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a, Opinion

Journey or the destination?

by Swathi Sadagopan on

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Earlier this year, India’s most well-known newspaper, The Times of India, was found to have recycled a three-year-old full page cover story word-for-word as a paid-for advertisement. There has been an alarming regularity with which incidents of gross misconduct have come to light: for example, over 100 Harvard students cheated on an exam last academic year. Closer to home, Margaret Wente of the Globe and Mail admitted to running excerpts written by others in a July 2009 column, passing them off as her own. Most recently, the Harvard Crimson scrutinized Paul Krugman’s citation standards in one of his NYT op-eds.

Each of these cases (barring Dr. Krugman, of course—journalistic citations demand integrity but definitely offer some latitude) presents interesting questions to ponder. Can money cloud the judgment of a newspaper enough for it to sell its masthead to advertisers? Does the promise of getting a good grade on a final motivate an entire class to cheat? Would the prospect of publishing a spectacular piece drive a columnist to sample other’s thoughts and opinions without credit? Wente is certainly not an exception in this case. These questions are eloquently summed up by American philosopher Martha Nussbaum in her The Fragility of Goodness. This philosophical treatise is Nussbaum’s authoritative view on notions of tragedy and ethics. By analyzing ethical dilemmas, Nussbaum puts forward a pointed question: Why should anyone do the right thing when there are no particularly striking incentives for good behaviour?

The motivation for such acts of plagiarism largely stem from mismanaged time. During the years we spend at McGill, there’s always room for a lapse or two—under the brutal force of a looming deadline, all standards of ethics and originality can crumble. When immediate focus is placed entirely on submitting an assignment, acing a final, or turning in a report, the final results—grades—take precedence. Acquisition of knowledge and expertise in a field feel like utopian ideals in a system of education that seemingly acts against you. The joy and goal of learning seem mundane as we don roles of assignment-completing, number-crunching machines. The incentives are not apparent; the options tempting, even corrupting. In the viral age, it is much easier to give in, and it is just as easy to get caught.

[pullquote]Why should anyone do the right thing when there are no particularly striking incentives for good behaviour?[/pullquote]

Finding the right incentives lies at the core of reform. All is not right with the way higher education functions. Most institutions deal with plagiarism by penalizing misbehaviour. The failure to acknowledge and reward good deeds can counteract the effects of these supposed bulwarks that prevent damage. For instance, many consumers at the grocery store check-out line continue to spring the few additional cents for a plastic bag without thinking, and wasteful behaviour progresses in an infinite loop. The ideal solution to this issue is to charge more and provide a cloth bag. Any sensible consumer would eventually bring his or her own cloth bag (likely purchased at a check-out line at some point). This sort of positive penalization promotes good behaviour.

The solution to academic dishonesty is a similar one. Instead of handing out an identical problem-set to a class, students should be allowed to select from a pool of challenging questions. Additionally, the weighting of assignments towards the final grade can be reduced to a bare minimum, assuming that most of the cheating happens on assignments. If such a system were replicated in educational establishments today, there’s some hope for the preservation of the ideals in a real university education.

a, Opinion

On campus politics

by Tiffany Lam on

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With AUS elections underway (voting period is from October 4th-10th), debate on the importance of student politics is particularly potent. The recent discussion on student politics in the Tribune has suggested two things: first, there are core reasons we should be politically active on campus; second, political activism helps students identify with those reasons, providing an impetus for these students to get involved.

However, students should not be expected to come to McGill with an understanding of their role in McGill civil society, nor should they be expected to understand the political context in which they entered McGill. The lack of involvement in student politics suggests a lack of grassroots engagement with students. Any civil society’s reach is dependent on its ability to demonstrate its cause to be important.

Sometimes, students are simply unaware of the issues on which they are able to take a stance. The AUS and other faculty associations should focus on how to illustrate the importance of political involvement on campus. It is a long-term goal, and perhaps waiting to reap its benefit could seem too distant. However,  without an effective ability to elect individuals who can identify and communicate the issues that would mobilize students to vote, it would be pointless to run a political society in the first place. Reliable and effective dissemination of information regarding substantial student issues have become underrated. Modes of communication, like listservs, have arguably proven themselves to be less user-friendly than they should be. As a whole, spreading awareness has become far too undervalued to make any meaningful progress.

