Opinion

Column

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Invest more in our human capital

By Linda Huang | February 18

In the field of development economics, there is a prominent view that education and investment in human capital are key for improving social organization and economic mobility, bringing about effective economic development. For an already-developed country like the United States, this view on development may not always manifest in economic terms — it could also pertain to both social progress and innovation. Having been able to compare the relationship between education and development in a developing country like China and a developed country like the United States, I have seen firsthand how access to and quality of higher education play a crucial role in shaping a nation’s trajectory.

---

Viewpoint

The US will soon lose its status as the ‘land of the free’

By Olivia Zambrano | February 14

The Trump administration has long since straddled the blurry line between hate speech and outright human rights violations. The recently inaugurated President Donald Trump and his administration have abused their positions of power to enact executive orders that accelerate the United States’ descent into a country led by compassionless government agencies and individuals.

---

Viewpoint

DeepSeek isn’t a threat – it is a moment for AI advancement

By Daniel Lee | February 14

Within just a few weeks of its arrival, China’s latest reasoning model DeepSeek R1 sent the stock prices of American tech companies plummeting. Investor Marc Andreessen described it as “AI’s Sputnik moment,” considering the new AI model — developed by the new Chinese startup company — shocked Silicon Valley and Wall Street. This new model is said to be capable of performance equal to that technology of more prominent AI companies such as OpenAI and MetaAI at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. People interpreting Andreessen’s comment as a wake-up call for drastic change might be extrapolating from history — if Sputnik sparked national mobilization, why wouldn’t an “AI Sputnik” moment lead to something similar? One could view DeepSeek as a canary in the coal mine, as it signals a potential decline in U.S. technological supremacy in the face of China’s growing technological capabilities. I, however, view this issue differently. 

---

Viewpoint

Say goodbye, good riddance to uniform art movements

By Max Lerner | February 14

Last semester, I visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — now my favorite art museum — for the first time. Built by Gardner and her husband to display their vast art collection in a dignified and evocative manner, the museum is a masterclass in artistic harmony. Walking through the Gothic Room, I was struck by how seamlessly the different forms and aesthetics connected, creating a strong sense of continuity. Stepping out of the museum and back into the modern world, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any such uniform art movements in the modern era.

---

Viewpoint

Changing the world one pint at a time

By Talia Wilcox | February 13

If you’ve ever been on a Mini Mart ice cream run, you may have noticed Ben & Jerry’s pints are more expensive than other brands. You may ask yourself, “is my splurge worth the cost as a student on a limited budget?” Yet it’s important to note that your money may go toward more than just ice cream. The creators behind your favorite logos and flavors hold values and make choices to invest profits in a way that impacts the world in which we live. Those few extra dollars might go into supporting a cause that you truly care about. Despite Ben & Jerry’s slightly higher price tag, their model for investment beyond the product itself should be the gold standard for companies. Not all companies have missions that support social causes, but the realization that consumers like to purchase from brands that support causes they care about has driven some companies to use progressive politics as a marketing tactic.

---

Viewpoint

Don’t blame the referee, blame the league

By Dylan Tanouye | February 12

As an avid sports fan, I understand the emotional intensity that comes with watching a game, no matter how low the stakes. Whether I’m cheering on my younger brother as he plays a match of youth soccer or watching my favorite professional sports teams, I often feel as emotionally invested as I would be if I were a player on the field. Games that don’t end with a victory for my team often produce an emotional reaction that compels me to find any excuse for the loss. Oftentimes, a significant amount of blame falls on the game officials, whether they are referred to as referees, umpires or judges.

---

---

Guest

Letter to the Editor

By Nick Giurleo | February 12

In the Daily’s Thursday article, “Medford passes Welcoming City Ordinance,” Medford City Councilor Justin Tseng praises the city’s euphemistically-named Welcoming City Ordinance. In the councilor’s own words, “This is essentially sanctuary city legislation.” His ...

---

Viewpoint

What Elton John and Drake can learn from Frank Ocean

By Gretta Goorno | February 11

Frank Ocean may have some of the most cultish, fervent supporters in the entire music industry. Born as Christopher Edwin Breaux, the 37-year-old singer’s fan-base — and influence — far exceed the quantity of his music. Though he hasn’t released an official studio album since 2016, every year there seems to be rumors that Frank has a new life-altering masterpiece on the way. His fans read into every bit of his life, analyzing his Instagram feed, his mom’s birthdaymessage and even recently, a masked figure on Tyler the Creator’s music video, for a desperate sign of new music. I, for one, have a bootleg vinyl of his unreleased songs — and I’m not even a mega fan. This kind of obsessive behavior is normalized throughout Ocean’s fanbase. Safe to say, fans would give up an arm and a leg to hear another second of Ocean’s sweet melodies.

---

Viewpoint

The return of fascism: Musk proudly invokes Nazism in infamous salute at presidential event

By Michaela Loughran | February 11

As the head of these organizations, Musk has often been at the head of public controversies. One of the most recent pieces of problematic news to come out about Musk was that the openly appeared to give a Nazi salute at an event held for President Donald Trump’s inauguration. This news was naturally deeply alarming and frightening to many. How could a gesture most commonly associated with the fascist, antisemitic regime of Adolf Hitler be reappearing at a nationally televised event in the U.S. nearly a century after WWII?

