More people voted in 2024 than ever before in human
history. Approximately two billion people globally were
eligible to vote, and vote they did. However, around the
world, the trend of democratic backsliding
continued, with many liberal incumbent
candidates losing votes. As a society, we are
regressing, and we can never improve our
situation unless we take on progressive
policy.

This growing trend is fundamentally
related to fascism, but the two are
still distinct issues. To paraphrase
Robert Paxton’s thesis in his book
“The Anatomy of Fascism,” fascism
is the politics of emotion, making
it fundamentally different from
other ideologies such as liberalism
or conservatism, which are based on
logical principles and ideals. Fascism
makes reasonable people unreasonable,
logical people illogical, and tolerant people
hateful. Fascism arises during times of
political instability and historically has
been pushed forward by conservative elites
in an attempt to save themselves. There is
an inherent othering of minorities under
fascism, which is not unique to fascism but
certainly an important part of all authoritarian
regimes. 

> "Fascism makes
reasonable people
unreasonable,
logical people
illogical, and
tolerant people
hateful."


But although fascism excludes some groups
of people, it also puts others in the limelight.
“You matter,” fascism says. “You are important,
and you must be a patriotic part of our perfect
community. But some people want to take our
beautiful community away from us.” Now, the
final blow: “All of these people hate your way of life and want to destroy it. Therefore, we must destroy them
first.” People want to feel like they matter. People want to
be a part of the group, a part of the righteous force fighting
against evil. Fascism promises that, and more.

There are many characteristics of
fascism in President-elect Donald Trump’s
campaign. Trump is a conservative elite,
and his campaign is supported by many
others who share the same background.
The mainstream Republican
party has become a cult
of personality centered
around Trump; to them,
what he says is law.
Criticism is forbidden,
and only the most fanatic
advocates will be supported.
How did this happen? Trump
is supported by like-minded
upper-class conservatives who
wish to protect their place in the world.
And he certainly helped the upper class
in return — through tax cuts, pardons,
rolling back environmental and worker
protections — all letting them increase their
bottom line by that much more.

The groups targeted by Trump are
too many to name, but for an extremely
pertinent example, just look to his rhetoric on
immigration, and his classification of a specific
group of people as an “other,” then pushing
policies for their deportation and detention.
Somehow even more blatantly than this, one
can simply look at his treatment of women.
Rape, sexual assault, and prostitution charges
follow him, and recordings of his lascivious and obscene tendencies abound. Given all of this, we then have
to ask why we allowed this to happen. How could we, as
the people who should hold freedom and equality above
all else, who live in a nation founded on those ideals to
escape the rule of a tyrannical king, elect a candidate who
doesn’t even pretend to follow our ideals?

To understand this phenomenon, we must examine
why someone would support policies which hurt them,
candidates who hate them, and parties which oppress them.
The answer? When they think that the policies
will actually support them, that the candidates
care for them, and that the party loves them.
Through the narrative of othering, conspiracy
theorists claim that immigrants are taking
your jobs, that Jews control the weather with
space lasers, or that deep-state elites are eating
babies. It is easier for most people to believe
the right when it gives people the supposed
cause of their problems, before telling them
that only they can fix them. But the supposed
causes are never the real causes, and the right doesn’t try
to fix the problems anyways.

So where does this leave us? What can we do to fight
the rising tide of injustice? We, as students, cannot do all
that much. However, this doesn’t mean that we cannot do
anything. We can be informed: know what is happening
in the world and know what policies actually mean and
what their effects will be. The second thing that we can do
is call out injustice, to notice the hatred and bigotry in the
world and speak out against it. It is not enough to simply
be against fascism. Many people were against the Nazi
party in Germany, yet it still came to power. We, as the
next generation, must take it upon ourselves to preserve
the mantle of democracy and equality and must endeavor
to push those ideals forward. If we simply stand by and do
nothing in the face of tyrants, we are surely lost. 

