Volume 23, Issue 1 - September 2023

The Sputnik,We Orbit Around You.

Volume 23, Issue 1 - August 31, 2023

News, pg. 3

Sports, pg. 5

Arts & Culture, pg. 6

Opinion, pg. 11

The Infinitum, pg. 14-15

O-WEEK BREAKDOWN

IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL SPORTS

“BARBIE” MOVIE REVIEW

THE MILTON MISTAKE

I AM BECOME DEATH

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN TEAMS THIS YEAR

THIS BOX OFFICE HIT MADE THEATRES PINK

NEW CAMPUS GOOD OR A PROLOGUE FOR NEW BAD FOR STUDENTS? “I AM BECOME” SERIES

WELCOME BACK The O-Week Issue

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

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THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

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THE SPUTNIK STAFF Mitchell Baldwin opinion@thesputnik.ca

EDITORINCHIEF Umaymah Suhail eic@thesputnik.ca

LEAD OPINION WRITER Jada Phillips

NEWS EDITOR Lauren Kuivenhoven news@thesputnik.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Serena Anagbe photography@thesputnik.ca

LEAD NEWS WRITER Simran Jha

WEB MANAGER Elisha Felician web@thesputnik.ca

SPORTS EDITOR VACANT

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Sathyashini Suresh social@thesputnik.ca

LEAD SPORTS WRITER Mitchell Hartman ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Alexa Ford arts@thesputnik.ca

VIDEO EDITOR VACANT

LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER Sienna Bilancia

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Victoria Blagdon copyeditor@thesputnik.ca

OPINION EDITOR

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Waitson ed@wlusp.com

BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS VACANT

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Serena Austin president@wlusp.com

HR MANAGER Lia McGinnis hr@wlusp.com

FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore finance@wlusp.com

WEB MANAGER Sam Nabi web@wlusp.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Kurtis Rideout ads@wlusp.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Serena Austin

TREASURER Madalyn Mostacci

VICECHAIR Jacob Rice

COMMUNITY DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne

STUDENT DIRECTOR Jack Vrolyk

COMMUNITY DIRECTOR Shelby Blackley

SECRETARY Maryka Van Wyngaarden

CONTRIBUTORS Karen Savoy Olga Steblyk Vince Masson

ADVERTISING All advertising inquiries can be directed to Kurtis Rideout at ads@wlusp.com.

THE SPUTNIK IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Mailing address: 205 Regina ST. N., Waterloo ON The Sputnik office location: 50 Market St., Brantford ON OD102 COLOPHON Started in 1999, the Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital.

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Opinions expressed within the Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or Centra Web Printing. All content appearing in the Sputnik bears the copyrightexpressly to their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

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The Sputnik has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through the Sputnik’s contact with the community. The Sputnik will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither reprecussion, nor retalliation.

The purpose of community press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.

SPUTNIK_NEWS

THE.SPUTNIK

THE.SPUTNIK

Editor’s Note: A fresh start and call to action UMAYMAH SUHAIL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Welcome to The Sputnik, Wilfrid Laurier University’s official student-run newspaper on the Brantford campus. As your editor-in-chief for the 2023-2024 academic year, I am most passionate about making sure each issue is a body of work students can take great pride in and enjoy reading every month.

A little bit about me — I am a fourth-year digital media and journalism student with a minor in criminology. Last year, I was the senior copy editor at The Sputnik and before then, I was a volunteer news writer. I also have journalistic experience from Radio Laurier, Folktale Studio and The Globe and Mail.

This year, you’ll find that The Sputnik covers a range of topics and different interests through multiple means, so every student can fully enjoy our content. No relevant experience is needed to join our team, The Sputnik is an open space for you to showcase your work.

Unfortunately, many of you will no longer be able to view our Instagram or Facebook page, as Meta started blocking out all news content on its platforms in Canada in response to Bill C-18. Also known as the Online News Act, this bill has been a hard hit for news publications across the country, even though it aims to support them in receiving their fair economic share when media companies, like Meta, monetize off of their content.

Meta wrote in a statement, “we know the people using our platforms don’t come to us for news.” But, according

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Umaymah Suhail standing in front of the Carngie Building.

to an AP-NORC poll from 2022, 71 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials receive news from social media platforms daily and 91 per cent at least weekly. This includes Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitter. Since credible news sources are now blocked and cannot help combat the risk of fake news, false information and out-of-context headlines from nonreputable sources, it’s best if students turn to free news sites directly, such as CBC News, CTV News or your local paper.

The Sputnik is available on stands around campus throughout the year and on our website at www.thesputnik.ca. Top stories will be featured on both our new YouTube channel and the next season of The Orbit on

Radio Laurier, so stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.

We are also always looking for feedback and creative ideas, so feel free to send us an email or find us on Twitter and LinkedIn. On a final note — whether you are a new student or returning to campus, the beginning of the school year brings us all a fresh start, whether it be building on our academic skills, getting involved in the Laurier Brantford community or finding new ways to connect with others. I hope you have a wonderful start to the year and enjoy reading, creating and supporting your local student newspaper.

THE SPUTNIK · NEWS

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

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CLUBS

New clubs at Laurier Students have more options when looking for a club to join LAUREN KUIVENHOVEN NEWS EDITOR

Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford will receive at least three new additions to their student-led and faculty clubs in September, resulting in a total of 27 clubs.

One of them will be the Business Technology Management Consulting Club, under the BTM program.

Another club, Laurier Brantford supporting Movember, will support Movember Canada by fundraising and raising awareness for men with cancer.

The third new club, Emo Night Laurier, “focuses on emo music,” said Neelesh Rehal, the vice-president of Clubs and Associations.

Members of the club will be able to connect over their shared taste in music.

“There’s clubs based on your interests, but there’s also clubs that support charitable causes or

culture and faith-based clubs,” said Rehal. “It’s a great opportunity for students to get involved in something that’s meaningful to them.”

A lot of students will find that purpose or enjoyment outside of just the academic side of university, -Neelesh Rehal, vice-president of clubs and associations

The Students’ Union is working to improve clubs by streamlining the process of registering a new club and filling out required forms.

They hired an extra person in the Clubs and Associations department this year to help with the workload. The Students’ Union also has a campus clubs’ fee of $2.92, which is included in each student’s tuition.

