I’m going to be doing Central America because I am very interested in the politics of this region!
Let me know if any of you are doing Central America as well!
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The 9-5 Experiment
Thinking about the degree to which school monopolizes my life never quite seemed odd to me. I thought that was just the way it was supposed to be. I’ve been in university for four years now, consumed by work, stress, and anxiety (bi-weekly stress-induced panic attacks are the norm for me). But last weekend while out to dinner with some friends, I realized that maybe I’ve just been going about this whole university thing in the wrong way.
I always believed university to be this thing that I had to be obsessed with and concerned about 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My sleep pattern is perpetually out of whack, my eating habits basically boil down to yo-yo dieting based on time I have available to eat when not doing schoolwork (while studying for exams I survive on whatever food I can get at Ike’s cafe). So why do so many students choose to live this way? I’m not sure of the answer but my three friends Jonathan Paradis, Isabelle Plessis, Ting Kelly and I are determined to work to reject this lifestyle. Our solution? Treating school as a 9-5 job.
This may seem silly, but hear me out. One of the nicest things about working at a job with fixed hours is that when you are finished, you are (for the most part) finished. What I mean is, you don’t take your job home with you and continue working on it all through the night, mostly because you probably wouldn’t be getting paid for it and, to be honest, it just doesn’t make any sense. So, why can’t we use this approach for school work? The four of us intend to treat university as a 9-5 job, working Monday-Friday during contained 8-hour periods–without distraction (a.k.a. no Facebook)– and dedicate the rest of our free-time to living our lives. Plain and simple.
Now, 9-5 doesn’t work every day for me because I have quite a few evening classes, but it doesn’t have to be exactly at those specific times. The point is to give yourself a solid block of time during which you can fully dedicate yourself to doing your work, reading ahead, working through paper drafts, and the like. This way we are free on weekends and evenings to do whatever we want. I really think this idea has a really great potential to completely alter my perception of university as a 24/7 lifestyle.
The four of us are starting this ‘9-5 Project’ tomorrow (Monday, February 6th 2012) and will be documenting the process. I’m going to update weekly, probably on this blog. Has anyone tried anything similar to this before? What do you guys think? Can students successfully treat school like a job?
The ‘story of my life’ no more!
Corporations are not people. Democracy is for people.
Yet, in 2010 the US supreme court decided in the Citizens United ruling that corporations are ‘people’ and are therefore allowed to use their profits to play a direct role in influencing American elections. In other words the ruling allows for limitless independent spending of corporations for political purposes. The creation of Independent expenditure political action committees, or Super PACs, was directly facilitated by this ruling. A super PAC is a political organization that has the ability to receive unlimited corporate contributions to advocate for a candidate.The result? Billionaires are now able to essentially ‘buy democracy’ by spending as much as they want on their favourite candidates. But last time I checked, democracy was for people, not corporations.
In keeping a close watch on the road to the US elections, I have realized the huge problem the allowance of corporate funding has created. I feel that the manner through which decisions the United States, as a country, is making has been fundamentally corrupted through the allowance of corporate personhood, secret money and so called ‘bought-and-paid for’ legislation. However, I feel that many people haven’t come to terms with the various possible ramifications of such systematic corruption. So what is the effect of corporate donations on US Politics?
I think that allowing corporations to act as people is so plainly wrong. Corporations are not people and therefore there is no question in my mind that they should never be given the same rights as people. In fact, substantial donations to a political campaign allows for special interests and effectively goes against the very concept of democracy. Special interest money is tipping the scale and the result is a democracy out of balance. Political complacency and low voter turnout are directly related to this notion of bought-and-paid for politics.This is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed. But how does the US increase visibility and use checks and balances to work to bring integrity and accountability back to American politics?
New York Times infographic outlining different ways to use campaign funding:
What steps do you think need to be taken to get money out of US politics?
To be honest as a fourth year political science student I still like to sometimes disregard this question simply because, as straightforward as it may seem, democracy is quite difficult to define. Despite being used (and often misused) by so many, there still does not seem to be any real consensus about what exactly this dubious term means.
