The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 24

March 2, 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 11 Opinions The claims of censorship Thanks for the diploma, but what do I do with it? Is it just me or do any other rising juniors or soon to be graduates feel like they are this close to having a full on quarter-life crisis? It’s a week after midterms, and even though most of my focus is on making sure President Hanbury hands me my diploma, I’m also scouring job boards with the intensity of the BAU unit of “Criminal Minds.” Yet, despite using every single keyword and skill buzzwords in my arsenal in three different states, I still can’t find a job I’m qualified for. Most of the jobs I found want eight or more years of experience in the field, a masters or doctorate degree, or my personal favorite, the jobs are unpaid or just slightly above minimum wage. I am not graduating college with a mountain of debt from student loans, but it’s definitely a hikable hill with a view. I can’t afford to get another unpaid internship or scrape the bottom of my savings account. So, what does that leave me with? Right back to square one: scrolling for hours, silently crying onto my keyboard and lying on my floor ranting to my graduate- school roommate about how I’m afraid I won’t be able to get a job, and in reality, have no clue what I’m going to do with my life. Now, I know what you are going to say. “Go to Over the last decade, there were big changes in our daily lives, and the power of social media has been a big part of it. If we look 10 years back, there is no way that social media then has the same power and influence it has today. The differences are enormous, to the point that it wouldn’t be something crazy to say that, today, we are in a whole different world. Without exaggerating, nowadays, social media has an incredible power -- a power that seems to have no limits. According to Statista, a German company specializing in market and consumer data, social media usage is considered to be the most popular online activity. In 2020, over 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to almost 4.41 billion in 2025. Apps such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have more than 500 million unique visitors. As time goes by, these apps continue to grow and show that they are an incredible resource. Consequently, such apps control almost everything. On Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, you can see ads everywhere. Even companies, no matter how big or small, use them as they know they are able to have more outreach to current or future clients. Even though social media has been a great advance in communication, there are indeed certain negative aspects of such a tool. One of the greatest discomforts of social media is the respect for the user’s privacy and the impact certain comments and opinions have that have repercussions. Networks such as Instagram and Twitter are in favor of showing the user as they are. They want to let users feel authentic and able express themselves either through a photo or a comment. However, today, many are afraid to show who they are because of comments, likes, and in short, because of what others may think. Unfortunately, this is normal. With the improvement of technology and social media networks, everyone seems to be watching and paying attention as to what one is going to say and think. This problem has led to the possibility of censusing certain comments. Because these social media companies have a principle idea CAPs and get advice from friends and peers.” Been there, done that. I’ve spoken to two professors so far as well as CAPs and they did give good advice, but I still think the job market is way too saturated to make a decision right now that makes sense. At this point, I’m looking at a temporary job to try and downgrade that hikable hill with a view to an elevated street. Even if I talk to family or friends, most of them aren’t familiar enough with my field to offer anything more helpful than “minimum wage is not enough to live on” or the simple “you’ll find a job.” Not to mention that we are going through a pandemic right now. It’s not exactly easy to enter the workforce for your first “big girl” job that primarily is in a virtual space with not many companies or other places hiring because of COVID-19 restrictions. According to a Forbes article in 2019, more recent college graduates are unemployed or underemployed, meaning working for a job that doesn’t require their degree, than in past generations. I don’t think that means that we are all just “giving up” on finding a job. I think it means it’s getting harder and harder to find a job to fit our means and wants. It’s important to note that I’m not talking about the “need” to own a BMW. I mean the need to pay off our student loan debt. that users are authentic on their platforms, it should make it impossible to censor content. Faced with this, I think that the responsibility is only on the users, and not only on social networks, but also in every second of our lives. You yourself can never show your true image unless we evolve as a society -- an understanding, caring and respectful society. The responsibility is unique and completely ours. It is our job to grow as a society and understand that we can all think differently. Because we think differently, because we like different things, we cannot look at the other as a stranger and separate him, her or they. Being different is normal. It is just a matter of respecting those differences. By: Santiago Diaz Finochietto Contributing Writer Don’t get your hopes too high… yet If you’ve been keeping up with the news or read the recap of Biden’s first weeks in office featured in the last issue of The Current, you probably know a little bit about how President Biden has been taking strides to overturn the policies left by former president Donald Trump. In his first few weeks, Biden has used executive orders to put an end to many infamous Trump-era policies. From revoking the travel ban on majority-Muslim countries to stopping the construction of the border wall and reversing the transgender ban in the military, Biden has demonstrated his resolve to bring about a new chapter inAmerican history, one based on inclusion and consideration. The early actions of the newpresident have sparked hope in many Americans and throughout the world that this administration will be able to right many of the wrongs that have developed in the U.S. as a result of the past four years. I know I speak for more than myself when I say Jan. 20 felt like the first deep breath of fresh air I’d taken in a long time. However, although being optimistic about the future of the Biden administration is certainly a good thing, it is important to remember that lasting change will take a lot more than a swipe of the president’s pen. One reason for this stems from how executive orders work. Enacted by the president, executive orders give the president the power to issue federal directives, and while they don’t create law, they play a large role in shaping policy. The problem is, with every new presidency, the orders are easily and often quickly revoked by the incoming administration, as Biden has demonstrated in his first weeks. To avoid this type of overhaul when a new administration takes office, lasting change must extend beyond executive orders. Effective change needs to be a collaborative effort and will rely on the efforts of all of us. From the office of the president and the executive agencies to the local governments, creating a legacy that will last beyond Biden’s time in office will take work. It’s important to consider the positive impacts that Biden’s actions have so far had on Americans both domestically and abroad, but evenmore important to remember that thismonth has just been the start. There are a lot of areas that need much more than an executive order to fix, including the U.S. immigration system, environmental policy and so much more. By remaining hopeful, but continuing to pressure your local, state and federal representatives to take meaningful action, you can play a role in shaping a brighter, kinder and healthier future. By: Sofia Gallus Arts & Entertainment Editor By: Christina McLaughlin Co-Editor-in-Chief PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY UNSPLASHED.COM A man with red tape covering his mouth. PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY UN- SPLASHED.COM The Capitol Building