hold it all together.

I also shot an interview with Russ Muirhead of Dartmouth, and he was to my mind just brilliant. Professor Muirhead was not speaking about the constitution as a legal matter, but instead talking about the constitution as the product of a certain kind of political philosophy and is an instrument that elicits a certain kind of behavior from Americans. He spoke of the constitution as a magnificent document that can enable us to hold it all together. There are three or four minutes of pure gold in that interview with Professor Muirhead in my opinion.

TDR: You’re best known for your speechwriting under the Reagan administration, what would you say your crowning achievement was?

PR: My crowning achievement was to be lucky enough to work for Ronald Reagan. The speech

PR: You touched a sore point because the state of the union address was always a misery. In virtually every other speech in the Reagan White House, the draft was written by one writer so there was unity of voice.

You’d get assigned a speech, you’d go research it, and then you would write the whole thing. It would then go to the chief speech writer, who would edit it and, you would talk back and forth with him, but it was the work of one person which meant that it had one unified voice. The state of the union address was cut into pieces, and farmed out, so that several of us would work on any given the state of the union address.

The speech writer would then get in touch with the department in question. For example, with the Department of Education, I’d call the office of the secretary of education, and he would put together a memorandum of the various point he wanted included. The State

TDR: What’s your favorite story from the Reagan presidency?

PR: We all loved Ronald Reagan, he was warm and affable.

He was tough as steel in pursuing his objectives, but personally he was affable, he would open every meeting with a joke making sure to set everyone at ease. What he didn’t do, was say thank you. Extremely rare, in fact, I only know of two telephone calls to speech writers in which the president said thank you. At one point, he called Peggy Noonan to thank her for a speech that she

My crowning achievement was to be lucky enough to work for Ronald Reagan. The speech with which I suppose I will be associated the rest of my life is the Berlin Wall speech, which he delivered over thirty years ago. of the Union Addresses almost always ran too long, almost always lacked by comparison with other presidential addresses. This seems true of almost every single administration; no administration seems able to get the state of the union address under control. The reason for that is that it’s a political instrument, it’s one moment each year when the White House in a sense polls

Undergraduates, who are supposed to in the very nature of a liberal arts education, entertain different points of view, to hear intellectual debate, don’t get that as rigorously as they should. with which I suppose I will be associated the rest of my life is the Berlin Wall speech, which he delivered over thirty years ago. I’m not sure that it’s right to call it a crowning achievement because all that the work I did for Ronald Reagan was in some pretty basic way Ronald Reagan’s work. It would be wrong for me to take credit because in all of the speeches

Reagan was the first to do so, every president has done it since, it’s become a standing part of the address. For president Reagan, it was identifying someone who’s in the gallery, an American hero and telling that person’s story and then having stand to applause.

That was an innovation of the Reagan White House. It was a way of getting around the lack of drama and thematic unity in the rest of his speech. You can open strong, you can close strong, you could tell a story or two about a hero, and then it would get to the policy proposals, which would just clunk along. Even in the hands of Ronald Reagan, it would just clunk along.

the entire administration. Every important federal agency and every cabinet department is asked what it wants in the speech and then you’ve got this huge pile of suggestions, and the speech writing office has to do the best it can in stitching it all together This is why in the Reagan State of the Union addresses, it was very important to work in one or two stories.

had written, and at one point he called me. It was in 1984, he was running for reelection and there was a speech that was scheduled to give a speech to, B’nai B’rith a Jewish organization. We learned after the White House scheduled the president to speak to B’nai B’rith, that Walter Mondale, his opponent in the 1984 campaign, would be speaking just an hour or two before the president. Most Jewish Americans now and then, overwhelmingly tend to vote Democratic. So suddenly, Ronald Reagan was in a tight spot. The candidate whom many in the audience would favor, would just have finished speaking the same day before President Reagan got there. That was a tricky speech and I worked hard to not just lay out his policy proposals but to include language that established a kind of sense of shared values, a sense of communion between the President and the audience, and it went well. I got back to the White House and it was like a scene out of a movie, the telephone on my

desk rang and I picked it up and it was the White House operator. “Mister Robinson” “Yes this is Peter Robinson” “Would you hold for the president?”

