PEP Magazine Issue #4

PEP ISSUE

MAR 31 2021

M A G A Z I N E / W O R L D

FOR YOUTH

004

E D I T I O N

POLITICS/ECONOMICS/ PHILOSOPHY

message from our FOUNDER

We live in a gendered world, and I grew up in a gendered household. When I was young, I liked to paint. I would go out and buy construction paper, and take the okra from my fridge and cut it into tiny pieces, dip it in paint and make polka dots for my parents. It would have been fine if I was a girl, but since I was a boy, the conversations usually began with - “Nice, but polka dots are a girls-only thing.”

At the beginning of quarantine, as I saw the wave of social reform around me, I realized that I too needed to fight for what's right; and when I began this war, I knew I was not fighting alone.

PEP Magazine began as a way for me to change the social fabric and way of thinking. It was a part of my war against the gendered norms of society because when I became interested in the social sciences, I never saw someone like me in this field. I never saw a queer individual take action and become a guiding force. I never saw a POC come upfront and speak out publicly. Sure, there were a few here and there, but not enough to make me feel that I belonged, not enough so I could see myself working in this area. PEP is the first ever social sciences magazine that is gender androgynous. This means that there is no longer pink for girls and blue for boys, but instead a rainbow for everyone. We are also a racially representative magazine that includes POC in every single issue, and we help POC students see themselves in the social sciences. However, representation for just POC and the LGBTQ+ community is not enough. It is important that this representation reaches people regardless of their ability. Thus, we provide our magazine in the 6 official UN languages, and also provide audiobooks. So far, we have reached 100,000 readers through school partnerships and are expanding day by day.

More than anything, PEP is my way of saying, “who cares what society thinks?” I am a queer person of color who is interested in the social sciences, and guess what? My cover page is filled with polka dots.

E L B A T

&

U N E M P L O Y M E N T

Siddharth Satish

8 11

K E Y N E S I A N

E C O N O M I C S

Hiba Laziri

M O N O P O L I E S

Brandon Huang

CONTENTS

F O

1

C O V I D - 1 9

1

ECONOMICS

Keynesian Economics

COVID-19 & Unemployment

By Siddharth Satish

Introduction to Keynesian Economics In the 1930s, with the crash of the stock market, there began one of the biggest economic disasters of the modern world - The Great Depression.

In the 30s, as the US government tried to implement fiscal policy measures to address the immediate rise in unemployment there was another tide brewing halfway across the Atlantic. John Maynard Keynes was questioning conventional economic theory and came up with a new way to look at the disaster. Towards the middle of the global economic crisis, Keynes’ posits to the world that increased government expenditures and lower taxes would best stimulate aggregate demand, and lift a country out of recession (Jahan et al.). This theory of government intervention that prioritizes aggregate demand, became the bedrock of what many now know as Keynesian economics.

It is commonly agreed that there are three main principles inside of the broader study of Keynesian economic models. The first is that aggregate demand is influenced by many public and private decisions. The second key principle is that prices respond very slowly to the fluctuation of supply and demand. The final is that changes in aggregate demand have the greatest impact on short-run economic growth.

The Pandemic and Unemployment To understand how the three main Keynesian economic models tie in with the pandemic, it is important to recognize the fluctuations of the economy over the past year, and the major industries they have impacted.

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ECONOMICS

The pandemic has not had the same impact on every geographic region of the nation. In metropolitan areas that are some of the landmark locations for the leisure and hospitality industries, there has been a drastic decrease in GDP growth. As a result of the declining consumption of luxury goods and increased social distancing mandates, the industry has been suffering from a lack of consumer participation. Areas like Las Vegas and Orlando see high levels of unemployment that are nearly eight percent higher than previous non-pandemic years (Klein and Smith). This decrease in consumption has a spillover effect on other neighboring locations. For example: when a Las Vegas hotel manager is laid off they are less likely to purchase new clothing or invest in a gaming set. These actions aggregate to create a dramatically lower amount of consumer spending, one of the biggest contributors to aggregate demand and GDP growth.

The velocity of money is a key marker in identifying the impact of a recession on the Keynesian model of aggregate demand. It helps indicate how much consumption is occurring in the economy since it provides the rate at which money is exchanged. Due to distancing mandates and lower scope for spending during the pandemic, consumers have not been able to exchange money in the market, decreasing the velocity of money (Mankiw 16).

While identifying that the velocity of money has decreased as a result of the pandemic is important, quantifying the impact of this decrease allows for economists to model future trends and impacts this decrease may have on GDP, aggregate demand, and unemployment. The formula below combines traditional economic functions to produce a unique calculation of the velocity of money by adapting statistics from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

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ECONOMICS

The velocity of money for the last quarter of 2020 that is derived from the equation is consistent with the reporting of the St. Louis Federal Reserve. This is a decrease from the previous quarter where the M2 velocity of money was 1.148% (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis).