Democracy is dead: the modern resurgence of fascism

From perfect GPAs to Ivy League
acceptance letters and abundant
extracurriculars, characters on
screen seem to glide through the
college application process, all
while balancing several romantic
relationships and some serious
personal drama. The media’s
glossy depiction of the college
application process disregards the
late-night cramming, weekend
shifts, and lunch meetings
with teachers that make
up real students’ lives.
Protagonists in “Gilmore
Girls” and “Never Have I
Ever” are all living an idealistic
illusion of a stressless senior
year and college application
season. As viewers, we can’t
help but feel drawn to these
characters who seem effortlessly
intelligent, accomplished, and
goal-oriented.

Many high schoolers dream
of attending a top university, yet
the reality of getting accepted is far
more challenging than popular TV shows
portray. In “Gilmore Girls,” the journey to
a prestigious college appears deceptively
easy, creating an illusion of guaranteed
success for any hardworking or
successful student. The protagonist
Rory Gilmore is an overachiever
who excels in academics and is
involved in many extracurricular
activities. Throughout her high
school journey, she doesn’t
encounter many struggles and
ends up only applying to and
getting accepted into her
dream colleges: Harvard,
Princeton, and Yale.
However, “Gilmore Girls”
fails to acknowledge the
difficulties and complex
feelings high schoolers
often face during the
admissions process. Real-
life college admissions are
often full of uncertainty and
rejection. The reality is that
even high achieving students
may not be accepted to their
top choices.

The media’s narrative of the college
application process glorifies prestige.
Time and again, TV shows and movies
only mention the names of Ivy League
or top 20 universities, as if attending
one of these institutions is the
only acceptable route to success.
In “Never Have I Ever,” Devi, a
smart and driven student, only
applies to Ivy League schools.
When college acceptances come
out, she is left with only one
waitlist and considers waiting
another year to reapply to the
Ivy Leagues if she is denied
from that school. Devi’s
story is a prime example of
the media’s romanticization
of prestigious schools.
This unhealthy portrayal
creates misguided beliefs
among students, where one’s
hard work in school becomes
automatically pointless if denied
admission to top universities.

However, the media is
overlooking the thousands of
other colleges all around the
world that also provide quality
education for students to pursue what they
love. College admissions should be about
finding a place where one can thrive, not
simply aiming for the name that looks
best on a bumper sticker.

Not only are there a wide range
of excellent colleges, but some
students may not realize that
college is not the only suitable
path after high school. While
attending college can provide
opportunities and a degree,
high school graduates can
also find joy and achievement
through working, training, or
pursuing other experiences.
Additionally, some students
choose to take a gap year and
travel, volunteer, or work to
help shape their goals and find
their interests. It’s important
to remember to embrace your
own journey as there is more
than one path to success.

For PHS students, the college
admissions process can be much
tougher and more stressful than
what we see on screen. However,
success isn’t defined by one
decision, and the college journey should
be a time for us to explore who we are and
find where we belong.

Debunking college admissions in TV

I don’t notice much about the full moon anymore. Does it still shine as bright? Does its ringing white light still seem surreal in the lonely, dark blue sky? Do the whispers of a rabbit, making the elixir of immortality on the moon, still reverberate as the graceful shadow of a woman flies by — perhaps to meet with her lover? I still wonder about it all, but everything has changed. I have forgotten that special taste of mooncakes and that mystery of the story of “Chang’e Flying to the Moon.” I can’t exactly recall those moments during the Mid-Autumn Festival when everyone was there, sitting at a table full of my favorite foods, vibrantly laughing and talking.

When I can’t remember, I go back to a time when little me was holding my first mooncake, thinking I was having a second birthday. The flowery mooncake was filled with salted egg yolk and red bean paste. It was so pretty I didn’t dare eat it, and I thought I’d never see a more beautiful birthday cake. As my twin sister and I sat around the table full of different mooncakes, gazing up at the big, round moon, our mom told us for the first time, “宝贝儿，这是中 秋节。过这个节日的时候，我们吃月饼，我们赏 月，我们团圆” (Baby, this is the Mid-Autumn Festival. During this holiday, we eat mooncakes, we admire the moon, and we reunite).

A 3,000 year-old tradition, with an ancient and misty origin, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays to people of Chinese descent. Eating mooncakes and gazing up at the full moon is our way of praying for a good harvest. Romantically speaking, it is also a celebration of the reunion of the archer Hou Yi and his wife, the moon goddess Chang’e.