A club needs 10 members to start. The registration for clubs in the fall term was over on July 16, but new club registration will open in the fall for the winter term.

Some clubs have been around for years, such as the Laurier Brantford Chess Club. The club consists of 30 to 40 members from both Laurier and the community’s Brantford Chess Club.

This year was the “first summer that it’s been running”, said Joshua Clarizio, the club president and a fourth-year criminology student.

The club ran from June 21 to Aug.

30 and will release new dates for the fall.

There are people from all skill levels who are on the club. To students considering joining, Clarizio said, “Give it a try, at least you meet some people on campus.”

The club gives lessons from 6 to 7 in the evening and plays chess from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. They occasionally have online events with chess players from the Waterloo campus.

By joining a club, “a lot of students will find that purpose or enjoyment outside of just the academic side of university and it gives them an opportunity … to have that purpose but also to make connections with other students who have similar interests,” said Rehal.

Students can find a list of Lauri-

er’s clubs on the Students’ Union website, The Nest.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / STUDENTS’ UNION

The Clubs & Associations booth at the Get Involved Fair last year with associate vice-president Fiza Iqbal.

CAMPUS

A first-year’s guide to O-Week A schedule breakdown of O-Week activities LAUREN KUIVENHOVEN NEWS EDITOR

This year’s O-Week at Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford will be running from Sept. 3 to Sept. 9.

The approximate 400 first-year students will be welcomed by 80 to 100 icebreakers. Icebreakers are upper-year students who are “role models and people you can talk to,” said Ben Avetissian, the head icebreaker, who is a third-year humanities student.

The students will be divided into five teams, one for each of the residence buildings and an off-campus team. First-year students will have a busy week with the following O-Week activities.

The first day, Sunday, is move-in day with opening ceremonies and a hypnotist at night.

“You’ll see us crazy people running around in bright yellow shirts, chanting and getting everyone excited to be a Golden Hawk,” Avetissian said.

On Monday, the icebreakers will welcome off-campus students and provide campus tours. Meeting a crowd of new people may seem intimidating at first, but a warm welcome can come in many forms.

“If you’re maybe a quieter person and you don’t want someone

screaming, shouting in your face, then there’s a few quieter icebreakers,” said Lisa Fehr, the orientation program facilitator of O-Week.

“There’s kind of an icebreaker for everyone.”

The night programming will include a mentalist and drag show.

Students can visit a rage room and learn more about student success on Tuesday. There will be a room burn, which is a demonstration put on by firefighters to show how quickly a dorm room can burn down. Night-time activities will include a glow dance and movie.

Wednesday includes a mayor’s lunch with Brantford’s mayor, Kevin Davis. The mayor will answer questions from first-year students about the City of Brantford. There will also be a canine circus and comedian at night. The first day of classes, Thursday, will have a Get Involved Fair.

“I definitely recommend the Get Involved Information Fair which we have, that’s when all the clubs and associations come,” said Avetissian.

Students can learn about the many “different services on campus,” said Avetissian.

SERENA AUSTIN / WLUSP PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Students enjoying one of the night programs at last year’s O-Week.

The night program has a headphone disco. On Friday, there will be a petting zoo. The O-Carnival will be held at night and includes carnival games.

“Everyone gets to come out, meet more first years,” said Fehr.

The last day, Saturday, will hold a Shine Car Wash and the clos-

ing ceremonies. The car wash is a charity event for cystic fibrosis research. Last year, it raised about $6,000.

“This year, we’re hoping to get close to $10,000,” said Fehr.

Avetissian said the car wash is “a lot of fun.”

“We do wash some cars, but we

also just spray each other with the hose,” said Avetissian.

The icebreakers give “first-years an outlet for all the questions they may possibly have,” said Fehr.

The fees for Orientation Week are funded by the Students’ Union and included in first-year students’ tuition.

THE SPUTNIK · NEWS

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SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

ENVIRONMENT

Greenbelt at risk; what you should know RCMP gets involved following Auditor General’s report SERENA AUSTIN WLUSP PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Ryan Amato, chief of staff to Ontario’s housing minister resigned two weeks after the release of the highly anticipated Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt.

Released Aug. 9 by the auditor general of Ontario, the report outlines several issues with the proposed changes and recommendations to fix them.

In December, the Ford government announced Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act. It requires certain municipalities to commit to constructing the 1.5 million homes the government determined needs to be built to respond to the housing crisis.

In places like Pickering, Hamilton and Halton Region, some of the land selected for development was part of Ontario’s Greenbelt. It was found that Amato personally suggested 13 sites for removal from the Greenbelt, nine of which were brought to his attention by the land

developers.

“Like many people, I thought, ‘Somebody’s going to make money off this. I wonder who?’” said Robert McLeman, a geography professor at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The report states that the owners of the land removed from the Greenbelt could see a total increase in land value of $8.3 billion.

On Sept. 14, 2022, Amato attended an event where he was approached by two developers who gave him packages with information about the removal of land from the Greenbelt. The report found that the developers who spoke to Amato at that event own 92 per cent of the land that was removed from the Greenbelt just a few months later.

Ontario’s world-renowned Greenbelt was established in 2005 with the passing of the Greenbelt Act, which aimed to permanently protect the province’s farmland

and environmentally sensitive areas. It includes the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine, both of which were already protected.

Though neither of Laurier’s campuses are in regions where land is being removed from the Greenbelt, Waterloo, Brantford and the surrounding areas may still be impacted by it, said Kevin Thomason, vice- chair of the Grand River Environmental Network.

The Greenbelt is important not only for land protection, but also for water.

“If we were to pave over all of that land that’s in the Greenbelt right now, there would be regular flooding,” said McLeman. “It’s like a sponge out there.”

Places like Waterloo and Guelph are reliant on groundwater for drinking.

“We have forests, fields and countryside on top of that water,

it’s protected,” he said. “But when we pave over that land and put factories, shopping malls, homes and so on, the risk of contamination goes up.”

And contamination can’t be undone, said McLeman, referring to the township of Elmira, where the groundwater is no longer drinkable.

When the Greenbelt Act was passed, it was expected that it would later be expanded to include places like Waterloo Region and Simcoe County, said Thomason.

That didn’t happen, so regional protections were put in place instead.