This steady decrease in the velocity of money indicates that consumption is decreasing since there is a lower amount of transactions and exchange of services. As a result, there is an even greater pull on aggregate demand.

→

The current economic situation has clearly modeled a leftward shift in aggregate demand (AD1

AD2), due to a decrease in the

velocity of money and consumption (Figure 1). This means that fewer consumers exist in the economy and thus there are fewer workers needed in the economy.

(Figure 1) Source: Pennsylvania State University

→

Given that aggregate demand reduces labour (D1

D2), it also reduces the

wage rate (W1- W2) (Figure 2).

Comparatively, when you have a higher aggregate demand, firms are more likely to find customers since there is more consumption. When more customers are brought into the firm, the idle time for employees is lowered. This lowered idle time increases the labor demand and decreases unemployment (Michaillat and Saez 2). The exact converse is happening right now as a result of a lower number of customers, creating greater idle time and lower labor demand.

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ECONOMICS

(Figure 2) Source: Pennsylvania State University

When labor demand and idle time come under question, it is clear to see the connection it holds with wages. It has already been established that a decrease in aggregate demand decreases wages, but then the question arises: to what extent has this occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and what does this mean for unemployment?

The quantified model below clearly depicts how with the rise in real average wages there is a rise in the unemployment level in the population (ILO Multimedia and Charts) (Figure 3). This also means that a decrease in unemployment is corresponding to a decrease in wages.

(Figure 3) Source: ILO Multimedia and Charts000

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ECONOMICS

Analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on wages indicates that there are decreased wages and decreased unemployment due to the pandemic. This observation is further corroborated by the decreasing levels of unemployment in the US. The peak highlighted is from April 2020, but since the beginning of the pandemic, the unemployment rate has been on a steady decrease and reached 6.2% in February of 2021 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). This is an 8.6% decrease from what was observed in April of last year (figure 3).

(Figure 4) Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Having analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on unemployment through Keynesian economic models, it is important to go back to the root of Keynes’ theories when we analyze the US government’s actions to mitigate unemployment and support long-term economic growth.

Governmental Actions: Monetary and Fiscal Policy The US government typically engages in fiscal policy, which measures that the government uses to change its spending and tax rates in order to regulate the economy. Keynes theorized that if a government was to increase spending, it would help bring a country out of recession. This works since increased spending comes in the form of purchasing various goods and services, which in turn stimulates aggregate demand since it increases consumption in the economy (CRS Committee 4). This then pulls up aggregate demand, increasing the amount of economic growth and increasing wages that lead to higher employment.

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ECONOMICS

This theoretical approach is now working in practice through the most recent CARES act. This act has now been offering benefits to those who previously ineligible, extending insurance payments beyond the regular 26 weeks, and providing an additional $600 every week until July 2021 (Peter G. Peterson Foundation). Increased government spending is designed to increase consumer spending as well by giving more and more people disposable income that they can use to meet their basic needs, and consume various products. Consumption then helps pick up the lagging aggregate demand and allows for stable wages and employment.

However, when evaluating fiscal policy measures, it is important to remember the limitation of this tool. The ability for any fiscal stimulus to increase or decrease aggregate demand is limited since acts like tax cuts and stimulus packages often need to work in tandem with monetary policy measures like interest rate changes and open market operations (CRS Committee 5).

Monetary policy is not regulated by the US federal government but falls within the powers of the United States Federal Reserve. The chairperson of the federal reserve often submits reports and appears in front of the federal government to give economic reports, and the central bank has the largest influence on the amount of aggregate demand in the economy.

The federal reserve has worked to maintain a stable inflation and unemployment rate, and this is often achieved through monitoring the federal funds rate and the interest rates of other lending organizations (Mathai).

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ECONOMICS

By keeping the federal funds rate targets closer to the zero lower bound and engaging in asset purchases in order to strengthen consumption in the economy, the federal reserve has helped lower unemployment. This happens since lower interest rates result in higher rates of borrowing which then increases spending and demand amongst consumers. This rise in demand not only helps consumers but also causes businesses to hire more workers which then reduces the unemployment rate (Cox).

Even though monetary policy is an efficient tool in creating economic change, it too has limitations like fiscal policy. One of the major limitations of monetary policy is the time it takes to reflect a change in the economy. At times a 100 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates can take up to 22 months to be reflected in the actual economy (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco). Regardless of these limitations, monetary policy is still one of the best tools available to help reduce unemployment in the short, medium and long term.