The legend tells that after being awarded with the elixir of immortality for saving the citizens by shooting down nine of the ten suns, Hou Yi gives the precious liquid to his wife Chang’e for safekeeping. Yet one day, Chang’e accidentally swallows the elixir of immortality as she tries to protect it from a thief. The power of the elixir causes her mortal body to become so light that she floats up to the moon and becomes the moon goddess. She is thus separated from Hou Yi — immortal, but solitary. Heartbroken by Chang’e’s departure, Hou Yi lays her favorite fruits and cakes as offerings, hoping to show how deeply he misses her. Touched by their true love, the Mother of the Moon grants them a yearly reunion on the full moon of the eighth lunar month.

This celebration is not only a time to honor a longstanding story, but also an opportunity to make amends and to create new memories. I used to question why times like this mattered and why it is important to value family. Now I understand: one day, when you want to remember something precious but discover that you have forgotten it, you will search desperately through the dark corners 
of your mind. Maybe distance or time caused the forgetfulness. In the end, you will simply wish you’d appreciated the good moments more.

I often wonder why we choose to approach such a reflective holiday so lavishly and sincerely, as when we eat a specific cake and choose to be with family. It is because in the end, we all remember the love shown to us through the things people did for us, the lengths they went to — not for their wrongs or mistakes — just like how Hou Yi will always be there for Chang’e during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

When we harvest on the 9th full moon

### Summers in Germany

*Amelie Kraft*

One of my most cherished summer memories that I often think about is the time I spent with my family at Schloss Elmau in Germany. Scholss Elmau is a resort in the Alps, where my grandparents have been vacationing for a long time, and have regularly invited us to join them. The first time I went was when I was still a baby being pushed around in a stroller. As I grew older, these summer trips were especially meaningful to me because I got to spend time with my dad’s side of the family, whom I didn’t get to see very often. During these trips, I loved to go to the hotel’s pools to swim (my favorite was the outdoor pool since you can sunbathe and see the Alps while you swim).We would go on hikes through forests with trees that looked like they touched the sky, go on bike rides through landscapes and farms where we saw horses, sheep, and goats, go to the sauna that was mostly for the grown- ups because it got very hot, and browse through the sticker books in the bookstores.

The last time we were there was two summers ago. The most memorable part of the trip was spending time with my grandma in the bookstore browsing books together, or her indulging me by letting me buy sticker books, which she didn’t think was very creative nor interesting. I also remember my time with her during “kaffee und kuchen,” meaning “coffee and cake,” which typically took place between 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., when we would be served cake with “apfelschorle,”meaning “sparkling apple juice,” for kids and coffee for the grown-ups. This is very important to me because my grandma is no longer with us but it continues to remind me of her in a loving way.

My grandmother was an inspiration to my family, whether it was showing us new traditions, foods, and music, or sending my sister and I gifts on our birthdays every year until she couldn’t anymore. Thinking about this trip has reminded me even more about her and how she has changed my mindset about music and how to present myself and act at the table for a meal has made me feel very grateful to have such a loving and caring grandmother like her.

These trips were so important to me because they gave me the time to get to know my aunt, cousins, and grandparents better, and it was always very relaxing as we were surrounded by beautiful mountains and landscapes. My last moments with my grandmother on this trip are a constant reminder to never take anyone or anything for granted because you never know if you’ll ever be in that moment again.

### Starting my sourdough

*Meiya Xiong*

In my house, summer means time for more baking and kitchen projects. The warm weather also means that my kitchen room temperature is warmer, making it the perfect time to make lots and lots of bread.

Starting with reviving my sourdough starter, I begin every summer by rehydrating the starter that I preserved and dried from the previous year. Each morning, I “feed” the starter bits of flour and water, carefully monitoring its growth as the dry and brittle pieces turn into a bubbly and happy mixture.

Once it reaches the stage where it is airy enough to float in water, I would know it was ready to begin making bread. Taking a portion of my starter, I would then combine it with flour, water, and salt to make a dough. Over the course of the day, the dough would go through kneading and periodic stretches and folds to allow gluten development. Shaping and proofing would follow, before finally baking the dough the next day in a scorching 450 degree oven to give it a fluffy but chewy crumb and a dark and crunchy crust.