The president came on the line and he sounded relieved, and he said, “Well, I just wanted to thank you for that speech today.” We chatted about it for a moment and then Reagan said, “Well, you wrote one hell of a speech.” I could win the Nobel Prize and it wouldn’t mean half as much to me as that comment from Ronald Reagan.

TDR: The Review has been known over the years as kind of a renegade, small group off campus that a lot of people don’t tend to like. Can you, as a former correspondent for The Review, speak to the importance of a conservative presence in discourse on campus?

PR: Are you kidding me? Honestly, The Review is one of the most valuable entities in Hanover New Hampshire, absolutely, without doubt. Higher education across America, and it pains me to say this, but it is true that to a large extent Dartmouth partakes in this as well, subscribes to quite a narrow outlook on politics, economics, and social questions. It can be summed up in the term political correctness, and it shows up in all kinds of ways, from the courses that appear on the curriculum to if you go online and look at the candidates to whom Dartmouth faculty make contributions, overwhelmingly go to one party rather than the other. On election night, if you go online and you look at a breakdown county by county of the way New Hampshire votes, Grafton County, which is the county that contains the town of Hanover, votes overwhelmingly one way year at after year. So, undergraduates, who are supposed to in the very nature of a liberal arts education, entertain different points of view, to hear intellectual debate, don’t get that as rigorously as they should. The Review is therefore essential. It represents in my judgment, an absolutely invaluable component, not just to the journalistic scene in Hanover but for having The Review present. Just go to FOCO and find students saying things like, “Did you read what was in The Review? What do you think of it?” “Oh, I didn’t like it!” “Oh well, I really liked it!” It is actually an essential part of the Dartmouth education. Another way of putting it is, The Review talks back. The Review does what college students ought to do. It is suspicious of consensus, it objects to conformity, and it talks back. And I say God bless!

10 Monday – January 29, 2018

The Dartmouth Review

FEATURES

The Crypto Craze Hits Dartmouth

BITCOIN The cryptocurrency craze that’s sweeping the nation!

> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Their computational work is then rewarded with currency, introducing new coins into the system.

Recently, the market has seen the introduction of minerless cryptocurrencies in which the computers of transaction initiators perform small computational tasks in place of miners. Both systems result in a dynamic form of record keeping, the “blockchain,” in which records of past transaction are recorded and stored on numerous systems, rather than on a single database. Blockchain is notable for its resistance to fraud and technological issues and its ability to reduce costs. As of late, companies and organizations across a variety of industries - and particularly in healthcare and financial sectors - have integrated blockchain technology into their daily operations.

The undeniable utility of blockchain technology in combination with exceptional past returns has captured the attention of students at Dartmouth and beyond, enthralled by the potential profits to be made trading “cryptos.” Many have only become involved in the last few months, during which the overall market has seen its most dramatic gains to date, though some have been actively involved in the space for a year or more.

In such a highly speculative market, how are students deciding where and how to invest? “The big sources of information for shortterm trading are Reddit, Twitter, and other online forums,” says Eric Fett ‘18, who has been invested in cryptocurrencies for over a year, but has significantly increased his holdings over the past few months.

“I think you would find a huge correlation between the price of a coin and the growth of its community on Reddit.” Sometimes it can take very little to send the price of a coin soaring. A single partnership announcement, key hire, or the addition of a coin to a new trading platform could raise its price by 500% or more. Sometimes, it takes no more than an unfounded - and Mr. Kotran is a senior at the College and an executive editor at The Dartmouth Review. Mr. Brandon is a freshman at the College and a contributor to The Dartmouth Review.

sometimes false - rumor.

