Global Scholar Reflection Blog
May 12, 2026
When I first entered the Global Scholars program, I saw global issues as important, but still somewhat distant from my everyday life. I was focused on my own goals and the future I was trying to build. However, GIP changed that. Through GIP, I realized that becoming more aware of my surroundings is essential to becoming a more thoughtful person.
One topic I will remember most is learning about the origins of the Palestine-Israel conflict. Before class, I had heard about it constantly in the news, but I did not fully understand its history. Professor Boduszynski’s visit stood out to me because he explained the foundation of Israel in a way that made the issue feel clearer, but also more complicated. It reminded me that global conflicts are rarely simple, and that understanding history matters before forming opinions. I also won’t forget our UN Security Council debates. One time, I even acted as the President of the United States. At first, it felt like just a class activity, but it quickly showed me how difficult decision-making is at the highest level. Every choice had consequences, and every statement had to balance morals and human lives. It helped me understand how we arrived at many of the wars we see today.
Another topic that stuck with me was genocide. Learning its definition and studying examples from Cambodia, China, Rwanda, and Germany made me understand how dangerous silence can be. I especially remember learning the warning signs, like when a country has a destabilized economy and begins looking for certain groups to blame. That lesson changed the way I look at both history and current events. GIP also made me more interested in the news. Before, I mostly focused on what directly affected me. Now, I see the value in paying attention to what is happening around me and being well-informed. Some parts of the program even shaped my future. Our Harvard Business School case study on Walmart helped solidify my interest in studying business in college because I saw how strategy and leadership affect real people and communities.
My capstone project brought many of these lessons together. Through presenting my work in Lebanon, I overcame a lot of self-doubt about public speaking stemming from previous experiences. All in all, GIP has made me a more aware and courageous individual, improving the way I experience the world in many ways.
One topic I will remember most is learning about the origins of the Palestine-Israel conflict. Before class, I had heard about it constantly in the news, but I did not fully understand its history. Professor Boduszynski’s visit stood out to me because he explained the foundation of Israel in a way that made the issue feel clearer, but also more complicated. It reminded me that global conflicts are rarely simple, and that understanding history matters before forming opinions. I also won’t forget our UN Security Council debates. One time, I even acted as the President of the United States. At first, it felt like just a class activity, but it quickly showed me how difficult decision-making is at the highest level. Every choice had consequences, and every statement had to balance morals and human lives. It helped me understand how we arrived at many of the wars we see today.
Another topic that stuck with me was genocide. Learning its definition and studying examples from Cambodia, China, Rwanda, and Germany made me understand how dangerous silence can be. I especially remember learning the warning signs, like when a country has a destabilized economy and begins looking for certain groups to blame. That lesson changed the way I look at both history and current events. GIP also made me more interested in the news. Before, I mostly focused on what directly affected me. Now, I see the value in paying attention to what is happening around me and being well-informed. Some parts of the program even shaped my future. Our Harvard Business School case study on Walmart helped solidify my interest in studying business in college because I saw how strategy and leadership affect real people and communities.
My capstone project brought many of these lessons together. Through presenting my work in Lebanon, I overcame a lot of self-doubt about public speaking stemming from previous experiences. All in all, GIP has made me a more aware and courageous individual, improving the way I experience the world in many ways.
Capstone Reflection
May 9, 2026
For my capstone project, I hosted 6 volleyball training sessions with 6 different sports academies in Lebanon alongside volunteers from the Lebanese National Team. I believe there are several reasons I chose this as my capstone project. For one, in my first experience with the national team during my freshman-year summer, I saw kids who, while demonstrating a pure love for the game, lacked the financial resources to pursue their passions, which motivated me to start SPIKE and eventually return to run my capstone project. However, I believe deep down that it also had something to do with my relationship with my Lebanese identity. Growing up in LA, I developed an American accent and became invested in the culture here. As a result, whenever I visited Lebanon throughout my childhood, I always felt as if I didn’t belong. I couldn’t speak Arabic, I sounded like a typical Californian, and I didn’t know my way around, preventing me from ever really feeling Lebanese. So, by attempting to connect with Lebanese kids, maybe I was trying to fill a void that I always felt existed. As for my venue and audience, I presented in the Library during clubs, whilst Alex Chui, Hudson Yen, and two other rising global scholars watched.
In preparation for my presentation, I studied up on Lebanese political history so I could provide a brief background on why Lebanon is the way it is, which gave me interesting insight into the challenges it faces today. I was a bit nervous as well. In my previous presentation on SPIKE last year for Paws for Humanity, my anxiety overwhelmed me, leading me to laugh nervously on stage and lessen the strength of my presentation. Some even interpreted my laughter as a sign that I wasn't taking my presentation seriously. That moment kind of discouraged me from public speaking for a while. However, for this presentation, I calmed down a lot. I didn’t really have any planned lines, so I just spoke from the heart, which made me feel less nervous and much more comfortable. My ease and comfort presenting that day really surprised me, even though there weren't many people there. I think the biggest takeaway from my presentation was that I could be good at public speaking if I simply learned to relax and speak from the heart instead of memorizing lines. As a result, I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I had a great time with the kids in Lebanon and presenting my work, and I’m proud of the progress I’m making.
In preparation for my presentation, I studied up on Lebanese political history so I could provide a brief background on why Lebanon is the way it is, which gave me interesting insight into the challenges it faces today. I was a bit nervous as well. In my previous presentation on SPIKE last year for Paws for Humanity, my anxiety overwhelmed me, leading me to laugh nervously on stage and lessen the strength of my presentation. Some even interpreted my laughter as a sign that I wasn't taking my presentation seriously. That moment kind of discouraged me from public speaking for a while. However, for this presentation, I calmed down a lot. I didn’t really have any planned lines, so I just spoke from the heart, which made me feel less nervous and much more comfortable. My ease and comfort presenting that day really surprised me, even though there weren't many people there. I think the biggest takeaway from my presentation was that I could be good at public speaking if I simply learned to relax and speak from the heart instead of memorizing lines. As a result, I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I had a great time with the kids in Lebanon and presenting my work, and I’m proud of the progress I’m making.
The Vaping Epidemic
The Engineering of Teen Nicotine Use
February 16, 2026
Teenage Vaping
The Look of a Modern Day Vape
After years of declining cigarette use among adolescents, nicotine addiction appeared to be fading from younger generations. Yet the trend didn’t disappear; it transformed. Today, about 1.6 million middle and high school students in the United States use e-cigarettes, and millions of children between the ages of 13 and 15 report using nicotine products. Public health campaigns often describe vaping as a behavioral issue rooted in teenage curiosity, but the growth of youth vaping raises a broader and more unsettling question:
Are teenagers choosing nicotine, or is nicotine being carefully introduced to them?
From a public health perspective, exposure precedes behavior. Studies show adolescents who encounter tobacco-related content online are significantly more likely to start vaping than those who do not. Social media has become the primary advertising space because it allows promotion to appear inside entertainment rather than beside it. Influencers casually vape during gaming streams, lifestyle videos, or short clips in which the device is not the focus but part of the atmosphere. Unlike traditional advertisements, which teenagers can recognize and ignore, these presentations normalize use before viewers ever evaluate risk. The marketing function is less about persuasion and more about cultural immersion.
The products themselves reinforce this normalization. Manufacturers offer thousands of flavors ranging from fruit and candy varieties to devices that resemble USB drives, markers, or cosmetic products. Some are intentionally low-odor or “stealth” devices, marketed for discreet use in classrooms and homes. International health organizations argue these choices are strategic rather than aesthetic. The tobacco industry, facing declining adult smoking rates, has been accused of replacing lost customers by attracting younger ones. When nicotine appears in sweet flavors and familiar shapes, it no longer feels like a drug; it feels like a lifestyle accessory.