Thus, if both US

fiscal policy and monetary policy

continue at present levels, the US economy and unemployment rate are soon to reach sustainable levels.

Grade Level Reading: plus

ECONOMICS

Hiba Laziri

Keynesian Economics Keynesian economics is a theory about how spending may affect output, inflation and employment. This theory was created by John Maynard in order to understand the Great Depression since classical economics failed to explain it.

The Great Depression was an era where as many as 15 million people in the US were unemployed. Classical economics suggests three ways why such unemployment exists. The first one is that workers will be temporarily unemployed during the period of finding a new job, the second being individuals who choose not to work once they can support themselves through another way, and the last one if wages are higher than what the employer can afford. In economics, it is believed that the supply of labor and the demand for labor will ultimately come into an equilibrium unless disturbed by outside forces for example, if the government set a higher wage requirement and employers can not fulfill the requirement. Yet the theory did not match what was happening during the Great Depression.

Keynes believed that the reason was the lack of demand and with the famous quote “In the long run, we are all dead.” he believed that the government should interfere to help fix it, instead of believing in the classical economic theory that everything will ultimately return to normal. This belief also goes with another theory called the “Multiplier Effect”, which answers the question of who should pay for the loan by suggesting that eventually, the money will come back to the loaner. For example, in order to boost the economy, the government should invest money in infrastructures, providing more jobs for unemployed people. Once these people start to earn money and spend in shops, the money will ultimately make its way back into the government and make up for that starting investment.

“In the long run, we are all dead.”

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ECONOMICS

Many benefits have been attributed to using the Keynesian system to combat the grave impact that recessions can otherwise have on a country’s economy. One of the most beneficial consequences of the Keynesian system is to stimulate employment rates. Recessions are characterized by businesses going under and laying off workers leading to increased unemployment rates which eventually leads to less consumer demand for products as families transition to only spending on the bare necessities for survival. Thus the decreased consumer demand then leads to the businesses having to rid themselves of even more workers, initiating a neverending cycle of depression where external monetary intervention from the government could stimulate the businesses and help keep the economy afloat. In addition, governmental intervention can also stabilize the banking industry which would offer much-needed funding for small businesses and the real estate industry to be able to get the loans that they need to survive in the short run until better times. Additionally, the system called for a way in which to measure the total economic output of the country which was developed by Keynes himself. This method, a precursor to the Gross National Product which is widely used today, measured the overall functioning of the economy by comparing its production to its capacity to ensure that the government would be able to better predict and hinder the decline at a much earlier period from the downtime. And while the Keynesian system might just seem like a giveaway program designed to use up much government revenue without any measures in place to replenish that funding, it in fact also has times when it compensates for the increased spending that it calls for during recessions. The system calls for much tighter spending during normal times by cutting deficits to make sure that the government can save enough to counteract their recent spending as well as have enough in place for the next “down” cycle in the economy.

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ECONOMICS

Knowing the multitude of advantages that this policy has the potential of introducing, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Keynesian concept of using fiscal funds to end recessions is put to frequent use throughout the world and especially in the US. During the Great Recession of 2007, United States President Barack Obama implemented significant fiscal policies inspired by Keynesian economics to ease the blow. The same can be said for the COVID-19 crisis where Congress authorized deficit spending of about $2 trillion under Donald Trump and an additional $1.9 trillion under President Biden simply to keep the economy wheel rolling. However, just as too much of anything is perceived to be bad, overstimulation can cause inflation rates to soar, thus causing more harm than benefits.

Grade Level Reading:

plus

ECONOMICS

Brandon

12

Huang

When queried, a kindergartner might enthusiastically describe a monopoly as a board game, a race to gain money and houses. A high schooler might lifelessly describe a monopoly as the method of Rockefeller’s fortune, recalling with disdain the previous semester’s U.S. history flashcards. A desperate entrepreneur might wistfully describe a monopoly as an unattainable dream, the gold-coated El Dorado of the business world. While these three explanations might seem just as, if not more distant than the age gaps between their spokespeople, they all hold an element of truth

truth to them. By definition, a monopoly refers to when an entity has total or near total control over a certain market; in the context of the board game, one may achieve this through bankrupting all of his or her competition (other players), thus gaining total control.

What Monopoly does not delve into, however, is the aftermath of such an event; what happens if, akin to

the real world, players keep moving?