Is there a way to minimize your risk while investing in these highly volatile assets? Fett thinks he’s cracked the code. “When I go up big on a coin, I always take my original investment out when I can to hedge, so now I’m just gambling with the house’s money.” He also advocates for diversifying by buying up different coins, although he understands that the prices of many coins may be closely correlated.

Fett remains cautiously optimistic about the price of cryptocurrencies in the long term. “I don’t think the market is fully saturated yet, but when I do, I’ll trim my holdings substantially.”

Most students, it appears, would still be doing fine financially if the value of their cryptocurrency portfolios fell to zero, whether that is due to their own income or financial backing from their parents. But a small number of students have put a lot on the line to reap the ultimate rewards while the market is still hot. One Dartmouth senior recently liquidated

Despite their bullish attitudes, most students involved in cryptocurrencies do seem to understand the risks involved. “It’s not quite as bad as going to the roulette table, but I realize that I’m still gambling”, says Fett. Anish Chadalavada ‘18, who holds Ethereum and a variety of Altcoins, acknowledges that the crypto market is “the bubble of our time”. However, as we have seen, that understanding often isn’t reflected in their trading strategies. Chadivaria, who calls the crypto market “the bubble of our time”, is One of the common sayings among the crypto-investing faithful, Dartmouth students included, is “HODL”, or “Hold on for Dear Life”. This illustrates the widespread understanding among investors that they are holding a volatile asset, but also the possible delusion among those who believe, in the long term, that the value of their coin holdings have nowhere to go but up.

However, not all students who are interested in cryptocurrencies are just trying to make a quick buck or bask in the thrill of high-

a small lake town near Zurich, is known as “Crypto Valley”). His next visit would be one of the most transformative experiences of his life. “After visiting my brother, I was all-in, I started mining Bitcoin, experimenting with blockchain technology, experimenting with other cryptocurrencies, and it became a big part of my life.” In addition to the intellectual richness of blockchain, Detweiler was drawn to another aspect of the emerging technology. “I’m a Physics major, and Physics is fascinating intellectually, but no one cares about it.

Blockchain is both intellectually stimulating and widely popular especially among college students”.

Capitalizing on the rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies, Detweiler, along with fellow students Andrew Blackwell ‘18 and Isaac Sencer ‘18, founded Dartmouth’s “Crypto Club” in 2016. Detweiler understands that a large portion of people interested in cryptocurrencies are almost exclusively interested in making money, but that hasn’t stopped him from gearing the club towards analyzing the foundations and applications of blockchain technology. The club’s meetings typically begin with a discussion of a blockchain use case, and then transition into a general discussion or Altcoin pitches from some of the group’s members. For Detweiler, it’s an acceptable compromise. “Blockchain can enable us to create a smarter power grid, or create a more equitable or fluid democracy. I want to help people understand how transformative it can be.”

Others outside of Dartmouth have taken note of Detweiler’s aptitude for blockchain technology. He was recently offered a position at a “crypto hedge-fund”, which he declined. “The blockchain-craze is in

The undeniable utility of blockchain technology in combination with exceptional past returns has captured the attention of students at Dartmouth and beyond, enthralled by the potential profits to be made trading “cryptos.”

his entire stock portfolio and put all of his money into Ripple, an Altcoin that recently doubled in value over a two week period. He then doubled down on his gamble and put his entire savings into Tron, a smaller coin which is described by its founder as a “block-based open source global digital entertainment protocol that is cross-protocol for digital entertainment.”

Tron eventually soared to nearly 10 times the value the student initially paid for his investment, but has since fallen back down near the price he originally bought-in at. But he’s still smiling, “I’ve been relying on cryptos to help me pay off my student loans, and so far it has paid off.” Another senior recently put his entire savings into a coin that was first released on Wednesday, three days before the writing of this article. So far, he has achieved a modest (by crypto standards) 10% return. “I do crazy stuff, but we’re young; this is the time to do it”.”

risk, short-term investing. While the popularity of cryptocurrencies has exploded on campus in the past few months, some students have been interested in the world of blockchain for much longer, and devoted huge amounts of time and energy to learning about the technology. James Detweiler ‘18, who many consider the foremost authority on blockchain among students at Dartmouth, was particularly far ahead of the curve.