“It’s not an accident that you know the minute you’re back in Waterloo Region,” said Thomason.

“It’s all a result of great planning.”

Thomason encourages Laurier students to take this issue seriously and let their voices be heard by contacting their MPP, showing up

to rallies and voting.

“Students need to be speaking up more than anyone because you guys are the ones who are going to be paying the price,” he said. “If you’re not willing to exercise and speak up for the future you want to see, you’re going to get the future that somebody else wants.”

As of Aug. 23, the RCMP is assessing whether further investigation is required into the matter.

To read the Auditor General’s full report visit auditor.on.ca.

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Grand River near Laurier.

THE SPUTNIK · SPORTS

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

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CLUBS

The importance of school sports teams and clubs at Laurier Brantford Why you should join Laurier sports teams this year MITCHELL HARTMAN LEAD SPORTS WRITER

Despite being a smaller campus and being home to only two varsity sports teams, athletics play a huge role in campus life at Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford.

“Playing on a sports team really enriched my first-year experience,” said Alex Vessoyan, a criminology student heading into his second year and a member of the men’s extramural hockey team. “It’s a pleasure to wear the Golden Hawk on your chest and I’m glad I had the opportunity.”

Students also noted the small campus makes sports more important to the school.

“The size of our campus definitely has a lot to do with our athletic involvement,” said Kaitlyn Heffern, a third-year social work student and member of the extramural volleyball team. “Everyone knows each other, so more people feel comfortable trying out for their sports teams.”

Heffern added “the comfortability with one another makes

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Laurier students playing dodgeball in the LBYMCA gymnasium.

[Laurier’s sports] community super engaged,” further highlighting the strong sports community at Laurier Brantford.

Outside of varsity and extramural teams, intramurals are also

super popular among students.

Fifth-year criminology student Jake Storm says intramurals are a “stress reliever” and “something to look forward to every Thursday night.” Storm, who plays intra-

mural volleyball, also pointed out how “intramurals aren’t just about the sport, but also the people you meet.”

On top of the numerous sports teams that Laurier Brantford has

to offer, there are also numerous clubs related to athletics to join.

One of them is the Athletic and Wellness Council, which is a club that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for first-year students at Laurier. Second-year forensics student and club member Adam Cronin said “being in a club has been one of [his] best experiences on campus.” Cronin also said, “if you want to make your time at Laurier memorable, involving yourself in clubs is the best way to do it,” again showing how important the clubs are to the school.

Laurier Brantford’s athletic clubs and teams are a great way to get involved and meet new people and they have built a tight-knit community unmatched by any other school.

With the first day of the fall semester coming up right around the corner, students can expect another amazing year from Laurier’s athletic clubs and teams.

FITNESS

How Laurier athletes stay active in the off-season Ways students stayed fit over the summer MITCHELL HARTMAN LEAD SPORTS WRITER

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Fitness training equipemnt in the LBYMCA gym.

With the off-season wrapping up quickly, Wilfrid Laurier University

athletes are in their final stages of preparing for when school sports

start up in early fall.

Between the months of May and August, there are no school sports being played, giving student athletes a chance to train, rest up and prepare for the upcoming season.

Third-year criminology student and varsity cross country team member Kennedy Finch noted “running, cycling and lifting weights” as ways to keep in shape during the off-season. On top of this, Finch is a duathlon racer, even calling “duathlon [her] primary sport…when not running cross country.”

Second-year humanities student and fellow cross country runner Kirby Blackman said he “started [training] as soon as he got home from provincials last November.”

Blackman also added his love and passion for swimming as a great way to stay in shape during the off-season.

“Swimming has always had a soft spot in my heart,” he said.

“Whenever I always get down at the pool, it always puts a smile on my face.”

Laurier Brantford’s own YMCA has also been mentioned as a popular place to train during the off-season, as pointed out by Matthew Chiu, a second-year digital media and journalism student and member of the men’s extramural hockey team. Chiu, who has lived in Brantford this summer, said “the Y really has it all to help keep me in shape…like cardio, lifting weights and pickup basketball.”

Keeping in shape during the off-season is not only important for performance in sports, but also for personal improvement and mental health.

Finch pointed out “staying active outside of competition is very important…and beneficial for mental health.” Chiu also added that “playing sports such as summer pickup basketball and pickup hockey not only keeps me in shape, but also keeps my competitive spirit.”

Laurier Brantford’s student athletes have many different ways to stay active and train while sports are on pause for the summer and the Golden Hawks will look to build off their strong off-seasons when sports return in September.

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THE SPUTNIK · ARTS & CULTURE

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

ENTERTAINMENT

Barbie encouraging audiences to truly feel Familiar childhood toy returns to big screens, slightly different ALEXA FORD ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

The box office hit Barbie has made quite the splash in theatres since coming out July 21. The long-anticipated film transforms audiences back to the simplicity of childhood while showing the complexity that comes with existing in today’s world as a woman.

Theatres across the globe have been a sea of pink since opening night of Barbie. The overwhelming nostalgia felt in this film is enough to draw viewers in for a trip down memory lane, but director Greta Gerwig and producer/actress Margot Robbie have juxtaposed the uplifting sentiment with the reality faced by women in the “real world”.

Pink, Barbie’s signature colour, has become a phenomenon since this film has been released. It has taken on a life of its own, audiences are sporting their best and brightest pink to the theatres. It is an experience separate from the film at this point, wearing pink to the theatre and seeing everybody else’s outfits are almost as exciting as the film itself.

Barbie has been a staple in young people’s homes since she was first created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, who is honoured in this film. Since her creation, Barbie

has evolved into a figurehead who can take on any career and excel.

Along with this great success there has always been some resentment towards these dolls. The pressure put on young people about their bodies has been an issue for years.

Gerwig’s film addresses these issues beautifully as Barbie weaves through the real world and interacts with more women. Other notable productions Gerwig has solo directed and written include Lady Bird in 2017 and Little Women in 2019, both were nominated for Academy Awards.

These movies address issues that face their characters without being obnoxiously overt. It is not a huge secret how women are not equal across the globe and should not be treated as a spectacle. It does come to a shock to Barbie however, as she navigates life in the real world.

The doll who lives in a perfect world is not used to having emotions, fears or obstacles to face.

The mother and daughter relationship shown in this movie is a rollercoaster of emotions.

