Volume 115, Issue 4 | Monday, September 22, 2025 | mcgilldaily.com Paul McCartney since 1911
The McGill Daily is located on unceded Kanien’kehá:ka territory.
Editorial 3
6
Overcoming Distant Suffering
News 4
Protests in Nepal
McGill’s Horizon Plan
10
Features
Abigail Thorn’s The Prince
12
Commentary
Weaponizing Objectivity
At the Oasis Concert
The Magic of Good Company Hamilton in Montreal Rock ‘n’ Roll Exhibition in Old Port
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Contentwarning:suicide,violence.
When American conservative figurehead Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at an outdoor debate in Utah, U.S., earlier in September, the internet exploded.
From front-page news articles to Instagram stories, we just couldn’tgetawayfromit.Everyoneseemedtohavetheirown thinkpiece to write about the topic from mainstream political activists to our former high school classmates. Opinions crawledoutofthewoodworklikeants,floodingthemediaand ourcollectiveconsciousness.
OnthesamedaythatthenewsbrokeaboutKirk’sshooting, “Block Everything” protests in France brought almost 300 arrests by deployed military police in just a few hours. Simultaneously,aschoolshootingtookplaceinColorado,U.S., injuringtwostudentsbeforethe16-year-oldgunmanturnedthe revolveronhimself.MeanwhileinNepal,policeopenedfireon civilian protestors in Kathmandu, killing 30 and wounding thousands. Still on September 10, 41 people, including 12 aid seekers, were killed in Gaza by bombings carried out by the Israelimilitary.
With tragedies making up so many of the headlines and imagesweareconfrontedwitheveryday,it’shardnottofeellike the world is ending right before our eyes. This “distant suffering” – atermnowbeingusedtodescribethesympathetic anguishanddejectiononecanfeelatwitnessingatragedyfrom afar – can be crushing. Proliferated in recent years through social media and globalized networks of information-sharing, distant suffering has become widespread and deeply felt. This phenomenon is coupled with rising disillusionment among young people with state institutions worldwide. Youths are frustrated that so many governments remain complicit in the sufferingthatpersistsacrosstheglobe.Asurveyof10,000youth respondents(ages16-25)fromvariouscountriesfoundthat65 percentofparticipants believedthattheirgovernmentswere “failing young people.” Amidst a declining job market and multipleglobalcrises,universitystudentsacrosstheboardare reporting higher instances of depression or depressive symptoms than ever before, with 38 per cent in the United States,and46percentinCanadaoverthepasttwoyears.
Facedwiththisinescapabletumult,manyyoungpeoplefind themselvestryingtoshutouttheworld.Theproblemofyouth disengagement in social and political action is becoming increasingly relevant; young adults are slipping into nihilist anti-intellectualism in order to cope with and avoid the peripheral stress of simply being alive in such pressing times. But our generation’ s common “it’s not that deep” mentality is beginning to hinder us from probing further into and challenging thedominantsystemsandnarrativesinourworld. While nihilism might feel momentarily liberating, even Nietzsche foresaw it to have the potential to precipitate the greatest crisis known to man, characterized by the erosion of
valuesandperpetualpurposelessness.
So,whatcanwedo?Whenthefoundationsoftheworldand our futures feel like they’re crumbling in front of us, is there anything we can do other than sit still and watch? You might catchyourselfthinking: “It’snotlikeIcanchangetheworld,so whyevenbothertrying?Doesitevenmatter?”
As today’s youths prepare to inherit the world we live in, doubtingtheabilityofourindividualactionstoshapethefuture hasthedangerouspotentialofdetractingfromourmomentum. The AsiaPacificJournalofCounsellingandPsychotherapy published a paper on youth non-engagement and spiritual emptiness which puts this pitfall into perspective: “Hope is action-oriented;despairisthefailuretotakeaction.” Whenwe losefaithinourselvestoproduceeventhesmallestofchanges, we will be forced to accept the status quo. In order to keep pushing for the progress we need, we have to avoid slipping from nihilism into despondency and find a way to make our perspectives actionable. We need something more productive, something that spurs us to mobilize and act in our own ways. This involves making our worlds smaller. That doesn’t mean detachingourselvesfromreality,butpullingourfocusfromthe globalimpactourindividualactionsandattitudesoftencannot have. Instead we must realize the potential they can have to effectchangeinourcommunities,whicharejustasimportant. The thought of making waves across the world can be inspiring,butconstantlythinkingonsuchalargescalecanoften be more paralyzing than motivational. By taking action in our own lives, we can relieve ourselves of the impossible task of tryingtocounteractforcesthatareoutofourcontrolbyputting effortintochanging our worlds.Actiondoesn’talwayshaveto be made with grand gestures: sometimes, it can just mean showinguptosupportthepeopleandcauseswecareabout. Inadditiontotakingaction,wemustrememberthatwhilewe canbeboundbydistantsuffering,wecanalsouseoursympathy to connect with others through systems of mutual aid and comfort. Rather than focusing on our own internal upset, it often helps to reach out to others and find solace in remembering that we are not as alone as we might feel. Listening to other people’s stories of love and loss, joy and sadness, can help us cultivate empathy in our increasingly dividedworld.Moreover,whilehumourhasalwaysbeenaway of making sense of our experiences in particularly dark times, constantly reducing our pain into quips and one-liners can eventually erode our sensitivity. Sometimes, it really is that deep,andthat’sokay.
Yes, most days now do feel like an endless onslaught of bad newsandtragedy,everpresentonourscreensandallaroundus. Butthegoodnewsisthatweholdthepowertoenactchange. Humans have always been a species capable of adapting, and whiletheworldmightfeellikeit’sending,thatalsomustmean ithasn’tendedyet.
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Editor’s Note: The print version of “From Taxes to Tear Gas: Democracy on Trial in Indonesia,” in Issue 3, contains multiple misprints. The online version of this article is the correct version.
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From nepo baby outrage to burned government buildings, Nepal’s youth are taking the future into their own hands
Lisa Banti
Staff Writer
In the streets of Kathmandu, a pirate flag flutters alongside theNepalinationalbanner.Not justanypirateflag,butthepirate flag from One Piece: the iconic animeaboutfreedom,loyalty,and rebellion. Earlier this month, the same flag appeared in Indonesia during anti-government protests, and now, for Nepal’s Gen Z, the flag has crossed borders to become more than a fandom: it is nowalsoasymbolofresistance.
What began as online outrage over the privileged lifestyles of politicians’ children has spiraled into the deadliest protest Nepal has seen in decades. In recent days, over 20 people have been killed by security forces, government buildings have been set ablaze, and soldiers now patrol the streets after curfew. The initial spark? A nowrepealed ban on 26 major social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp. But the fire was alreadylit.
Thousands of young Nepalis have flooded public squares and government complexes, refusing to back down. This is no longer just about a ban or even corruption. It’s a generational uprising redefining what dissent lookslikeinSouthAsia.