When attempting to define democracy, one must ask which liberal features must be present in a certain state for it to be considered truly democratic? Some think that having somewhat representative elections is enough to constitute a democracy, and although I think this is most certainly an important factor, I don’t think that determining how democratic a country is depends on this factor alone. In relation to this, some view democracy as a strict dichotomy while others claim that it is a spectrum. Personally, I still have not decided which I think is the case.
Ultimately, to answer this question (although only partially, because as I said before I still do not have a full definition), I have to say that democracy means a country where every single individual has the opportunity to participate in free and fair elections, allowing each person to be directly involved in deciding the future of the country. Furthermore, I believe that another important element is the accountability of the elected government to the people. After all, it is undemocratic for a leader to dismiss the voices of his people once elected. In this sense, the views and needs of the country’s populace ought to be reflected in the actions of the government. A democracy, then, cannot merely be a country that that holds elections that are somewhat representative of the views of the people. Nor is it a country where the leader is able to disregard the will of the people. In order to be a functional democracy in light of these two factors, there must exist a system through which the legitimacy of the government is ensured. In other words, if a governing body is not fulfilling the needs of the people, there ought to exist a way to replace it.
Democracy means the freedom to choose as well as the freedom to change. Although democracy and freedom are rather entangled, I think it is important that one realize that they are not the same thing. There are so many states that claim they are a democracy yet systematically and continuously oppress their own people. This is what makes it so difficult to define democracy: setting specific standards of democracy is a nice idea, however the circumstances change so drastically from country to country that this becomes quite difficult. For example, many countries in Latin America, Africa and elsewhere are ‘democratic’ however have very little freedom because widespread vote fraud usually means that a small elite group will end up in control. Defining democracy on a case-by-case (country-by country) basis, however, is also dangerous because it has the potential to become extremely subjective.
Defining democracy will always prove difficult. I know that this little word has real implications that impact the inner-workings of governments around the world. For now I will continue my attempts to come up with a working definition for myself. But perhaps it is just one of those abstract concepts that is simply destined to remain without a concrete answer.
Not getting upset at some of the rhetoric being spouted by many of the republican candidates can sometimes prove to be difficult. Last week, Mitt Romney won the Florida GOP primary, yet despite not being Romney’s #1 fan, I did not have a real problem with this win until after hearing his commentary, post-victory. During his speech, one sentence in particular disturbed me: “While we celebrate this victory, we must not forget what this election is really about: defeating Barack Obama.”
I know that at the heart of it, the reason the GOP candidates are running is to replace the current Democrat in office. However, for Mitt Romney to verbalize this so crassly really made me think: what is going on here?
After hearing Romney’s speech, which focused heavily on beating Barack Obama in the 2012 elections, I really got to thinking about this question. Although I know that the Republicans will do everything they can do make sure they take over office in the fall, I can’t help but wonder when it became acceptable for candidates to voice their primary concern as beating the opposition party, not to improve the often grave circumstances in their country. With so many economic and social problems plaguing a vast amount of American citizens, I wonder how it can possibly be acceptable for a candidate to essentially disregard the real issue at hand and to claim that what the election is really about is the defeat of Barack Obama.
I know that Mitt Romney and the other GOP candidates have platforms which include a variety of social and economic issues, however to hear him say that this was what the election was really about rubbed me the wrong way, to say the very least. No need, to worry about getting the economy moving or improving people’s lives or anything like that, Romney. Let’s focus on the real issue here: Barack Obama…. (?)
Am I the only one who was extremely disturbed by this comment?
Recycle.
Junk Democracy – Gyorgy Konrad, New York Times
I previously addressed the current political situation in Hungary. Yet despite the fact that previous governments left much to be desired, Viktor Orban has done very little to improve the country’s democracy.
Konrad labels Hungary’s government a ‘junk’ democracy, saying: “it would be one thing if our economy were doing well. But the three leading credit rating institutions have put it into the lowest possible category: junk. A junk country, with a junk administration and a junk prime minister.” Using the pejorative word ‘junk’ before any noun severely undermines its legitimacy, therefore it is important to wonder what the repercussions will be now that so many Hungarian citizens have come to think of their democracy as closely relating to ‘junk.’