The health implications, however, remain significant. Adolescence is a critical stage of brain development that continues into the mid-twenties. Nicotine exposure during this period alters attention, mood regulation, memory, and impulse control, while increasing the likelihood of long-term addiction and later cigarette use. Even beyond nicotine, the aerosol inhaled from e-cigarettes contains heavy metals and microscopic particles capable of damaging lung tissue and has been linked to lung injury requiring hospitalization. The claim that vaping is safer than smoking, therefore, answers the wrong question. A product designed as harm reduction for adult smokers produces entirely different consequences when introduced to teenagers who would not otherwise smoke.
This shift becomes clearer when observed outside statistics. During a summer studying nicotine’s cellular effects at Huntington Medical Research Institutes, I spent weeks examining how exposure triggers oxidative stress inside heart cells, damage that occurs long before symptoms appear. Around the same time, I watched older relatives struggle to quit smoking after decades of dependence, while my older brother wrestled with vaping addiction despite never intending to use nicotine regularly. From my personal experience, it's clear that the difference between generations wasn’t a lack of willingness; it was an introduction. Cigarettes were encountered late and deliberately. Vapes arrived casually and repeatedly.
Youth vaping ultimately illustrates a shift in public health risk. Instead of individuals seeking out a harmful product, an environment introduces the product gradually until participation appears normal. Teenagers may inhale voluntarily, but the conditions shaping that decision are engineered long beforehand. The central issue is no longer simply whether vaping harms adolescents, but whether society recognizes that addiction now begins not at the moment of first use, but at the moment of first exposure.
Are teenagers choosing nicotine, or is nicotine being carefully introduced to them?
From a public health perspective, exposure precedes behavior. Studies show adolescents who encounter tobacco-related content online are significantly more likely to start vaping than those who do not. Social media has become the primary advertising space because it allows promotion to appear inside entertainment rather than beside it. Influencers casually vape during gaming streams, lifestyle videos, or short clips in which the device is not the focus but part of the atmosphere. Unlike traditional advertisements, which teenagers can recognize and ignore, these presentations normalize use before viewers ever evaluate risk. The marketing function is less about persuasion and more about cultural immersion.
The products themselves reinforce this normalization. Manufacturers offer thousands of flavors ranging from fruit and candy varieties to devices that resemble USB drives, markers, or cosmetic products. Some are intentionally low-odor or “stealth” devices, marketed for discreet use in classrooms and homes. International health organizations argue these choices are strategic rather than aesthetic. The tobacco industry, facing declining adult smoking rates, has been accused of replacing lost customers by attracting younger ones. When nicotine appears in sweet flavors and familiar shapes, it no longer feels like a drug; it feels like a lifestyle accessory.
The health implications, however, remain significant. Adolescence is a critical stage of brain development that continues into the mid-twenties. Nicotine exposure during this period alters attention, mood regulation, memory, and impulse control, while increasing the likelihood of long-term addiction and later cigarette use. Even beyond nicotine, the aerosol inhaled from e-cigarettes contains heavy metals and microscopic particles capable of damaging lung tissue and has been linked to lung injury requiring hospitalization. The claim that vaping is safer than smoking, therefore, answers the wrong question. A product designed as harm reduction for adult smokers produces entirely different consequences when introduced to teenagers who would not otherwise smoke.
This shift becomes clearer when observed outside statistics. During a summer studying nicotine’s cellular effects at Huntington Medical Research Institutes, I spent weeks examining how exposure triggers oxidative stress inside heart cells, damage that occurs long before symptoms appear. Around the same time, I watched older relatives struggle to quit smoking after decades of dependence, while my older brother wrestled with vaping addiction despite never intending to use nicotine regularly. From my personal experience, it's clear that the difference between generations wasn’t a lack of willingness; it was an introduction. Cigarettes were encountered late and deliberately. Vapes arrived casually and repeatedly.
Youth vaping ultimately illustrates a shift in public health risk. Instead of individuals seeking out a harmful product, an environment introduces the product gradually until participation appears normal. Teenagers may inhale voluntarily, but the conditions shaping that decision are engineered long beforehand. The central issue is no longer simply whether vaping harms adolescents, but whether society recognizes that addiction now begins not at the moment of first use, but at the moment of first exposure.
Sources
Backman, Isabella. "How Social Media Promotion of Vaping Targets Teens." Yale School of Medicine, November 22, 2024. https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/how-vaping-social-media-promotion-target-teens/.
Indiana University Health. "Know the Facts about Teens and Vaping." Riley Connections, December 9, 2025. https://www.rileychildrens.org/connections/know-the-facts-about-teens-and-vaping#:.
Stawiska, Zuzanna. "Tobacco Industry Targeting Youth with Vaping Products, WHO and Watchdog Say." Health Policy Watch, January 6, 2024. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/tobacco-industry-targets-youth-with-vaping-products-who-and-watchdog-warn/.
Indiana University Health. "Know the Facts about Teens and Vaping." Riley Connections, December 9, 2025. https://www.rileychildrens.org/connections/know-the-facts-about-teens-and-vaping#:.
Stawiska, Zuzanna. "Tobacco Industry Targeting Youth with Vaping Products, WHO and Watchdog Say." Health Policy Watch, January 6, 2024. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/tobacco-industry-targets-youth-with-vaping-products-who-and-watchdog-warn/.
The Venezuela Conflict
International Law in the Age of Power Politics
January 22, 2026
President Maduro being held on the U.S.S. Iwo Jima
Manuel Noriega taken into custody by U.S. drug enforcement agents
On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces entered Venezuelan territory, captured President Nicolás Maduro, and transported him to the United States to face federal drug-trafficking charges. The operation followed months of U.S. strikes on vessels allegedly linked to narcotics trafficking and was framed by the Trump administration as a necessary law-enforcement action. Almost immediately, International Law scholars and United Nations experts raised concerns that the operation violated some of the most basic rules governing the use of force between states.
Beyond the legality of a single raid, the U.S.–Venezuela conflict raises a broader and more unsettling question:
What does International Law still mean when powerful states choose to act outside its constraints?
From a legal standpoint, the issue appears evident. The United Nations Charter prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. The only recognized exceptions are self-defense in response to an armed attack or authorization from the UN Security Council. In this case, neither condition was met. There wasn’t any Security Council authorization, and drug trafficking, while a serious crime, doesn’t meet the threshold of an armed attack required to justify self-defense under International Law.
Despite this, U.S. officials relied on alternative language. The operation was described as a law enforcement operation. Drug cartels were characterized as combatants. At times, criminal activity was framed as a national security threat on par with war. As International Law experts have noted, this kind of reasoning blurs the line between crime and armed conflict. Thus, by treating criminal conduct as a justification for military force, the U.S. stretched the law beyond its intended purpose.
This approach isn’t new. In 1989, the United States used similar reasoning to justify the invasion of Panama and the capture of Manuel Noriega. At the time, the UN General Assembly condemned the intervention as a violation of International Law. Yet, Noriega was prosecuted, and the precedent remained. Venezuela suggests that what was once presented as an exception has gradually evolved into a reusable model: indict a foreign leader, frame them as a threat, and bypass the legal mechanisms that normally govern cross-border enforcement.
The legal concerns extend beyond the use of force. By arresting Maduro without the consent of the Venezuelan government, the United States also raised serious issues of jurisdiction. International Law allows states to prosecute crimes with extraterritorial effects, but it sharply limits their ability to enforce those laws inside another sovereign state. Without those limits, the idea of sovereignty itself begins to lose meaning.
If International Law was effective in global security, these violations would carry consequences. Instead, the response has been muted. The Security Council remains constrained by veto power, particularly when one of its permanent members is involved. In practice, this leaves enforcement dependent not on legal obligation, but on political restraint.
International Law, especially customary International Law, depends on how states react to violations. When breaches go unchallenged, they risk becoming normalized. Over time, the line between lawful and unlawful use of force grows less evident.
This doesn't mean International Law has failed to exist. In many areas, such as diplomacy and maritime safety, it continues to function effectively. However, Venezuela reveals its limits. International Law remains a shared framework, yet its authority weakens when power consistently overrides accountability.