Nepal has spent the past two decades trying to reinvent itself. After a brutal civil war between Maoist insurgents and the Nepali Kingdom ended in 2006, the country abolished the monarchy and became a federal democratic republic. The abolition of the monarchy and adoption of a federal democratic republic carried promises of peace, equality, and development. This was supposed to be a new beginning. But nearly twenty years later, many young Nepalis seeonlybrokenpromises.
Nepal’s postwar governments have been marked by instability, elite entrenchment, and a political system that feels increasingly out of touch; elements demonstrating that the the democratic experiment has failed to deliver. The federal system,onceimaginedasawayto decentralize power and ensure inclusion, now feels bloated, unaccountable, and designed to
protect elite interests. Gen Z Nepalis were raised in the shadow of civil conflict, promised democracy by the 2006 ComprehensivePeaceAccordand subsequent political leaders. But nowthegapbetweenexpectation and reality, what was promised and what people now live with, hasbecomeimpossibletoignore.
The spark that gave rise to the protests came from a viral “ nepo baby” campaign:aseriesofonline posts exposing the lavish lifestylesofpoliticians’ children –from foreign vacations to luxury apartments. This campaign fuelled suspicions that public money and state resources were being siphoned off to bankroll their privileges. In a country grappling with youth unemployment, inflation, and mass migration abroad, the
This is no longer just about a ban or even corruption. It’s a generational uprising redefining what dissent looks like in South Asia.
imagesstruckanerve.Thencame the tipping point – Nepal’ s government abruptly banned 26 social media platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook after they failed to register under new rules backed by an August 17 Supreme Court order. Officials said registration wasneededtocurbfakeaccounts, hate speech, and online fraud. Human rights groups have condemned the move, labelling it ascensorship.
Though the ban was lifted just days later, it had already done its damage. By then, protests had erupted across Kathmandu and othermajorcities.Themovement quickly morphed into a full-scale reckoning with power, privilege,
andthepoliticalsystemitself.
The Protest Culture
This uprising doesn’t look like the protests of the past such as the 2006 People’s Movement that ended the monarchy, or the 2015 demonstrations during the constitution-writing process. This time, there are no formal parties leading the charge and no clear figureheads delivering speeches from podiums. Instead, this is a decentralized, youth-driven movement with a language all its own – part meme, part manifesto. Protesters carried everything from sarcastic meme posters to TikTok-themed placards, turning the symbols of banned platforms into emblems of defiance. This was a rebellion wrapped in pop culture: at once familiar and irreverent. Others wore cosplay or livestreamed the demonstrations on TikTok. The tone of these demonstrations were marked by both biting humouranddeepfrustration.
Thisisprotestasperformance – both online and off. Nepal has one of the highest rates of social media use per capita in South Asia, and platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become key organizing tools.
Young people use viral videos, satirical hashtags like “#NepoKids,” and memes to narrate the movement in real time – framing dissent with irony and creativity.
In recent days, the youthful defiance has collided with government resistance. Security forces have responded with live ammunition, rubber bullets, water cannons, and mass arrests.
Yet as tear gas clouds rise and gunfire echoes through the streets, the One Piece flag still waves; just this time over barricades, burning buildings, and bloodstained pavement. What began in memes has now becomegravelyserious.
The Deeper Crisis
The Nepal protests have suddenly become one of South Asia’s most urgent crises. What began as an online revolt has spiraled into the deadliest protest Nepal has seen in decades. Security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing at least 70 people and injuring hundreds more. The military now enforces curfews, soldiers patrol
Kathmandu, and protesters have torched government buildings including Parliament,government ministries, the offices of Kantipur Media Group, and even the Prime Minister’sresidence.
Althoughthisgenerationdoesn’t rememberthemonarchyfirsthand, they’ve inherited its aftermath: broken infrastructure such as long-delayed irrigation projects, limitedopportunitieswithayouth unemploymentrateofover20 per cent , and a state where nepotism permeates job opportunities, land deals, and contracts. Calls to reinstate the monarchy, heard at some protests, aren’t necessarily about loyalty to kings. Instead, they’re a rejection of the current system’s hypocrisy which limits opportunitiesforthemasses.
On Tuesday September 9, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned under pressure, alongside several senior ministers. On September 12, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed as interim Prime Minister while resistance continues in the streets. Parliamentisparalyzedafterthe
lower house’s dissolution and courtsaresilentas theSupreme Court is now damaged. In Kathmandu, ministries, the president’s residence, and police stations have been torched as curfews and soldiers replace civic order.
At the same time, no unified ideological platform has emerged among protesters. Some want reforms, others want revolution. Whatunitesthemisalossoftrust –notjustinpoliticians,butinNepal’ s entirearchitectureofpower.
This situation is not unique to Nepal. Across the Global South, GenZismobilizingoutsideofold ideologies and institutional frameworks, not because they don’t care – but because they’ ve stoppedpretendingthesesystems everworked.
Sonia Berman News Contributor
The Horizon Plan was established at McGill’ s February 7 Town Hall meeting, which introduced substantial budget cuts. It is a budget initiative focused on cost reductionandresourceefficiency.
Thebudgetplanforthe2025-2026 fiscal year (FY) projects a 45 milliondollar “budgetcorrection,” as part of McGill University’ s endeavor to address the budget deficit. The budget reduction includes a 20.7 million dollar cut in academic, administrative, and supportsalaries.
Professor Derek Nystrom, Secretary for the Association of McGillProfessorsoftheFacultyof Arts (AMPFA) and Associate ProfessorofEnglish,statedtothe Daily that “the ‘Horizon Plan’ has been communicated mainly through press releases and onedirectional town hall meetings from the administration, rather than developed through genuine sharedgovernance,soIhavevery little solid information about how the cuts that I and my colleagues are feeling [the repercussions of] have been determined.” He also clarified that his comments are based on his own personal views and may not be the same as those ofAMPFA.
WhiletheHorizonPlanismeant to be a long term solution to McGill’s financial concerns, Professor David A. Stephens, AcademicLeadatHorizonMcGill and Professor in the Department ofMathematicsandStatistics,told the Daily that “Horizon was not established to manage McGill’ s budget deficit.” Rather, “budgets aresetbytheProvost’sOffice,and it is Faculties/Units who determine how to spend their funds.” He clarified that “Horizon’s mandate is to help us use our resources as wisely as possible, strengthen academic programdelivery,andhelpMcGill workbetter.” HorizonMcGillassertsontheir website that “Decisions related to budget, staffing levels and unit resources fall outside of the Horizon team’s mandate, as does oversight of Faculty/unit projects.” However, they also stated there may be more layoffs as well as attrition, such as retirement, in the future, though McGilldoesnotintendtoprovide retirementincentives. Layoffsare already expected to cut 350-500 jobs. According to Christian Blanchette – the president of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI),
responsible for Quebec’ s universities – the budget deficits arising for several Quebec universities stem from lack of government accommodations for inflation and increasing salaries, as well as a decrease in international student enrollment.
