Leaves turn auburn and yellow, the smell of wood-burning stoves grace our nostrils and the seasonal flavor of pumpkin spice floods the shelves and minds of America. But what is pumpkin spice? Until recently, Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes didn’t even contain any of the seasonal spice. But alas, it is a beloved symbol of consumer America: artificial, marketable, and oh so irresistible.
Ithaca College’s part-time professors, like much of higher-ed faculty in the U.S are unsatisfied with the pay and benefits given to them. Following protests from IC part-time faculty union members, we look at the reasons for strengthening union voices on campus as well as the ramifications of the contingent faculty’s demands. (Bogged Down in The Numbers, p. 14) and (Come Together, p. 16).
Consumerism, that holy order of acquisition, is a tempting short-term pleasure, but it sometimes falls flat when paired against our desire for human-to-human interaction. (The Creation of Consumerism, p.18) We also explore the sexualization of snapchat; beyond the puppy-face filter, it’s the little things that speak volumes about how we express our image to others. (Snap Judgement, p. 31).
Issue Contents
News & Views
Not Defeated by Isabella Grullon
Colombia’s desire to re-negotiate with FARC is not a failure
Mental Illness & Police Violence*Web Exclusive* by Meredith Nash
People with untreated mental illnesses are 16 times more likely to be killed by police
Upfront
The Creation of Consumerism by Alexis Morillo
How the ‘obsession with acquisition’ is built into our everyday existence
Media Malpractice by Mila Phelps-Friedl
How journalism hinders female politicians
Appropriating Patriotism by Isabella Grullon
How the conflation of patriotism and nationalism has militarized society