Detweiler first gained an interest in blockchain in 2015, during his Freshman spring on an LSA+ in Rome. It was intellectual curiosity, not investing, that caught his interest. “I was interested in number theory, and a cool topic in number theory is cryptography. Cryptography led me to public and private key encryption, which led me to blockchain. I was hooked immediately.” As fate would have it, Detweiler’s brother was living in Zurichone of the world’s leading hubs of blockchain technology (Zug,

many ways analogous to the dotcom boom. People are riding the huge wave of price inflation and trying to profit off speculation.”

This kind of speculative investing is not enough to satisfy Detweiler’s genuine interest in blockchain, nor his ambition. “I would rather create something that challenges the status quo”. He is thinking of doing that by starting his own blockchain technology company in the renewable energy space.

Interest in Cryptocurrency is not limited to startups, traders, and the corporate world. Slowly but surely, the study of cryptocurrencies has permeated from web forums and startups into the academic arena, with some professors gradually embedding the topic into their courses and research. Students, unsurprisingly, are following suit, writing papers and conducting research on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies across a variety of departments. Many are less optimistic

than those with huge financial exposure. Mike Perkins ‘18 is writing his thesis for the Quantitative Social Sciences (QSS) department on Bitcoin. Perkins, like Detweiler, cites his family as a main reason for his interest in cryptocurrencies. “Bitcoin, Altcoins, and blockchain technology were consistent topics of discussion around my family’s dinner table and amongst my peers at Dartmouth. Through these conversations, I came to the conclusion that the epidemic spread of crypto-mania is, at least to some degree, irrational.”

Although Perkins believes that many cryptos have some underlying value, he doesn’t think that has much to do with the recent rise in prices. “Blockchain technology undeniably offers benefits that are unattainable using traditional currencies, but for a large portion of crypto investors, these benefits are ill-understood and irrelevant. The seemingly unstoppable rise of coin prices is the only driver of investment.”

While Perkins is one of many who are incredulous of the crypto market’s meteoric rise, little hard data exists to suggest that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are in a bubble. Perkins is hoping to help tackle that issue in his thesis, which investigates whether the underlying benefits of Bitcoin operate as drivers of the coin’s adoption.

Building on Garrick Hileman’s Bitcoin Market Potential Index, which assesses which countries have the greatest potential to see Bitcoin adoption, Perkins will use country-level data on inflation, black markets, remittances, technology penetration, and financial crises to evaluate the extent to which each of these motivate citizens to seek information on and use Bitcoin.

“Each of these variables relate to the value proposition that Bitcoin offers. If there is no relationship between, for example, remittance fees and Bitcoin adoption, that would indicate that this benefit is not currently reflected in Bitcoin’s price.” Although Perkins is less than optimistic about the future of cryptocurrency growth and the current speculative environment, his research reveals the field’s fascinating complexity and academic importance.

It can be easy to point to the fervent optimism and less than well researched investment theses of many novice traders and discount the crypto-craze as a meaningless bubble. At the same time, it is difficult to overlook the innumerable uses of blockchain, the concrete utilities of cryptocurrencies, and the asset class’ infiltration into mainstream society. Bitcoin and the like have deeply and profoundly changed how people view investing, data storage, and money as a whole. They have already impacted many in the Dartmouth community, and will continue to do so in the future. Hopefully, for many students, those future impacts won’t include a complete crypto market meltdown.

The Dartmouth Review

Monday – January 29, 2018 11

FEATURES

Stahel Says: The Last Jedi

John S. Stahel

Senior Correspondent Editor’s Note: In pursuit of authenticity, these are the raw and unedited thoughts of Mr. Stahel, presented in the original.

