NOCTILUCA March 2018

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin March 2018 Volume XXIII

Issue IV Page 3

Guys, stop telling girls to smile

Noctiluca Editorial

It’s time to get involved: Stop fearing politics

By Avery Wageman

By Tashia Ulman Snapchat has become the new way to maintain friend- ships. For those that do not know, Snapchat is an image messaging app that lets you send and receive photos and videos that disappear after the message is opened. One can add text, filters, and drawings to these pictures one wishes to send. In the past, photos were only taken to save mem- ories and pass them down for others to see. Snapchat has changed the way we take pho- tos by making it so that we take photos of anything and everything. Unlike Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, communica- When women and girls are told to smile because of their impassive and expressionless faces, it makes them feel be- littled. So, why should they? Why must they be smiling all the time? The answer is: they shouldn’t. They have an entire spectrum of emotions they are capable of displaying. Women are expected to constantly be pleasant and happy no matter how they are feeling. In my own personal experience, I have been told by male teach- ers that pass me by in the halls to “Smile!” But I don’t want to. I’m tired and honestly just don’t feel the need to smile. Recently, after the presi- dent’s State of the Union ad- dress, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders commented on Nan- cy Pelosi’s lack of smiling during the president’s speech. She said, “I think she should smile a lot more often. I think the country would be better for it. She seems to embody the bitterness that belongs in the Democratic Party right now.” Usually the misogynis- tic comment towards women telling them to smile comes from a man, but this time, they came from a woman of a high political position— which says a lot about our culture. It is never truly sur- prising when a man makes a sexist comment, but when it is a woman promoting sexism, it’s heartbreaking and deeply disturbing.

When it comes to discuss- ing politics in the United States, people are imme- diately on guard. They’ve learned the way of things by now: keep quiet, don’t get in- volved, avoid causing conflict at all costs. Instead of engag- ing in constructive conversa- tion, they bite their tongues. ‘I could never actually change their mind, anyway,’ they think to themselves with a solemn shake of the head. Worse yet, they might even find themselves lying about their political alignments just to fit in with their peers or to dodge dirty looks. Why do they do this? The answer is simple. People as- sociate disagreement with un- comfortable emotions, such as anger and frustration. They have been led to believe that politics cannot be discussed civilly, that it should be left alone for the “experts”. This idea is unproductive and quells democracy, hindering society from moving forward. Democracy cannot exist without the free expression and exchange of ideas. Its very foundation lies in the idea that government should give voice to the individual, providing them with a plat- form to have their opinions heard and considered. If one is not comfortable being hon- est and forthright, the system

disappointing since there was effort put into it. Most people have different reasons for having Snapchat streaks, and people who Snapchat do not always have the same view on whether streaks are of value or if they are rather a burden. Some people have streaks with anyone and everyone and because of this, Snapchat streaks can become an obliga- tion. You wake up and send a “morning streak” to those you have streaks with or those you are trying to have one with and a “night streak” before bed, thus raising your Snap- chat score, which can be seen as your popularity and in- volvement on the app. Some people depend on Snapchat On a broader scale, though, this is about more than just having civil conversations. Talking can only do so much to influence an issue. Actions are equally—if not more— important. Calling your lo- cal representatives to voice your opinion on issues that are important to you, educat- ing yourself on said issues so as to be taken seriously, VOTING. With each passing year, millennials and the gen- erations under them make up more and more of the eligible voters pool. Imagine the im- pact that even just the new- est eligible voters (everyone who has turned 18 within the weakens. Some politicians play this to their advantage. They exploit the public’s si- lence, inserting their own agenda and opinions. They do not seek to facilitate conver- sation, content to pursue their own interests under the guise of representation. It’s time to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Dig in and have those tough conversations with your peer groups. Make sure your voice is being heard, and listen to others—even when you dis- agree with them. Hear them out respectfully, so that to- gether you may work to find commonality and compro- mise.

streaks to keep certain friend- ships alive. It has become one of the most important metrics in social media and is thriving on teens’ self esteem and need for acceptance. Overall, we as a society need to take a step back and disconnect from our social media a tad bit. Snapchat has made it so that we become de- pendent on keeping relation- ships solely through streaks. Friendships should be main- tained through other means of communication. Investing so much work into a number next to your “friend’s name” is not worth it. Go outside. Take a hike. Talk to your par- ents. Get off your phone. At this point, anything less than political activism is ir- responsible. It is our duty as citizens of the United States to uphold and further de- velop the ideals this nation was founded on. If there is a flaw in the system, it can only be accurately and fairly ad- dressed when we each partici- pate in our politics to the best of our ability. Do not let fear stand in the way of speaking out against injustice. Be con- fident, and recognize that dis- agreements needn’t result in aggression. Politics needn’t be about partisanship; in- stead, allow them to return to their simple roots as ideas. past year) could make if they all made it to the polls. The current voter turnout percent- ages would be blown out of the water. These actions are simple, yet our society stub- bornly continues to believe they are difficult. Even those who are too young to vote can make a big difference. Reading up on dif- ferent democratic structures, getting educated about the in- ner working of the economy, developing a working under- standing of the United States’ history in all of its complex- ity...The generational power dynamics are shifting, and if they are prepared, their im- pact has the potential to be significant.

tion on Snapchat is with one other person, or in a group, unless added to your story for your friends to see. Nothing sticks around longer than 24 hours unless screenshotted. According to Statista.com, more than 40 percent of the population from 18 to 34 use Snapchat. 158 million people every day. How has Snapchat become so popular? Snapchat also comes with streaks. A Snapchat streak is the action of sending and receiving snaps for several consecutive days. The streak grows the longer you carry this on. Most people have streaks with people they talk to daily and it helps to have a small reward for it. If the In order to bring an end to sexist comments made by both men and women, we as a society need to continue to keep educating ourselves. The act of belittling women to a smile needs to stop. Women are so much more than our facial expressions, and should not be reduced in the way that Nancy Pelosi was and many others have been. But, to please them, I throw on a fake one and carry on my way to class. Many people may ask what the problem is with asking someone to smile because it seems harmless enough. The problem is this: it’s only asked of women. Additional- ly, those people have no idea what kind of day the woman they just asked to smile is having. She may be stressed for a test she’s about to take, is dealing with some friend drama, or just really isn’t hav- ing a good day. This unsmiling woman could be thinking about anything: pizza, her family, or even the weather. Photo published with permission from pexels.com.

What do Snapstreaks mean to you?

streak is lost, it’s not the end of the world, but it is a little Add us on Snapchat @north- noctiluca to get the inside scoop on what’s happening at North! Photo provided by Amara Neitzke.