ThelatterisaresultoftheQuebec government's limit on the enrollment of international students – whopayquadruplethe tuition of Canadians – at postsecondaryinstitutions,decreasing by20percentthisyear.
Prof. Stephens further stated that “Given government cuts, growing competition for top students,andotherchallenges,we need to make the most of our resources. ” He also attributed the introduction of the Horizon Plan to “inefficiencies” which McGill has developed over time in their administrativeprocesses.
Horizon McGill is utilizing UniForum a platform for comparing services between universities to collect data through two forms: the service effectiveness survey, taken by faculty and staff regarding administrative and support servicesused(notthoseprovided), andactivitydatacollection,where managers report on the allocation of administrative and support functions.Thelattertracksdataas an aggregate rather than by the individual.Prof.Stephensclarified thattheemployeesatisfactiondata gathered did not include academicfunctions.
“Despite McGill's efforts to describe Horizon as a ‘homegrown ’ effort,itistheproductof a consulting firm called NousCubane or the Nous Group [which owns UniForum], which McGill hired and is allegedly paying hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Prof. Nystrom, clarifying he cannot confirm the actual amount the firm is paid. He added, “Apparently, the administration sees this as a smart way to deal with a budget crunch: hire a bunch of expensive outsiders rather than work with their own faculty, staff,andstudents.”
The Nous Group has already greatly reduced budgets at other universities.Criticsfearthefirmis corporatizing these institutions throughencouragingcentralization and streamlining decisions to higherups.
According to Prof. Stephens, earlierin2025,datacollectionwas completed by Horizon McGill for the 2025 Fiscal Year (FY25), running from May to April. The quality of the data was reviewed over the summer. Prof. Stephens stated that: “By December we’ll
better understand how much McGill spends on those [administrative] functions comparedwithotheruniversities.” Later,headded, “Weaimtohavea preliminary dashboard outlining [McGill’s]progresslaterthisfall.”
After data is collected about faculty and staff satisfaction regarding administrative processes, Horizon McGill looks at the time and money spent on those functions, and compares themtotheotheruniversitiesthat areUniForummembers.Ifthereis a lack of faculty and staff satisfaction, as well as a greater amount of resources being spent on a service compared to UniForum member universities, the Horizon team will work to analyzeandimprovethesituation.
LisaShapiro,theDeanofArts,is a part of the institutional data group and is currently the only FacultyofArtsmemberlistedasa member of Horizon McGill. In response to being asked how Horizon McGill ensures appropriate representation of the Faculty of Arts in decisionmaking,inthemanagementoffice and work group, Professor Stephens said that “We are working with academics and administrators from all Faculties andUnitsacrossMcGill.”
Prof. Nystrom states that “The cuts have meant that Arts departments are getting pressure to increase enrollments without adding faculty or TA support.” Elaborating on the impact, he adds that “undergraduates have fewer class choices and are often unable to enroll in classes they need for their program requirementsbecausethecourses arealreadyatcapacity.
”
A U1 first year in the Faculty of Arts faced these challenges firsthand: “I had a scholarship, whichmeansthatIcouldregister for class three days before everyoneelse,andyet,Iregistered the second when Minerva was opened, and I only got three classes. One of them was not for my level, so I had to drop it, so I only had two classes.” The same studentlateradded “thefactthatI hadascholarshipmeansthatIhad to have at least five classes per semester and if I don’t have it, well,Ilosethescholarship.” Asan international student, she faced additional challenges: “[As] an international student [from France], if I don’t have four classes, my study permit is not correct,andsoIwouldhavehadto gobacktoFrance.” “So basically, I went to every counselor, advisor. I went to Arts OASIS, but they didn’t know anything I went to see advisors,
Nikhila Shanker | Visuals Editor
other than the Arts OASIS department, and basically they all said that they did not have power over registration,” shecontinued. She added later that “I think I got my [last] class three days before [theadddropdeadline].”
In the English Department, Prof. Nystrom noted that retired faculty have not been replaced, meaning “we do not have the ability to offer as many diverse courseofferingsaswehaveinthe past.” He further emphasized that “there are fewer faculty and staff available to support and guide them [students] through ourprograms. ”
Prof.Nystromsaidthatsincethe cuts, “faculty find themselves overworked without adequate teaching support, which not only affects the quality of our instruction but also the time and energy we have to pursue our research.” He adds that these pressures are also being felt by graduatestudents,whohavebeen deniedteachingopportunitiesdue to a decreasing number of TA positions. Ultimately, these working conditions are already significantly degrading McGill's status as a world-class research andteachinguniversity.
In Prof. Nystrom’s words, “the only real solution to [budget] dilemmas is not to hire outside consultantswithatrackrecordof taking a wrecking ball through other universities, but in working with faculty, staff, and students here to determine how best to addressthesechallenges.”
“The only real solution to [budget] dilemmas is not to hire outside consultants with a track record of taking a wrecking ball through other universities, but in working with faculty, staff, and students here to determine how best to address these challenges.”
“Aretheyfightingyet?” my mom texted while we found our seats at the Oasis concert. Noel and Liam Gallagher comprise the core of Oasis, the 90s Britpop band that producedhitssuchas “Champagne Supernova” and the ubiquitous “Wonderwall.” The Manchesterborn Gallagher brothers are also perhaps the most famous feuding siblingssinceCainandAbel.Their rancorous relationship has been blotted over the years by drugfueled fights and screaming matches(a14-minuterecordingof one such heated occasion even cracked the Top 100 chart in the UK). So when the Gallaghers announced the long-awaited reunionofOasisinAugustof2024, many,includingmymom,thought the tour would be doomed by the same friction that led to the fractureofthebandin2009.
They were wrong. The Oasis concert I attended on August 31 at MetLife Stadium, less than 10 miles outside of Manhattan, was the perfect distillation of what makesthebandtimeless:ablend of loud and unrelenting rock 'n' roll energy with a dash of triumphant melancholy. Having completed 26 sold-out shows in the UK, Europe, and North America, the only ‘breaking’ so far has been on Ticketmaster. The website repeatedly crashed as millions rushed to purchase their chance to see a band that hasn’t released new music in nearly17years.
Fanspatientenoughtosurmount endless queues and technical difficulties were met with exorbitant prices. This was due to Ticketmaster’scontroversialuseof ‘dynamic pricing’, which adjusts ticketpricesbasedondemand(one $135 ticket more than doubled to $350whenthesalebegan).
As I got a sense of the resale landscape, I watched my chances of snagging a decently priced ticketfallapart.Itgottothepoint thatIbegantoseea$700generaladmissionfloorticketasrelatively affordable. That being said, I felt likeitwasnowornevertoseethis band I had idolized since middle school. Like a detective, I spent hours flipping through and automatically refreshing ticketing websites to find a good price. I evenconsideredflyingtoToronto, where tickets were cheaper. Finally,thedaybeforetheconcert at MetLife, I was able to find two seats with ’obstructed views’ for passable, though otherwise laughable,prices.