Of course, summer sourdough baking wasn’t without its mishaps. Sometimes, I would leave my dough in an oven that was turned off during proofing but forget to tell my family. On a few occasions, a well meaning family member turned on the oven to preheat it for a different purpose, resulting in charred remains of a dough, a few melted containers, and even a small fire in our kitchen once. Despite occasional accidents, burnt crusts, or loaves that looked like they exploded in the oven, the bread always ends up tasting good. With their different imperfections, each loaf is unique, and that’s part of what makes the process exciting.

As summer rolls around again, I look forward to tending to my starter and baking sourdough again. There’s a certain magic to taking simple ingredients into delicious bread. The process, with its required attentiveness and unpredictability, has become a highlight of my summer routine.

Summertime fondness: memorable moments to cherish

Click. With the press of one button, one is able to capture the moment, your loved one, a beautiful flower, or simply anything that catches your eye. For Yayla Tur ’22, photography isn’t just a form of media, but “ a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.” With more and more media representation, photography is a great way to capture everyday moments that we often overlook. Perhaps it is artists like Tur and other photographers that allow us to wonder, stay informed, and get inspired. Whether they are using their film camera or their phone, Tur  is able to call attention to the beauty surrounding us.



In a society where almost everything is digital, as a photographer, how do you feel about social media where you are faced with so much fast-paced social media? 

I think in a lot of ways, it can be overwhelming because it’s so overstimulating when there’s so much there. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve connected with different artists I would have never met, and found so many small artists and big artists that have become such inspiration for me. So although it can be a lot, it can also be very inspiring and it’s so exciting to see all those works from different perspectives. 
When do you usually take photos? 

I generally just have a camera with me all the time. I enjoy taking photos all the time constantly rather than having set photoshoots. I like to take photos on the go more, showcasing my day-to-day life. And also when I’m with my friends I try to capture the moments as well. 


Do you prefer taking photos on your phone or your camera?

It depends on what I’m going for. When taking film photos, there’s a different quality to it, especially when I’m going for flash photography, which I’ll always use a film camera for. If it’s on my phone, it’s generally more in quick situations. But also, there are different pros and cons to each. And it all depends on what the subject is going to be, and the quality I want.


Is there a specific platform you use to showcase your work? 

I’d say the most is VSCO, just because that’s where I’ve connected with a lot of artists that do digital photography, and collage. It’s a good way to share your art in a less judgmental space in comparison to Instagram, where you can get compiled likes.


What or who do you like to take photos of most? 

I love taking photos of my friends because I love capturing moments that I really enjoy with them. My friends have become very used to it, they know not to pose and just keep doing what they’re doing. I take a lot of photos of my best friend Helenka, or people I spend a lot of time with. So yeah, generally I think I enjoy taking photos of people the most. I also have a mini-series of just lights in houses from the outside at night. There’s something about the way it shines through the window that I think is really cool. 


What do you do after taking the photos?

So usually, I edit them a bit. It sort of depends on what I’m going for. A lot of times, there will be a photo I really like but it seems like there’s something missing. That’s when I start to collage photos, digitally usually, although I also do traditional collage with paper. Or I’ll combine a photo of something I’ve drawn, digitally layering it. But it all depends on the photo.


I know with oil paint or music, it is very easy to go back and forth and fix your work until you are satisfied with your final product. Does it bother you that with photography there is really no “re-capturing” of the moment?  

It depends. Especially with film, you have to be really frugal with it because you only have so many photos on a roll and developing film is expensive. Sometimes I’ll have photos where one thing is just a little too blurry, a little too this or that. There’s some little mess-up, which can be frustrating but in one way that is part of the beauty of photography. You just keep going, and it’s on the go, and you can’t tweak it in the same way you can painting. Although of course with digital collage, you can edit them to a certain degree, there is something nice about just it being how it is, and you can’t fix it. 


As an artist, how are you able to enjoy your work? Do you think there are advantages with photography over typical traditional art?

