Culture

On his own accord at his Austin, Texas, October 2 concert, Styles stepped into the political arena. The singer endorsed Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rouke via a sticker on his guitar and featuring O'Rourke, who was at the concert, on the in-venue concert video feed to thunderous applause.

— Kathryn Chavez

Don’t Look Up was a disappointment. Not because it was a bad movie. It was fine—the performances all shine, it elicits laughs when it needs to, and there’s a strong plot throughout. My issue with it, however, is the social value it purports to convey.

— Atharv Gupta

After a sixty year career, the late Joan Didion leaves behind a rich and diverse body of work and a redefined vision of journalism and its future direction. Eric Bazail-Eimil offers his reflections on her work, her vision and her legacy.

— Eric Bazail-Eimil

No single solution can address the monster that is “productivity culture,” but implementing mandatory paid leave, individualizing productivity and unplugging are steps in the right direction.

— Asher Bykov

While “honor” conjures images of strict, Confucian families of ancient China, the contemporary narrative is all about mianzi: a sociological concept that translates literally to “face” but means prestige and social position.

— Iris Peng

Aside from his undeniably racist, sexist, homophobic, and climate change denying shtick, Rush Limbaugh’s legacy is ultimately weakened by his nurturing of conservative populism that led to the election of Donald Trump.

— Jimmy FitzPatrick

Women in power are still the exception, not the norm. This Women’s History Month, let’s work towards at last shattering the glass ceiling so many incredible women.

— Lindsey Gradowski

Schools must go beyond the textbook to teach about Black history. Statewide curriculums on slavery, the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement don’t go far enough.

— Ritika Manathara

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, country music is experiencing its own racial reckoning. Black country artists and Black rural voters share a lot in common: they exist in mostly white environments where they face oppression and rejection, yet their influence continues to grow.

— Junior Mwemba

You see phrases like “white silence is violence,” but the silence from the South Asian community in regards to racial justice for the Black community can be quite deafening as well. More than silence, there is active prejudice against the black community.

— Srishti Khemka

The freakish weather Texas experienced last week offered the state a taste of how serious climate disaster really is. To make progress, we have to change the narrative of climate change being a future problem.

— Alannah Nathan

The last four years — particularly the last seven months amongst a pandemic and an economic crisis — have taught us that Donald Trump’s support cannot be summed up within a single narrative or reason. — Alannah Nathan

Abortion access across the country is far from equal. As conservative lawmakers restricted access further by placing abortion on the list of restricted “elective” or “non-essential” procedures, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how vulnerable reproductive rights are.

— Claire Cutler

LeBron James said Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was only thinking about himself when he criticized the Chinese government. He should look in the mirror.

— Jacob Denninger