Palika Kohli
The Silhouette
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New Girl is one of the most popular shows on television today, with a huge fan following and almost as many critics. Starring Zooey Deschanel, the show is centred on her character, Jess, and her hilarious antics as she tries to adjust to a major change in her life. The series began after she breaks up with a long-time boyfriend and moves in with three men after finding their apartment on Craigslist.
The strongest aspect of the show is the character relationships and the quality of dialogue between them. New Girl is the kind of show where, if you’re watching it on your computer, headphones are a must. Witty muttered comments abound, and the characters commonly make both pop culture and more obscure references. The viewers watch Deschanel, queen of all things hipster, play Joni Mitchell’s “River” on repeat to get over a break up, and later do the same by listening to Taylor Swift.
This variety, which arguably all still adds to the “manic pixie dream girl” image of the quirky, cutesy girl that Deschanel personifies, is easy to overlook. Many critics view her image as anti-feminist, a position based off her love for all things feminine, ranging from knitting to cupcakes. Her career as a teacher is one that has also been knocked – instead of taking the view of her job to be one of the most important and influential positions in society, it has been said to add to her overall image. Apparently, she is not an empowering female, and can only deal with children, as she is unable to cope with other adults.
The writers have done a fantastic job of combating this view – as the show has developed, we have seen Jess stand up for her interests, allowing that baking cupcakes and loving ribbons do not make her any less of a feminist than a female lawyer who dresses up in business suits everyday. There is a weird expectation that “funny females” should be feminists, and must somehow assert that females can be as funny as males. New Girl tries to transcend that idea – females are funny, and so are males, and people’s personality traits, interests and preferences do not make up their political and worldviews. It allows adults to act as themselves, whether they act ‘childishly’ or in a more ‘mature’ manner, as perceived by society. It emphasizes that all things are relative and that it is a woman’s (and a man’s!) prerogative to change her mind. But most importantly, it shows the importance of human relationships: how strong ones can transform our identities.
San Sebastian broke into the Canadian music scene after forming in 2009, and took off after appearing on Much Music’s (now defunct) show, “disBAND” in 2010. The band consists of two pairs of brothers, Greg Veerman (bassist), Mike Veerman (vocals), Brodie Dawson (guitar) and Sean Dawson (guitar), as well as drummer Ted Paterson. This week, ANDY caught up with Greg Veerman, who spoke about the band’s successes and disBAND, as well as his favourite things about Hamilton and touring Canada.
Each episode of disBAND consisted of a camera following a music group around for one week, while they were put through challenges and tested on their musical skills. It culminated in the judges deciding whether or not the band should remain together, or ‘disband.’ While Veerman admits that the judging “was used as a dramatic effect” he maintains that it was “the best thing that happened to us. We got exposed to so many people, that the day after it was done filming – it hadn’t even aired – we were getting calls from labels.” But when they were initially asked, they were “wary” about going onto the show. “We talked to another band who had been on the show, and they told us to go for it, so we had a team vote. It ended up being 3-2, so we took the chance.” In the end, “the exposure, that half hour of television, the way it portrayed us was what we thought was most important and we were all pretty happy with how it turned out because it was pretty true to who we are.” And it was during disBAND that the group changed their name from ‘Pumps’ to ‘San Sebastian.’
“It was Sean who always liked the name - it was his favourite Spanish football team, and we went through about a hundred names, and found the one that everyone hated the least, I guess.”
Before disBAND, the group got together after splitting apart from other bands. Greg talked to Brodie, and both of their brothers got involved. After they lost their initial drummer, Ted signed on and they “started jamming together.” Veerman talks about the influence of the Hamilton music scene, and mentions how the number of bands “form a really great, supportive community, where we all know each other, play together and help each other out.” They’re good friends with the Arkells: “they’re really supportive, and help us bounce ideas off each other. They’re already very successful, so it’s always a good thing to know them and to play with them.”
Since disBAND, they’ve released the album Relations in October 2011, put out three music videos (including the hilariously popular video for their single, “Say I’m Alright”) and toured all over Canada. Their favourite city? “Hamilton ends up being the best show because friends and fans show up - but it's also the most stressful one because it's always a comeback show; but when you play it's super fun and it ends up being the best one. Outside Hamilton? Thunder Bay, Saskatoon, Kingston, Vancouver - anywhere can be a really good time. Thunder Bay, maybe, if I had to choose.”
Now, they’re looking to the future. Veerman mentions how “we have a bunch of songs, and we’ve put a few out recently. We’re messing around, toying with something more fresh.”
Look for San Sebastian this coming April 14 at Club Absinthe in downtown Hamilton!
By: Palika Kohli
By: Palika Kohli
I recently had the opportunity to speak to McMaster’s own Dr. Day about the relevance and problems associated with labelling and diagnosing people with mental disorders. Dr. Day teaches Abnormal Psychology (amongst other psychology courses), and discussed the effect labelling has on students in particular.