Dressed in Lennon-esque sunglasses and a green bucket hat,mybrotherandIleftearlyto catch the opening acts, Cast and Cage the Elephant. Though unfamiliar with Cast, walking into the concrete monolith of MetLifetothesoundoftheirloud guitar-rock supercharged my excitement. After waiting in the long merchandise line for an overpricedt-shirt,wewenttoour seats and, thankfully, the only thing obstructing our view was the metal support tower for a colossal speaker. When Cage the Elephantcameroaringout,Iwas astonished by the boundless energy of their frontman, Matt Shultz, who sprinted back and forth across the stage while beltingbluesyrocklike “Ain'tNo Rest for the Wicked” and poprock anthems like “Cigarette Daydreams.” Schultz exclaimed how happy he was to be there, echoing the grateful and eager attitude of a stadium full of fans whoneverthoughtthey’dbeable toseeOasisinconcert.
After Cage the Elephant finished their set, the restless crowd waited with bated breath. At almost exactly 8:45 p.m., shocked that a band known for their renegade attitude would be so timely, a compilation of reunion headlines and amazed socialmediapostsbeganflashing to the heavy drumming, bent
guitar, and choral ‘ah’s of the song “F****n’ intheBushes.” Then,allat once, the band came striding onto the stage to rapturous applause. Noel looked stoic as ever. Liam, in hisusualblackparkaandholdinga pairofmaracas,beganscreaminga cry for “Oasis fans in the area” as the massive screens behind him announced “New Jersey, this is happening.” The refrain of the aptly-namedopener “Hello” “It’ s good to be back” was given enhancedmeaning.
Liam sounded incredible, a far cryfromhismangledvocalsinthe mid-2000s and diminished range throughout the 2010s. That night, he ripped through tune after tune with a precision, passion, and power that nearly rivalled his classic 90s falsetto. Similarly, the bandwasonpoint,withNoel,Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, Colin “Gem” Archer,andAndyBellplayingeach song with intensity and emotion whilenotmissinganote.
The setlist they chose mostly focused on their earlier, more popular, and critically acclaimed albums like “(What's the Story) Morning Glory?” and “Definitely Maybe” while also playing a few highlights from later work like Noel’s ethereal 2002 ballad “Little by Little.” It was close to a perfect Oasis setlist, though I would’ ve loved to hear deeper cuts like “BoneheadsBankHoliday” andthe not-so-hiddengem “She’sElectric.”
The band had finally achieved the kind of American welcome thathadeludedtheminthe90s.A particular highlight was before the shredded guitar introduction to “Cigarettes and Alcohol,” when the largely American audience wasinstructedtoturnaround,put their arms around one another, and bounce, a British football ritualknownasthe ‘Poznan.’
A creature of the digital age, I was shocked to see so few phonesintheair.Ihadneverfelt more a part of a crowdcommunity, one that was evidently multigenerational and diverse in every sense of the word. Despite free-flowing cans of beer and the smell of marijuana wafting through the air, almost everyone was present andsavouringeachmomentthey hadwaitedsolongfor.
Liam’s humour and boastful playfulness were on full display, placing a tambourine between his teeth during “Acquiesce” and making rambling, quasiinspirational speeches between songs: “The record companies says you gotta play the game, kids,oryou’llbechoppedliver
Well I can stand here tonight in front of you beautiful people in thismagnificentstadiumandtell you, you don’t have to play the f***inggame.” Atthesametime,thebandalso put their humanity in plain view.
Noel seemed to almost tear up during his gut-wrenching performance of “Half the World Away,” a gentle elegy about wanting to escape yourself. Liam expressed appreciation to their fans during interludes and even dedicated “Live Forever” to “the kiddies in Minneapolis,” referring to the Annunciation Catholic School shooting four days earlier thatlefttwochildrendead.
After two hours of humour, humanity,andjoy,Oasisendedthe concert by playing a medley of hits: “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Wonderwall,” and “Champagne Supernova.” As someone who wasn ’t alive during Oasis’ most influential decade, I can confidently say this concert was not a nostalgic cash-grab. The bandseemedgenuinelyhappyand excited to be back on stage, with the siblings sharing smiles and concluding with a brotherly embrace and celebratory fireworks. The Gallaghers are better together because they perfectly complement one another: Liam’s voice and presence with Noel's words and melodies make for pure musical magic. Ileftelated,treasuringthe ringinginmyearsandthechance to have seen one of my favourite bandslive.
Maybe the real successful night isn’t about where you go, but who you’re with
Apitz-Grossman Culture Contributor
“Are you going out tonight?” is one of the most commonly uttered phrasestorunenergeticallydown residence hallways, float through the breeze on warm campus afternoons, and settle on the screens of our devices. While it always contains the same five words, this sentence can carry a multitude of meanings depending on who delivers it. At McGill, we love to work hard and play hard, butwhatdoes ”playhard” actually meanforeachofus?
When we think of a successful night out, our minds each conjure a different image. It could be dancing at a club with our friends, barhopping, going toahouseparty,listeningtolive music the list is endless. One person ’s heaven could easily be another person’s hell, and this differentiation is not entirely random. Social groups often share similarities in what they would like a night out to look like, which usually depends on gender, sexuality, and socioeconomicclass.
In order to better understand the going out culture here at McGill, I conducted a small survey. The respondents were students of varying genders, sexualities,anduniversityyears.
The question I found to be the most important and interesting was “Whatmakesanightoutfeel successful for you?” Whether we know it or not, we all have some kind of objective in mind when getting ready to go out. In my survey, I provided the following optionsforthisquestion:
• Havingfunwithfriends
Meetingnewpeople
• Drinking/partying
• Romantic/sexualencounters
• Other
Unsurprisingly, nearly every survey respondent checked the box “Having fun with friends” , regardless of gender, sexuality, or year. This seems to be the most powerful motivating factor foruniversitystudentstogoout, who, justifiably, want to make memories with their peers.
“Drinking/partying” was the next most commonly checked box, followed by “Meeting new people,” and in last place “Romantic/sexualencounters.” Notallresultsweresoobvious, however. When asked how far they were willing to travel on a night out, 40 per cent of respondentsansweredeither2030 minutes or 30+ minutes. This
surprised me, because I assumed fewer students would be willing to travel farther, opting to stay within a close radius to home.
Mostofusdonothavecars,sowe rely on either Uber or the Metro if we want to go further than destinations within our walkable bubble. If students are willing to travellengthyamountsoftimeto go out, what does this say about thedestinationsclosetous?
Additionally, around 30 per cent of respondents indicated spending between $30-40, $4050,and$50+onanightout.This was on the higher end of what I expected, but aligns with the often costly prices of drinks and cover fees. Interestingly, around half of the people who indicated that they spent these higher amountssaidtheygooutstrictly onceaweek,whiletheotherhalf said they go out more than three timesaweek.
Other survey questions included preferences about going out locations (options included “club,” “bar,” “house party,” “restaurant,” and “other”), days of the week one typically goes out, and the size of the “goingout” group.