The U.S.-Venezuela conflict ultimately suggests that International Law is not failing because its rules are unclear, but because its enforcement relies on the restraint of those most capable of ignoring it. When that restraint disappears, law remains written, yet has no power to effect change for the people it's meant to protect.
Beyond the legality of a single raid, the U.S.–Venezuela conflict raises a broader and more unsettling question:
What does International Law still mean when powerful states choose to act outside its constraints?
From a legal standpoint, the issue appears evident. The United Nations Charter prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. The only recognized exceptions are self-defense in response to an armed attack or authorization from the UN Security Council. In this case, neither condition was met. There wasn’t any Security Council authorization, and drug trafficking, while a serious crime, doesn’t meet the threshold of an armed attack required to justify self-defense under International Law.
Despite this, U.S. officials relied on alternative language. The operation was described as a law enforcement operation. Drug cartels were characterized as combatants. At times, criminal activity was framed as a national security threat on par with war. As International Law experts have noted, this kind of reasoning blurs the line between crime and armed conflict. Thus, by treating criminal conduct as a justification for military force, the U.S. stretched the law beyond its intended purpose.
This approach isn’t new. In 1989, the United States used similar reasoning to justify the invasion of Panama and the capture of Manuel Noriega. At the time, the UN General Assembly condemned the intervention as a violation of International Law. Yet, Noriega was prosecuted, and the precedent remained. Venezuela suggests that what was once presented as an exception has gradually evolved into a reusable model: indict a foreign leader, frame them as a threat, and bypass the legal mechanisms that normally govern cross-border enforcement.
The legal concerns extend beyond the use of force. By arresting Maduro without the consent of the Venezuelan government, the United States also raised serious issues of jurisdiction. International Law allows states to prosecute crimes with extraterritorial effects, but it sharply limits their ability to enforce those laws inside another sovereign state. Without those limits, the idea of sovereignty itself begins to lose meaning.
If International Law was effective in global security, these violations would carry consequences. Instead, the response has been muted. The Security Council remains constrained by veto power, particularly when one of its permanent members is involved. In practice, this leaves enforcement dependent not on legal obligation, but on political restraint.
International Law, especially customary International Law, depends on how states react to violations. When breaches go unchallenged, they risk becoming normalized. Over time, the line between lawful and unlawful use of force grows less evident.
This doesn't mean International Law has failed to exist. In many areas, such as diplomacy and maritime safety, it continues to function effectively. However, Venezuela reveals its limits. International Law remains a shared framework, yet its authority weakens when power consistently overrides accountability.
The U.S.-Venezuela conflict ultimately suggests that International Law is not failing because its rules are unclear, but because its enforcement relies on the restraint of those most capable of ignoring it. When that restraint disappears, law remains written, yet has no power to effect change for the people it's meant to protect.
Sources
Falk, Richard. "The US Attack on Venezuela and the Collapse of International Law." Al Jazeera, January 21, 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/1/21/the-us-attack-on-venezuela-and-the-collapse-of-international-law.
Scheffer, David. "Maduro's Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent." Council on Foreign Relations, January 6, 2026. https://www.cfr.org/articles/maduros-capture-and-international-law-noriega-precedent.
Shaw, Gwyneth. "U.S. Flouted 'Central Rule of International Law' with Venezuela Raid to Arrest Maduro, Professor Saira Mohamed Says." UC Berkeley Law, January 20, 2026. https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/professor-saira-mohamed-international-law-nicolas-maduro-venezuela-united-nations/.
Scheffer, David. "Maduro's Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent." Council on Foreign Relations, January 6, 2026. https://www.cfr.org/articles/maduros-capture-and-international-law-noriega-precedent.
Shaw, Gwyneth. "U.S. Flouted 'Central Rule of International Law' with Venezuela Raid to Arrest Maduro, Professor Saira Mohamed Says." UC Berkeley Law, January 20, 2026. https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/professor-saira-mohamed-international-law-nicolas-maduro-venezuela-united-nations/.
Did Loneliness Win Trump the Young Male Vote?
November 20, 2025
Young supporters attending a Donald Trump campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Donald Trump dancing on live stream with influencer Adin Ross
According to the Pew Research Center, young men supported Donald Trump in 2024 by a significantly wider margin than in 2020, a reversal from four years earlier, when men under 30 backed Joe Biden by roughly 10 points. As a result of this election, young men have become one of the most politically influential yet politically misunderstood groups in America.
There are probably many reasons behind why young men had this political shift, but one explanation has emerged as especially powerful:
The “male loneliness epidemic” and the digital ecosystems that feed on it.
What is the male loneliness epidemic?
In recent years, social media headlines and news outlets have discussed the “male loneliness epidemic,” a topic that suggests that young men in particular are facing an unprecedented crisis of isolation. In a Psychology Today article, Dr. Treena Orchard describes this phenomenon as men having fewer friends than women, forming fewer connections, and being less likely to open up and express their feelings. However, when looking at the data, this idea becomes increasingly complex.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 16% of men say they feel lonely all or most of the time, but 15% of women say the same. So, if men aren’t that much more lonesome than everyone else…
Why does the idea of this “epidemic” matter?
Because the online spheres that appeal to male loneliness specifically have grown into ecosystems that shape how young men see themselves, women, and ultimately, their politics.
On social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X, young men searching for a sense of community often stumble into something much larger than they expected: the manosphere.
What is the manosphere?
The manosphere isn’t a single group or website; it’s a loosely connected group of creators and online communities that claim to speak to men’s struggles. UN Women describes the manosphere as “online spaces where groups such as men’s rights activists, pick-up artists, and incels promote deeply misogynistic content… united in portraying feminism as dangerous, women as manipulative, and men as victims of social change.”
In comparing UN Women’s description of the manosphere and Dr. Orchard’s analysis on male loneliness, it is clear that these online misogynistic networks appeal to young men who need community and connection. Unfortunately enough, these tactics are working really well. For example, Andrew Tate, a figure known for spreading misogynistic content and appealing to young men, gained widespread popularity in recent years, with more than 10 million followers on social media platforms like X.
How did the existence of the manosphere affect how young men voted?
Well, in Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, he actively sought to engage with online creators in the space, courting the young men within it.
During his campaign, Trump made several appearances in YouTube videos and live streams with these creators. Some of his appearances include podcasts with groups like the Nelk Boys, online pranksters who often spread anti-women rhetoric, and online streams where he danced with Adin Ross, a live streamer who was closely associated with Andrew Tate. During Trump’s speech on election night in West Palm Beach, Dana White, owner of the UFC and a close friend of Trump, went as far as to shout out both the Nelk Boys and Adin Ross for their contributions in swaying the election by hosting Trump on their platform. By tapping into the manosphere’s growing popularity, Trump successfully connected with millions of young men.
Why does this all matter?
In my opinion, Trump’s success through interactions with the manosphere reveals something much larger than a strategic campaign move. Through appealing to male loneliness, the manosphere isn’t just shaping how young men see themselves; it’s shaping how they vote and what they believe. Now, when millions of young men find community in digital spaces that normalize misogyny and extreme ideas about gender, those values don’t stay online; they become policies that affect the lives of everyone else. Our elections are being shaped not just by policy debates, but by the emotional vulnerability of young men and the people who have learned how to exploit it.
How can we prevent young men from becoming a part of these spaces?
Preventing young men from slipping into manosphere spaces starts with offering them something those spaces exploit: connection. If you are a parent raising a young man or woman, encourage them to find healthier ways to build community, such as joining school clubs or participating in sports. For the many young individuals who lack an active parent in their lives, we, as a society, must increasingly fund online mentorship programs such as U.S. Dream Academy to help them find healthier paths to connection.
In addition, to prevent manospheric content from reaching young individuals, we must call on our local government officials to support policies that force social media apps to censor online creators who consistently promote gendered hate speech.
There are probably many reasons behind why young men had this political shift, but one explanation has emerged as especially powerful:
The “male loneliness epidemic” and the digital ecosystems that feed on it.
