Society at present seems caught between two dueling realities — one brims with perpetual debate about its most pressing issues, yet is halted by an infuriating lack of action, whereas the other bustles with unprecedented innovation and imagination. Take climate change: Since the 1970s, scientists have been arguing the significance of environmental hazard — and for the past few decades, society has been caught in a paralyzing dispute on how serious the issue is. No matter the number of “natural” disasters or urgent messages by scientists, little about corporate or governmental response seems to have changed. How long until we face disaster? Or, are we facing it right now?
On the other hand, an outburst of technological advancement — from social media to generative AI to GMO capabilities — poses unsettling questions about where exactly these innovations will take us. Are breakthroughs in food science and communications enhancing our day-to-day lives, or is it only a matter of time before these innovations destroy the fabric of humanity itself?
“It’s Only a Matter of Time” was pitched by former masthead members Aidan Scully ’25, Ethan Jasny ’25, Imaan Mirza ’25, and Jay Hong Chew ’25 as an inquiry into how and why time unfolds in a cyclical nature. “It’s 2023, and we continue to be confronted by the challenges of an “ever-changing” world,” the creators wrote in the original description. “It can be easy to feel like time is circular, that progress will always be met with regress, and that nothing ever really changes.” This issue of our magazine examines the implications of living in a sociopolitical ecosystem that is filled with as much stagnation as there is change.
Learn more about the creators who contributed to this cycle below.
Lea Wang: “The Politics of Prayer: John Luther Adams and Reimagining Climate Change Through Art”
House Affiliation: Kirkland House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Sociology with a Focus on Applied Math
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: Enjoy writing and reading about science and society, the arts, and cool data visualizations
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: I haven’t really experienced deja vu beyond occasional flashes (which TED-Ed tells me is just an indication that I’m tired). The weirdest one I’ve experienced was when I was half-asleep in the backseat of my parents’ car dreaming about being in a giant watermelon with the distinct sense of having been there before.
Layla Chaararoui: “Young People are Worried About Climate Change, and Rightfully So”
House Affiliation: Pforzheimer
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Government and Global Health and Health Policy
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: Political journalism as a whole. I want to be able to shed light on pressing issues, and to have my work advocate for justice, equality, and an improved quality of life.
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: Many times! When I was younger, I used to think I had a secret superpower, until I realized there was an actual word for the phenomenon.
Nicolette Reale: “The Future of Protein: An Interview with Dr. Sparsha Saha”
House Affiliation: Adams House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Government and Psychology
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: Foreign Policy and Environmental Justice
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: The feeling overcomes me in small settings like talking with a friend, but also larger ones like at music festivals.
Nurayn Khan: “The Influencer Revolution: Increased Accessibility & Super Fast Fashion”
House Affiliation: Leverett House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Environmental Science & Public Policy, Economics
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: Environmental justice
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: I typically experience deja vu as a feeling of recognizing my surroundings, without remembering when I’ve been there before.
Evan Hsaing: “The Social Contract Between Human Rights and International Sports Tournaments”
House Affiliation: Adams House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Chemical and Physical Biology
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: International humanitarian law and health policy Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: I once experienced deja vu writing an Expos essay that I had never written before.
Naomi Corlette: “The Power of a Name”
House Affiliation: Winthrop House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Government with a Computer Science Secondary
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: I’m interested primarily in local politics and community organizing, particularly in my home city of Chicago! Through journalism, I’m interested in story telling and shedding light on cultural and political issues that aren’t necessarily getting the attention they deserve.
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: I get deja vu very frequently, probably every few days, at the most random and inconsequential moments, and I never know why!
Bobby Cupps: “Where is Joe Manchin’s Place in the U.S. Today?”
House Affiliation: Mather House
Concentration/Intended Concentration: Physics
Area of Interest in Politics/Journalism: Political Philosophy, America today
Have you ever experienced an instance of Deja Vu?: Yes. Every time I stepped in my friend’s mom’s car, I felt deja vu of going to one specific soccer practice.
Correction (Aug. 27, 2021): An earlier version of this article did not include Layla Chaaraoui, author of “Young People are Worried About Climate Change, and Rightfuly So.”
The intro note to “The Language of the Unheard” was written by Covers editors Liana McGhee ’25 and Nurayn Khan ’26.