For starters, it would quite frankly be impossible for those bankrupted to reenter the game’s economy and compete with the monopoly holder without copious external financial assistance. Such a situation is as a result of barriers to entry, an umbrella term used to describe factors that may discourage or prevent ambitious entrepreneurs from gaining footholds in monopolized markets; these factors may include high entry costs, existing regulatory policies, and even customer loyalty. In the case of John D. Rockefeller’s aforementioned monopoly, more specifically his rigid hold on the vast majority of America’s oil between 1870 and 1897, high entry costs played an undeniable role in maintaining what the New York World referred to as “the most cruel, impudent, pitiless, and grasping monopoly that ever fastened upon a country."

13

ECONOMICS As the cost of railroad and pipeline transportation increased to previously unimaginable levels, aspiring entrepreneurs found themselves lacking the capital, or money, required to create corporate foundations. In other words, from founding companies, for Rockefeller, as a unaffordable startup even as Rockefeller innovative logistics and scale, a term equating larger

to decreased business expenses, lower

entrepreneurs remained restricted and thus creating competition result of exorbitantly and operating costs, enjoyed, through economies of volume production

overall prices. While

Monopoly does not exactly explore the results of circumstances such as Rockefeller’s, including his lack of competition and resulting ability to set prices, whether low or high, their importance to the function of a monopoly must not be understated, for such a combination means nothing short of greater and greater control of a market’s economy.

Of course, just like everything else in the real world, monopolies are not as clear cut as entertainment and media portrayals (Monopoly) may lead one to believe. While the most common portrayal of monopolies in media and textbooks are that of unrelenting, tyrannical control of an entire market exacerbated by aggressive and unorthodox tactics, said portrayal only attempts to represent pure monopolies, which are differentiated from natural monopolies and monopolistic competition in various ways. Pure monopolies are defined as markets in which there is only one seller, with no competitors or substitutes, and while natural monopolies may appear similar, also describing markets without close competitors or substitutes, natural monopolies occur as a result of such extreme economies of scale that no competitor may match the prices of the firm holding said natural monopoly. As such, natural monopolies often occur in particularly niche industries or industries in which resources are difficult to acquire. This means older establishments in all likelihood benefit from decreased production costs as a result of increased efficiency, or decreased supplier costs, allowing for lower overall prices and better rates unmatched by industry newcomers.

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ECONOMICS

Pure monopolies, on the other hand, occur when there is no competition at all, and thus are exceptionally rare. More common is monopolistic competition, a market state in which many corporations manufacture and sell products/services that, while similar, are not identical replacements. Examples of such a market may include different restaurants or different brands of soap, each seeking to appeal to a potential customer’s specific needs through a marginally unique product, thus incentivizing advertising for the purpose of identifying and highlighting these different characteristics.

To say that monopolies are inherently good or bad would be to ignore the aspects that bring about these monopolies in the first place, as well as the benefits or harmful effects brought about by said monopolies. In cases such as that of a natural monopoly, for instance, specialized goods and services would be expensive beyond belief, if even available, if not for the existence of natural monopolies. Yet, in cases of pure or nearly pure monopolies, corporations may hold such great power and experience such little competition that the consumer begins to experience price increases while product quality remains stagnant. This is, however, where anti-monopoly laws and regulations come in, meant to protect consumers and the integrity of the economy, and while no comment may be made on whether monopolies are decidedly good or bad without extensive investigation into market states and environments, federal regulations regarding monopolies at the very least guarantee that monopolies are not things to be feared, and may in fact be utilized for economic amelioration.

E L B A T

P H I L O S O P H Y :

A N A R C H I S M

Trisha Murali

17 21

T H O U G H T

E X P E R I M E N T S

Prethivika Vimalraj and Vanshika Singh

T H E

E T H I C S

O F

E N G I N E E R I N G

Mayank Chauhan

G E N E T I C A L L Y

H U M A N S

CONTENTS

F O

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P O L I T I C A L

15 Political Philosophy: Anarchism By: Trisha Murali Disorder? Mayhem? Chaos? Or maybe freedom? A concept rebuffed by the majority in the recent past, but a popular form of government in ancient times. A concept brought to light by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, but one practiced before the existence of Jesus: Anarchism. That effort that repudiates coercive pecking order, the form of government devised by those that believe the government is corrupting and unnecessary, almost baleful and unscrupulous is anarchy. Ironic as the phrasing sounds, what anarchy aims for is liberty, but is that how it is defined? It is now discerned as a “state of disorder.” Simply put, anarchy is the absence of mandatory rule and oppressive laws where the citizens desire freedom over-centralization. And believers of the aforementioned doctrine almost seem to be drawn to libertarian socialism.

These proponents covet individualism, autonomy, and togetherness among individuals - the idea of interdependence.