For this inaugural column of unknown duration I was told to stick draft a complex analysis of the government shutdown lest I tarnish The Review’s sterling reputation.

Good thing I’m dreadful at listening to directions. Prepare yourself as I delve into the most recent casualty to the war for political correctness, a saga undisputedly regarded as a pillar of 21st century cinematography. This spectacular space epic has gathered fans around the world through its eight installments which possibly prompted Disney, who acquired the rights in 2012, to try to appeal to a larger, more diverse audience. If you made it this far into my meandering stream of consciousness and have not yet guessed, the topic of my unfiltered analysis today is none other than Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and needless to say this column will contain plenty of spoilers so if you haven’t yet sat through the 152 minute film, which to be frank feels quite long, then I suggest you head down to the nugget and feast your eyes upon the cosmic odyssey yourself. Before I come off as hypocritical by simultaneously criticizing and promoting a movie, I must admit that The Last Jedi is visually appealing and sufficiently nostalgic to justify the price of a movie ticket and escape the prison of reality for a time.

As I exited the theater I lamented the writers’ and directors’ choice to dull the edges of an otherwise edgy return Mr. Stahel is a senior at the College and a senior correspondent at The Dartmouth Review.

to the franchise after a much needed 10 year lull. Gaps in the story line, horrible humor, and inconsequential subplots riddle the movie, compounding to lead the viewer to the conclusion that nothing was accomplished in the two and a half hours run time. Puzzled, I took some time alone to reflect on these shortcomings and unearth the reason for their inclusion in the film.

After all, there is no room for error in a $200 million budget blockbuster. I conclude that this episode was designed for a different audience. Start with franchise hero Luke Skywalker, now content with isolation, spending milking weird space creatures and dwelling on his past mistakes, a significant departure from the hero of the original trilogy. An easy party

one would expect Skywalker to go out in a blaze of glory, however, this is not the case. After using the force to project a hologram of himself in battle, a strange, never before seen application of the Force, his true location on his lonely island is revealed as he peacefully fades away, exhausted from the maneuver. Is a warrior’s death too explicit for Disney’s intended audience? In the end, the executives responsible for these decisions are incentivized by the same thing that subliminally drives us all: money.

Grossing $1.3 billion globally, The Last Jedi certainly achieved its objective. With a plethora of promotion methods including a partnership with Nissan, combined with the Star Wars branding facilitated the movie taking the 9th spot in highest grossing films of all time. However, when dealing with a 40-year-old franchise containing its own cannon reinforced by comics, video games, and fastidious fan communities, producers must be careful not to step on any feet. One must look no farther than the internet to see how Star Wars fans reacted to the newest film. Rotten Tomatoes, the most popular aggregator of movie reviews, exhibits the most striking instance.

The website, owned by Warner Bro’s subsidiary Flixster and Comcast/NBC universal, gave the film a 91% on their proprietary Tomatometer, while the audience score, submitted by movie aficionados like you and me, came in at a remarkably low 49%. The surprising

pink-haired commander of the rebels’ largest ship protrayed

by Laura Dern, comes off as a passive, yet ineffective leader. The franchise’s decision to add stronger female characters in the recent revival was a refreshing development, however Holdo’s role seems forced.

Her tendencies to consistently undermine the hot-shot rebel pilot Poe in order to implement her secret plan infuriates the viewer. As a female in a position of power, director Rian Johnson possessed a great opportunity, however, Dern’s

Disney’s decision to include such a disappointing subplot to push social justice propaganda is disrespectful to the Star Wars legacy. character appears nagging and overly critical. It seems as if she enjoys demoting her most talented pilot and withholding information from her crew.

