Monthly Archives: January 2020
Political Correctness in a Global Culture
Amaya Mikolič-Berrios ‘21
EE Editor-in-Chief
A revolution in communication has recently taken hold of the world. As every statement becomes increasingly politicized, the global conversation has shied away from painful truths and focused its attention on inane yet safe topics. Political correctness: the phenomenon where even ordinary citizens translate their thoughts into undeniably uncontroversial statements sure to protect every group from offense, has provided a mask behind which true crises can hide.
With the past presidential election, this term has entered the spotlight, though its meaning has greatly evolved since it was first introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Originally used to describe the correct way to enact policies, it has recently become synonymous with ‘hypersensitivity’. Once seen as a benevolent acknowledgement of human differences, it is now perceived as an affront on the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
Yet, ultimately, the debate over whether political correctness inhibits or protects people is trivial when it is used to conceal urgent issues. And the hyperbolized need to address every minority group sensitively encourages prescribers to political correctness to deliberately parse for differences between people, often irrelevant to the subject at hand. The ‘squad’ in Congress, as they have come to be called, are identified first by their ethnicities and gender before the liberal policy they support. It is as though their opposition feels a need to preeminently refute any claims that their criticisms stem from the squad’s membership in minority groups rather than simply debating on real time issues in a factual and concise manner.
@trumbullmemes: The End of the Decade Meets the End of a Town-Adored Instagram Page
Katie DeRose ‘22
EE Senior Entertainment Editor
The announcement posted on @trumbullmemes on Thursday, December 26, 2019, stating that the account would end on December 31 and featuring Tim Herbst, who was an “icon“ for the page.
As 2020 begins, many reflect on a past decade full of historical growth and technological progress. Within the last ten years, American life saw great changes, especially through the rise of touchscreen smartphones and other technology.
With this digital surge, a wide variety of internet trends developed, reaching all types of people. As the decade progressed, numerous social media sites launched and soon became an instrumental part of American lives. This media has since been used by both global icons and the everyday man, allowing the cultural phenomenon of memes to spread and evolve.
These social media sites even began to serve as local entertainment hotspots for memes, as shown by the widely popular community Instagram page Trumbull Memes (@trumbullmemes). Starting the summer of 2017, this account posted original memes with local twists on topics ranging from the massive flooding of September 2018 to the former grocery store Porricelli’s.
Gaining over 8,000 followers since its inception, the account became more of a community, with Fairfield County residents of all ages following and getting involved in the account by sharing photos, videos, and stories. However, this sudden popularity was widely unexpected by the account’s creator, who is a member of the Class of 2012 and prefers to keep a low profile and only be referred to as “Tommy.”
Trumbull Mall Upgrades
Amaya Mikolič-Berrios ‘21
EE Editor-in-Chief
A general consensus among Trumbull teens is the utter lack of excitement in our small town. We have Westfield Mall, Bowtie Cinemas, a few odd shops here and there, and that is just about it. Yet new changes in our local shopping mall as well as throughout the town suggest that intriguing developments are being made.
As more people succumb to the appeals of online shopping, malls around the world are suffering a similar fate: few customers, empty retail spaces, and bankrupt stores. This trend is no different in the Trumbull Mall, where stores such as Denali, Charlotte Russe, and Tea La La have left. The result is a building full of empty lots with an abandoned atmosphere taking the place of a once lively and entertaining shopping experience. With the ease and comfort with which one can shop without ever needing to leave the house, the future of mall stores is precarious.
First Selectman Vicki Tesoro says, “Big box stores just are not the same; people aren’t going to them anymore. This requires the need to add a factor of entertainment, which Seaquest is a great example of. This additional attraction of entertainment brings in customers, not just for the entertainment but for the stores. All around Trumbull, there is a lot of business opening. We are a very business friendly community. We want to attract them to come here and make sure that once they are here, they want to stay.”