What is the male loneliness epidemic?
In recent years, social media headlines and news outlets have discussed the “male loneliness epidemic,” a topic that suggests that young men in particular are facing an unprecedented crisis of isolation. In a Psychology Today article, Dr. Treena Orchard describes this phenomenon as men having fewer friends than women, forming fewer connections, and being less likely to open up and express their feelings. However, when looking at the data, this idea becomes increasingly complex.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 16% of men say they feel lonely all or most of the time, but 15% of women say the same. So, if men aren’t that much more lonesome than everyone else…
Why does the idea of this “epidemic” matter?
Because the online spheres that appeal to male loneliness specifically have grown into ecosystems that shape how young men see themselves, women, and ultimately, their politics.
On social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X, young men searching for a sense of community often stumble into something much larger than they expected: the manosphere.
What is the manosphere?
The manosphere isn’t a single group or website; it’s a loosely connected group of creators and online communities that claim to speak to men’s struggles. UN Women describes the manosphere as “online spaces where groups such as men’s rights activists, pick-up artists, and incels promote deeply misogynistic content… united in portraying feminism as dangerous, women as manipulative, and men as victims of social change.”
In comparing UN Women’s description of the manosphere and Dr. Orchard’s analysis on male loneliness, it is clear that these online misogynistic networks appeal to young men who need community and connection. Unfortunately enough, these tactics are working really well. For example, Andrew Tate, a figure known for spreading misogynistic content and appealing to young men, gained widespread popularity in recent years, with more than 10 million followers on social media platforms like X.
How did the existence of the manosphere affect how young men voted?
Well, in Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, he actively sought to engage with online creators in the space, courting the young men within it.
During his campaign, Trump made several appearances in YouTube videos and live streams with these creators. Some of his appearances include podcasts with groups like the Nelk Boys, online pranksters who often spread anti-women rhetoric, and online streams where he danced with Adin Ross, a live streamer who was closely associated with Andrew Tate. During Trump’s speech on election night in West Palm Beach, Dana White, owner of the UFC and a close friend of Trump, went as far as to shout out both the Nelk Boys and Adin Ross for their contributions in swaying the election by hosting Trump on their platform. By tapping into the manosphere’s growing popularity, Trump successfully connected with millions of young men.
Why does this all matter?
In my opinion, Trump’s success through interactions with the manosphere reveals something much larger than a strategic campaign move. Through appealing to male loneliness, the manosphere isn’t just shaping how young men see themselves; it’s shaping how they vote and what they believe. Now, when millions of young men find community in digital spaces that normalize misogyny and extreme ideas about gender, those values don’t stay online; they become policies that affect the lives of everyone else. Our elections are being shaped not just by policy debates, but by the emotional vulnerability of young men and the people who have learned how to exploit it.
How can we prevent young men from becoming a part of these spaces?
Preventing young men from slipping into manosphere spaces starts with offering them something those spaces exploit: connection. If you are a parent raising a young man or woman, encourage them to find healthier ways to build community, such as joining school clubs or participating in sports. For the many young individuals who lack an active parent in their lives, we, as a society, must increasingly fund online mentorship programs such as U.S. Dream Academy to help them find healthier paths to connection.
In addition, to prevent manospheric content from reaching young individuals, we must call on our local government officials to support policies that force social media apps to censor online creators who consistently promote gendered hate speech.
Sources:
Barrón-López, Laura, Mike Fritz, Maea Buhre, and Shrai Popat. "Trump's Success among Young Men Illustrates Influence of Online 'Manosphere.'" PBS News, November 25, 2024. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-success-among-young-men-illustrates-influence-of-online-manosphere#transcript.
Goddard, Isabel Goddard, and Kim Parker. "Men, Women and Social Connections." Pew Research Center, January 16, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2025/01/16/men-women-and-social-connections/.
Hartig, Hannah, Scott Keeter, Ted Green, and Andrew Daniller. "Behind Trump's 2024 Victory, a More Racially and Ethnically Diverse Voter Coalition." Pew Research Center, June 26, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/26/voting-patterns-in-the-2024-election/.
Orchard, Treena, Dr. "Is Male Loneliness a New Epidemic or an Age-Old Struggle?" Psychology Today, July 22, 2025. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-kaleidescope/202507/is-male-loneliness-a-new-epidemic-or-an-age-old-struggle.
UN Women Media. "The Manosphere Is No Joke. UN Women Explains Why." UN Women, May 21, 2025. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/media-advisory/2025/05/the-manosphere-is-no-joke-un-women-explains-why.
Goddard, Isabel Goddard, and Kim Parker. "Men, Women and Social Connections." Pew Research Center, January 16, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2025/01/16/men-women-and-social-connections/.
Hartig, Hannah, Scott Keeter, Ted Green, and Andrew Daniller. "Behind Trump's 2024 Victory, a More Racially and Ethnically Diverse Voter Coalition." Pew Research Center, June 26, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/26/voting-patterns-in-the-2024-election/.
Orchard, Treena, Dr. "Is Male Loneliness a New Epidemic or an Age-Old Struggle?" Psychology Today, July 22, 2025. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-kaleidescope/202507/is-male-loneliness-a-new-epidemic-or-an-age-old-struggle.
UN Women Media. "The Manosphere Is No Joke. UN Women Explains Why." UN Women, May 21, 2025. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/media-advisory/2025/05/the-manosphere-is-no-joke-un-women-explains-why.
Does It Even Matter?
On September 26, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to the United Nations in New York regarding the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Before he began speaking, dozens of delegates, representing over 50 countries, walked out of the room in protest of Israel’s actions in the ongoing war, leaving only a handful of representatives to listen to his presentation.
During his speech, Netanyahu condemned those who stood against Israel’s plan to eliminate Hamas, claiming that many world leaders have caved into “biased media, radical Islamist constituencies, and antisemitic mobs.” On the other hand, Taher Al-Nunu, media adviser to the head of the political bureau of Hamas, stated that “The interruption of Netanyahu’s speech is one of the manifestations of Israel’s isolation and the results of the genocide war.”
While the opinions surrounding the walkout may vary, one thing is for sure: International support for Israel’s conduct during this conflict is dwindling. The UN walkout isn’t the only example we have of this idea. Around a month after the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared that a famine was taking place in Gaza, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held a vote regarding a possible ceasefire in Gaza. As a result, 14 out of 15 members, including the UK, France, Russia, and China, voted in favor of a ceasefire. In contrast, the United States, one of the five permanent Security Council members with veto power, voted against the resolution.
As I watch the countless nations expressing their disapproval of Israel’s conduct over the course of this war, I’m left with a nagging thought: Do actions like this even matter?
When I say the vague term “actions,” I describe not only the clear international disapproval of Israel’s actions, but also Israel’s several violations of international law. On September 16, 2025, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated clearly that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and must, under international law, end the genocide and punish those responsible for it. In addition, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu under charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, Israel and the U.S. are not under ICC jurisdiction, and the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory holds no enforceable power. So, as long as Netanyahu avoids ICC member states, Israel’s campaign in Gaza will remain virtually unchecked.
As the principles of international law appear powerless in the present day, what are we, as individuals watching the ongoing conflict through our phone screens and televisions, left to do?
The first answer to that question is simple: never look away or slip into acceptance. As the number of Palestinian casualties continues to rise, it is vital that we as a society treat each death with the same urgency as the last through peaceful protest, supporting journalists, and pressuring our elected officials to support humanitarian aid.
In terms of international law enforcement, there must be a system that accounts for the voices of the broader UN membership beyond the 15-member Security Council, where five permanent members hold veto power. As a potential resolution, it would be beneficial if a supermajority of the UN General Assembly could vote against a single veto by one of the Permanent Five, thereby overriding the veto. Of course, such reform would face fierce opposition from the permanent members themselves, but without it, international law risks remaining a tool of power rather than justice.
