hold on existing power structures is loosening or threatened. After all, structures of white supremacy like the police allow them to criminalize Black and brown individuals while simultaneously having a natural defense for those criticizing repeated instances of police brutality. Many “radical” leftists and even the average Democrat often wonder how those like DeSantis or Donald Trump are able to maintain power without repercussions. After all, we all decided racism, indirect or direct, was bad years ago right? Well even if most of society does believe that (which I doubt more and more every year), those with the most influence do not share these sentiments, which is heavily indicated by many of these figures’ public statements, and private policy decisions. Furthermore, most of DeSantis and Trump’s audience are extremely tuned into the admittedly limited scope of news media like One America News or Fox News. These stations are notorious for their fear-mongering and framing of threats to the status quo as an attack on these viewers’ livelihoods, beliefs, and rights to free speech. They frame protesters advocating for defunding the police as criminals and obstacles to a vague definition of “law and order.” Unfortunately, they’ve largely succeeded based on most cities’ police budgets only increasing even after the murders of even more Black people in recent years such as George Floyd and Tyre Nichols. Their campaigns succeeded so well that even moderates like President Joe Biden have pushed for nonviolence, understanding, and even larger funding for the police even in the wake of their repeated “mistakes.” This leaves me with little faith in the future of Africana Studies and all of its adjacent courses and curriculums. These platforms have largely succeeded by changing the definition of Critical Race Theory to mean anything that promotes the idea of inequality in America since that means America isn’t perfect. As flawed as this logic is, I fear this pattern from the news and Republicans of blatant misinformation will continue. Without action, it will eventually lead to more places giving in to the pressure of ignoring discrimination and its place in American history. As dismal as it is, I’m not entirely sure if there’s a reliable method of combating this fearmongering from individual conservatives in power and the larger companies looking for more of their content. Despite DeSantis being one of the first Republicans to openly criticize their curriculum, the College Board changed their plans for this course across the nation in a matter of days following their comments. My beef with standardized testing aside, the College Board is a pretty widely accepted authority on matters of education throughout the country. If even they’re quick to fold after questionable criticism, what does that mean for the rest of America? How long is it before entire institutions like Oberlin begin bending to the will of the radical right? I know this may seem preposterous now, but how plausible did the denial of systemic racism by mainstream news, or even a section in AP African American Studies on “Black Conservatism” seem a mere five years ago? My point is, things change, and this place is rapidly changing for the worse if you’re anyone who’d benefit from more of the world acknowledging racism, or even the value of studying and appreciating Black people and history.
4
The Fuzziness of Fizz: Is Oberlin’s Latest Pyramid Scheme Really Worth the Download? Zach Terrillion Staff Writer An epidemic swept campus on the first day of the semester. It wasn’t COVID-19 or RSV, but rather donuts and posters. Almost overnight, a small slip was left outside nearly every dorm room on campus. It advertised an elusive new app dubbed “Fizz.” It is an anonymous chat service billing itself as an alternative to other institutions such as YikYak. Major universities like Rice were already using it. It featured various Oberlin-specific memes. Making fun of Yeobie? Check. Men being roasted? Check. The final bit on the slip is a QR Code. They really wanted our download! Fizz’s marketing plan did not end with the posters. Many may recall rows of students yielding rows of Dunkin’ Donuts outside dining halls. They were unavoidable. If you downloaded the app, they’d hand you a free pastry. It became a meme for about 12 hours. One friend posted on Discord a meme of Neo dodging bullets in “The Matrix,” except the bullets are “fizz people.” Many at Oberlin consider Fizz to be a pyramid scheme or bizarre social experiment. I was skeptical of these conspiracies until the night of January 30th. I was walking by Barrows- the dorm which reveals all schemes. I witnessed a group of residents meeting with another person in an SUV. They were loading wagons filled with DOZENS of new donut boxes. There may be something afoot this spring semester. Perhaps this Fizz, this YikYak alternative, is a bizarre scheme. Fizz is not necessarily a scheme or false document, but a growing service. It was founded in 2020 by two then-Stanford attendees: Teddy Solomon and Ashton Cofer. The two were members of their school’s COVID class, having their entire first-year experience uprooted for Zoom sessions. The duo devised Fizz in response to isolated students on campus, and to create a thriving campus community by way of the web. To investigate Fizz, I downloaded the app, following the QR Code on the poster. It’s pretty different from YikYak and in some ways for the better. For one, there is more verification, making me register through my phone number and, most importantly, my school email. The only users on Fizz are certified Obies, envisioned by its creators as an “app by college students for college students.” This campus focus could actually work. YikYak often features activity from a mix of students and locals. This is usually fine, but the presence of non-Obie strangers and the app’s anonymity could lead to some sticky situations and dynamics. The app’s student exclusivity allows more opportunities for community-building. I was fascinated by Fizz’s layout, as it felt much more like Reddit than YikYak. Both of the apps are hell sites, but at least Reddit allows room (to a degree) for genuine human communication and connection. Like Reddit, the
Illustration by Maia Hadler Art Director
new app has like and dislike ratios, dubbed “Fizzies.” Make of this term what you will. You can include edited images on the app, adding extra tools you don’t get with the other guy. There are clubs advertised, polls to vote upon, and even mildly wholesome shoutouts. There is more than one type of post, which creates a space with legit energy. I didn’t feel quite the same pit of despair as when I log on YikYak. Fizz comes off as more welcoming. It lacks some of the typical harassment, existential dread, and incoherent bot-isms you get on the Y and Y. This is partially due to a legit moderation policy. Fizz’s founders claimed to hire about 15 moderators per school to supplement the usual AI content screening. “They are not supposed to say who they are. Their job is to keep the app going,” according to an anonymous student who worked with Fizz that big marketing day. Harmful, toxic posts can supposedly be removed in minutes. Perhaps this policy is influencing the app’s more friendly tone. However, I will concede that the app, at Oberlin at least, is still in its early phases. Like most things, it could become worse the bigger it gets. The app is growing nationally, partially thanks to mobilization from within schools like Oberlin. This semester, the thing that seems most afoot is one giant app-growing machine. Fizz is using its lofty funds from investors to recruit student ambassadors to promote the app across campus. In other words, they are the ones who hand out the donuts. At Oberlin, you could earn money for sharing a provided graphic to your Insta story on Jan 30th, as well as for distributing donuts and posters.