The daughter, Sasha, is played

by Ariana Greenblatt and the mother, Gloria, played by America Ferrera. Sasha is growing up and

not connecting with Gloria the way she used to, and Gloria is trying to adjust but feeling inadequate.

Anyone with a mother or maternal figure in their life can relate to this drifting that occurs during their pre-teen years and it is truly tragic to see on the big screen.

America Ferrara, who plays the mother, delivers a powerful speech about the struggles of being a woman saying, “You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You

have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass.”

The messages sent in Barbie are not hidden or complicated. Life is hard. Being a human is complex and being a woman can often be very complicated. Barbie is learning all the lessons we in the audience have spent decades learning and it brings her to tears (which, of course she has never shed before).

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Watching Barbie go through this sobering journey is interesting as an audience member, because it feels like a journey we have all walked. Watching this “perfect” person breakdown reassures us we are allowed to go through life stumbling and most importantly, as Ruth says in this film, feel.

LOCAL

Brantford’s summer of films Brantford is becoming a new filming hub for exciting television and movies SIENNA BILANCIA LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus is becoming a beacon for filming companies across the nation to come and film

their content in Downtown Brantford, especially this past summer.

Over the past few years, Brantford has been gaining popularity as a

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / KIRA HOSKINS

A screenshot taken from a video of the filming set by the LBYMCA.

filming hot spot, even letting many students star as extras in the films.

In 2022, the downtown was transformed as the backdrop for popular show The Handmaid’s Tale.

As students and residents, the City of Brantford gives notices when there will be filming in the area. The notices do not provide details about the content that is being filmed in the area. However, once the backdrops and props are spread out around town, it is a guessing game of what is being filmed. The City of Brantford enters a contract with filming companies so respecting the privacy and wishes of the companies is very important. So, information is not easily accessible upfront. However, more information can be found as

the filming process continues in the city. The City of Brantford also keeps a record of all movies and TV shows that are filmed.

This past summer, several productions used Brantford as the backdrop of their content. Notices were sent out well in advance.

Filming occurred on April 30 to May 4, July 2 to July 7 and June 15.

Each filming notice includes information about how filming could affect day-to-day life in Brantford, such as noise exemptions, road and sidewalk closures, intermittent traffic control, street parking and closures, and marking displacement. The next time an out of place traffic sign is around Brantford, stick around, maybe the next Stephen King thriller is being

filmed.

Kira Hoskins, a fourth-year social work student, had the chance to see a production during this past summer. Hoskins works at the LBYMCA and this summer, her commute to work was disrupted by road closures and limited parking.

As she was walking into work, she caught glimpses of a film set being put up and used in filming. She said the experience was such a cool thing to watch even though it meant she had to walk a little longer to get to work.

With the fall television season coming up, it is exciting to see which shows our small campus has been host to and what is next in store for filming in Brantford.

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · ARTS & CULTURE

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ENTERTAINMENT

Semester at a glance: Sanderson Centre Looking ahead at shows coming to Brantford this fall at our local theatre SIENNA BILANCIA WRITER

The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts is a pillar of the Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford school community. The centre is hot for orientation and graduation, yet how often do students take advantage of the local theatre?

When people hear live theatre, most people jump to thoughts of big song and dance numbers like the ones featured in popular shows such as Hamilton. The Sanderson Centre offers much more than traditional theatre. The Sanderson Centre caters to all tastes. One key piece is hosting live music, genres of all kinds. Most popular being throwbacks, pop, country and tribute bands.

Shows to look forward to this upcoming semester are The High Kings on Sept. 22 and Relive The Music 50s & 60s Rock n Roll Show on Sept. 28. October will feature The Great Canadian Road Trip on Oct. 16 and the musical stylings of ABBA will be celebrated on Oct. 27.

The Sanderson Centre is also host to comedy shows, musicals and occasionally, screenings of classic movies. Love Bomb, a musical with a raw and unfiltered look at sex trafficking in Canada, will be having two shows taking place on Sept 29. The holiday classic, The Nutcracker, will begin on Dec. 3.

The centre has amazing staff that work as a team to put together the year-long series of events and shows for the community.

Theatre manager Glenn Brown is in charge of the operations within the theatre. Brown is crucial in the programming for the 30 to 35 shows that are put on throughout the year.

“I am very fortunate to get to go out and see a lot of work and have agents pitch shows to us, and so a lot of things come in that way,” said Brown.

Caelan Beard is new to the team as the tourism marketing coordinator. Beard is particularly excited for Love Bomb the musical and Leahy’s A Celtic Family Christmas, taking place on Nov. 30.

Beard oversees the marketing for

Sanderson Centre with the help of a marketing team and the acts themselves.

The Sanderson Centre first opened its doors in 1919 and faced challenges along the way, seeing as Downtown Brantford was home to four movie theatres during the 1940s. One of those four movie theatres was Laurier’s very own Odeon Building. The Sanderson Centre being an old movie theatre

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR was also the inspiration for The Sanderson Centre box office in downtown. the Capitol film series that started in 2019. Eventually, the movie theatres moved into the cent discount when they present mall, which is now another Laurier student ID cards, bringing the total building, One Market. down to $20 a person. With the As university students, theatre gloomy winter fast-approaching, tickets may seem like a luxury out a trip to the theatre could be the of the budget, but the Sanderperfect remedy to a slump during the semester. son Centre has a special offer for Laurier students. Brown pointed out the fact students get a 10 per

RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

The following anonymous submission has been modified to protect the identities of the individuals involved.

I went on a date with a girl named Lucy that went terribly wrong but also kind of well. We decided to go out for coffee and when I picked her up, it was naturally a little awkward. After some small talk, we had a lot in common and had many shared interests. We also share a mutual friend name John.

As we were heading into the coffee shop, Lucy got a call, and I couldn’t help but overhear the doctor telling her she had tested positive for chlamydia. I tried my best to hold it in, but I couldn’t help but laugh. She was mortified, but I told her it was no big deal. After a bit, I remembered John telling me

that he had slept with Lucy in the past and he had tested positive for chlamydia as well. It hit me that my best friend had slept with and given chlamydia to the girl I was on a date with. Long story short, we are dating now.