From what I have experienced andobservedatuniversity, “girls’ nights out” can take on many forms. They often start with
getting ready together, playing music, taking photos, having a “ pregame ”,andthenheadingout, whether that’s to dance at clubs, socialize in bars, restaurants, or even jazz clubs. While the main focus is to have fun together, about a quarter of female respondents in my survey expressed that a romantic partner is part of what makes a nightsuccessfulforthem.
Male respondents followed a similar pattern, with roughly a fifth noting the same about leavingthenightwitharomantic partner. Their ideal nights typically started by having drinks at home with friends before going out to a bar, pub, or house party. Few men described clubbing as their preference, though multiple admitted that they would go if their friends were heading there. While my survey did contain an option for other genders, all my respondentsselectedtheoptions ofeithermaleorfemale,whichis why I have no conclusive evidenceonnon-binarygroups. Additionallyinmysurvey,when asked, “Do you ever feel social pressures (to drink, hook up, spendmoney)onanightout?” the majorityofrespondentsanswered with “ yes ” or “sometimes.” These pressures stem from the clashing
Eva Marriott-Fabre | Visuals Editor
of different aforementioned goals one has when going out. One person may head out simply to have fun with friends, while another may be hoping to meet a romantic/sexual partner. It’s not unusual for these two people to crosspaths.Whilethismaycause no issue, it could also potentially derail the evening of either party, leading to hurt feelings, disappointment, or awkwardness. Thisiswhenthepoliticsofanight out come to surface. Yet, even when a night takes a sour turn, I have found that when around the right group of people, bad moments almost always turn into goodmemories.
Overthepastcoupleofyears,I havehadthetimetolearnwhatI like most in my nights out and curate them accordingly. Going out during my first year at McGill was driven by excitement, fresh energy, and, for the most part, clubs. My friends and I frequented nightclubslikeCafeCampusand Pow Pow, following pregames consisting of packed rooms, laughter, spilled drinks, and open windows. These nights made for countless amazing memories, but I always found that my favourite parts actually happened while getting ready, when we would all be crammed
in our little dorm rooms taking pictures on our digital cameras, and talking about our goals for the night while being caught up intheglowofourfriendship. This year, there is a different feeling in the air, one that I like even better. Weekends are now usually spent at house parties, and the pre-club magic I used to cherish has become the main event.WhenmyfriendsandIdo want the night to last, we often go out to a pub like McKibbins that lets us socialize, listen to live music, and dance. There is truly nothing like a night out withthegirls,andeverydayIam thankful for how lucky I am to have found such good souls to surroundmyselfwith.
No matter who you are or what a fun night looks like to you, the most important part of social life in university is finding your people. While night out opinions may differ, there will always be a group out there waiting to welcome you. Upon reflection, the politics of a night out matter farlessthanthepeoplebesideyou atthenightclub,pub,houseparty, orrestauranttable.Intheend,the moments shared are what make thenightworthremembering.
22,
Lucia Shi Culture Contributor
If you walked down the streets of downtown Montreal and started singing the chorus of the song “My Shot” from the musical Hamilton,itmightnotbe longuntilsomeonejoinedin.The Grammy-winning musical, which tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton through a mix of hiphop, R&B, and traditional Broadway styles, has become a household name in the theatre community, while its catchy songs have dominated audio trendsacrosssocialmedia.
Ten years after its debut, the hip-hop musical finally arrived in Montreal. With 24 performances from August 19 to September 7, theshowwasanabsolutetreatfor Montreal's theatre enthusiasts. I, like many others, bought a ticket andplayedthesoundtrackonloop in anticipation. I had August 31 markedonmycalendar,thedigital ticketsavedonmyphone,andmy outfitcarefullyplannedout.
The first thought that crossed my mind as my friend and I steppedintoSalleWilfrid-Pelletier atPlace-des-Artswas, “Ohgod,am I underdressed?” – something I
never imagined I’d worry about whenattendingamusical.
It’s no secret that interest in theatre has skyrocketed over the last decade, with an increasing number of adaptations, such as Wicked, making it to the big screen.Yet,whenIsawalittleboy inadressshirtandabowtie,Ifelt as though I had stepped into a galainsweatpants.
The room was filled with a surprisingly young audience, a beautiful sight to see, as it suggested that a new generation wasembracingtheatre.Groupsof peopleintheirteensandtwenties filled the space, clad in summer dresses and trousers, with accessories woven into their hair. Theirsincerityshowedintheway they smiled, in their conversations about hidden meaningsbehindthelyrics,andin the lively chatter that echoed through the halls during intermission. Maybe it was the trendy videos that drew them in, or pop culture finally turning its spotlight on theatre; or maybe Hamilton really is just that good ofamusical.
The show itself was everything it had promised: from the carefully designed set pieces to thehighlyanticipatedsingingand beautiful costumes. Tyler
Fauntleroy, who played Alexander Hamilton, delivered his lines with an ease that can only come from complete dedication to the role. Lauren Mariasoosay as Hamilton’s wife Eliza captivated the audience with her powerful presence and mystifying voice. She brought Elizatolifesofullythatwedidn’t just watch her; we felt her joy, her heartbreak, and her quiet strength as if the emotions themselves were flowing off the stage and into the audience. As for Jimmie “JJ” Jeter as Aaron Burr?Personally,IbelieveBurr's songs are the highlight of the entire musical, and I’ll admit, I was holding my breath waiting for Jimmie to begin. Fortunately, he more than delivered, paying homagetoLeslieOdomJr.while still making the role his own, even adding subtle variations in thenotes.
During the performance, I decided to play a little game: I focused on a different background dancer for each song. Although the lead singer is the centrepiece and heart of the production, the entire crew breathes life into every moment. Fromtheirquickfootworktothe dramaticexpressionstheyhadto convey, I saw them as an
extension of the story, carrying the narrative forward. From the seats in the audience, it’s hard to fully appreciate the effort that every performer, especially those in less prominent roles, pours into the show, but the energy in the room offers the closest possible translation of their dedication. When a backup dancer slid across the stage in a hurry, slightly behind the beat, it made the moment feel far more real. It was a reminder that the people, the stage, and the music werealltangible,happeningright in front of us within reach. It wasn ’t a screen offering a mere semblance of life, but a living, breathingperformanceunfolding beforeoureyes.
The same feeling struck me when performers would stumble slightly or mumble some of the lyrics. While some might complain about unintelligible words, to me it only proved that behind every word uttered, there isabreathtakenbythesinger,an extra step executed by a dancer, and a musician pressing the next key on the piano. In a city where people rush through crowded streets and busy schedules, it’ s easytooverlooktheharmonyand coordinationweallrelyoninour daily lives. We often assume that
the routines and systems around us work seamlessly because of our own doing, rarely acknowledging that everything we witness is the product of someone else’s effort. A singer canonlyspeaktotheheartsofthe audience if their microphone successfully carries the clarity of eachnote.