Dr. Day introduces his Abnormal Psychology course every year with a precursor on the concept of diagnosing symptoms vs. diagnosing using an umbrella label. He discusses the problems associated with comorbidity (being diagnosed with more than one mental disorder) and professional specialization. He points to the impact medical school training has had regarding this issue.
“There is a biomedical bias from the start, which means [professionals are] looking for underlying reasons for symptomology, which of course may not exist at all. And they’re wedded to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) more than they ought to be… It’s like you have something, it’s a thing, like a diseased liver or kidney - which it’s not. It’s a set of symptoms. And I think that the whole problem of comorbidity in particular is that you can’t categorize that symptom. It is a whole person. It’s a real issue with the way we currently conceptualize mental illness.”
But there are some people that really need to know what, if anything, is wrong with them.
“There is a – or can be a – positive side to labelling. I’ve known a number of people or students who were relieved to hear the label being placed on their symptoms. Because now it seems like ‘Now I know what the problem is,’ instead of just a vague ‘I have a whole bunch of symptoms.’ Of course, it’s a two-edged sword. It does have some drawbacks, both for the professional treatment of the illness and for the everyday interaction the individual has with others who might know about the diagnostic label. But the label also helps them to give a name to their faceless adversary.”
What about celebrities? We learn all the time about different celebrities who suffer from different mental illness. Does it make it more acceptable for ‘regular people’ to be diagnosed with a mental disorder? And on the flip side, many celebrities use their diagnosis to explain away inappropriate behaviours, which perpetuates this same stereotype and increases the stigma associated with labelling.
“Yes, on the one hand, when people you know and admire and can even identify with (entertainment figures and so on) reveal that they have issues with this, it can make someone who has the same problems feel less isolated: ‘I’m not the only one.’ In fact, some very successful people have had to deal with these issues and apparently have dealt with them with some success, at least. But again, when you label it, you buy into the stereotype, too. ‘This is what bipolar disorder is like. This is what depression is like.’ But I will say in general, because there is has been much more attention paid in the media to various disorders, I think there is a growing acceptance on the part of many people, of mental disorder as something less than all-encompassing. And there is a greater willingness to seek professional help for these things.”
But there still is huge stigma associated with mental illness.
“There is great stigma associated with schizophrenia. People have a very dramatically distorted of what schizophrenia is and how it affects the individual. They think that’s a ‘real crazy’ person who is living in another world and doesn’t see people the way they are, and is dangerous… and nothing could be farther from the truth. But that’s the impression people have, because most people never come into contact with anyone (that they know of) that has more experience with schizophrenia.”
Why do you think stigma exists?
“I think the main reason is ignorance. People just don’t have enough contact or experience people who have these issues. We don’t really see them as people.”
When I was younger, art was my favourite class. It didn’t matter if you were good at it or not, you got to play with art supplies, put sparkles on everything and leave your desk and talk to your classmates. So when I got involved with McMaster Arts for Children last year, I was reminded of the importance of creativity. I was placed at the St. Brigid’s Catholic Elementary School in downtown Hamilton with some other students from McMaster for the entirety of second semester.
The most amazing thing about the program was the change I saw in the students over the months. My favourite was a youngin’ named Malakai who initially thought the crafts were lame but was bragging about his ideas by the end.
In an interview, Amy Lu, the president of MAfC, described the ideas behind the club.
Can you describe what you do, who are you affiliated with, and how you decided to reach out to specific parts of the community?
McMaster Arts for Children (MAfC) members work in teams to run weekly arts & crafts and music activities for children in the Hamilton community throughout the school year. We work with several placements in the community, including the MSU Daycare, a number of elementary schools through the Virtual Y afterschool program run by the YMCA, and women’s and homeless shelters such as Inasmuch House and the Good Shepherd Centre. We choose placements based on where we think we can contribute positively, as well as based on our members’ interests and passions. For example, students at many of the inner city elementary schools with whom we work don’t have many opportunities to pursue artistic endeavors. The weekly visits by our MAfC teams give these students a chance to explore and engage their creative sides. Our work with Inasmuch House and the Good Shepherd Centre began more recently, based on our members’ passion to bring our work to children who stay at these local shelters.
What prompted the start of your club? What was the inspiration behind your initiative?
MAfC was started around eight years ago by a small group of students who just wanted to bring their own passion for the arts to students in the local community. At that time there were really no other opportunities to do so, and so MAfC was born.
How do the children react to your presence? Do you notice a positive change in the children with every visit?
The best part of MAfC is seeing the smiles on the faces of the children every week; I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Our teams are like special guests that come every week, so the children are always excited when we come in, and eager to find out what activity they’ll be doing that week. Over the course of our visits -- and often even after a single one -- we definitely notice some positive changes and growth in the children. Some of them may learn to tie knots or cut in a straight line for the first time. Over time they begin to discover their creative sides, and many of them are so proud that they’re beaming when they finish their craft for the week.