Wow, talk about a memorable first date story! You handled a very delicate situation with tons of compassion and it seems to have paid off because now you two are still together. I think this a great example of how to handle a sensitive topic, such as STIs, while also helping to erase some of the stigma surrounding these very common infections.

THE SPUTNIK · FEATURES

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THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023 · 09

CAMPUS

Laurier’s Brantford campus buildings and spaces SERENA ANAGBE PHOTO EDITOR

FOREVER GOLDEN Each space on Laurier’s Brantford campus was intentionally designed to create a welcoming environment for community and relationship building. Whether it’s chatting with friends, studying or playing some games, each space on our campus screams the importance of ensuring each student makes the most out of their Laurier experience.

Our campus buildings have been carefully crafted to be a safe space for all Laurier Brantford students.

Seeing these buildings as we come back on campus for the 2023-2024 academic year reminds us of the great opportunities created for us to learn, work and experience various aspects of life within the loving Brantford community.

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THE SPUTNIK · OPINION

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

CLIMATE CRISIS

Climate anxiety is here to stay Confronting an unfortunate future JADA PHILLIPS LEAD OPINION WRITER

It’s not hard to develop a doomsday mentality in today’s world. Every day, when you turn on the news, all you see is how the world is literally on fire.

Whether it be the recent floods in Ottawa, wildfires in Hawaii or devastating heatwaves across Europe, the climate crisis is on full display in every corner of the globe.

Climate anxiety is defined as the “heightened emotional, mental or somatic distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate system,” which can present as feelings of dread, loss, anger, guilt, sadness and existential dread.

Climate anxiety is a completely valid and justified feeling to the climate crisis. The climate crisis has serious implications on our future as young people and all other future generations.

The consequences of the climate crisis affects the lives of billions across the globe, perhaps even all life on Earth. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, over one billion

people globally could be displaced by climate change related events such as natural disasters and shortages. Climate change has even been proven to be an aggravating contributor of increased rates of violence against women, according to studies by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Climate anxiety will continue to be ever present in our lives as we reach the precipice of climate disaster. Younger generations will bear the burden of climate change, yet we have little power to mitigate the immediate harm.

It is no wonder that according to a recent study more than 59 per cent of youth were very or extremely worried about climate change.

Completely disengaging with the world around us would be much easier than facing the grim reality. However, instead of completely succumbing to the doom and gloom, figuring out ways to channel that anxiety is key to living with climate anxiety.

A mindfulness and acceptance approach could be helpful in combatting climate anxiety.

Knowing your limits of media consumption and having a smart media diet is important to managing climate anxiety.

As professor Sarah Lowe from Yale School of Public Health said, “Not acceptance that you shouldn’t do anything about climate change, but rather to recognize that someone is feeling anxious about climate change and to help them harness that anxiety for something good.”

Collective action is that something good that could be the key to combatting your climate anxiety. Doing small things in isolation of others, such as recycling or reducing water consumption, can feel tedious.

How do we know our actions are actually making a difference?

If I am the only one trying to do my part, it’s all pointless, right?

Collective action allows us to connect to others who have similar values while witnessing our impact being made. Through

collective action, the anxiety can be harnessed to create long-term change through protests, policy and networking.

crisis is here to stay and our anxiety will be ever-present. It is what we choose to do with that anxiety that could truly make a

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Climate change, damaging our home.

There is no denying the climate

difference.

lies the starting grounds for the development of practical critical thinking skills. While it is well within anyone’s rights to feel a certain level of discomfort as a result of these issues, I would ask that you first put yourselves into the shoes of those who are struggling; those who have likely had their entire industry uprooted and exported to nations with revoltingly relaxed labour laws; those who have been denied the chance to receive adequate care for their mental and physical health; as well as those whose city and provincial government has failed them at every single level.

Before immediately dog-piling onto a Brantford hate train, I implore you to try and empathize with the position countless people have been put into; how many people have had their entire lives upturned at the hands of greedy

industry leaders and disinterested public officials, of whom would rather wash their hands of any responsibility instead of actually trying to improve and assist the community they have been elected to serve.

Furthermore, I encourage all readers to get involved in the various communities that Brantford has. Sign up for volunteer organizations, such as Laurier Students For Literacy, which is run out of the Brantford Public Library and aims to help elementary age children advance their literacy skills, as well as assist in other educational capacities. The Brantford campus has much to offer, so take me at my word when I say that it can be an extremely rewarding experience to be able to appreciate the city for what it is, a land of opportunities.

BRANTFORD

An argument for Brantford Why you made the right choice MITCHELL BALDWIN OPINION EDITOR

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Research and Academic Centre East.

At some point in your time at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford, you’ve probably heard some sort of comment about the quality of our campus. Such comments may range in theme from overly dramatic characterizations of the city’s resemblance to Gotham City in some respects, while others praise the more focused academic experience.

However, what do these comments really mean? Are these comments indicative of a classist state of mind which condemns Brantford for simply being unlucky enough to have all of its industry yanked away in decades past?

Maybe for some, but this is likely the exception to the origin of most comments surrounding the campus. While the city itself may not be anything to write home about, Brantford’s campus is not something to be immediately written

off as being destitute. While the unfortunate economic state of the city does leave it in a tragic series of mental health crises, the campus provides a set of opportunities that are unparalleled in their level of student access on the undergraduate level.

The small size of the campus, which is currently at roughly 2,700 students, may be a cause for concern for some, but it essentially ensures any application to an executive position of any club or extracurricular, as well as the opportune space to develop a well-rounded perspective of the world.

It may be simple to look at the city’s homeless and mental health crises as being a topic for discussion for a city in hard times, but I would challenge you to instead look beyond the surface level of these topics. Behind the mental health and homelessness crises,

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · OPINION

11

NEW CAMPUS

The Milton mistake A questionable expansion MITCHELL BALDWIN OPINION EDITOR

It may be news to some that Wilfrid Laurier University is opening a campus location in Milton. This campus has been designed to be a STEAM campus, which is to say that it is focused on STEM and fine arts programs by the university.

But how good of an idea is this really?

On the official wlu.ca page for the campus, Laurier advertises the campus as “a groundbreaking commuter campus”, focusing heavily on small class sizes. In addition to this, a planned “expansion” of computer science and psychology programs is set to take place at this campus. I’m sure many of you are thinking it, but this is apparent to be yet another half-baked attempt in Laurier’s history of building campuses.