Poe’s disdain for Vice Admiral Holdo suggests that he is unable to reconcile taking orders from a woman, making his punishment a lesson Disney tries to teach the audience. This subliminal messaging through the design of Holdo echoes the current social justice climate, while diminishing Star Wars as a franchise. Only by sacrificing herself in a Kamikaze-like maneuver is she able to redeem her unpleasant character. The image of her transport vessel cutting through a Star Destroyer at light speed is a stunning image, but many critics are skeptic as this has never before been mentioned in cannon and

Accomplishing little, the story serves more as a visual distraction than a cohesive narrative, disappointing many longtime fans. The decision to prioritize diversity over substance when adding new characters prevented building an emotional connection with the film in comparison to previous Star Wars movies. to blame for this unfamiliar Star Wars might be the director, Rian Johnson, the mastermind behind the sci-fi thriller Looper, but not much else in Hollywood. Should the relatively green director have been given responsibility for such a pivotal film? Mark Hamill, the actor who first portrayed Luke Skywalker in 1977 even mentioned in an interview before the opening of the film “I fundamentally disagree with virtually everything (Johnson) decided about my character.”

Although creative differences are no special occasion on movie sets, Skywalker sounding skeptical of your decisions seems like a red flag. Luke’s death at the end of the film was maybe the most disappointing aspect of his character for me.

Proven to be an ambitious Jedi warrior in the original trilogy,

disparity between these scores could be contributed to Rotten Tomatoes’ often criticized practice of assigning binary “good” or “bad” messages to much more complex reviews.

The 146th ranked website is often the first place people go when deciding which flick to watch giving the aggregator unmatched power in promoting movies. Many critics of the site claim the site dilutes the artistic elements of cinematography and instead points site visitors toward big name productions.

Among the top reasons the audience disapproved of the film were plot holes, unimpressive supporting characters, and inconsequential plot development. Of the new characters introduced, many managed to rub me the wrong way. Vice Admiral Holdo, the

and animal rights, however completely fails to understand that this is far from what Star Wars is about. Disney’s decision to include such a disappointing subplot to push social justice propaganda is disrespectful to the Star Wars legacy. The choice to jeopardize the entire rebellion and free some animals when previous films have shown heroes slicing open animals and sleeping inside their stomach to stay warm is preposterous and seriously detracted from the film. Deciding to kill off

revolutionizes the space warfare Star Wars is known for.

Any attentive viewer begins to wonder why this was not done earlier in the movie and what this means moving forward in the Star War’s universe.

Vice Admiral Holdo is not the only the only subpar character forced upon the audience. Rose Tico portrayed by Kelly Marie Tran added a bit of diversity to the main cost, but at what cost. Her inconsequential plots and weak character development essentially add time to an already lengthy film. Rose’s pivotal accomplishment is traveling to intergalactic Monte Carlo to find a much needed codebreaker, but instead ends up freeing a bunch of deer rabbit creatures used for racing. The superfluous scene tries to make commentary on income inequality

the characters like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker who made the franchise legacy while introducing a bland yet diverse set of new heroes destroys the nostalgic effect of the saga and sets the new trilogy up for failure.

The climactic battle between the dark and light side of the force central to the Star Wars franchise proved to be a disappointment with the defeat of supreme leader Snoke. The grossly disfigured Sith lord and mentor to whiny Kylo Ren is perceived to be extremely powerful, however, his pitiful death suggests otherwise. The leader of the first order is shrouded in much mystery, but is dispatched before any of his past can be revealed. The practice of building up an antagonist then killing him off with little effort is unconventional to say the least and undermines much of the intended dread his existence provided.

The polarizing film in the end feels meaningless compared to its predecessors. Accomplishing little, the story serves more as a visual distraction than a cohesive narrative, disappointing many longtime fans. The decision to prioritize diversity over substance when adding new characters prevented building an emotional connection with the film in comparison to previous Star Wars movies. Disney’s efforts to push their own agenda by referencing topics such as income inequality and animal rights falls on deaf ears of those who have bought a ticket to escape to a galaxy far far away rather than dwell on their reality. Overall the film is big, expensive, and impersonal, affording little room to grow the already massive franchise. With future Star Wars stories and the final episode of the trilogy arriving in the near future, hopefully someone will find a way to save the quintessential space saga.