Why do you think the club has been so successful?
Our club has been growing steadily: we now have more volunteers than ever before, and in response, have expanded our number of placements. I think that part of what makes MAfC successful is the fact that it provides opportunities to students who are passionate about what we do to be fully engaged in the process. Our members design the arts and music curricula that all teams follow, and each team works together before every placement to prepare the activity. We are not a club that just asks members to show up to a placement; our members are more involved and invested in what we do. Most of all, though, I think we are lucky to have a vision that resonates with so many students who are all passionate about what we do.
If you would enjoy bringing some artistic fun to children, email [email protected].
Palika Kohli
When Michael Jackson’s Thriller was released in 1982, it’s safe to say that both critics and general audiences were thrilled. Lauded for the considerable growth since his previous album Off the Wall, Thriller became (and remains to this day) the best-selling album of all time.
As a self-professed MJ lover living in contemporary times, I sorted through all of his tracks on my iTunes and listened to the album in its entirety, for perhaps the first time. My love for lesser-played tracks was renewed as I listened to certain nuances that had escaped me before.
Michael’s breathy whispers throughout “Wanna Be Startin’ Something;” his subtle harmony with Paul McCartney throughout “The Girl is Mine;” the relevancy of the message in “Beat It”, and the memorable beat of “Billie Jean.” And then, of course, there’s “Thriller,” the album’s title song. There are very few people who don’t listen to this song at least once around Halloween, but what about its impact on the music industry?
The album pushed for racial equality, pressuring MTV to broadcast the videos for “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” despite previous discrimination. Thriller also established the popularity of music videos, as Michael made music video production an art unto itself, with the title song encapsulated in an unforgettable lucky-number-thirteen minute video.
So this Halloween, when you inevitably hear “Thriller,” raise a ghost-like gloved hand and shiver in remembrance at the impact of this album, as Michael Jackson once again rises from the dead.
Freakiest Track: Thriller
Favourite Track: Wanna Be Startin’ Something
Palika Kohli
For a story that’s supposed to be based upon an idyllic town, this is one that’s ‘casually vacant’ of the brightness and underlying morals most readers have come to associate with J.K. Rowling. I began Casual Vacancy apprehensively, internally at war with my love of her work and what critics have been saying. I knew it was marketed for the adult demographic – meaning that it is filled with swear words, social issues, and taboo topics. Yet, while reading it, I found certain reminders that it was written by the same author of the beloved Harry Potter series - the multitude of unique names, for one thing. Except Casual Vacancy is only about 500 pages, and not a seven-book series, which meant that I quickly got lost in a crowd of unknowns by the end of the third chapter.
Initially, the characters didn’t stand out to me. There was no marked hero – in fact, it felt that the only character truly branded with any kind of innate goodness was the one she chose to kill off at the beginning. Influenced by my psychology textbook readings, which I was working on at the time, I began to identify every character’s “id” (the Freudian label for the part of our mind that gives in to temptation). I even started diagnosing many of the characters with different disorders. As I got further into the story, I began to draw comparisons from Harry Potter characters – maybe in an effort to form attachments with them. I likened the uptight, morale and respectable Dr. Parminder Jawanda to Professor McGonagall, and Howard Mollison and his wife Shirley and their son Miles were analogous to Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley.
The story begins with Barry Fairbrother dying. As an important member of the town of Pagford’s council, he leaves behind an empty seat, known as a ‘casual vacancy.’ The people of the town, after expressing their condolences (both sincere and otherwise) erupt into a full-on political war. Male members of the community step up in an attempt to fill Fairbrother’s role. The women gather up into a force of their own, supporting and undermining their husbands and families at every turn. But there actually ends up being more emphasis on the youth, rather than the adults. While this teenage gang does not have to face the powerful external forces like Harry and his friends, they must deal with their own personal demons. The novel seems obsessed with issues of sex, masturbation, child abuse, hatred, drugs, self-mutilation and bullying. These teens are determined to prove themselves in a world full of hopelessly traditional adults, yet employ the same methods of brutality they observe in the adults in their lives.
Upon finishing the story, I felt as hopeless as the characters. I pictured Rowling calmly finishing the novel with its ambiguous ending, and imagined that she believed a “happily ever after” is only possible in an imaginary world like Harry’s. Our reality – a concept reinforced by her references to Rhianna’s lyrics and a middle-aged woman’s awkward sexual fantasy involving a band with a creepy similarity to One Direction – is doomed to human cause and effect. We make certain errors that cannot be fixed, and are forced to live with their consequences forever. In the same way, I found the climax of the novel tragic, too predictable, and unable to resolve many of the longstanding problems the people of Pagford had invested so much time in.
And yet…Favourite Quote: “It was so good to be held. If only their relationship could be distilled into simple, wordless gestures of comfort. Why had humans ever learned to talk?”
Palika Kohli