ICC. Netanyahu. ICC. November 21, 2024. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu.
Salman, Abeer. Walkout Ahead of Netanyahu’s UNGA Speech Reveals Israel’s Isolation, Hamas Says. CNN. September 26, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-netanyahu-gaza-palestine-09-26-25-intl?post-id=cmg11peoy00003b6ss6ommkuc.
Shalev, Tal. Netanyahu Blasts World Leaders: "When the Going Got Tough, You Caved.” CNN. September 26, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-netanyahu-gaza-palestine-09-26-25-intl?post-id=cmg0wci660009396twmifbas6.
UN Human Rights Spokespeople. Israel Has Committed Genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission Finds. United Nations. September 16, 2025. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds.
UN News. Security Council: US Votes Against Resolution on Gaza Ceasefire. United Nations. September 18, 2025. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165881.
During his speech, Netanyahu condemned those who stood against Israel’s plan to eliminate Hamas, claiming that many world leaders have caved into “biased media, radical Islamist constituencies, and antisemitic mobs.” On the other hand, Taher Al-Nunu, media adviser to the head of the political bureau of Hamas, stated that “The interruption of Netanyahu’s speech is one of the manifestations of Israel’s isolation and the results of the genocide war.”
While the opinions surrounding the walkout may vary, one thing is for sure: International support for Israel’s conduct during this conflict is dwindling. The UN walkout isn’t the only example we have of this idea. Around a month after the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared that a famine was taking place in Gaza, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held a vote regarding a possible ceasefire in Gaza. As a result, 14 out of 15 members, including the UK, France, Russia, and China, voted in favor of a ceasefire. In contrast, the United States, one of the five permanent Security Council members with veto power, voted against the resolution.
As I watch the countless nations expressing their disapproval of Israel’s conduct over the course of this war, I’m left with a nagging thought: Do actions like this even matter?
When I say the vague term “actions,” I describe not only the clear international disapproval of Israel’s actions, but also Israel’s several violations of international law. On September 16, 2025, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated clearly that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and must, under international law, end the genocide and punish those responsible for it. In addition, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu under charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, Israel and the U.S. are not under ICC jurisdiction, and the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory holds no enforceable power. So, as long as Netanyahu avoids ICC member states, Israel’s campaign in Gaza will remain virtually unchecked.
As the principles of international law appear powerless in the present day, what are we, as individuals watching the ongoing conflict through our phone screens and televisions, left to do?
The first answer to that question is simple: never look away or slip into acceptance. As the number of Palestinian casualties continues to rise, it is vital that we as a society treat each death with the same urgency as the last through peaceful protest, supporting journalists, and pressuring our elected officials to support humanitarian aid.
In terms of international law enforcement, there must be a system that accounts for the voices of the broader UN membership beyond the 15-member Security Council, where five permanent members hold veto power. As a potential resolution, it would be beneficial if a supermajority of the UN General Assembly could vote against a single veto by one of the Permanent Five, thereby overriding the veto. Of course, such reform would face fierce opposition from the permanent members themselves, but without it, international law risks remaining a tool of power rather than justice.
ICC. Netanyahu. ICC. November 21, 2024. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu.
Salman, Abeer. Walkout Ahead of Netanyahu’s UNGA Speech Reveals Israel’s Isolation, Hamas Says. CNN. September 26, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-netanyahu-gaza-palestine-09-26-25-intl?post-id=cmg11peoy00003b6ss6ommkuc.
Shalev, Tal. Netanyahu Blasts World Leaders: "When the Going Got Tough, You Caved.” CNN. September 26, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-netanyahu-gaza-palestine-09-26-25-intl?post-id=cmg0wci660009396twmifbas6.
UN Human Rights Spokespeople. Israel Has Committed Genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission Finds. United Nations. September 16, 2025. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds.
UN News. Security Council: US Votes Against Resolution on Gaza Ceasefire. United Nations. September 18, 2025. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165881.
"Please Don't Scroll"
On August 25, 2025, five international journalists and at least 15 others were killed by an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. Just 15 days earlier, four Al-Jazeera journalists were killed by an Israeli targeted tent attack. The Israeli government has presented explanations for these killings. As for the strike that killed five journalists on August 25, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a “tragic mishap.” By contrast, the Israeli government describes the killing of four journalists 15 days earlier as an attempt to target Anas Al-Sharif, an alleged “head of a Hamas terrorist cell,” without providing evidence. These unsupported assertions have raised serious concerns that Israel’s post-October 7th military campaign against Hamas is actively endangering journalists. These facts raise some essential questions: Is Israel attacking journalists to hide the ongoing scenes of famine and tragedy in the Gaza Strip? If so, how is this affecting how the outside world views this conflict?
Yet, while the first question remains speculative, the ongoing scenes of tragedy in the Gaza Strip continue to reach international audiences through an unexpected medium: TikTok.
As I scroll through my daily feed, their videos regularly pop up. Usually, the videos begin with an engaging clip, one that you’d see regularly on your For You page. Often, these introductory clips are reposts of videos from popular TikTok creators. After a few seconds, the video cuts to a second clip, one that usually portrays the faces of Palestinians who say a common phrase, “Please Don’t Scroll. Please Like, Share, Repost, and Donate if you can.” In addition, many Palestinian individuals encourage online users to comment with trending terms, such as “Sabrina Carpenter” or “Met Gala 2025,” to boost the TikTok algorithm’s reach. According to TIME, these videos, reaching international audiences, have generated tens of thousands of dollars for the victims of the ongoing crisis.
These TikToks, in the wake of ongoing attacks on journalism, demonstrate the resilience and ingenuity of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Despite facing famine and constant attacks, they are still able to use social media algorithms to spread their cause worldwide. It is fascinating to see how these videos link the ongoing tragedy in the Gaza Strip to elements of pop culture. Typically, in America, ongoing pop culture trends distract from international conflicts. Suddenly, however, these are now working in tandem with one another to support the Palestinian cause.
Moving forward, international organisations must demand accountability for Israeli strikes that kill journalists, especially when evidence is withheld. In addition, social media companies must make sure that the videos produced by Palestinian individuals are promoted fairly by algorithms and protected from censorship. By following these steps, victims of the ongoing conflict can more efficiently call for sustained global attention and pressure for humanitarian relief.
Davies, Alys. Who Were the Al Jazeera Journalists Killed by Israel in Gaza? BBC News. August 12, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6200wnez73o.
Knell, Yolande. Five Journalists Among 20 Killed in Israeli Double Strike on Hospital. BBC News. August 25, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp89rp48246o.
Serhan, Yasmeen. On TikTok, Gaza’s Palestinians Plead to the World: “Don’t Scroll.” TIME. August 7, 2025. https://time.com/7008780/tiktok-gaza-palestinians-israel-gofundme/.
Yet, while the first question remains speculative, the ongoing scenes of tragedy in the Gaza Strip continue to reach international audiences through an unexpected medium: TikTok.
As I scroll through my daily feed, their videos regularly pop up. Usually, the videos begin with an engaging clip, one that you’d see regularly on your For You page. Often, these introductory clips are reposts of videos from popular TikTok creators. After a few seconds, the video cuts to a second clip, one that usually portrays the faces of Palestinians who say a common phrase, “Please Don’t Scroll. Please Like, Share, Repost, and Donate if you can.” In addition, many Palestinian individuals encourage online users to comment with trending terms, such as “Sabrina Carpenter” or “Met Gala 2025,” to boost the TikTok algorithm’s reach. According to TIME, these videos, reaching international audiences, have generated tens of thousands of dollars for the victims of the ongoing crisis.
These TikToks, in the wake of ongoing attacks on journalism, demonstrate the resilience and ingenuity of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Despite facing famine and constant attacks, they are still able to use social media algorithms to spread their cause worldwide. It is fascinating to see how these videos link the ongoing tragedy in the Gaza Strip to elements of pop culture. Typically, in America, ongoing pop culture trends distract from international conflicts. Suddenly, however, these are now working in tandem with one another to support the Palestinian cause.
