Pop Art: A Celebration or a Critique of Consumerism?

Artists’ attitudes towards consumerism and the culture of mass media The concept of consumerism arose from the economic, political, technological, and cultural context of late 19th and early 20th century capitalism. Since the industrial revolution, society began consuming at a much higher rate than before. The development of technology and cheap fossil energy brought and… Continue reading Pop Art: A Celebration or a Critique of Consumerism?

Buddhism and the Patriarchy 

I am fortunate to have discovered Lama Rod Owens through the podcast “Duncan Trussell Family Hour”, where Trussell attempts to conceptualize the human experience.  In one episode Trussell speaks with Lama Rod Owens, a Buddhist minister, author, activist, yoga instructor, and authorized Lama. In one word, a teacher. He and Trussell spend their time beginning… Continue reading Buddhism and the Patriarchy 

Cancel Culture: A Tool for Social Justice or Modern-day Mob Intimidation?

We are all familiar from one extent to another with the term cancel culture. The wider understanding of the verb ‘to cancel’ (someone) expresses the turning point in which the public opinion of an individual shifts from indifferent -or, more commonly, favorable- to actively negative because of actions they have taken in the past. This… Continue reading Cancel Culture: A Tool for Social Justice or Modern-day Mob Intimidation?

On Beginnings – September 2022

A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team An ode to beginnings, as so many come and go, we forget to appreciate those seedlings of opportunity we reap at harvest. Though the seasons pass, the ripeness of opportunity never decays. For everyday blossoms a vast array of possibilities, where our daily tasks… Continue reading On Beginnings – September 2022

On Despair

 ‘No. I didn’t cry … I just kept thinking that when human beings get that way, they’re no good for anything.’ Osamu Dazai, No Longer Human pg. 176 Human suffering romanticised; a genre of drama which entertains the misery of the unfortunate, that of the tragedy. Consistent in the human condition is the notion of… Continue reading On Despair

The Repackaging of Sexism: Gender and spirituality on social media

The rise of “new age” spirituality The occult exists between science and art: covering a range from alchemy to astrology. Whether it is a daily horoscope or blaming everything on mercury’s retrograde; astrology is what is most associated with new age spirituality. With the current state of our world, many have turned to these new,… Continue reading The Repackaging of Sexism: Gender and spirituality on social media

The Contradiction of Aesthetic Diversity

Luxury fashion brands time and time again spark controversies in China because of their insensitivity in representing Chinese images. In November of 2021, a photograph displayed at the exhibition Lady Dior As Seen By was once again heavily criticized by netizens. The work, entitled Reserved Pride, features a freckled Asian woman wearing a Qing Dynasty-esque… Continue reading The Contradiction of Aesthetic Diversity