[pullquote]The lack of involvement in student politics suggests a lack of grassroots engagement with students.[/pullquote]

Political leadership, especially in a student society, necessitates striking a balance between taking one’s own initiative and accommodating people’s needs. Unfortunately, to compel engagement in civil society (voting), student leaders tend to inadvertently become too representative, and this has upset the balance needed in student leadership. Taking too much individual initiative breeds stagnation, in part because students are unaware of many issues. As a result, candidates end up failing to voice issues that resonate with them the most, all the while making empty promises of “this is how I would deal with your hypothetical issues.” This, once again, ultimately leads to a failure in progress through their own initiative, as well as the hypothetical initiative of students.

The question thus lies in whether McGill student associations can make their automatic memberships serve a clearly defined purpose. The problem with the lack of student involvement in campus politics alludes to a structural issue, and begs the question of whether there is a need to manipulate the structure of campus civil society to necessitate student government as an entity in the first place. There is a need for more encouragement to engage in the democratic process.

a, Arts & Entertainment

Rowling’s latest is vacant of magic

by Lauren Pires on

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Five years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling has finally released The Casual Vacancy, a novel aimed at adults. Set in the town of Pagford, the plot follows the town’s inhabitants in the aftermath of the death of Barry Fairbrother, renowned member of the town, formerly cositting on the city council and heavily influencing the town’s adolescents. His death creates what is known as a ‘casual vacancy’ on the council board, and the rest of the book deals with the ensuing upheaval.

Fans may be let down by Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy. The writing is so obviously Rowling’s that it is almost painful to be reading about Barry Fairbrother instead of Harry Potter. Her penchant for making the quotidien wonderfully descriptive forever cemented the world of Hogwarts in the minds of a generation, but falls flat in the little town of Pagford.

The problem is that this novel is bland. What it lacks is magic—and not, necessarily, in the literal sense. Would the entire story be made better if each character carried a wand and attended Hogwarts? Yes. But that wasn’t Rowling’s goal. She wanted to write an adult novel exploring the teeming underbelly of town life: the antagonism of close quarters, rampant intolerance and racism, sexual frustration, and the general unease that hides behind the pretty façade of an old-fashioned English town. She does just that, but it lacks the flair of her best-selling series. The story itself has promise, and her characters are well-written, but they lack the appeal, emotional gravitas, and depth that we have come to expect from her.

Even though this is an adult book, the shining characters are the young adults of the town, making it clear that Rowling’s forte is truly grasping adolescence, a stage often misrepresented, stereotyped, and trivialized by adult writers. While the adult characters are stodgy, hypocritical, and oddly reminiscent of the Dursleys, the younger characters are engaging—despite being a far cry from the beloved heroes of Potter. Their drug abuse, self-harm, swearing, and casual sex set them up to be completely misunderstood by the adults of Pagford; but their actions throughout the novel reveal them to be much more sophisticated and morally sound than the petty, unsympathetic, close-minded folk of Pagford.

This book progresses as expected, but reading it certainly wasn’t boring—rather, the melodrama of the final act leaves the bitter taste of disappointment. It’s a well-enough written novel, with some biting social satire and an interesting perspective on small English towns, but it is also dark and bleak, without the hope and fantasy of Harry Potter. Perhaps it is childish to expect a neat happy conclusion that restores our faith in humanity, and perhaps it was the best thing J.K. Rowling could do to distance herself from her previous characters, but one cannot help but hope that she returns soon to her magical roots.