In this cycle of succession, tumult and anarchism seem to be one among the same, a form not favored by the people. In fact, the word itself is used pejoratively. Recalling the days of yore, however, this method seems to be the opposite of rare. In the 6th century B.C, Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, and writer, also the founder of Taoism, urged his adherents to live an anarchistic lifestyle. It was then, during the time of Tao Te Ching, a Chinese classic text highlighting anarchism written by Lao Tzu, that this concept came to existence.

While Confucius, another prominent Chinese philosopher, and politician supported and encouraged the idea of social constraints and hierarchies, Taoists opposed this idea of bureaucracy. They solely believed in the idea of natural harmony among people, without any authority. The dissension and debate between those who believe in centralized, bureaucratic powers, those who believe that interference in the affairs of people is necessary and those who believe that things are calmer undisturbed continues to this day. In a similar fashion, ancient Greek civilizations believed in the

replacement of authority. This notion that the universe is in a perpetual disposition of flux was brought about by the Greeks by Diogenes of Sinope and Zeno of Citium, two notable Greek philosophers. They envisaged a selfgoverning, permissive community, one in which they spurned the intervention of authority in human affairs. This pleasing form of government accentuating liberty provoked several civilizations to commit to it. European movements took up the form of an anarchistic lifestyle. As the generations passed, modern anarchism arose from Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s moral notion of freedom being the essence, the idea that the authority lacks “moral legitimacy” which is that no individual is obligated to submit to the commands of the authority and that no authority can force commands on individuals.

Then followed individualism and the expulsion of coerced labor, then came the time a man first called himself an anarchist - a Frenchman, Joseph Proudhon. Various forms of anarchism emerged, taking different forms and following the sub-morals of a concept created hundreds of years before Christ.

Although later commonly associated with disorder, some places in the modern-day continued with anarchy. Somalia, for instance, took on this form of government. With the majority population being Muslim and the dominant religion being Islam, there is no hierarchy, similar to say, Catholicism where there is a pope. Along with Islamic faith and self-governance by the people forms the government of the Somalian people. This seemed more appealing to them than one where there is a ruling authority. Not only because no one prefers coercion to freedom but also because Islam involves no acrimonious hierarchy.

The fundamental reason and principle behind wanting such a system are people don’t want to be controlled, they want their freedom. And anarchy, at its core, is meant to allow for a collective decision with the input of all the people, encouraging common ground. Like Lao Tzu’s philosophy, anarchists believe that a good ruler lets his people follow their own peace, they believe that if interference occurs, so does disorder because “he who does not trust will not be trusted”. But now, people are starting to see that the idea of anarchy is incoherent. It forms societal control when what is wanted is freedom. The idea behind it is to reject the ruling when the idea of anarchism is based on a rule. This is exactly why when you type anarchy and double click for Grammarly word suggestions, chaos, disorder, turmoil, lawlessness is what is displayed.

16

17

PHILOSOPHY

By: Prethivika Vimalraj and Vanshika Singh Usually, we don't connect the words science and imagination together. They seem to be two different puzzle pieces belonging to two separate puzzles. When we think about science, we generally think that it's all about finding answers through the exploration of hardcore facts. When we hear the word imagination, we interpret it to be a more loose fictional concept.

However, imagination can be an extremely powerful tool in philosophy--a field of science where the concept of reality is studied. Our thoughts happen to be so influential that we can even use them to perform something known as a thought experiment.

In a normal, physical science experiment we set out to find evidence to support our hypothesis and conduct a series of observations from which we then try to draw conclusions. Now, thought experiments work in the same way, but the only difference is that the experiments are occurring in the setting of the mind (a nonphysical environment). There’s no actual material involved in the experiment. It’s all in the mind.

Kavka’s Toxin Puzzle is one example of several notable thought experiments that have taken place. Gregory S. Kavka, the scientist behind the experiment, came up with an interesting scenario. Say you are approached by a billionaire who offers you a striking deal where you can become the millionaire. He places a bottle of toxin in front of you and says that if you drink the toxin, you will become very ill for one day, but your life will not be threatened and there will be no side effects. All you have to do is sign off a contract by midnight saying you INTEND to drink the toxin the following day.

You can then change your mind after receiving the money. You sign the contract, but then start to think that you don't need to drink the toxin in the first place. The money will be in your account by morning regardless. But here’s the confusing part.

You start to wonder if this thought process will imply that you no longer wish to drink the toxin. So, you start to trick yourself into thinking it is necessary to drink the toxin by tomorrow afternoon. Tough right?

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PHILOSOPHY

This thought experiment is all about intention, or will. Kavka proved through this experiment that if your will to drink the toxin came from within or was a direct command, you would have no issue in drinking it. But, intentions are based on reasoning. You choose to act a certain way because you have a reason to support that behavior. You didn't have to drink the toxin, but you tricked yourself into thinking that if I do only then will I get my money. When your intentions and your reasoning start to conflict with one another, that's when things get a bit difficult.

