In light of several events highlighted by recent Stanford Daily articles, it appears there were two problems with the recent elections: voter disenfranchisement and campaign regulation. For each of these problems, there exist common-sense—if not necessarily simple—reforms that should be implemented to ensure a fairer and more representative election in future years.
At the end of the day, students don’t truly expect a whole lot out of their candidates, perhaps as a consequence of the administration, or simply a consequence of the nature of Stanford, where it is often tough to find time to truly look for change.
The lead up to the event featured a common refrain. Broadcasters, critics and friends all remarked that, “None of the movies were happy,” or that, “The Academy only nominates cheerless movies.”
Three books. Different stories, but the same message. Kyle D’Souza reflects on the search for meaning which unites us all.
What if an application, in two years, created an environment where anyone could gain one million followers and celebrity status by simply putting their face in front of a cell phone camera? And, what if all these nascent celebrities were all under the age of 17?
According to the World Health Organization, the United States is ranked below Costa Rica and Chile at 31st in life expectancy, one of the lowest ratings among developed countries. Exacerbating the U.S.’s substandard level of life expectancy is the exorbitant cost of a healthcare system among developed countries that still leaves citizens uninsured.
Most of all, many were disappointed about being forced to pick between two candidates they perceived as unethical liars. An election where many failed to find a good choice bred disillusionment and disenchantment.
For that week, my SPOTlets wanted to create a radically different community than their past high school culture, one shared in a common culture of care and compassion, a willingness to listen and to hear. These qualities, while simple, laid the roots for a magically different week.