Hamilton is not only a testament to the strength of community and the relentless pursuit of freedom and expression,butitisalsoanartistic representationofwhatitmeansto be in the room where it happens: tofeeltheweightandrhythmofa systemthatliftsus,carriesus,and shapes the paths we tread every day of our lives. To have a say in what we want, what we do, and how we do it. The story and the performance call on us to believe inchange,tonoticethequietacts that sustain the whole, and to strivefortrueinclusivity.
This year, Hamilton celebrates its 10th anniversary. Instead of rotting away in the library with threecoffeesandaheadache,you cancatchascreeningatCineplex for a few days in September, or watchitonDisney+.
Kevin Bacon, Nanette Workman, and a wall of sound guide Montrealers through sixty years of rock history in an immersive exhibition at the Old Port
Lisa Banti Staff Writer
When I stepped into OASIS Immersion’ s Amplified exhibition, I wasn ’t entirely sure what I was walking into. Montreal has no shortage of flashy experiences, but this one seemed to promise something more: sixty years of rock and roll distilled into a 90minute sensory journey, narrated by Kevin Bacon and Nanette Workman. That alone piquedmyinterest.
Fromthefirstroom,itwasclear that this exhibition wasn’t trying to mimic a concert. It was somethingelse:aninterpretation, almost a memory of rock, retold throughlight,sound,andmotion. With 105 projectors and 130 speakers,thespacefeltlikeithad
dissolved into music. Archival photosandvideomovedinrhythm withtracksfromBowie,JoanJett, Green Day, Aretha Franklin, Blondie,TheWho,andevenLizzo.
It didn’t just play – it surrounded you, filled the floor and ceiling, pressedinfromthewalls.
Theexhibitionunfoldedinfour chapters. “The Backstage” set the tonequietly,almostliketuningan instrument. “TheDressingRoom” revealed the personas behind the music, which was part glamour, part grit. Then “The Concert Hall” hit, and everything escalated; a flood of sound and color and movement. It was intense in the best way. I caught myself smiling, as if I’d suddenly beensweptintothefrontrowofa live show. The final section, “Backstage Québec,” grounded everything in Montreal’ s own musicalstory – athoughtfulclose.
Whatstayedwithmemostwas the narration. Bacon’s voice had that calm, steady weight to it –almostcinematic.Workman,who delivers the French narration, brought a softness that gave the whole experience a familiar, human feel. Together, they carriedthestorythroughdecades of rebellion, style, heartbreak, and evolution. This wasn’t just about music – it was about identity,protest,connection. I walked out into the lounge with that familiar post-concert mixofenergyandreflection.The $39admissionfeeisn’tsmall,but it felt earned. This wasn’t a playlist with visuals, it was a curated, emotional archive. A reminderofwhatrockoncewas, andstillcanbe.
Amplified doesn’t try to compete with live music, because it knows better than to
do so. What it does instead is remind you why Rock and Roll evermattered.Whypeopleclung to guitars and lyrics and noise as iftheymeantsomething.Because theydid.
Andforme?Ileftwithmyears ringing, my mind turning things over,andaquieturgetoputona recordassoonasIgothome.
Rose Langlois Culture Contributor
Tupac, Eminem, Kanye West. These names ring a bell for manypeople.Theriseofhiphop as mainstream music since the beginning of the century has beenremarkable.Itisnow oneof the most popular genres of music. However, the industry remains male-dominated, where men often describe women in degradingterms.
The early 2010s saw female rappers such as Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and Megan Thee Stallion risetofame.Thesewomenarenow a vital part of the rap universe, renowned in the industry. This trend continues, with newcomers like Doechii, Ice Spice, and Flo Milligainingpopularity.Asthehiphop industry finally witnesses an increase in popular female artists, we desperately try to name the Queen of Rap. Fans and listeners are constantly asked to “ crown ” an artist, to put on a pedestal and becomethebestoftheindustry.Itis asifwomenneedtoberelentlessly compared and hierarchized. Womenareconstantlyforcedtobe incompetitionwithoneanotherto
achieve a greater status. This urgencytoplaceone,femalerapper aboveallotherwomeninthefield is deeply misogynistic. This demands us to ask the question: whenoureffortscouldgotowards promoting groundbreaking music, why do we instead pit women againsteachother?
There is a need to “ crown ” a Queen of Rap because female rappersarenotjudgedbythesame standardsmalerappersare.Where men often rap about their sexual fantasies, women face serious backlashfordoingthesame.Inthe same way, many male rappers at once can be famous, but there can only be a few famous female rappers.Rappingisconsideredtobe a male occupation. Therefore, we often feel the need to specify the genderoffemalerappersasifthey cannot compete in the same categoryastheirmalecounterparts. The hypersexualization and objectification of women in the industry serves as an excuse to diminish the credibility of female rappers. For instance, many rap songs, mostly written by men, contain lyrics depicting crude sexualactsdonetoorbywomen –without a single thought going towards their often dubious
consent.Thelyricsof “Carnival” by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign is a strikingexample. Moreover,music videos commonly feature female nudity or suggestive dancing, such as NLE Choppa’ s “Slut Me Out” where women are portrayed not onlyasobjectsofdesire,butalsoas objects to carnally conquer and possess. Women are reduced to objects with the sole purpose of fulfillingmaledesires.
However,whenfemalerappers portray themselves in sexually explicit ways, using this male gaze to their advantage sex unsurprisingly becomes a successful marketing tool, yet it is still deemed inappropriate. Anysexualexpressionistakenas evidence that female rappers lack self-respect, that they “set theentirefemalegenderbackby 100 years” according to DeAnna Lorraine, a Republican Congressional candidate. It is considered unacceptable for women to use their sex appeal forcommercialpurposesandthe music industry, as well as the general public, cannot stand to see female rappers subvert traditional gender dynamics. A striking manifestation of this tendency is Ceechynaa’ s song
When our efforts talent could go towards promoting groundbreaking music, why do we instead pit women against each other?
“Peggy,” whichwentviralwhenit was released in 2024. Rather than receive the praise male rappers obtain for the sexually explicit themes in their music, suddenly, Ceechynaa’s crude lyrics, regarding men, were problematic for many listeners. Funnilyenough,noonebattedan eye at NLE Choppa’ s “Gang Baby,” released the same year; a song that also went viral, but for itscatchybeatratherthanforits almostpornographiclyrics. Takingalookatpopmusic,itis clear that the need for hierarchization isn’t as important.ThinkofTaylorSwift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Tate McRae; while there is competition between these female pop artists, there is no rush to designate just one best artist. The racial dimension is
Eva Marriott-Fabre | Visuals Editor
undeniable as the majority of female rappers are women of colour. Female rappers are undoubtedly held to higher standards of excellence, having to jump through more hoops than white women. Firstly, the hypersexual image of Black and Latina women denigrates these women and consequently, encouragestheideathattheirart cannot be taken seriously. Womenofcolour alsofacemany doublestandardsas whiteartists are praised for the same promiscuity that women of colour are condemned for. Sabrina Carpenter’s albums “Shortn’ Sweet” and “Man’sBest Friend” are filled with sexual innuendos, yet she remains one ofthemostpopularartistsofthe moment. Female rappers, however, receive much more criticism for such behaviors. As stated earlier, Ceechynaa’ s song “Peggy” got significant backlash online. “WAP” by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, while performing well in the charts, received harshcommentsforits explicitlyrics. Decadesafterthepopularization ofrap,asmorefemaleartistsenter the industry, hopefully we will start to celebrate collaborations insteadofcompetition,andputto restthematterofa “QueenofRap.”