You want to act a certain way, but you keep thinking about the consequences and logic of your possible future actions. Therefore, sometimes we find ourselves having an intention to do something but don't do it because of the reasoning behind it.

Another example of We have all been faced with various hypothetical scenarios like the one about saving 5 people you don’t know versus 1 person you do know from a train coming at full speed. Such scenarios have often led to much controversy in society because of the confusion as to which of the two corresponds to good morals and ethics. The Plank of Carneades is one such situation. How would you differentiate self defense murder? What is the true difference between the from two and how would such a difference be determined?

The Plank of Carneades illustrates a hypothetical scenario in which we are left to decide whether one should call it murder or selfdefense. Imagine this: a ship sets sail but ends up crashing when it encounters a major storm on its journey. Of its passengers, two sailors are desperately trying to find their way to shore and trying to survive this horrendous shipwreck. They frantically look around for any sign of escape, to see if there is anything that can help them reach the shore. Just then, they both spot a wooden plank, floating in the middle of the water, at the same time and begin to rush towards it. Obviously, between Sailor A and Sailor B only one can survive and get to shore on this small wooden plank. The question is, who will it be? More importantly, what will happen to the other sailor? In order to get to shore, one of these sailors must push off and kill the other before taking the plank for themselves. Would this be considered self-defense or murder? The definition of selfdefense is doing what it takes to protect yourself in a situation where if you didn’t do anything, you would die. In this case, it could very well be considered self-defense because Sailor B had to have pushed off Sailor A in order to survive. There is simply no other choice for either sailor. However, such a thought experiment creates a great controversy because it is a conflict as to whether Sailor B should be tried for murder or not, even if he might have done it out of self-defense.

19

PHILOSOPHY

In such cases as the Plank of Carneades situation, it becomes a difficult instance to judge and try a person for. The jury must decide whether Sailor B should be charged for murder or not, but it often becomes a decision that should be based on a variety of factors. For one, it might be useful to the jury to try and understand the intentions of Sailor B and try to gauge the events of the case. Sailor B may not have tried at all to attempt to save Sailor A and looked out only for himself. On the other hand, the situation itself could have prevented him from doing anything to try and save Sailor A. Because of such a multitude of factors that exists, it becomes almost impossible to decide whether one should consider this as murder or self-defense. Ultimately, it comes into the hands of each individual on the jury and the perspective in which they see the situation from.

There is yet another thought experiment to get your gears turning. This one, called the Two Generals Problem, poses a challenge where it becomes almost impossible to find a concrete solution. Picture a pre-war scene where two armies stand on two sides of a forest, waiting to attack each other.

They had agreed to communicate through messengers to tell each other when it’s time to attack. Considering they had no other method of communication other than through messengers, it becomes a major dilemma as to how many messages should be delivered to ensure that both sides know for sure that the other is ready. Is this even possible?

If you think about it, if Side A sends a messenger to deliver their “ready” alert to Side B, how would Side A know that Side B had actually received their message? For all Side A knows, the messenger could have been injured or killed along the way to deliver the message, so there

really is no way to know their message was delivered unless Side B sends another messenger to Side A to confirm they had received the message. But then, here we have yet the same problem again because Side B now doesn’t know whether their message has been received by Side A. This endless cycle of messages could continue on forever, without either side knowing whether their message has truly been received.

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PHILOSOPHY

Although there is no moral or mental dilemma here as with the Plank of Carneades and Kavka’s Toxin Puzzle, this Two Generals Problem gives your brain a workout in a way because is there really another solution to this conflict other than sending an infinite number of messages? If you really think about, there are a variety of things that the two armies can do to fix this problem, like sending a visible message in the sky or finding another way to communicate. However, such methods require many pieces of technology that are not available during this time and situation that this thought experiment describes, a crucial piece of information that many fail to recognize. Knowing this, is there really another solution?

So, all in all, can you see how just your thoughts can affect the way you behave?

Scientists to this day still don’t completely understand how our imagination works, but they do know that your mind is a

powerful tool and it can be used to glimpse

at an understanding toward human behavior.

21 The Ethics of Genetically Engineering Humans By: Mayank Chauhan Imagine being able to customize how your child looks. Imagine being able to modify the food you eat. Imagine being able to create entirely new animals. In today’s day and age, with rapidly advancing genetic engineering technology, such feats do not seem too far from accomplishment. In fact, most of this and more is already being done with current genetic engineering processes.