Moving forward, international organisations must demand accountability for Israeli strikes that kill journalists, especially when evidence is withheld. In addition, social media companies must make sure that the videos produced by Palestinian individuals are promoted fairly by algorithms and protected from censorship. By following these steps, victims of the ongoing conflict can more efficiently call for sustained global attention and pressure for humanitarian relief.
Davies, Alys. Who Were the Al Jazeera Journalists Killed by Israel in Gaza? BBC News. August 12, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6200wnez73o.
Knell, Yolande. Five Journalists Among 20 Killed in Israeli Double Strike on Hospital. BBC News. August 25, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp89rp48246o.
Serhan, Yasmeen. On TikTok, Gaza’s Palestinians Plead to the World: “Don’t Scroll.” TIME. August 7, 2025. https://time.com/7008780/tiktok-gaza-palestinians-israel-gofundme/.
The Esports World Cup
From July 8 to August 24, the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The events included several championships in several games such as Valorant, Call of Duty: Warzone, and more, with a total prize pool of 70 million dollars. This event's prize pool was the largest of any Esports tournament and brought in viewership like never before, breaking 1.35 million hours watched for a single video game, Tekken.
This tournament, funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, demonstrates a clear example of Saudi Arabia’s attempt to diversify its economy beyond oil and bring worldwide attention to the city. Although Saudi Arabia’s investment in this tournament may seem to benefit Esports, many others say otherwise. For example, the creators of the video game GeoGuessr, a game where people try to guess map locations based on images, have removed their Map Directory to ensure that their contributions will not be present in the EWC. The creators went as far as to say that the tournament is “a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record.”
The concerns that the GeoGeussr creators express speak to more than just esports. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in various athletic endeavors, including a $5 billion investment in the development of LIV Golf. Similar to when music listeners must choose whether to “separate the art from the artist,” it seems many sports fans must also make this choice regarding Saudi’s athletic endeavors.
In my opinion, I believe that without justice for many of the human rights violations that Saudi Arabia has committed, it will be hard for Saudi Arabia to reach as large an audience as many other countries’ sports leagues have amassed.
Conditt, Jessica. GeoGuessr Community Maps Go Dark in Protest of EWC Ties to Human Rights Abuses. YahooTech. May 21, 2025. https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/geoguessr-community-maps-dark-protest-221037980.html?.guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAqRREw2KqT8Ow1DMJNR1EZ.
Esports Charts Editors. Esports World Cup 2025 Ends as Tekken's Most-Watched Event Ever. Esports Charts. Aug 19, 2025. https://escharts.com/news/esports-world-cup-2025-tekken.
Roberts, Andy. Revealed: PIF's LIV Golf Investment Soars to $5 billion in April 2025. GolfMagic. May 6, 2025. https://www.golfmagic.com/tour/liv-golf/revealed-pifs-liv-golf-investment-soars-5-billion-april-2025.
This tournament, funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, demonstrates a clear example of Saudi Arabia’s attempt to diversify its economy beyond oil and bring worldwide attention to the city. Although Saudi Arabia’s investment in this tournament may seem to benefit Esports, many others say otherwise. For example, the creators of the video game GeoGuessr, a game where people try to guess map locations based on images, have removed their Map Directory to ensure that their contributions will not be present in the EWC. The creators went as far as to say that the tournament is “a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record.”
The concerns that the GeoGeussr creators express speak to more than just esports. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in various athletic endeavors, including a $5 billion investment in the development of LIV Golf. Similar to when music listeners must choose whether to “separate the art from the artist,” it seems many sports fans must also make this choice regarding Saudi’s athletic endeavors.
In my opinion, I believe that without justice for many of the human rights violations that Saudi Arabia has committed, it will be hard for Saudi Arabia to reach as large an audience as many other countries’ sports leagues have amassed.
Conditt, Jessica. GeoGuessr Community Maps Go Dark in Protest of EWC Ties to Human Rights Abuses. YahooTech. May 21, 2025. https://tech.yahoo.com/gaming/articles/geoguessr-community-maps-dark-protest-221037980.html?.guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAqRREw2KqT8Ow1DMJNR1EZ.
Esports Charts Editors. Esports World Cup 2025 Ends as Tekken's Most-Watched Event Ever. Esports Charts. Aug 19, 2025. https://escharts.com/news/esports-world-cup-2025-tekken.
Roberts, Andy. Revealed: PIF's LIV Golf Investment Soars to $5 billion in April 2025. GolfMagic. May 6, 2025. https://www.golfmagic.com/tour/liv-golf/revealed-pifs-liv-golf-investment-soars-5-billion-april-2025.
Cluely: An AI Startup Revolutionizing Marketing
Whether it’s a man failing to complete a backflip on a trampoline or an obviously staged physical fight between two reality TV stars, my TikTok feed never fails to provide me with the most useless information possible. However, I’ve recently discovered that certain videos have altered my perspective on how the world works and revealed to me what the future of American companies might look like. By utilizing TikTok videos, a rising AI startup named Cluely leverages the TikTok algorithm to transform how companies market themselves.
This company was founded by Roy Lee, a Columbia University dropout who has been advertising his AI product as a tool to “Cheat on Everything.” He “dropped out” of Columbia due to being suspended for using an app he created called Interview Coder during an interview with Amazon. This tool enables individuals to view real-time answer suggestions that appear during online interviews. After publicly posting about using this tool, Amazon threatened to stop recruiting from Colombia if they failed to punish Lee for his use of the app, leading to his eventual suspension and subsequent drop-out.
Roy Lee and a few of his co-founders frequently use TikTok to promote their company to a massive audience. These videos feature skits in which their team goes on dates with women or hints at watching pornography through virtual reality headsets. They even claim that they plan to spend $ 5 million to hire 1,000 content creators, all for the purpose of promoting the app. Despite their unorthodox approach, Cleuly has a current valuation of $ 120 million and is projected to grow far beyond their expectations.
The videos they create are directed towards a Gen Z audience, often making blatantly immature jokes and mentioning current trends in pop culture. Many consider their marketing strategy unprofessional and view the use of their company's tools as deceptive and immoral. However, Roy Lee and his team seem to be utilizing the backlash to continue attracting attention to the company itself.
In the past, we’ve seen companies utilize current trends through advertising. Some, like Cleuly, use TikTok accounts to promote their products as well. However, Cleuly’s videos enable their audience to form a genuine connection with the company founders, a strategy not yet employed by anyone else. It’s as if Cleuly, instead of becoming influencers and then selling a product, is growing their media presence alongside the company itself. If Cleuly continues its success, we may see more companies utilizing this strategy in the future.
Da-eun, Kang. The Columbia Dropout Who Outsmarted Big Tech. The Chosun. July 17, 2025. https://www.chosun.com/english/people-en/2025/07/17/ZULJBTAY2BHPJMWFPBFAUHRTKM/.
Temkin, Marina. Cluely, A Startup That Helps ‘Cheat On Everything,’ Raises $15M from A16z. TechCrunch. June 20, 2025.
https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/20/cluely-a-startup-that-helps-cheat-on-everything-raises-15m-from-a16z/.
Enrico, Jose. Cluely Raises $15M to Scale Controversial 'Undetectable' AI Tool for Screen-Based Assistance. Tech Times. June 21, 2025. https://www.techtimes.com/articles/310940/20250621/cluely-raises-15m-scale-controversial-undetectable-ai-tool-screen-based-assistance.htm
The LA Riots
My parents have been traveling for the past two weeks, and, because of the news they had received from across the world, they believed they had left their youngest kid in a war zone. On June 6, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided Los Angeles to arrest alleged undocumented immigrants, riots and protests began throughout downtown LA. These protests spurred Donald Trump to deploy more than 4,000 National Guard Troops to Los Angeles. The arguments regarding whether undocumented immigrants should or should not be deported are a complex one. On one hand, many believe that these individuals fill essential labor-heavy jobs, contribute immensely to the economy through state and local taxes, and provide a necessary backbone to the American economy. For example, undocumented immigrants paid 96.7 billion dollars in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. However, others believe that allowing these individuals to live within America weakens the rules of law and undermines the immigration system, proving unfair to the many who wait to enter the country legally. In addition, some make the precarious argument that these immigrants, by taking jobs at lower cost on average, drive down the wages for American workers. Experiencing this piece of history as a teenager in Los Angeles, I was surprised to see how social media made these riots so much more violent and prevalent than they were. Like I said, although I live in Pasadena, my mother smothered me with phone calls after seeing certain posts. However, when I entered downtown LA during this period for a volleyball tournament, I saw nothing like the 10 videos my mom had frantically sent me. On social media, videos of year-old riots and Marine officers entering LA circulated, although these posts represented an inaccurate depiction of the protests themselves. I often think about how the events we learn about in history classes may be twisted to show the writers of said history in a better light. However, from his experience, I saw how social media’s capitalization of fear was rewriting current events in front of my face.
