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Volume 60 Issue 6 ! March 24, 2025 !""Lynbrook High School, 1280 Johnson Ave., San Jose, CA
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Anti-intellectualism is on the rise in Generation Z BY ALEX COTTEREL AND ALEXANDRA WU
“I
t’s not that deep.” What counts as “not that deep?” While not everything needs to be taken seriously, Generation Z’s widespread reluctance to engage beyond the surface level is prevalent and exhibited in popular phrases and memes that belittle critical thought, presenting serious topics as unworthy of attention. This mindset serves as a shield to avoid uncomfortable conversations that ask us to reflect, critique or analyze our status quo. Story continued on page 10.
Partisanship clouds patriotic values BY ANUSHKA DESHMUKH AND ETHAN WONG
F
rom the Star-Spangled Banner at American football games to the red, white and blue decorations at election rallies, Americana has long been a symbol of pride and cultural identity. The aesthetics of American culture were once a way to express freedom, but have become increasingly tied to conservative values, making patriotism, an American value, into a partisan issue. This ties one’s patriotism to their political views which is harmful to the diversity of perspectives that was once valued. Americana is a complex concept that encompasses the aesthetic of the history and culture of the United States and is used as a tool to promote unity within the American people. By associating Americana’s symbols with politics, it becomes a competition in which political parties can portray themselves as the most patriotic.
Page by Vidushi Upadhyay and Eileen Zhu
Story continued on page 7.