Genetic engineering can seem to accomplish wonders, but how exactly does it work? There are three methods that are most often used including the plasmid method, the vector method, and the biolistic method. However, regardless of which method is used, a simple rundown of the procedure is to isolate a gene coding for a beneficial trait and then clone it. After cloning of the modifying gene, it can then be inserted straight into the host cell or pass through a medium such as a bacterium which will eventually also insert the gene into the host cell.

By changing the code that dictates all aspects of our bodies, one has the power to completely alter every living thing. With these limitless possibilities, it should come as no surprise then that there is much potential for abuse. That is where the ethical aspect of this practice must be taken into account.

There are multiple reasons for the stark opposition that genetic manipulation has received since its origin. “With great power comes great responsibility,” says Nick Fury from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But we have no way of knowing whether the people experimenting around the world would abide by this and exhibit cooperation and safety practices. Furthermore, there are various ethical issues that would come into play, the most prominent issue being the criticism that the practice would receive from religious people or simply those that value the natural creation of each human body and would object to genetically editing future generations and, in the process, acting as a supernatural figure.

This issue is already seen with abortion which is widely looked down upon by most religions because it is equated to makes choices that should otherwise lie with Gods. In addition, the introduction of genetic engineering would serve to aggravate the gap between the rich and the poor by making the rich capable of affording better traits for their offspring through this expensive process and preventing the poor from doing the same. Therefore, it would be essential to install ways in which to allocate this technology equally which would be difficult to do for a new technology that would only be available in reserve

22 smart they may be, is still human, and it is only human to make mistakes. Added to this is the fact that this is a novel procedure and we still do not know much of how the complex human body works which makes it hard to avoid chance errors or unwanted side effects of the procedure that could couple with this alteration.

Proponents argue by highlighting the change that advancements in this procedure could bring. Perhaps the most important advantage this process can provide is the ability to eliminate hereditary diseases altogether. This would better the lives of many individuals that would have otherwise been a victim of conditions they had no control over! This would set an even playing field for all children and would begin to eliminate many of the socio-economics inequalities that may arise due to these pre-existing conditions. Additionally, genetic engineering opens doors to many medical advancements and avenues to combat diseases better than antibiotics or any other medicinal therapy we have available today. Not only that, but the fact that gene editing can also treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and similar issues in addition to the physical issues makes it an even more valuable tool. Finally, a food revolution could also be brought about with this where the nutrient profile that the body needs to survive could be modified which would drastically reduce the consumption of the finite resources we have on Earth and pave the way for enhanced sustenance of the human species.

Although there is no definitive answer that can be given to prove genetic engineering ethical or unethical, it is currently being practiced globally wherever optimistic scientists look forward to revolutionizing the future using genetic engineering similar to how Nobel prize winners like Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier continue to do. However it is worth looking into whether this is something that could be perfected and implemented in a way in which we can minimize the problems and maximize the various gains this procedure has the potential of bringing about.

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Erin Jeon from Growth for Green

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C O M P L E T E

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Cedar Roach

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POLITICS

POLITICS SPECIAL PIECE The Fetishization of Asian Women and Its connections to AAPI Hate Crimes

By Erin Jeon from Growth for Green

With the recent events regarding the spike in hate crimes against Asian Americans in the United States, it is important to take the time to reflect on what has occurred and how to combat hate. Specifically, these hate crimes have shown a pattern of going against women.

Over the course of the pandemic, approximately 3,800 incidents were reported which regarded AAPI hate. In this statistic, women make up 68 percent of the hate crimes. This imposes the question: why are AAPI women so often the victims of these acts? Is there a genuine reason behind this? Have women always been targeted like this in the past?

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In March 2021, 6 Asian women were shot and murdered at a spa in Atlanta, Georgia.

Women are also 2.3 times more likely to experience hate crimes compared to men. This happens for a reason and that reason is that Asian women have experienced hypersexualization and fetishization, especially in the United States. A sociology professor by the name of Nancy Wang Yuen, claims that racism and sexism intersect and these recent events have come to prove this true. Hearing that officials who covered the Atlanta shooting defended the shooter by saying that he had a “bad day” and that the shooting was not racially motivated was extremely disappointing for the AAPI community as well as non-AAPI citizens. The officials also claimed that prior to committing that atrocity, he attempted to eliminate his temptations- his temptations being Asian women. This directly connects to the historical terms that Asian women have been called such as “exotic lotus flowers”, “full metal jacket”, and “temptresses”.

Not only are Asian women called these inappropriate terms, but they are also frequently verbally harassed. Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of the National Asian Pacific Women's Forum shared her experience with this harassment and assault. Choimorrow is of Korean descent and when she came to the United States as a young woman, she was constantly harassed because of her Korean background.

