The Argus 2020 Year in Review, Part 2
Yes, there was a global pandemic. But what else will we remember about last year? Journalism students discuss the rest of the good, the bad, the serious, the trivial, the deservingly hyped, and the overrated from a year the world has been happy to put in the rearview mirror.
Rumors of King Jong-Un’s Death Prove to Be Greatly Exaggerated
Photo: North Korean government
By DANIIL DAVYDOV
Rumor had it last year that North Korea’s dictator, Kim Jong-un, was dead. Some said that he had passed from a botched surgery, while others said that he was in a coma or brain dead. But after 20 days of going M.I.A., he resurfaced at the opening of a fertilizing factory.
Kim Jong-un has been leading North Korea since December of 2011. Growing up, he was kept out of the public eye, and he now leads a mysterious life. Most of the information the media has about him is not thoroughly confirmed, along with rumors like this one. It is said that his birthday is January 8, 1984, but no one knows for sure, which is odd since North Koreans celebrate his father’s and grandfather's birthdays as national holidays. In fact, the rumors of his death started on April 15 when Kim Jong-un did not make an appearance to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday. A couple of years back, while his father Kim Jong-il was still in power, he did not make an appearance at a very important parade in North Korea. Later on, people learned that it was because he had had a stroke. For all we know, Kim Jong-un could have just been staying “corona safe,” although the Communist dictatorship’s media claimed the country had zero cases.
People started to question what would happen next if he really had died. Who would take his spot as leader? His children, who are also kept out of the public eye, are too young. His sister Kim Yo-jong is a possibility, but there has never been a female leader in North Korea. When people saw Kim Jong-un after his return, he looked surprisingly healthy, which left people still confused as to why he was actually gone for such a long period of time. As with North Korea in general, the mystery continues.
Photo: Epic Games
Millions Become Addicted to ‘Among Us’
By STEPHANIE FERRARA
Last year, Among Us became the most popular online game ever in terms of monthly users. When the game was originally released in November 2018 by indie studio Innersloth, it was not popular at all, with only eight concurrent players in its first six months. Later in 2019, it still had only 100 concurrent players. However, by late September 2020, it had reached 3.8 million! So how did this former unknown become one of the top games of 2020?
Among Us is an online multiplayer game for 4-10 players, 1-3 of whom are secret imposters faking tasks and killing crewmates on a spaceship. The other players try to finish tasks and fix the ship before the imposters kill everyone. When a dead body is reported, the crewmates and hidden imposters must collaborate and vote off a suspected imposter. The imposters must ensure that they don’t get caught and win by killing all the crewmates before they finish their tasks.
During Covid-19, people were unable to see their friends and loved ones as usual, so Among Us was a great way to interact with others in the chat box and during the game. Friends and family members can play together by creating a room and sharing the code. However, it isn’t all fun and games when it comes to the chat box. There is basically no censor to what a player can type. Asterisks censor a few words, but they are unreliable, since normal words are randomly censored as well. When players gets angry, they are often rude or inappropriate. In addition, there are glitches that randomly kick players out of a game, which can become frustrating. But all in all, Among Us has been a fun way to connect as well as a great source of memes and funny TikTok videos.
Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation Seals a Conservative Majority on the Supreme Court
Photo: Flickr
By VICTOR DELGADO
Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court on October 26, 2020. Shortly after the death of former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Donald J. Trump nominated Barrett to the position, and she was quickly approved by a Republican-controlled Senate. The appointment of Justice Barrett provides some new perspectives to the court. She is the only current justice to have a law degree from a school other than Harvard or Yale, the first mother of school-aged children to become a Supreme Court justice, and the mother of a child with special needs.
Barrett’s appointment also means a vast rightward shift on the court since Barrett is a strong conservative and Ginsburg was a reliable progressive. Now the Court shifts from a 5-4 conservative inclination to 6-3, sealing a conservative majority for many years to come. This brings many concerns for liberals. A majority conservative rule means legal decisions almost guaranteed to favor conservative views. There will likely be conservative-leaning changes on gun rights, abortion rights, LGBTQ issues, religious liberty laws, and health care.
It is true that Barrett is qualified for her current position, that no rules were broken, and that not all her decisions will be unquestionably conservative. But with a 6-3 conservative majority, liberal decisions will barely get to see the light of day.
Photo: Pixy
Tie-Dye Becomes Cool Again
By DANIELLA STAVIN
Think of a bright-colored, radiant, polychromatic image and put it on a piece of clothing. Now what you have is called tie-dye, and in 2020, these eye-catching 1960s patterns made a surprise comeback. During the Covid-19 pandemic, people found this nostalgic DIY activity as a way to occupy themselves as well as stay on top of the latest fashion. According to Pinterest, searches for “Tie-dye at home” increased by a whopping 462% during quarantine. As the flamboyant pattern started to trend again as an at-home activity, it soon expanded to a variety of clothing stores including Target, Walmart, Pacsun, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, H&M, and more.
Not only did tie-dye make a mark on the fashion industry, but it also positively contributed to people's lives during the pandemic, including my own. During the stressful and challenging times in lockdown, tie-dye was a way for me to escape boredom and channel my inner creativity. Using very simple techniques and the accessible supplies I found at home, I created many beautifully designed pieces of clothing with bright acrylic paint, for both myself and my family. The best part of a tie-dye design is that there are no mistakes. Squeeze out the colors wherever you want and use as much as you want; it will still turn into an original masterpiece.
Aside from being fun and therapeutic, tie-dye also turns boring pieces of clothing into something expressive and interesting. Every tie-dyed piece is different, jam-packed with intense colors that look cool and distinctive. Ultimately, this retro trend has made the fashion world a lot more intriguing and has given people something fun and fashionable to create during a time of fear and boredom.
‘Parasite’ Wins Best Picture at the Oscars
Photo: CJ Entertainment
By JADA PRIMUS
In a surprising turn of events, Parasite, a South Korean thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the award for best picture at last February's Oscars. Released in October of 2019, the film made history as the first foreign-language film to take home the Best Picture prize. The movie follows the destitute members of the Kim family who compose a plan to become employed by the unsuspecting, wealthy Park family by posing as professionals and forcing the Park family's previous employees out of their jobs. The family’s schemes result in unforeseen conflicts between the Kim family and the Park’s past employees, in a commentary on wealth inequality.
Parasite is one kind. Through the battle between the Kim family and the Parks’ previous employees, all of whom are constantly struggling to keep their heads above water, the film perfectly highlights class struggles and the battle the poor fight to achieve the fantasy of social mobility, even if it means hurting others in the same boat. The accurately-named film asks whether the rich live off the poor's labor or if the lower class leaches off the rich. Seeing as we live in a time where the gap between the rich and poor only continues to widen, Parasite is especially appropriate for our moment.
Besides the film's message, it is also important because it serves as the first glimpse of hope we have in the battle against the American film industry’s arrogance. A Korean film winning the Oscars’ highest honor spotlights the idea that no one country's cinema is more deserving of praise than another. Americans should look beyond our horizons. Parasite is hopefully the first foreign Best Picture win of many.
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