Firstly, we have been shown that our university has no interest in building upon their established communities, such as Brantford or Waterloo, with this decision. In fact, the decision to “expand” the computer science program, which is based out of Waterloo, to Milton is another way for Laurier to wave the white flag to the University of Waterloo to say that they’re no

longer interested in competing to provide a quality program, but they are instead more interested in capitalizing on a growing city’s increasing body of prospective students as a way to increase their financial gains.

Secondly, the budget which will be required to provide a quality education even partially at this campus will only take away more resources from Waterloo and Brantford. Even the same language used to advertise Brantford programs, of which many are suffering

from an extreme drought of available courses – with the campus’s digital media and journalism program being axed completely – should be a warning sign that this is a half-baked plan at best and a financial con at worst. Instead of investing their profits into more teaching staff to better support programs and the student body at Brantford, to actually give students the quality support they deserve, Laurier is, in effect, telling students that they give up and are moving on from Brantford. If the university

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Construction on the Milton campus.

were to instead expand upon either of their already established campuses, you would be hard-pressed to find a critic of this expansion.

But the unfortunate reality is that Laurier is not going to do this.

Lastly, the only apparent message from this unnecessary segmentation of the university’s programs is that the university wants to establish a network of campuses which only have one faculty at each. Brantford for liberal arts,

Waterloo for business and Milton for STEAM. Not only does this harm students, but it also damages the quality of education at the university as a whole. It appears that long gone will be the days where a Liberal Arts major could explore options and minors in a vast array of courses. Long gone will be the days where a STEM major could easily and practically achieve a double minor in Business and Liberal Arts programs. Long-gone will be the days where being able to receive a well-rounded education from a vast multitude of disciplines is an option for students who don’t want to change their entire program and campus every year so they can experience the vast array of courses and programs our university has to offer. Simply put, this entire decision truly speaks to the need for a shake-up in Laurier’s leadership. The opening of a new campus does not benefit students, it does not benefit contract staff which will have to commute between three campuses and it most certainly does not benefit Laurier as a whole.

HOUSING

Should landlords be abolished?

An ever-growing idea JADA PHILLIPS LEAD OPINION WRITER

In 2022, the average rent in Brantford was $1,246 per month.

However, in major cities like Toronto, rent prices jumped to $1,665 monthly. Over the past decade, the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force reported that housing prices increased by 180 per cent, while wages only increased by 38 per cent. This has resulted in more and more people being forced to work multiple jobs to afford rent, never mind being able to purchase a home.

Even as a student living in Brantford, I have seen monthly rent go from around $500 to around $700 in the past three years. The Canadian housing market is in shambles with no clear path to resolution.

With a quick scroll on social media sites like TikTok and Reddit, the #abolishlandlord tag is gaining

popularity. The landlord represents the bourgeoisie villain praying off the housing needs of people to further enrich themselves. The #abolishlandlord movement has become a rallying cry to fight back against housing unaffordability.

This begs the question, are landlords truly the Big Bad Wolf everybody is making them up to be?

The answer is both yes and no.

Completely getting rid of landlords would greatly reduce the number of properties available for rent on the market. Sometimes people have extra space or their property is temporarily empty, and renting creates an equally beneficial opportunity for both the landlord and renter.

It must be said that not every “landlord” is some greedy investment firm or a rich person with a

large portfolio of properties. Some are just families who are renting their homes to try and keep their heads afloat like the rest of the population. However, the very premise of a landlord does raise a moral dilemma.

Landlords profit off a human necessity without doing any labor to earn it. By merely owning property, they can leverage people’s needs to earn money. Prices for houses will continue to go up as the demand is inflated due to properties being bought as investments.

The only reason a landlord would have to buy multiple properties is to make a profit. These profits are made by charging more than the mortgage and maintenance costs. This profitability incentivizes landlords to cut costs wherever possible to pocket as

much as possible.

Our society doesn’t need landlords to function. Houses have existed without landlords and they would continue to exist without them in the future.

But if the system incentives a landlord to resort to exploitative tactics to make money, should the landlord bear the brunt of the blame?

The government has a duty to its citizens to regulate the market and ensure the rights of renters are being maintained. Solutions to the housing crisis could look like increased taxes on owners of multiple properties, the government creating more social housing, incentivizing landlords to sell property through issuing bonds or disincentivizing renter turnover by controlling rental increases.

It is not the landlords, per say, that need to be abolished, but the concept of landlordism itself. It’s all the financial peril that a rental system creates. While some landlords do care about their tenants and rent out space for a bit of extra income, the system that creates such a disparity in housing opportunities shouldn’t be overlooked.

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

An apartment building.

12

THE SPUTNIK  OPINION

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

ENTERTAINMENT

Academy award expansion A need for expansion VINCE MASSON OPINION WRITER

As it stands, there exists two Oscar writing categories: Original and Adapted. Fairly simple, but the academy takes these distinctions seriously. The rules about adaptations are so strict, in fact, that the 2016 winner, “Moonlight”, was placed in the adapted category simply for being derived from a play that was not produced.

The academy’s strategy is common sense, you can’t compare a screenplay that was adapted from a novel, article, short story or stage play, with something someone has built from the ground-up. Adaptations aren’t inherently easier per se, they are just a different ball game entirely.

The difficulty in adapting a novel, play or short story is in rearranging the pieces that have already been laid out and then turning them into a compelling movie script, which is a great deal

harder than it sounds. A movie is about showing, not telling.

Identifying the important information and drama within a text takes decades of experience and skill.

But if we’re going to be completely honest, we have to admit that just having those pieces to begin with makes the job very different. Adaptations allow the writer to utilize a lot of the heavy lifting original writers face, such as the creation of dialogue, situations, characters, subplot, etc. Yet, there is a clear lack of common sense when it comes to the academy’s acting categories because of this.

Don’t actors playing real people have to adapt their performances to accurately portray the person they’re playing as they really were? Didn’t Austin Butler, as great as he was, have the luxury of watching countless hours of footage of Elvis Presley to help

him in his portrayal as the King of Rock and Roll? Didn’t Gary Oldman adapt his performance from Winston Churchill’s real-life mannerisms, inflections and movements, many of which were recorded in detail? Didn’t Forest Whitaker get to watch footage of Idi Amin before he won an Oscar for portraying him in 2006? Aren’t these award-winning performances adaptations? If so, why are we comparing them with actors/ actresses who only had words on a page to work with and therefore, had to invent those things from their own imagination?