The
hypersexualization and objectification of women
in the industry serves as an excuse to diminish the credibility of female rappers.
Elaine Yang Features Editor
Set in a frightful literary multiverseencompassing all the individual worlds of Shakespeare’s theatrical canon, Abigail Thorn’ s The Prince takes a decisive stab at the play-within-a-play genre to deliver a disarmingly original narrative sequence. Loosely anchored in the events of HenryIVPartOne, Shakespeare’s dramatized history of the rebellion that saw a wayward Prince Hal’ s moral reconciliation with his father King Henry IV, The Prince unfolds into a branching pursuit of love, identity and purpose across a fantastical continuum connecting the stories of a cast of timeless characters at
their most pivotal moments.
The play’s live audience follows a modern-day heroine, a young girl named Jen from a
century attire or her inability to speak in verse. The dizzying odyssey that becomes her quest tofindawaybacktotheoutside
The world of The Prince is capable of shifting any conception of its definite structure ... as quickly as the story derives new and poignant meaning from the pages of its original materials.
small English town who finds herself trapped in an alternate version of reality consisting of an endless succession of Shakespeare plays. This world is populated by a strange cast of actors who, at first, don’t seemtonoticehertwenty-first
world comes alive in an inventive text brimming with unmistakable wit and intensity. Coloured with the absurdist humour that contemporary playwrights seem to find irresistible and yet carefully maintaining its hold on the
illusory curtain between spectacle and reason, Thorn’ s writing negotiates an understanding with the viewer that the world of The Prince is capable of shifting with the switch of a stage light as quicklyasthestoryderivesnew and poignant meaning from the pagesofitsoriginalmaterials.
We’ll hear a play
The first time Jen (played by Mary Malone) delivers a line is minutes into the play, after watching the opening scene of Henry IV Part One unfold before her in full. To the audience, Jen’s sudden materialization into the foreground is a dramatic departure from the events we expected to follow the King’ s discussion with his counsel. This shift in focus forces an
addendum to any narrative framework that may already have formed in the viewer’ s mind, making it necessary to regain our bearings – it’ s clear from Jen’s dialogue that she’d had very little to do with Shakespeare in her former life and, by zoning in on her character, the play hints for us to calibrate our experience to her perspective. Regardless of how familiar one might have been with Act 1, Scene 1 of Henry IV, we get an idea of Jen’s point of view from her bewilderment at the idea of speaking in metre and the incredulity with which she digests the idea of using thee and thou True to its form as the dramaturgical equivalent of a frame narrative, The Prince has no shortage of
opportunities to suggest these changes in perspective. Jen is cautioned to follow the social conventions of the “characters” in HenryIV, who are described as “antibodies” with unalterable responses and pre-determined actions. She tries to comply, but her disorganized attempts at passing for an attendant in the presence of “Hotspur” Percy (played by Abigail Thorn) – a young noble leading the rebellion against King Henry –end up drawing attention to herself and leading to an offscript interaction in which the two actually trade free remarks about their differences in diction. Sympathy builds between them until Hotspur manages to utter a free line completely in modern prose. This conversation compels both Jen and the audience to once again question our understanding of the narrative setting: if it was possible for the cast of Henry IV to speak out of turn and out of verse, should they not be considered “actors” instead? As the events of the play continue to progress, the viewer is suspended in a perceptive social limbo: we, along with Jen, find ourselves trying to make a judgment on the humanity of these characters in order to assign them their due identities.
What’s in a name?
Thorn’s discerning treatment of the inherited characters – largely the dramatis personae of HenryIV Part One – speaks to a deliberate conscientiousness regarding their original circumstances. This manifests itself in an adroit sensitivity towards the themes and progressions associated with each role. One by one, through their proximity to the disturbance caused by Jen’ s unsanctioned verbal investigations and often as a direct response to her sympathy for the hardships Shakespeare assigned them, the borrowed characters are given a chance to speak their minds in prose. Without necessarily creating new identities for them, the play takes this opportunity to recontextualize each character’ s “role” in relation to the others and reimagine their conflicts with one another in the light of Jen’ s (and our) modern world. The rambunctious Prince Hal (played by Corey MontagueSholay) is given a new reason to be at odds with his father’ s traditional values – the suggestions of queerness halfhidden in the subtext of his
original characterization as a flippant tavern-hopper are drawn into focus, escalating tensions between father and son to an all-out row. The comedic proportions of their argument, including the various insults hurled by the
acknowledge any previous interactions with Jen and the worldview she brings, points to a deliberate and discomforting repression. The players’ dual identities are sustained by the level on which they choose to engage with their own
Thorn’s discerning treatment ... speaks to a deliberate conscientiousness regarding [the characters’] original circumstances and manifests itself in an adroit sensitivity towards the themes and progressions associated with each role.
King, struck me as suitably cathartic. At the same time Lady Kate Percy (played by Tianna Arnold,) trussed in a restless marriage with the impulsive Hotspur, received a gratuitous helping of emotional restitution and wasted no time making clear that, by all reason, she had just as much right to her freedom as Hotspur did to ride off to war on a moment’ s whim. While these adaptations realized certain characters more idyllically and perhaps less practically than others, it’s evident that they were transliterated with the utmost tenderness and honesty. The excess of care afforded to Kate in particular is, I would argue, a measure of the collective sympathy accrued toward her character by the centuries of readership since Shakespeare first published his characterization of her. As recurring tensions between the same characters steer them inevitably toward the same conflicts, so do their roles in relation to each other – as Hal, Henry, and Kate, but also equally as father, son, or wife – reinforce their captivity within the overarching narrative they share. More and more of the HenryIV cast begin to break form and lapse into prose, lending a growing sense of unrest to the environment of their “play.” It becomes evident that Hotspur, at least, has realized their predicament, but no sooner does so than quickly demonstrates a refusal to give up the associated role. Hotspur is aware of injuring Katebyfailingtoreassureher of their eventual reconciliation, but spurns her attempts at making amends: a choice which, in conjunction with a sudden reticence to
of the “play,” refers to the same with “she” and “her.” This discrepancy is never addressed until Hotspur is finally confronted about the truth of the “play’ s ” reality, and Thorn’s dialogue betrays her as answering for someone who, once separated from the assumed identity of Hotspur, would never have been called a “ son ” by the Earl of Northumberland. With her admission, the viewer is released from suspending the uncertainty in their minds, and instead is faced with the understanding that Hotspur’ s choices were never anything but perfectly human. The world of HenryIV is indeed a stage, but its actors are no less than men and women.
narratives: with the presumed identity afforded by their roles comes presumed purpose, which all the “cast” are hesitant to abandon.
