Staff's Note

Hi,

I’m Yaj Jhajhria, a writer and co-director of the podcast team here at The Affair Magazine. I’m pretty new in the crew, though, and joined after a friend recommended that I read the second issue. Not only was I blown away by the quality and organization of this student-run operation, but I began to think about how though this was created as more or less a recreational activity, it and publications like it are incredibly important in today’s world.

The information we receive from the media is primarily dominated by reliable facts presented by established organizations created to inform adults and people already well-versed in the subject matter, and notorious social media users posting often factually inaccurate and misleading lies to generate ad revenue. Notwithstanding the fact that overall trust in the media is at an all-time low (perhaps for good reason), few neglect how this affects the knowledge that is given to the youth. Because the former option is seen as unreachable and overly sophisticated, social media is often the only way these people learn about the world’s happenings. An algorithm tells them what to believe, who to like, who to hate, and who to vote for when they turn 18.

Outlets like what you’re about to read are part of how to change this. Not only are students intelligent and capable enough to observe and believe things about the world they live in, their voices should be seen as not inferior or unimportant, but an equally educated and reasonable piece of the greater conversation.

That is why I joined. That is why what you’re reading right now matters.

Yaj's Signature (DO NOT USE)

Yaj Jhajhria

Yaj Jhajhria