---

Viewpoint

The fallacy of equally valuable perspectives

By Linda Huang | February 7

I think it is both possible and necessary for people to disagree with each other constructively on important matters. All perspectives deserve to be patiently heard, regardless of how egregious they may initially seem; an argument is not invalid simply because it does not affirm the moral superiority of your own position.

---

Opinion

Op-ed: Perverting protest into profit

By Ryan Rizvi | February 7

Imagine you, a Tufts student, are sitting in front of Ballou Hall, along with several others, protesting for Tufts to divest from a nation you feel is an apartheid state. Officers are physically trying to move you and threatening you with felony charges. Soon after, Tufts places you on disciplinary ...

---

Viewpoint

Gen Z’s reactions to TikTok ban suggest growing need for simulated community

By Max Lerner | February 6

In August 2020, President Donald Trump ordered ByteDance — the parent company of TikTok — to sell their American assets. That order would prove to be a death knell for TikTok: Four and a half years later, in January, the Supreme Court upheld a law to ban it. On the app, and among the generation that uses it most, panic ensued.

---

Viewpoint

The death of the hobby: Creativity is perishing at the hands of hustle culture

By Olivia Zambrano | February 6

Hobbies — any activity engaged in for pleasure ranging from crafting to gardening — are a scarce delicacy for college students, whose day-to-day lives don’t often allow for leisure time. The mental, emotional and physical health benefits of hobbies are frequently overlooked and treated as luxuries in a schedule packed full of academic and personal endeavors.

---

Viewpoint

JoJo Siwa: Misunderstood

By Rowan Chetner | February 6

JoJo Siwa is undoubtedly one of the most cringey — and hated — artists of our generation. Her music video for “Karma” earned the most dislikes of any YouTube music video by a female artist in 2024, and the comment sections on her songs are constantly filled with animosity, with comments such as, “Gonna play this at my funeral so people would be jealous im in the coffin” under her most recent music video for “Choose Your Fighter.” Although I agree Siwa is eminently cringy, I believe people are often too quick to judge her. Too many allow their discomfort with her persona to overshadow any attempt to understand her.

---

Column

Through Indigenous Eyes: Trump, birthright citizenship and the Indigenous exception

By Sorsha Khitikian | February 6

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump announced an executive order ending birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship to formerly enslaved Black people after the Civil War. Almost immediately, the executive order was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Washington, D.C. Attorneys general from 22 states agreed that the order is unconstitutional and violates the 14th Amendment. Even so, Trump is arguing that the exceptions in the 14th Amendment, such as the Indigenous exception, don’t allow for birthright citizenship.

---

Viewpoint

How Trader Joe’s branding style made the grocery chain beloved

By Sorsha Khitikian | February 4

Trader Joe’s is beloved by all. By all, I mean students, soccer moms, snack fanatics — and me. I’ve been to every single Trader Joe’s you can get to by the T. The best: the one in Allston, where you cross the bridge and walk by the HarvardStadium. It’s giant, has countless products and features a beautiful walk that guides customers into its wonderful doors. The worst: the one off of Copley, which happens to be the smallest Trader Joe’s in the U.S. Guess why it’s the worst!

---

Viewpoint

Your life is not The Hero's Journey: What it means to adventure in the 21st century

February 4

History is littered with the remains of our innate desire to escape the monotony of everyday life and seek adventure. As humans, we reject notions of impossibility and obligation, dreaming of a day when we can break free from the status quo through sheer passion and curiosity, carving our own paths to greatness.

---

Viewpoint

A leftist’s case for political diversity at Tufts

By Aaron Bolonick | February 3

In 2023, a study found that young people’s voting habits are heavily influenced by the voting patterns of where they grew up. That has certainly been the case for me. I grew up in Oakland, Calif., which belongs to the most Democratic-leaning congressional district in the country. I went to a high school with a very progressive student body, and now I’m at Tufts with a similarly progressive student body.

---

Viewpoint

Picking better battles

By Daniel Chung | February 3

In the weeks since he reassumed office, President Donald Trump’s actions on the global stage have shocked observers, both internationally and domestically. Most recently, the U.S. State Department froze nearly all foreign aid for 90 days, subjecting foreign aid projects to a review based on which projects, in the words of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, serve to make America “safer, stronger and more prosperous.” This move has set off alarms, especially among Latin American countries, with some pointing out that a decrease in U.S. support is likely to result in increased immigration to the United States.

---

Opinion

Op-ed: A statement on the full-time lecturer walkout by TCU

By TCU Senate | January 28

The Tufts Community Union Senate, representing the undergraduate student body, stands in support of the full-time lecturers and Professors of the Practice in their priorities for livable salaries and manageable workloads. We stand in support of a change in workload policies and more transparent responsibilities related to their role. The undergraduate students of Tufts University hold a direct interest in all faculty members being fairly compensated so that they can retain their remarkable and world-class faculty.

---