In his article, Konrad explains how he feels that Hungary is ” beginning to resemble the post-Soviet dictatorships of Central Asia; some are even calling it Orbanistan.” Taking into consideration the ‘dismal’ economic situation in Hungary coupled with changes to the constitution and an increasing lack of governmental approval, Konrad’s disillusionment with his country’s government is not surprising. He goes on to explain that he himself is
I myself am a devotee of neither right nor left, but cast my lot with a democracy that allows all to speak, so we can see what kind of people are trying to lead us. Democracy’s main benefit is its protection, guaranteed by law, of the dignity of its citizens from humiliation at the hands of their leaders. It protects the weak from overweening power, and gives them the tools to protect themselves if need be.
The fact that Konrad is not alone regarding this sentiment serves as a testament to a lack of legitimacy in the Hungarian government; a fundamental flaw in the country’s democracy.
Despite the negative circumstances, however, Konrad remains optimistic: “Any system founded on propaganda and credulity is doomed to collapse sooner or later. I have been a satisfied witness to the fall of two authoritarian regimes, fascism and communism. The end of the third is in sight. Since it is built on falsehoods, its fall will be less than graceful.”
Only time will tell if the power is to be returned from the eager hands of Viktor Orban to the Hungarian people, resuscitating a democracy that is well-deserved.
Fictional Democracy | Francisco Goldman, New York Times
This article is almost ten years old, however in light of the new presidential elections in Guatemala this topic of so-called ‘fictional democracy’ has a renewed validity in terms of analyzing policy-making in Guatemala under President Otto Pérez Molina.
Pérez assumed office only two weeks ago, on January 14, 2012. However, the stakes are high in a country with deep-rooted corruption and paralyzing poverty. The murder rate in Guatemala is roughly 39 per 100,000 people, among the world’s highest yearly homicide rates. Riddled with cartels, conflicts among drug gangs have long affected the social and political climate of the country. In addition to already turbulent circumstances, poverty and subsequent malnutrition are silent killers of a significant portion of the population.
Mr Pérez’s pledges of fighting crime and corruption resulted in his election. A retired military officer, Pérez is the first former military official since Guatemala’s return to democracy in 1986, to be elected President. Based on this, many critics worry that “as head of military intelligence during some of the country’s 36-year civil war, he must have known of the atrocities committed by his side” (The Economist). Regardless of such concerns, President Pérez’s intentions are admirable in theory, however it remains to be seen whether or not they materialize.
Collier and Levitsky actually use Guatemala as an example of an illiberal democracy where ‘free and fair elections’ are held but where not much else, in terms of democracy, is guaranteed. Guatemala, is
seen as democratic in terms of the procedural minimum definition. By contrast, the diminished subtype ‘illiberal democracy’ would include only Guatemala, the case that specifically did not fit the root definition of democracy (Collier & Levitsky)
This idea of ‘illiberal’ or ‘fictional’ democracy continues to be relevant in Guatemala (and much of Latin America) where “criminals and mafiosos have found in ”democracy” the perfect Trojan Horse for attaining and preserving real power inside essentially hijacked states” (Fictional Democracy). As someone who has witnessed first-hand the atrocities that corruption, poverty and ensuing desperation can bring (I know several friends and family members who have been assaulted and/or kidnapped in Guatemala) I remain skeptical. I take Pérez’s optimistic promises with a grain of salt while simultaneously remaining hopeful that he can manage to deliver on some of them. “Guatemala isn’t the only place in the world where law, language and life are treated with contempt. But if the international community cannot free this small country’s democracy from usurpation by a criminal army-mafia, how can it succeed elsewhere?” Ten years later, this question remains relevant. Like Goldman, I too wonder how likely democracy is to succeed in Guatemala this time around.
One year after Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution, how is the new Tunisian government addressing the various social injustices that initially triggered it?