Yet every acting nominee gets lumped into the same five Best Actor/Actress/Supporting Actor/ Actress categories and every year, we watch another one of them beat out the actors with great, interesting original characters.

Even Quentin Tarantino rightfully

pointed out that the biopic genre is an “excuse for actors to win Oscars”.

I’m not asking that every actor who delivers a great performance based off of a real person should be nominated. It would be hard to argue that Leonardo DiCaprio had a mountain of material to work with when he played Hugh Glass,

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

The Oscars.

an 18th century fur trapper, for his Oscar win. I’m just asking that if the academy can discriminate between original and adapted screenplays, why can’t it do so with acting?

“Getting more involved with the school and meeting more people.”

What are you most excited about this year?

– Mitchell Hartman, Lead Sports Writer

“Being able to see the incredible talent of our teams and students put into action.”

“I’m most excited to be able to graduate and learn more about journalism!”

– Mitchell Baldwin, Opinion Editor

“Editing all of our fantastic writers’ pieces before publishing.”

– Victoria Blagdon, Senior Copy Editor

– Tusharika Tyagi, Infinitum Editor

THE SPUTNIK  INFINITUM

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023

POEM

13

POEM

To my eternal, When it happens I’ll always answer THANDO BHEBHE LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

You know how it feels when it finally happens? When everything just clicks, when all the pieces fall into place, the stars aligning, eyes glancing in lock as for that single second, you finally clutch it. It’s scary, surreal, sometimes I wonder if it’s even really happening. A possession, a rag doll, you watch from the outside, seeing yourself.

You laugh, you joke, your heart elopes and bubbles, why have I never felt like this before, why did it take this long, where has this

THANDO BHEBHE LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

been all my life. It’s beautiful, it’s liberating, it’s, it’s…………it finally happened.

But then, it finally happened, what happens now. You finally have it, but for how long, nothing lasts forever after all. Your mind starts to track back, you find yourself then, when you had it, then you think of now, will it end the same. That’s the thing about this life, you can see the beginning, but you know the end is coming.

They say have fun, enjoy it while

it lasts, don’t be too serious, don’t freak out, breathe, breathe, breathe. Yet it’s still there, etching at you, gnawing at you.

A hole of inevitable, how will I mess it up this time. It’s sad, it’s frightening, it’s happy, the greatest day of your life, the worst time to be alive. You’re right on the precipice, Heaven behind, Hell ahead. Forever and nothing, life, and death, bitter, sweet.

I hope it works out; I hope it works out.

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

SHORT STORY

The fall begins TUSHARIKA TYAGI INFINITUM EDITOR

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Flowers blooming.

Haunted by that dream of tomorrow, that nightmare of mortality, of foolish hubris, of realized delusion, of fiery hell burning upon the once green, the once alive, the once beautiful, so beautiful and clean, promising and pure.

Oh why, why did the mind grow to destroy itself, why did the child taint their innocence, why did the white rabbit jump into the hole, and why did I follow.

Back in those rainy nights, black sky and empty heart, how they all ignored, how the tears gushed in silent damnation, how she first looked, how her eyes blossomed, how her ocean flooded, skin to skin, black canvas and white brush, portraits of pleasure swooning at each stroke.

The trees have begun changing colour. As Hyuk looks to the sky, the sun beats a little softer now. The flowers turn to fruit and become the gifts of sweetness that fill our tastebuds with wonder.

Fall began, and with it came the bubbling excitement in the pit of Hyuk’s stomach. He had decided to study abroad, and with this came the exciting and nerve-wracking feeling of change.

Change… Hyuk had been rushed to the airport with his whole family, which included his parents and his sleepy younger brother, who tagged along to say goodbye. His mother had been teary-eyed, shoving some last-minute snacks into his mouth before he had to pass through the security lines away from his family. His father brimmed with pride holding his mother’s hand in a sweaty grip.

“Stay safe and call us a lot!”

his family cried out as he walked further away.

The first hour on the airplane had been exciting, but it was soon replaced by an immense feeling of homesickness. It went from his gut to his head. He felt a little short of breath. He thought about all the friends and family he wouldn’t be able to visit or the dangers of him getting sick all alone.

He was pulled from his thoughts as the sun filtered in through the airplane window.

That’s right; no matter the change, the sun and moon would still be there. The clouds cleared and showed him the visage of the seas and soon the country and city he was about to call home.

He stepped off and immediately could taste the difference in the air. It was drier than he knew, but it was fresh and vibrant. He had finally reached Canada, the home to the red and white, the beaver

memorabilia, the diverse people, and the Tim Hortons coffee. This was the land of some of the most famous musicians like Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Drake, Carly Rae Jepsen and more.

Hyuk made his way to Brantford, the Telephone City, and finally came face to face with his new school- Wilfrid Laurier University. It was so exhilarating!

He looked forward towards his new life, which would lead him through new paths and roads, all filled with experiences he had yet to even imagine.

Life was changing, but that didn’t mean it was a bad change.

He brought with him hope. Just like Pandora with the box, Hyuk realized, under all the nerves and negative feelings was hope.

Fall had begun, and the world was changing to bring new excitement and hope.

It was about the silent nights as eyes peered word by word, as she typed button after button, as one dream became engulfed by two dreamers, we thought we were saving the world, but really, we were saving each other.

So maybe it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad at all.

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Trees.

INFINITUM

THE SPUTNIK · INFINITUM

14

I would turn to him, and then I realized I wasn’t alone, he’d followed me. Maybe I should have followed him, I always thought he was holding me back, but maybe, maybe he was just trying to keep me anchored.

Foolish, foolish girl.

SHORT STORY

I Am Become Death

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2023 · 15 always waiting.

I guess we all waited for it, the silence speaking louder than the waves. He lingered like always, even when it was right there, right in front of him.