A micrograph of an ovarian tumor (blog.netbio.com).
a, Science & Technology

Researchers unmask genetic nature of ovarian cancer

by Sen Li on

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Ovarian cancer is the fifth-most diagnosed cancer among Canadian women, accounting for four per cent of all new cases. Tragically, 75 per cent of these new cases prove terminal within five years of their diagnosis. Although it is often compared to breast cancer, ovarian cancer is, in fact, more deadly, because detection usually occurs at a relatively advanced stage.

“Breast cancer patients die—not because of the cancer itself, but because of the migration of the cancer cell, while ovarian cancer patients die because it cannot be controlled,” Dr. Patricia N. Tonin, cancer researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and associate professor in McGill’s department of medicine, said of the disease.

Recognized as the most lethal gynecological cancer, ovarian cancer differs from other forms in its aggressive characteristics and the general lack of clinical and technological advancement in treatment techniques.

While 95 per cent of ovarian cancer cases can be labeled as benign, they are treated in the same way as the malignant cases—with extensive rounds of chemotherapy and cytoreductive‡ procedures.

However, a recent study conducted by the RI-MUHC—in collaboration with the Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital and the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre—has discovered two distinctly different genetic patterns that will not only shed light on the biological make-up of the disease, but may also revolutionize treatment plans, which currently lack customization, by focusing separately on each of these two cases.

According to Dr. Tonin, who led the study, the underlying mechanism causing ovarian cancer is the mutated form of gene TP53, which produces an abnormal, mutant protein p53. When the protein is functioning normally, it “maintains the integrity of the genome,” by detecting massive reorganizations, which is a signal of possible mistakes conducive to the advent of cancer. The protein either decides “this is such a mess; we are going to kill the cell [or] we can fix this mistake,” Dr. Tonin said.

In over 90 per cent of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSCs), a common form of ovarian cancer, the gene that has been mutated is typically responsible for sensing problems with the organization of the genome. The mutant gene instead blocks any opportunity to dispose of the troublesome cells.

The consequences of ovarian cancer vary dramatically across cases, based on the biology of the protein. A cell with mutated TP53 either may or may not produce a mutant p53 protein, and these two outcomes are directly linked to the survival rate of ovarian cancer; the former results in longer survival times and delays in cancer cell reoccurrence than the latter.  This is a groundbreaking discovery because it is the first to uncover the biological difference between the two genetic patterns of ovarian cancer.

Dr. Tonin’s research paves the way for future studies into the pharmaceutical solutions to cancer. Scientists will continue working to find medications that are specifically targeted at each individual pattern, so as to reduce the invasiveness of future clinical procedures, and improve the overall outcome of treatment plans.

“Our next step,” Dr. Tonin said, “is to replicate our findings with publicly available datasets, separate the samples into two groups, and see if the patients actually survive longer, and also to generate more sophisticated data points to identify the genes involved in a more specific way.”

 ‡Cytoreductive: reducing the number of cells, as in surgery for a tumor.

a, Arts & Entertainment

The imperfection–and triumph—of Holocaust films

by Esther Vinarov on

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Writing, directing, and producing a movie is a difficult undertaking. Films take on the enormous task of representing the world—all its sensations and nuances, beauties and horrors—in a very limited medium. Considering the added difficulty of portraying an event as appalling and horrific as the Holocaust,  an accurate depiction through film seems nearly impossible. In fact, it is impossible. And yet, film is still the best way to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive. Relatively few people will read textbooks, listen to interviews, take seminars, or go to museums, but everyone watches movies. Cinema, though imperfect, is the optimal form of media to connect people to the Holocaust.

This month, Cinema du Parc makes an honourable attempt to embrace as many Holocaust narratives as possible in their showcase, About the Holocaust: A selection of rare films. The movies range from the very old to the very recent, from documentaries to Hollywood blockbusters. Though no film will ever be able to portray the Holocaust with complete accuracy, this wide assortment of attempts generates a relatively holistic interpretation of the Holocaust. Acknowledging that it cannot be condensed into one narrative, one victim, or one emotion, Cinema du Parc hopes that presenting all these films collectively will be the best attempt.