Uribe, Maria. Fact-Checking Misinformation about the Los Angeles Protests. PBS News. June 12, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-misinformation-about-the-los-angeles-protests.
Davis, Carl. Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants. ITEP. July 30, 2024.
https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-taxes-2024/.
Hutchinson, Bill. LA Protests Timeline: How ICE Raids Sparked Demonstrations and Trump to Send in the Military. ABC News. June 11, 2025.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-ice-raids-sparked-la-protests-prompted-trump/story?id=122688437.
Uribe, Maria. Fact-Checking Misinformation about the Los Angeles Protests. PBS News. June 12, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-misinformation-about-the-los-angeles-protests.
Davis, Carl. Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants. ITEP. July 30, 2024.
https://itep.org/undocumented-immigrants-taxes-2024/.
Hutchinson, Bill. LA Protests Timeline: How ICE Raids Sparked Demonstrations and Trump to Send in the Military. ABC News. June 11, 2025.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-ice-raids-sparked-la-protests-prompted-trump/story?id=122688437.
Trump's Tariff Policies
As a person currently living in the U.S., it's hard to avoid the political events that shift the emotions of almost everyone around you. A significant example of these events is Trump’s recent tariffs, when he, in April, imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imported goods, but lowered those same tariffs by 115% in the next month. These tariffs led to retaliatory tariffs on American goods exported to China, causing the American taxpayer’s cost of living to rise significantly. When I read about occurrences like these, I wonder, “What is Donald Trump trying to do here?” While there is a lot of hostile rhetoric surrounding the president, I’d like to believe that his tariff strategy has some end goal. Some economists like Stephen Miran believe that by increasing and decreasing these tariffs, Trump is attempting to use tariffs as economic weapons to force structural changes in global trade. On the other hand, analysts at The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) believe that these back-and-forth swings of these tariffs are meant to force foreign governments to make decisions against their will, creating global uncertainty and limiting global cooperation. Despite these slight differences in opinion, there is an apparent consensus on what Trump is trying to instill with these tariffs: fear. Throughout history, we’ve seen the use of intimidation by U.S. presidents globally through Theodore Roosevelt's Big Stick Diplomacy. However, in our current situation, instead of using military power to overwhelm smaller and less powerful nations, Trump attempts to pressure global superpowers economically, leading to retaliatory tariffs that cause Americans to feel the pain of the president's decisions quickly. In all, while some tariffs are necessary to protect U.S. manufacturing, the administration of these tariffs must be more controlled, less severe, and consistent to protect the American taxpayers, the people whom Trump is supposedly in place to protect.
Gonzalez, Sarah. The 145% Tariff Already Did Its Damage. NPR, 16 May 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/16/1251782092/tariff-us-china-pause-trade-war.
Miran, Stephen. A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System. November 2024. https://www.hudsonbaycapital.com/documents/FG/hudsonbay/research/638199_A_Users_Guide_to_Restructuring_the_Global_Trading_System.pdf
Luck, Philip. What the Court’s Ruling on Trump’s Tariffs Means for U.S. Trade Policy and the Economy. 29 May 2025. https://www.csis.org/analysis/what-courts-ruling-trumps-tariffs-means-us-trade-policy-and-economy
Gonzalez, Sarah. The 145% Tariff Already Did Its Damage. NPR, 16 May 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/16/1251782092/tariff-us-china-pause-trade-war.
Miran, Stephen. A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System. November 2024. https://www.hudsonbaycapital.com/documents/FG/hudsonbay/research/638199_A_Users_Guide_to_Restructuring_the_Global_Trading_System.pdf
Luck, Philip. What the Court’s Ruling on Trump’s Tariffs Means for U.S. Trade Policy and the Economy. 29 May 2025. https://www.csis.org/analysis/what-courts-ruling-trumps-tariffs-means-us-trade-policy-and-economy
The New Age of AI
On April 10, 2025, Forbes released its seventh annual AI 50 list. Some companies shown in this list were created less than six years ago and have already reached billion-dollar valuations. For example, Anthropic, an AI model developer, has reached a nearly $60 billion valuation and $20 billion in funding. Moving down the list of companies and AI tools, including Fireworks AI’s app development, Abridge’s note-taking for doctors, and Figure AI’s humanoid robots, it is clear that AI’s rapid innovation will someday impact every job in every field. While this era of AI offers an exciting glimpse into the future of enhanced decision-making and task automation, many questions remain unanswered about what life will look like in the years to come.
According to a March 2025 survey by McKinsey and Company, more than half of the respondents, organizations with a minimum of $500 million in annual revenue, have established a team dedicated to the adoption of AI in their programs. Additionally, 71 percent of respondents claim to use AI in at least one business function. With the increasing implementation of AI within organizations, a crucial question arises: “How will AI impact the jobs of specific individuals within these companies?” For example, jobs commonly performed by paralegals in a law firm, such as legal research, document drafting, and case management, all appear to be tasks that AI will soon be able to master. While this may suggest that companies will replace paralegals and other jobs with AI to increase efficiency, others believe that the use of new technology will enhance the work that humans do, rather than replace it. Harvard Business School Professor Karim Lakhani illustrates this point in an interview about the future of AI in America, stating, “AI is not going to replace humans, but humans with AI are going to replace humans without AI.”
As a result of this rapidly changing landscape, I, a current high school student, believe that mastering AI will provide me and my fellow students with a crucial advantage; however, the use of AI is heavily discouraged in school environments. According to a survey conducted by The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), 64% of high school teachers have disciplined their students for using AI in school-related assignments. This discouragement is understandable. The use of apps like ChatGPT can hinder students' development of critical thinking skills, which are crucial for their long-term success. However, in this new age of technology, the ability to utilize AI effectively may also be essential for students as they enter the transforming job market. Therefore, it is up to educators to create an environment that allows students to practice their critical thinking while also embracing the benefits that AI has to offer. How can one make such an environment in a world where AI is becoming increasingly powerful? While this question may be challenging to answer, the solution holds the key to a new world of efficiency, power, and transformation for generations to come.
Shrivastava, Rashi. AI 50. Forbes. April 10, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/lists/ai50/.
Ignatius, Adi. AI Won’t Replace Humans — But Humans With AI Will Replace Humans Without AI. Harvard Business Review. August 4, 2023. https://hbr.org/2023/08/ai-wont-replace-humans-but-humans-with-ai-will-replace-humans-without-ai.
Dwyer, Maddy. Laird, Elizabeth. Up in the Air: Educators Juggling the Potential of Generative AI with Detection, Discipline, and Distrust. Center for Democracy and Technology. March 2024. https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-03-21-CDT-Civic-Tech-Generative-AI-Survey-Research-final.pdf.
Singla, Alex. Sukharevsky, Alexander. Yee, Lareina. Chui, Michael. Hall, Bryce. The State of AI: How Organizations Are Rewiring to Capture Value. McKinsey and Company. March 12, 2025. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai.