Men would converse with her which ultimately led to the topic of Choimorrow being Asian and their type. Additionally, in the streets, she recalls when random men would approach her and once they found out she was Korean, they’d bring up the subject that they had a girlfriend in Korea during military service and would elaborate by saying sexually inappropriate things. This is not uncommon, many American men served in war efforts that involved Asian countries such as Korea and Vietnam. At these locations, there became a demand in sex workers which ultimately led to Asian women having to serve as prostitutes for soldiers. That’s essentially a reason as to why so many American men associate Asian women with sex workers, even if Asians are not likely to be sex workers compared to any other race.

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The association of Asian women as prostitutes also ties in with the historical United States policy known as the Page Act of 1875. This act called for Chinese women to be exclusively banned from entering the United States because Americans associated Chinese women with prostitution. This prejudiced belief has seemingly carried throughout American history as many Asian women are still subject to sexualization.

With the rise in AAPI hate crimes, especially against women, it is important to protect yourself if you are a part of the AAPI community and if not, looking out for your loved ones who are AAPI. It’s also valuable to educate yourself as to how you can contribute to making it safer for the AAPI community to be going through something like this at this time.

POLITICS

Age Is Just A Number

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The Young Girls Who Complete the Women’s Movement

By Cedar Roach This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is #choosetochallenge- chosen with the intent of encouraging everyone to challenge the inequality women face across the globe. The theme highlights the fact that people from all walks of life—regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation—can take steps to remove gender bias. However, it also seeks to acknowledge the incredible accomplishments that women have already taken to make the world a more equal place. Here are just a few of the amazing young activists whose achievements serve as an inspiration to all this month.

1.Malala Yousafzai “If one man can destroy everything, why can't one girl change it?”

No list of world-changing young women would be complete without Malala Yousafzai. Over the past several years, she has gained notoriety all around the globe for her work as an education activist in Pakistan. Since 2012, Malala has worked tirelessly for the 130 million girls out of school, fighting to provide them with access to education. At the age of 17, her work with the Malala Fund made her the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala certainly fits with the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day and her efforts to challenge the gap in education deserve to be celebrated.

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POLITICS

2.Marley Dias ““Black girl stories aren't just for black girls: they're for everybody.”

Like Malala Yousafzai, Marley Dias knows the importance of education. From a young age, she loved to learn, write, and most of all, she loved to read. However, she also felt the clear lack of diversity in the stories she read as very few ever featured a Black female lead. At age 13, she created a solution to her problem, when Dias founded #1000blackgirlbooks. Her campaign had a modest goal, aiming to collect 1000 books with Black female leads, but after gaining national attention, Dias has collected thousands of books to donate. Her platform has brought her to speak at women’s conferences, host a Netflix show, and write her own book, always highlighting the lack of diversity in literature.

Despite being only 16 now, Dias has managed to challenge the inequality in literature over the last several years.

Via Elle

3.Thandiwe Abdullah “When we march for sisterhood, let's truly march for all our sisters.”

Activism quite literally runs through Thandiwe Abdullah’s veins. She comes from a family full of activists and attended her first protest at only 2 years old. As she’s grown older, Abdullah has continued the legacy of her family’s fight for equality, co-founding the Black Lives Matter Youth Vanguard. At 15, she helped launch the Black Lives Matter in Schools campaign, which was adopted by the National Education Association. She fought policies in her city of Los Angeles, CA, and successfully persuaded city officials to allocate $25 million in funds to lower-income, historically Black public schools. Her work has been vital in creating an atmosphere for serious discussions on safely addressing racism and microaggressions within school settings.

POLITICS

4.Greta Thunberg “We showed that we are united and that we, young people, are unstoppable.”

In 2018, Greta Thunberg sat alone outside the Swedish Parliament building. For months, she sat alone with a sign reading “School Strike for Climate.”

While Greta may have begun her strike alone, by 2019 she had millions of people joining her demonstration. At 17 years old, Greta Thunberg had met with dignitaries from around the globe, attended U.N, summits, and become TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year—all with the goal of bringing attention to the planet’s worsening climate crisis. Her work has inspired many, bringing 4 million individuals to join her school strike on September 20th, 2019, the largest climate demonstration in history. “Thunberg's broken barriers and stereotypes to catch the attention of the globe and inspire a greater fight for environmental change”

Oftentimes young women are overlooked for their accomplishments, not simply for their gender, but for their age as well. However, these 4 girls show us that age does not have to stop you from challenging the inequality you see. This month, as we reflect on the accomplishments of women who #choosetochallenge, let us not forget the young women who fight discrimination and that we are the future of the women’s movement.

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