capitalism
Food for Thought: Coffee’s complicated history
July 10, 2021By: Nancy La, Staff Writer It is a universally acknowledged truth that many students wishing to perform their best require caffeine’s help. Coffee is one of the most popular caffeinated beverages, yet it is a product that leads to dangerous worker exploitation. This is due to its colonial history and the way it is produced today. This important staple makes our day much better, but we must also educate ourselves on its controversial past and present in order to make the most ethical consumer decisions. For the most part, coffee can only be grown in what is called the “Bean…
Continue reading
Planned obsolescence sucks
June 16, 2021By: Kelly Chia, Staff Writer Do you know how your phone has somewhere between two to three years before it starts slowing down? Or how you have to replace light bulbs every few months or so? That’s planned obsolescence in action,…
Continue reading
What Grinds Our Gears: Misleading prices
May 11, 2021By: Dev Petrovic, Opinions Editor Generally, I don’t mind spending a little bit more on food items that I enjoy, as long as I am aware of the monetary value of the product. Alas, it seems like grocery stores tend…
Continue reading
Toxicity in online yoga communities and how my Master’s degree helped me break free
February 6, 2021Written by: Charlotte Gravert, SFU Student I vividly remember the first time I went to a yoga class — the kind of yoga that contemporary pop culture treats as the image of youth, answer to good health, and the quick…
Continue reading
Holiday commercials are more sinister than sweet
December 11, 2020by Madeleine Chan, Opinions Editor Every year after Halloween ends, they come flooding in: holiday commercials. Not just the ones that feature holiday music, deals, and colours — i’m talking about the commercials that act like a whole ass short…
Continue reading
Vancouver is a performative capitalist city
December 2, 2020by Mina Garlick, SFU Student Vancouver has recently started a campaign called the “Vancouver Plan” to encourage positive change for issues in the city. These efforts feel like a step in the right direction, but the city should be doing…
Continue reading
We shouldn’t celebrate Black Friday
November 23, 2020by Jacob Mattie, SFU Student Black Friday has never been a holiday for the people. From its conception to its frenetic present-day form, it has always been a way to encourage impulsive consumption. With the dramatic changes in our lifestyles…
Continue reading
Fossil fuel divestment is painful but necessary for universities
January 18, 2020Editor's Note: This piece has been updated to clarify SFU's actions in reducing the carbon footprint of its portfolio. By: Nicole Magas, Opinions Editor For the second winter in a row, I am staring out of my window in Burnaby at…
Continue reading
Friendly customer service is not an invitation for physical contact
January 13, 2020By: Nicole Magas, Opinions Editor Between the low pay and dealing with entitled Karens, many of us with experience in the service industry have harboured the secret fantasy of being hit by a bus on the way to work, just to…
Continue reading
What Grinds Our Gears: How holiday gifting has turned into a capitalist chore
January 5, 2020By: Madeleine Chan, Staff Writer I’ve noticed something alarming this past holiday season. People rushed to get last minute gifts. They didn’t know what to buy, and just settled for the most convenient item. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s a loop where…
Continue reading