Amazon Rainforest Deforestation in Belém, Pará
In March 2025, the Brazilian government decided to host the COP30 Heads of State Summit, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Belém, a city within the state of Pará, in November 2025. Pará is located in the Amazon Rainforest, which holds more than 10% of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity and stores an amount of carbon equivalent to 15–20 years of global CO2 emissions. Speaking upon the advantages of hosting the conference in Brazil, Valter Correia, a COP30 secretary, states that “this will give us time for more in-depth reflection, without the pressure from hotels or the city, and will help us better organise the event’s official opening.” Following Correia’s statement, the Pará government has decided to increase the conference's efficiency by starting the construction of a four-lane highway that cuts through thousands of acres of trees within the rainforest, preparing for the incoming 50,000 new people entering the city. The responses to this decision have varied across groups. Critics, such as Belém native Claudio Verequete, claim that this process of deforestation moves directly against the Climate Summit’s purpose and sets a precedent for future acts of environmental harm. Supporters, like Pará’s state government's infrastructure secretary Adler Silveira, posit that serving the people of the COP30 in the “best possible way” proves increasingly important in solving today’s climate crises around the world, also promising that the highway would include wildlife crossings for animals to pass over, bike lanes, and solar lighting. The placement of this conference is reminiscent of romanticist ideals that have evolved from the Romantic Period in the late 18th century, emphasizing engaging with spaces like the Amazon that people regard as “untouched” or “pristine.” These ideals create the illusion that by converging in this romantic environment, a “more in-depth” reflection will take place compared to urban spaces like cities, blinding many from realizing that their engagement with these spaces could harm the environment. To protect the environment as best as possible, romantic ideals, while appealing to many, must be avoided to not only preserve these pristine spaces but to equally address other environments that don’t share the same romantic elements.
Wells, Ione. Amazon Forest Felled to Build Road for Climate Summit. BBC News. March 12, 2o25. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vy191rgn1o.
Rodriguez, Sebastian. Brazil Decides Leaders Will Speak before COP30, Easing Logistics Crunch. Climate Home News. March 14, 2o25. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2025/03/14/brazil-decides-leaders-will-speak-before-cop30-start-easing-logistics-crunch/.
Flores, Bernardo. Critical Transitions in the Amazon Forest System. Nature. February 14, 2o24. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06970-0.
Rodriguez, Sebastian. Brazil Decides Leaders Will Speak before COP30, Easing Logistics Crunch. Climate Home News. March 14, 2o25. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2025/03/14/brazil-decides-leaders-will-speak-before-cop30-start-easing-logistics-crunch/.
Flores, Bernardo. Critical Transitions in the Amazon Forest System. Nature. February 14, 2o24. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06970-0.
Blog I: The Plausible Relocation of Palestinian Citizens
In February 2025, President Trump, speaking upon a potential solution for the two-decade-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict, supposed that a Palestinian relocation agreement could be a plausible way to resolve the dispute “if we can get a beautiful area to resettle people, permanently, in nice homes where they can be happy and not be shot and not be killed.” Recently in March, the Trump Administration has doubled down on this assertion, actively reaching out to officials from three African governments, Somalia, Somaliland, and Sudan, to discuss using their land as relocation settlements for more than 2 million Palestinians. Israeli politicians, such as Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, claim that this solution could help end the tireless Gaza conflict that has killed around fifty thousand Palestinians and nearly two thousand Israeli citizens since 2023. On the other hand, many Arab Muslim countries, including Palestine, describe this resolution as ethnic cleansing, forcibly removing a nation from a home they’ve occupied for centuries. Forcibly removing Palestinians from their land doesn’t result in a solution. This notion represents an act of giving up and a failure to acknowledge the rights of Palestinians to live within their homeland. Even though relocation would considerably decrease the civilian deaths that have plagued both countries for decades, these acts would only represent a loss for the Palestinian population, creating an increased tension between these groups that would set the stage for future conflict. To reach a place of peace for both parties, a two-state solution that allows both peoples to occupy the land they deserve must be sought after. Although deciding which country “deserves” each piece of land has been the center point of conflict for years, the fight for peace must continue until it is achieved, not oversimplified through relocation efforts.
Federman, Josef, Lee, Mathew, and Magdy, Samy. AP Exclusive: US and Israel Look to Africa for Moving Palestinians Uprooted from Gaza. The Associated Press. March 14, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-trump-somaliland-sudan-somalia-575e03aaa0c487bae2fbadfdef8f5ca3.
Estrin, Daniel. Moving Palestinians Out of Gaza? Trump's Idea Takes On A Life of Its Own in Israel. National Public Radio. March 11, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/11/nx-s1-5324605/gaza-emigration-israel-trump.
Goldenberg, Tina, and Madhani, Aamer. Trump Won’t Rule Out Deploying Troops to Support Rebuilding Gaza, Sees ‘Long-Term’ U.S. Ownership. The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 2025. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-04/trump-and-netanyahu-hold-talks-as-us-president-warns-no-guarantees-fragile-peace-in-gaza-will-hold.
Estrin, Daniel. Moving Palestinians Out of Gaza? Trump's Idea Takes On A Life of Its Own in Israel. National Public Radio. March 11, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/11/nx-s1-5324605/gaza-emigration-israel-trump.
Goldenberg, Tina, and Madhani, Aamer. Trump Won’t Rule Out Deploying Troops to Support Rebuilding Gaza, Sees ‘Long-Term’ U.S. Ownership. The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 2025. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-04/trump-and-netanyahu-hold-talks-as-us-president-warns-no-guarantees-fragile-peace-in-gaza-will-hold.
January 30 PolyGlobal Event - DACA and Immigration
I attended a panel that discussed the future of DACA in the wake of Trump’s second administration. The panel, which included Professor Reisz, Professor Rojas, and Mr. De Los Santos, provided me with valuable insight into DACA’s purpose and future existence. I greatly appreciated the panel's clear and digestible discussion of their topics, which allowed people like me, who lack in-depth knowledge of the immigration process, to engage with and understand the material.
What struck me about the experience was Professor Reisz’s discussion of the 14th Amendment and how the Trump administration plans on attacking the amendment’s current “interpretation.” This moment brought me back to my AP U.S. History classroom, where I learned about the power of judiciary reviews, allowing the Supreme Court to rule based on their interpretations of the Constitution. With such unequivocal statements as those in the 14 Amendment, it remains unclear how such laws can not only be interpreted differently but attacked for their current mainstream interpretation. What else can be interpreted differently? Can we use this interpretation power to fight back against stricter immigration policy?
Another moment that still sticks with me was Mr. De Los Santos’s description of his time in Mexico. His beautiful and fun description of the country and seeing his family reminded me of my time in my “home” country, Lebanon. However, what compelled me most was his point that, due to stricter immigration policy, leaving the country again could have dangerous implications for his U.S. citizenship. His description of Mexico, juxtaposed with the current climate of the U.S., allowed me to relate further to what a DACA recipient must feel during these uncertain times.
Thank you so much to Professor Reisz, Professor Rojas, and Mr. De Los Santos for providing valuable information to our community.
What struck me about the experience was Professor Reisz’s discussion of the 14th Amendment and how the Trump administration plans on attacking the amendment’s current “interpretation.” This moment brought me back to my AP U.S. History classroom, where I learned about the power of judiciary reviews, allowing the Supreme Court to rule based on their interpretations of the Constitution. With such unequivocal statements as those in the 14 Amendment, it remains unclear how such laws can not only be interpreted differently but attacked for their current mainstream interpretation. What else can be interpreted differently? Can we use this interpretation power to fight back against stricter immigration policy?
Another moment that still sticks with me was Mr. De Los Santos’s description of his time in Mexico. His beautiful and fun description of the country and seeing his family reminded me of my time in my “home” country, Lebanon. However, what compelled me most was his point that, due to stricter immigration policy, leaving the country again could have dangerous implications for his U.S. citizenship. His description of Mexico, juxtaposed with the current climate of the U.S., allowed me to relate further to what a DACA recipient must feel during these uncertain times.
Thank you so much to Professor Reisz, Professor Rojas, and Mr. De Los Santos for providing valuable information to our community.