He would turn away and I’d watch him, realizing that I’d never

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on him, how different I was then, or at least I hope, memory is after all, an unreliable historian, especially with those rose-colored glasses of hers. Still, I hope he saw something good, he must’ve, why else would he have

The prologue for the I Am Become series THANDO BHEBHE LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

THANDO BHEBHE / LEAD INFINITUM WRITER KAREN SAVOY/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

There is a story I once heard, a story of a hero who stole fire from the Gods. He gifted the first flame to mankind, and the Gods watched as a spark of fire erupted under a dark sky. For this, the Gods punished this hero, chaining him to a mountain. The world of man stared at him from below as the sky grumbled in godly rage.

The bright sun’s shine was sheathed by this grey grudge, clouding heaven as vultures circled the mountain with bloodlust. Their tongues tasted fear, and their beaks blasted for blood, pecking, and gouging at the chained hero as he shrieked in utter agony. The beasts would never relent.

This would last eternity.

I wondered why the Gods punished him like this. Had he not saved us? Fire was a gift, a blessing even, yet it was not one from the Gods. I dare say I rebuked the Gods for withholding such a gift, didn’t the Gods want mankind to prosper, did they not want mankind to rule the earth forever…

My wisdom held my tongue for I knew the Gods knew better, so instead, I wondered what it was the Gods saw, what vision was so horrid, so terrifying as to refuse them the will to grant mankind such a gift. Fire has given mankind dominion over the earth. It has warmed their homes, cooked their food, lit their streets, and enflamed their swords.

If only it ended there.

As time went on, I soon knew the answer to the Gods’ mysterious objection, I knew why the Gods refused man fire’s eternity, once man’s eternity ceased.

This story rang in my mind in an aimless amble across a beach as I was lost in the deep sands of reminiscence. I could hear the writhing of the waters; I could feel the cold touch of a whispering wind, I could see the great grey sky above, how a subtle light leaked through the clouds.

I was alone.

I was alone in a small corner of sand, one hidden from the running children, sheathed from the held hands, covered from the young hearts and the sun glazed twilights.

My feet sunk into the wet sands, the earth dipping deeper with each wave. The waves came and went, my eyes imprisoned in their motion, it was completely paralyzing me, deafening my ears as the laughing children died down, the world shrinking into that mere body of water, translucent with a shade of glistening flare, rising, and falling, forever in motion, a storm breaking within the supposed calm waters.

How could such tranquility wilt into utter chaos, in such swift succession too. I’d say it was without warning, yet it was always known, I could tell from the internal bend as the moving waters morphed, flowing within themselves, uniting into a multiplied force, growing in speed and power, in will, will for destruction.

For death!

I could feel their surge, their zeal. It is quite a beautiful thingdestruction. To look at the end from afar, to see it rise and ascend, a messiah of the purest form, the ultimate salvation... for where is damnation if there are no damned.

I was on the verge that day, on the very precipice of tomorrow, right there in those heavens where the Gods roamed. I could feel the warmth of their fire, its burn searing onto the tips of my fingers. How could I wield it without burning my flesh? How could I steal it and grant it to mankind?

The story of the man who granted men fire echoed in my mind, but I think back then, I didn’t fully grasp its gravity, and to my own defense, I didn’t even think it was quite possible, this sin, this forbidden dream I dared

ponder. I didn’t yet know or even really imagine the true cost of such power, this fire burnt brighter than I could ever fathom, and to give it to such feeble hands such as those of men, hands plagued in greed and corruption, in jealousy and spite, in self-destruction and all destruction.

In death!

I wish I followed wisdom’s path, I wish I held my tongue, I wish I asked myself if it was the right thing to do, instead, I lost myself in how I could even fathom it, daring to dream, dreaming a nightmare.

Oh, the foolish girl I was…

Tinker, tinker, tinker, but some things are best left untouched.

And for what I wonder, then, now, and tomorrow, oh if I only had tomorrow.

I didn’t even gain the world, yet it cost me my soul.

THANDO BHEBHE / LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

I turned to the waters for refuge, their calm chaos comforting me from the beach of people. Even with my eyes averted away from him, he lingered on. I’ll have to give him that, he always lingered,

see him again. I know how cruel I was, I’m not here for redemption, the blood, it’s too much. But I want the truth, it may not set me free, it may not set anyone free, but at least IT will be free.

put himself through this, through me. Even if it was only then, just something, a mere drop inside an empty glass. For on that day, I wouldn’t turn back, not after the fire of the Gods’ burnt back in my THANDO BHEBHE / LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

THANDO BHEBHE / LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

glaring eye.

I guess it was always there, I shy away from destiny, I fear her hold, her chain. To be forever trapped in a set course, a slave to entropy, bound to make the same mistakes forever. I yearn for freedom, even if not in this lifetime, then at least in another life, in another cast of the die, for the true face of hell is my future being signed and sealed, that whenever I become, so does death.

I could see it, yet like the waters I missed it, I missed the shift, the sudden birth of will as single bodies merged into united waves, as my future in this life, maybe in all lives, sealed in motion, right there on that beach.

Maybe I didn’t want to see it...

The fruit was too sweet.

In my small pocket of space, I ventured forward, my feet sinking further and further, till they began to float, wiggling, and wobbling within the cold grasp of the sea.

Soon, I was entirely submerged, diving further into the dark, the fire of the Gods luring me in, promising me eternal life with its black burn.

Legacy is powerful, to never be forgotten is godly. Yet the real question is, will you be a devil or a saint, I suppose I never got that far. Besides, it wasn’t about my name, it was instead about what I wrought, what I left behind.

My fire would do more than just warm, cook and feed mankind, it wouldn’t just enflame the sword, but rather it would burn it away entirely.

Amidst the cinders, something would reveal itself…

A god, my fire would make us gods!

At a certain depth, deep in that darkness, the fire of the Gods revealed itself to me. It burnt bright in that frightening black, flames glowing in my eye! I had always been imprisoned by this dream, this forbidden fruit.

The story of mankind’s first lovers has always puzzled me, how they lived in paradise, drenched in bliss, yet they threw it all away, succumbing to the sweet bite of that revered apple.

Why? Why risk it all, why risk paradise, perfection, life, eternity?

I never really knew, until then, when I was in the depths of that sea, hidden from the beach, hidden from the people, hidden from the person I once was, hidden from the world, from what I thought was paradise. They say curiosity killed the cat, and in the end, I wonder if it was worth it, either way, I took a bite.

The rest, the rest is history.

I had, I have, I am become.

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