The short French documentary, Night and Fog, asks “what hope do we have of truly capturing this reality?” The narrator states that “words are insufficient,” but continues nonetheless, attempting to find the language that can even begin to describe the Holocaust. Like many other films of this genre, Night and Fog is a paradox that acknowledges the impossibility and hopelessness of relaying the Holocaust through film, but tries anyway. The struggle to achieve the impossible is the most important thing we can do as a post-WWII generation.

So if Holocaust films are inaccurate, then why make them? The films do not exist just to make us cry, or to make sure we never forget—the responsibility of Holocaust movies is to trigger our innermost sense of humanity. We must ask ourselves, as The Reader so bluntly puts it, “What would you have done?” Thanks to Cinema du Parc’s wide collection of films, there is no shortage of situations where we can, and must, ask ourselves this question.

Each movie shows different individuals in different circumstances, and they all have to make moral and ethical choices that define them as human beings. In Sophie’s Choice, Meryl Streep’s character begs, “don’t make me choose”—in the kind of world we want to live in, we shouldn’t have to make the kinds of choices that she made. Yet, movies force us to imagine just that kind of world. Cinema thrusts our latent, most basic levels of humanity to the surface; it encourages us to evaluate ourselves through the perspectives of various characters, so that we will be prepared to make the right choices.

Experiencing past attrocities through cinema makes us strive to be more humane in the present. In this way, we can reassure ourselves that we—as individuals and as a contemporary society—will never let such events happen in the future.

Holocaust films will always fail in the sense that the topic simply cannot be perfectly translated to film. Whether or not they succeed depends on what we learn from them—not about the Holocaust, but about ourselves. Because, as The Reader asks, “if people like you don’t learn from what happened to people like me, then what the hell is the point of anything?”

 

Jack O’Donnell (Cranston) and Tony Mendez (Affleck). (filmofilia.com)
a, Arts & Entertainment

Argo uncovers the personal in the political

by Chris Liu on

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What does it take to fool the Iranian Revolutionary Guard? If Argo is to be believed, the answer lies in a little Hollywood magic. Director and star Ben Affleck excavates the human story that so often gets buried beneath the rubble of political turmoil. The result is a tightly-wound, deftly-scripted film that is less of a history textbook than a how-to guide on building cinematic suspense.

In 1979, Iranian students, aflame with revolutionary fervour, overran the American Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 60 American diplomats hostage. Before the Islamic Republic of Iran had even taken its baby steps, it picked a fight with an alpha dog of the international order. Unbeknownst to Iran, however, six Americans managed to escape, seeking refuge in the residence of the Canadian ambassador. The result is a tale almost too fantastical to believe. In the words of one CIA division head (played by Bryan Cranston), delivered in a deadly deadpan tone: “this is the best bad idea we have sir—by far.”

This idea involves CIA ‘exfiltration’ officer Tony Mendez (Affleck) sneaking into Iran to help the six Americans to pose as a Canadian film crew. They’re in Iran scouting locations for a film, ‘Argo: A Science Fantasy Adventure.’ Now they’d like to leave—please. What could go wrong?

Affleck’s last directorial effort was The Town (2010), and though it differs from Argo in key ways—the former an action-oriented heist film, the latter a slow-simmering political thriller—both are evidence that Affleck is a better director than actor. The Mendez that we see is no-nonsense, gets the job done, a man who sacrifices family for his work—in other words, the boring archetype that passes for antihero in the 21st century—and it doesn’t help that Affleck plays him with whatever is the opposite of charisma.

The true strength of the film lies in the cinematography, the editing, the script, and the interplay between the three. The skillful editing of historical reels, interspersed amongst filmed footage, endeavours to ground the film in historical reality. The selective use of the handheld camera makes its appearance, such as during the initial siege of the embassy, even more effective. Dialogue can be sharp and biting, and the screenplay’s adroit weaving of levity and tension, particularly in the hands of Cranston, is a pleasure to behold.