The Prince killeth Percy
Portrayed by the playwright herself, Hotspur represents the play’s way of addressing identity and individual potential. As the insular “play” begins to unravel within the larger world of The Prince’ s constructed reality, Hotspur also becomes the first to step off the stage. Before the ambiguity around the identity of the “actors” is dispelled, Hotspur’s character was already hinting at a certain measure of dissonance between the parts they played and their underlying truth. Even though Lady Kate calls Hotspur her “lord,” and Hal
The production delights in using its most direct modes of information to affect the other dimensions of its narrative, in a way that could only suit its chosen subjects.
and Douglas consistently use the language expected toward their male adversary, Jen, the true outsider to the ecosystem
September 22, 2025
through a chip in the proverbial fourth wall the same modes of narration from which it derives its strongest development. In this way, it manages to remind us not to take it too seriously without the writing feeling flippant.
While Henry IV derailed from its original script, the overarching narrative of The Prince was also on a turbulent course of collision with the world outside. Hotspur’ s abandonment of the “stage” is facilitated gradually through an unspoken dalliance with the elements of the real stage – the one being filmed and surrounded by a live audience. As the characters within Henry IV lose conviction in the insulation of their theatrical reality, the actors’ costumes start shedding their literal lustre from scene to scene. Hotspur’s armour is progressively removed and replaced with a tousled mix of modern and medieval garments, while Kate’s regalia is slowly reduced to an underskirt and tube top. The production delights in using its most direct modes of information to affect the other dimensions of its narrative, in a way that could only suit its chosen subjects. Thorn’s first appearance had Hotspur locked in a duel with the Earl of Douglas, clad in full plate armour and wielding a longsword, only for more unlikely weapons to take its place once the character’ s facade begins to fold – in a devastating sequence towards the end of the play, she attempts to reenact the fight armed with only her bare hands, while at another point she finds herself holding an empty glass bottle given to her by Jen clearly labelled as Diet Coke. The cleverness of The Prince also informs an acerbic sense of humour: the play is wholly unafraid to move at breakneck speeds between probing its existential themes and delivering the incursion of Diet Coke into its world as a jarring gag. Its best comedic moments hinge on the irony created by the characters of Henry IV grappling with the real world in the form of dialogue with Jen or, rarely,
Since its release on the video streaming platform Nebula this summer, The Prince has had no difficulty reaching a wide audience of virtual theatregoers. Between the boldness of its premise, the thoughtful execution, the approach to queer commentary, and the effusive adoration it has for Shakespeare’s oeuvre, its draw is obvious to those who can identify with its transformative direction. Although not without its flaws, it awards a novel outlook to anyone who is willing to engage with the multitudes within its narrative. The play’s the
[The play’s] draw is obvious to those who can identify with its transformative direction ... it awards a novel outlook to anyone who is willing to engage with the multitudes within its narrative.
thing, wherein the play’s the thing – wherein, as long as one catches the conscience that is one ’s own, one might always have a part to play.
Miranda Forster
Commentary Contributor
swewatchtheUnitedStates
A– our closest neighbour and gargantuan cultural influence – descendintofascism, science has come under unprecedented fire from its federal government. From slashing federal science funding to allowing a political appointee to decide which science needs to be "corrected,” the Trump administration has been abundantly clear: scientists pose a threat to far-right values. In a world where truths – for example, the difference between sex and gender – are constantly subject to ideological debate, science may seem more political than ever before. To the mainstream, this probably feels deeplywrong. “Scienceshouldbe objective,” youcry, “notpolitical!”
Butashistoricallymarginalized people know, science has always beenpolitical.Andwhiletheright currently sees scientific progress as undermining their anti-truth dogma, science has also been weaponized by rightwing oppressive powers since itsinception.
The scientific method we know today is based on inductive reasoning, meaning the extrapolation of general principles from specific observations. Our modern inductive scientific method was pioneered by Francis Bacon, 17th-century lawyer, philosopher and politician. He
But as historically marginalized people know, science has always been political.
was also a major proponent of British imperialism and colonialism. At a glance, the development of the scientific method and the expansion of the British empire might seem tobetwounrelatedbranchesof Bacon’s career. But Bacon’ s scientific method embodies an
Zoe
| Visuals Contributor
ethos which can be applied to imperial projects: if we can classify and catalogue the world, we can control it.
When science emerged as the dominant epistemology in Western Europe, colonialism wasalreadyinfullswing,andthe two complemented each other well: colonies provided numerous specimens – human and nonhuman – for scientific research. Indigenousknowledge was also co-opted and repackaged as scientific findings, as seen in the 19th century “discovery” of the antimalarial compound quinine (which was introduced to Jesuits by the IndigenouspopulationofPeru).
The Baconian catalogue-andcontrol ethos drove the work of countless future imperialistcum-scientists, including the fathers of scientific racism Carl Linnaeus and Samuel George Morton.CarlLinnaeus,the17thcentury father of taxonomy (the classificationoflivingthingsinto groups), classified human races as taxonomic groups with behavioural and moral differences which he believed
wererootedinbiology – herefers to Europeans as “wise” and “inventors,” while referring to Africans as “sluggish” and “sly.” Samuel George Morton, meanwhile, wrote extensively in the 19th century on the idea that cranial differences in races were correlatedwithintelligencelevels.
History saw countless examples of oppressive and exploitative science. These rangedfrompioneergynecologist
James Marion Sims’s brutal experimentation on enslaved Black women in the 19th century
children as test subjects. Sure, thesecasescouldbedismissedas pseudoscience, rather than treated as evidence that science is inherently oppressive. But within the scientific community at the time, these ideologies and actions were excused as reasonable, necessary even, in the name of progress. And a “ progress ” which systemically exploits the bottom rungs of fabricated social hierarchies is inarguablypolitical.
Don’t get me wrong: the scientific method, and the
But we cannot pretend that science is somehow divorced from the hierarchical and oppressive power dynamics of our society.
to alleged CIA-funded brainwashing experiments done on McGill campus in the 1950s and 60s, which used Indigenous
technologicalandepistemological advancements it has allowed, are incredibly important. Far be it from this humble writer to
contribute to the spread of antiscience rhetoric. As we saw firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue to see in vaccine denialism and a host of other anti-science behaviours, mistrust in science and scientists can be disastrous. But we cannot pretend that science is somehow divorced from the hierarchical andoppressivepowerdynamicsof our society. And as we would regard any institution which has repeatedly justified enslavement, racism,andtorturewithacritical eye, so should we regard the institutionofscience.
Sogetyourvaccines,folks!And vote for administrations who don’tde-fundresearch.Scienceis a pillar of our society. But as many students (myself included) pursue our science degrees, we must remember: our field has oppressiveroots,anditsnatureis perennially political. By thinking critically, recognizing oppressive structures,anddenouncingthem, wecantrytomakesciencealittle bitbetter.