12 Monday – January 29, 2017

The Dartmouth Review

THE LAST WORD GORDON HAFF’S

COMPILED BY MARCUS J. THOMPSON

“You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.”

–Ronald Reagan “This always confuses liberals, that the conservatives like the military and don’t like the bureaucracy. That’s because the military has their guns pointed out and the bureaucracy has them pointed in.”

–Grover Norquist “Government proposes, bureaucracy disposes. And the bureaucracy must dipose of government proposals by dumping them on us.”

–P. J. O’Rourke “If you are going to sin, sin against God, not the bureaucracy. God will forgive you but the bureaucracy won’t.”

–Hyman Rickover “It’s amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hopsitals, medication and a government bureaucracy to administer it.”

–Thomas Sowell “The U.N. bureaucracy has grown to elephantine proportions. Now that the Cold War is over, we are asking that elephant to do gymanstics.”

–Madeleine Albright “The answer for healthcare is market incentives, not healthcare by a Godzilla-sized government bureaucracy.”

–Mitt Romney

“Government! Three fourths parasitic and the other fourt stupid fumbling.”

–Robert A. Heinlein “Profitability is coming from productivity, efficiency, management, austerity, and the way to manage the business.”

–Carlos Slim “Remove the document – and you remove the man.”

–Mikhail Bulgakov “Where equality is enthroned, freedom is extinguished.

The rise of the egalitarian society means the death of the free society.”

–Pat Buchanan “I have an institutional fear of big government. I have an institutional opposition to bureaucracy.”

–Rush Limbaugh “Getting things done in this country, if you want to build something, if you want to start a company, it’s getting to be virtually impossible with all of the bureaucracy and all of the approvals.”

–Donald Trump “Den Staat kümmert nicht, ob der Bürger lebt oder stirbt.

Wichtig für den Staat und sein Archiv ist, ob der Bürger am Leben oder tot ist.”

–J.M. Coetzee

BARRETT’S MIXOLOGY Ingredients • • •

One leaf, Two leaf, White Pine In a D.

Keystone Light - sacrifice taste for everything else A bottle of bitters - enough for alumni, students, and the College’s bank accounts to enjoy Pennies - can substitute with any other type of essentially useless change Combine in a cocktail shaker decorated with a printout of a 2nd grader’s Dr. Seuss-themed MS Paint project

From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.

Where do they come from? I can say— Yes. Some are pines. And some are a lone. I bet US News Rankings force them to pay.

Some are old. And this one’s new.

We see them come, Some are sad.

We see them go.

And some are glad.

Traditions will hold fast But either way, this logo is very, very bad. And these changes are slow.

Why are they Sad and glad and bad?

I do totally know.

It makes tradition mad.

Excuses are thin.

And loads are fat Moving Dartmouth Forward is tit for tat.

“Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work.”

–Albert Einstein “The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the epxanding bureaucracy” –Oscar Wilde “Every once in awhile, somebody has to get the bureaucracy by the neck and shake it loose and say ‘Stop what you’re doing.’ ” –Ronald Reagan “A bureaucrat force you to obey his decisions, whether you agree with him or not ... If he makes a mistake, you suffer the consequences; If he fails, he passes the loss on to you, in the form of heavier taxes.”

–Ayn Rand “There is no justice in bureaucracy for the individual, for bureaucracy caters only to itself. One cannot practice the same bureaucracy as one is fighting against.”

–Leon Trotsky “Bureaucracy gives birth to itself and then expects maternity benefits.”

–Dale Dauten “Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism driven by pygmies.”

–Honore de Balzac

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The D-Lite •

“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency” –Eugene McCarthy

Say! Look at Hanlon’s fingers!

One, two, three…

How many fingers Do I see?

One. Only one.

The middle one.

— Scotch Cara