On to the politics. The script goes to great lengths to present the views of both ‘sides,’ but only during the moments that function as history lessons. The rest of the film is mostly stripped of this level-headedness. The fact that the ‘balanced view’ is seen during historical narrations, while the meat-and-bones of the film is replete with subtle (and not-so-subtle) bits of American triumphalism, reinforces a cognitive dissonance in the viewer. The result is an audience who can hold simultaneously a sympathy for the Iranian people and a self-righteousness for the Western endeavour, a contradiction reflected in the murmurs of the audience.

Nevertheless, Affleck’s focus clearly isn’t on the political. In fact, Argo is successful not despite, but because of this tactical decision. The taut, high-strung journey is fundamentally a tale of heroism, of human triumph through political machination. I cringe when thinking of how many high school teachers will be substituting a social studies class with this film in the years to come—but at least they’ll have good cinematic taste.

Argo opens in theatres Friday, Oct. 12.

a, Arts & Entertainment

Could Be Good

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Film

The Complete Woody Allen

Cinema du Parc’s retrospective begins Friday, Oct. 12, and includes Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Play It Again Sam, and Sleeper. Tickets $8, show times can be found at www.cinemaduparc.com

Film

Kubrick’s Firsts

Friday Oct. 12 through Sunday Oct. 14, legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s first films (Fear & Desire; The Seafarers) are on display. This is a rare opportunity, with Fear & Desire recently restored piecemeal from strips in private collections. Tickets $8, show times can be found at www.cinemaduparc.com

Film

Classic Films That Must Be Seen

This Saturday and Sunday, catch Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation and Virgin Suicides as part of Cinema du Parc’s classic films series.

Tickets $8, showtimes can be found at www.cinemaduparc.com

Music

Montreal Ska Festival

The Fundamentals, Victor Rice vs. The M7, and The Planetsmashers are featured Thursday through Sunday at the fourth Montreal Ska Festival.

Tickets: $17.20-$20.20, and can be purchased at www.montrealskafestival.com

Comedy

Russell Peters

The renowned comedian plays the Bell Centre this Monday, Oct. 15, as part of his Notorious World Tour. Tickets $52.50-$99.50, and can be purchased at www.evenko.ca

Sam (Emma Watson) and Charlie (Logan Lerman). (www.themoviemash.com)
a, Arts & Entertainment

Wallflower: coming of age through pain and splendour

by Alex Kpeglo-Hennessy on

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Though peppered with clichés like “we accept the love we think we deserve,” The Perks of Being a Wallflower is not a typical teen movie. Director Stephen Chbosky’s adaption of his own novel feels genuine—at times, heart-wrenchingly so. Fans of the book will welcome the film’s loyalty to the original.

Charlie (Logan Lerman), the film’s outcast protagonist, sends letters to an anonymous reader, searching for the outlet he lacks. These letters detail Charlie’s struggles to connect with a world outside of his family and overcome mental trauma. Rather than becoming a dreary plot-advancement device, the letters allow the audience to become his “dear friend,” to whom he turns to in his times of need. Lerman’s portrayal of Charlie is orchestrated to the last detail; his manner of speech and body language betray how lonely and anxious this wallflower is, even without dialogue.

During one high school football game, Charlie walks up to Patrick (Ezra Miller), a senior in his freshman woodshop class. Later that night he meets Patrick’s step-sister, Sam (Emma Watson), and Charlie begins to (quite literally) dance away from his wall as he connects with them.

While Patrick is the vibrant class clown, he also happens to be dating the high school football star Brad on the side, and he steals all of the attention away from Charlie, perhaps intentionally. While Miller handles Patrick’s range of emotions, from punchlines to despair, with ease, Watson falls flat. Her mediocre performance as a damaged music lover, with a line of awful boyfriends, is decidedly forgettable. Nevertheless, the three grow close; as Charlie is exposed to drugs, alcohol, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, he finally experiences a world outside of his crippling depression.