One thing with photography, especially with film, it’s nostalgic. Of course, you can look back on your memories, especially with film because it can take a while to finish a whole roll. You can start it in the summer and not finish it or develop it until the winter. And half of them, you won’t be able to look back until you get them developed so you’ll forget you took those photos, you’ll see them and you’re transported back to that time. So it’s definitely really nice to capture them, look back, and be reminded of real-life moments. In a way, it is sort of a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.


When taking a photo, what is your motto or motive?

To a certain degree, trying to capture but also trying to stay in the moment. Not becoming too concerned with taking a photo or taking a perfect photo, especially when I’m with my friends I don’t want to be so focused on taking photos of them. I just want to take it off the side, not people posing for it, me not putting too much of my time, and still getting to enjoy the moment itself.

Student Artist of the Month: Yayla Tur ‘22 captures the moment through photography

Scheduling season at PHS is always hectic. Students scramble to sign up for the most rigorous classes the school has to offer. Many students hope to construct transcripts that only serve to impress colleges, sometimes by taking six or more Advanced Placement classes in a single year. At PHS, it’s no secret that grade anxiety, unbearable workloads, and chronic stress are commonplace. In a school where the students’ merit is often linked to the number of AP courses in their schedule, passions and hobbies can take a back seat. Still, many students who have incorporated the arts into their schedules have found the decision to be a good one. Whether it be the shedding of stress, the opportunity to make new friends, or the discovery of new passions, signing up for a visual & performing arts course can be one of the most worthwhile things one will do in high school.

Arts classes can provide a refuge from the stress and monotony of an average school day. During weeks filled with tests or other nerve-wracking assignments, arts classes are a time to relax and do something stress-free and enjoyable.. Instead of sitting behind a desk all day listening to a seemingly unending string of mind-numbing lectures, you could be helping create an orchestral symphony or painting beautiful landscapes. Through arts classes, you have an hour every day to sit back and forget about academics.

The workload that many PHS students wrestle with can also hinder their social lives. Arts courses can help alleviate this issue — they are a great space for meeting new people. Visual and performing arts classes provide an opportunity to meet other students who share your interests and passions and to craft meaningful, lasting friendships. Joe Bongiovi, an instrumental music teacher at PHS, often says that “band is like a family.” In band, students spend hours rehearsing together in and out of school. Whether that be in the band room at Tiger Time or at someone’s house on the weekends, students always find a way to rehearse, jam, and bond. Many students stay in arts classes such as visual arts, Drama, band, and orchestra for multiple years in high school, allowing for deeper bonds to form between students and teachers. In visual arts classes, students are often left to their own devices, and small talk serves as the perfect backdrop for the making of an art piece. In the performing arts, friendships are further solidified by the performances that the programs hold, which can form long-lasting memories. Twenty years from now, it’ll be the memories of the band trip or your solo in the school musical that you’ll cherish the most, not the final exam that you took for your AP Calculus class.

Arts classes are less stressful than almost every other course at PHS. Generally, it is not hard to earn a good grade in an arts class, but that’s not to say that these classes don’t require students to work hard. Learning an instrument, for example, takes months of consistent practice. So does learning to paint, to sing, or to act on stage. Still, this is a virtue — unlike regular classes, where it is common for students to cram for tests the day before and forget the content quickly, arts courses show students how to work towards long-term goals. By way of slow, gradual improvement, lifelong passions are born. Students learn how to find motivation and continue working even without the constant threat of an upcoming test or a bad grade. Maybe you have a natural talent for dance which has been unknown to you, or a love for music which you’ve never been able to fully explore. There are classes at PHS that can help you gain the skills needed to explore those passions. Genuine enjoyment, instead of good grades, is what should drive you in these classes.

Putting an arts class into your schedule is an easy way to provide respite from the day-to-day pressures of school. Students in arts classes often look forward to them all day and don’t want them to end — a sharp contrast to many AP courses, which can be a source of dread. Your schedule should not be curated solely to please a third party, like a college or parent. It should be built not only to fulfill your academic ambitions, but also to make you happy and set you up to enjoy your high school experience. Signing up for a visual & performing arts class takes a big step towards this goal, and is something everyone at PHS should consider.

The Tower

Angela Wu's Work

The Tower