Since the Jasmine Revolution, Tunisia has adopted an interim constitution and is working to implement changes that will allow the country to become a functioning democratic state. However, how easy will this transition be?
For a long time Tunisia was considered to be perhaps the most ‘European’ state of North Africa. Yet for all of its modern characteristics, Tunisia’s government was quickly exposed as being immensely repressive and corrupt. Last January marked the start of a wave of revolts that inspired the Arab Spring, and whose repercussions reached far beyond the Arab world. A year later later, the interim government is working to address the milieu of social and political injustices that plagued Tunisian citizens for so long.
The start of the Jasmine Revolution marked the boiling point of years of oppression and political instability, however the struggle towards a new liberal democracy continues. Only a few months after the country’s first free elections (held in October), Moncef Marzouki, the interim president, is faced with the challenge of bridging a divide between Islamicists and secular liberals that has long been a significant source of social and economic tension.
It is perhaps too early to tell the future of the Tunisian state, but it will be interesting to see if Marzouki is able to use the interim constitution as well as the optimism of the people to mold a new democracy that has the potential to serve as an example to other transitioning democracies around the world.
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Hope you like to eat.
Ahem:
[1] Jairus
Okay so this first one is for you. I know that being abroad can be super exciting (I just spent last year on exchange) but I know you can sometimes get homesick. Anyways, a close family friend of mine is from Singapore and she said that Mandala Iki (on 4th avenue and Balsam) has really good Laska. So if you’re ever missing Singapore maybe check it out! I know there are a few more good Singaporean restaurants in Vancouver as well. Let me know what you think if you end up going!
Also, this isn’t particularly ‘fun’ but it’s a good and useful tip, nonetheless. I know you’re on exchange and you’re probably not going to want to spend your whole time studying, but when midterms and exams come around you might be looking for a place to study that isn’t the library. I would recommend Calhoun’s, on West Broadway. It’s open 24 hours and has really good food and drinks. I basically live there during exams. There have been many, many papers of mine written within those walls, let me tell you.
There are so many things to do and see in and around Vancouver (also, I grew up in Seattle so if you’re planning on making a trip there, I’d be happy to tell you where to go!) but I don’t really know your specific interests. If you let me know what you’re into I’d be more than happy to recommend more exciting places!
[2] Roxy
Helllo. That’s awesome that you spent last summer in Warsaw. I was supposed to go to Warsaw last summer and visit my friend but it didn’t work out and now I am sad. But next time! Also, I’m half Slovak and I know that Polish and Slovak are pretty similar! Are you fluent in Polish? I can say about 10 things in Czech and Slovak. It’s extremely pathetic. Anyways, we have a lot of similar interests actually, but the thing that I thought I’d show you has to do with cooking. So this is kind of a silly, non-fancy food blog. But I like it. I’ve seen so many things on here that I’ve wanted to make. It’s called Fatties Delight. I seriously find myself staring at it for long periods of time when I should be doing more productive things. Anyways, if you click any photo, it should redirect you to a recipe. So it’s really nice to just be able to look through and see what looks good and then you can make it! They have especially yummy-looking desserts that I’ve been wanting to make. Alas, I live in a tiny studio that has a pathetic kitchen and I have no oven so I have to wait until I go home… lame! Let me know what you think and if you end up making anything!
[3] Annie
Trust me, I have the same travel bug as you. I miss living in Europe so much. I need to practice my French more, let me know if you need someone to practice with! I know sometimes its hard to keep it up when you’re back home. Anyways, I thought I would let you in on my favourite brunch place, Cafe Régalade. It kind of feels like you are back in France. They have the best breakfast/brunch menu and I’m pretty sure the management is actually French. Anyways, my favourite thing on the menu is just the Parisian breakfast accompanied by a good old café au lait. Their blueberry pancakes are also to die for. They get pretty busy on the weekends but they are at 4th and Macdonald so it’s pretty close to campus if you want to treat yourself to a delicious brunch on a weekday!
Okay how embarrassing, every single one of my posts have something to do with food. I am obviously a humungous foodie. I swear I do other things with my life, but recommendations to me always mean food! Hope you guys enjoy!