The aesthetics of the film, especially the cityscapes, make it a pleasure to watch. The cinematography effortlessly depicts ‘90s Pittsburgh, from mix-tapes to walkmens. During one of their first encounters, Patrick and Charlie drive through a tunnel while Sam stands triumphantly in the rear, the city’s skyline emblazoned in the background. The skyscrapers, with their bright lights and monumental longevity are a tangible representation of how, in that moment, the trio “feel[s] infinite.”

The pacing translates well from the novel. Charlie’s experiences feel like snapshots of his life, and his perspective is told through his letters. However, the movie feels rushed and glossed over. There are several sub-plots that feel irrelevant because they are not properly fleshed out.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower isn’t really a boy meets girl story—more like boy meets lots of emotional issues. However, it never feels fake or forced. It’s definitely worth seeing for its rising stars or excellent soundtrack alone. Much like Charlie, the film thrusts the stuff of life—both happy and sad—onto view. The Perks of Being a Wallflower isn’t just comedy—rather, it’s humour interlaced with a sombre look at what it means to stand up and take part in life.

The Perks of Being  a Wallflower is currently showing at Cineplex Scotiabank Theatres, 977 rue Sainte-Catherine.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Muse: The 2nd Law

by Lauren Pires on

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Muse was heard across the world this year with their official Olympic anthem “Survival.” Their sixth album, The 2nd Law, followed hot on its heels, and much like their Olympic debut, brought back the grandiose musicality and exuberant magnitude that Muse fans have been dying for the band to rediscover.

This album is incredibly adventurous and a little cheeky. While it doesn’t stray from the expected themes of political resistance and apocalyptic forecasts, some tracks, namely the standout number “Panic Station,” skirt the edges of funk, reminiscent of a mid-‘80s David Bowie. The band even ventures into ‘brostep’ territory, with Nero producing “Follow Me.” Strangely enough, these all come together under the banner of a quasi-sci-fi theme (the title of the album referring to the second law of thermodynamics) to form an epic, entertaining record. Unusually for Muse, The 2nd Law adds a second voice into the mix, as fans get to hear bass player Christopher Wolstenholme take vocal lead on “Save Me” and “Liquid State.”

It seems fitting then, that this album contains a minute-long instrumental “Prelude” in classic Baroque style, that segues into “Survival.” With its cacophony of operatic voices, bass heavy music, and thundering guitar that persist throughout, the album may perhaps be a modern take on the operatic form, based on an allegory including thermodynamics and the global economic crisis. Or, it could just be Muse doing what they do best: creating the kind of music that is meant to be played live in stadiums to enthralled audiences.

While this album is nothing like Muse classics (Black Holes; Revelations) The 2nd Law far outshines their last release—The Resistance—and sets the groundwork for a new spin on Muse’s well-oiled formula. The 2nd Law keeps the epic and adds the funk, and frankly, this new spin suits Muse well.

 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Thus:Owls : Harbours

by Bronte Martin on

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Oct. 5, 2012 proved to be a day of excitement for experimental-pop group Thus:Owls. Not only was it the release date of their most recent album Harbours, but it was also a day of positive response from devoted fans. Erika Angell, a Swedish singer/composer is to thank for gathering this fragile and ghostly concept-band which came into existence just over three years ago. Since then, Thus:Owls have not sat still, touring extensively throughout Europe and North America.

The Angells (Erika and her husband Simon), Cecilia Persson, Martin Höper, and Olga Hultgren spent long hours in the French countryside recording all nine compositions for Harbours, and finally arrived at an album that they believe “straddles the world of fragility with cinematic intensity.” Decorated accordingly, with strings, percussions, and horns, Erika Angell’s voice (reminiscent of Julia Stone) glides over memorable tracks such as “I Weed The Garden” and a personal favourite, “Farmers In Japan.”

Thus:Owls’ eerie, ethereal sound seems to be grounded in their international influence, stretching from Sweden to Montreal. Unfortunately, their signature sound was missing in a number of the songs (“Museum” and “Roots”), and the sense of melancholia characteristic of their work was absent in almost half of Harbours’ tracks. In spite of the hit-and-miss nature of the album, the few enjoyable songs work well to relieve one’s autumn blues.

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