The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its latest class of inductees. During a Rock Hall-themed episode of American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest revealed that OutKast, Soundgarden, the White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker, Bad Company, and Chubby Checker will all be inducted during a ceremony held at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on November 8.
Carol Kaye, Thom Bell, and Nicky Hopkins will be honored with the Musical Influence Award, while music industry executive Lenny Waronker is the recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award. This year’s inductees were voted in by a body of more than 1,200 artists, historians, and members of the music industry, as well as a fan vote. Phish – who won the fan vote by a wide margin – Oasis, Mariah Carey, Joy Division/New Order, Billy Idol, Maná, and the Black Crowes did not make the final cut.
In Path of Exile 2, mastering boss encounters is essential to progress throughout the campaign and getting many, valuable rewards, and Jamanra, The Abomination. It is the final boss of Act 2. It is a highly formidable challenge that challenges your preparation, mechanics, and adaptability. This guide gives you all the tips, steps, on how you can defeat Jamanra. It covers his attack patterns, strategies specific to certain phases, and tips so you can optimise your build.
With the right approach, you can easily defeat this lightning abomination, and collect all the loot he has to offer. This can include rare items, and all forms of POE 2 Currency. These rewards help you to boost and continue your journey throughout Wraeclast.
The Fight: Overview and Phases
Jamanra, The Abomination, is encountered by you at the end of the Dreadnought Vanguard after you progress through The Trail of Corruption Part 2. The fight breaks into two distinct phases, both with a combined health pool of about 140,000 (can get to 700,000 in the Cruel difficulty). Phase 1 takes place on the Dreadnought, which is like an arena, but highly confined. Phase 2 on the contrary, shifts into a desert setting. It also adds new mechanics. Sekhema Asala helps you out in Phase 1, but is absent during Phase 2.
Phase 1: Dreadnought Arena
In the first phase, Jamanra uses a combo of many lightning and physical attacks. The arena’s tight spaces compliment and amplify this challenge even further. Some of the most common, yet dangerous attacks are:
Lightning: A quick strike in front of Jamanra, dealing moderate damage. Dodge by circling behind him or staying close to bait this safer attack.
Roaming Pillars: Jamanra hurls pillars, hitting three times for mixed physical and lightning damage. Dodge rolls to the side when his arm thrusts forward. This is harder to avoid at range, so melee positioning is safer.
Sandstorm: Jamanra channels a 15 second sandstorm dealing increasing damage. Stand behind Asala’s shield, signaled by her raised torch, to avoid taking damage. Get rid of undead minions that spawn during this period.
Strategy
Your best bet is to stay close to Jamanra to minimise the damage you take by roaming pillar throws. This also helps you simply dodge, instead of manoeuvre. Save at least three life flasks charges for the next phase. The fight’s length requires you to be stacked up on resources. Use cold damage to exploit his weaknesses. Clear his minions quickly during the sandstorm to avoid explosions happening after the storm.
To speed up your game and make your performance even better, you should try getting resources to upgrade your gear and skills. You can easily buy POE 2 Currency to get orbs for crafting or trading for gear which resists lightning- making sure you’re well equipped for this fight.
Phase 2: Desert Arena
At about half health, Jamanra destroys the Dreadnought, transitioning to a desert arena with a larger but more chaotic battlefield. Asala is knocked unconscious, leaving you to fight alone. New attacks replace most of Phase 1’s, except for stationary lightning pylons that apply a shocked debuff. Key attacks include:
Tornadoes: Four tornadoes spawn and wander the arena, dealing damage over time and slowing you. Avoid them by moving circularly and staying aware of their paths.
Unblockable Horizontal Slash: Jamanra prepares a halbred and slashes it. This triggers an AoE explosion followed by a shockwave. You should dodge roll behind him or keep distance to avoid.
Projectile Gates: Massive gates shoot daggers when Jamanra is low on health. Avoid standing in their streams.
Strategy
Mobility is key in Phase 2 due to tornadoes and overlapping mechanics. Focus on Jamanra’s animations to anticipate sword or cleave attacks, which deal significant damage. Keep moving and dodge rolling to avoid spear rain and shard strikes. Ranged builds can work effectively, while melee builds should stick close to exploit Jamanra’s weak melee attacks, dodging only his vertical slam (signaled by “Our gift to you!” or “Take our hate!”). Preserve flasks for the final 25% of health, where the attack density increases.
Tips for Success
Practice Positioning: Multiple attempts help you learn Jamanra’s attacks, style, and safe zones. Record your fights to analyse your mistakes.
Build Efficiency: Optimize your passive tree for life regen, cold damage, or stun resistance. Respec your skills with the Hooded One if needed- it is costly though.
Flask Management: Save flasks for Phase 2’s intense final quarter. Use buffs to reduce Jamanra’s defenses.
Class Specific Tips:
Monk: Use Tempest Bell or Storm Wave for burst damage and mobility.
Witch: Employ minions as bait and Bonestorm for safe ranged damage.
Mercenary: Focus on single-target DPS and dodge rolls to counter low damage output.
Hardcore Mode: Prioritize lightning resistance and stun immunity. Use freeze skills to create attack windows.
Conclusion
Jamanra, The Abomination, is a strong test of your skills in Path of Exile 2. With the proper preparation and strategy, you can easily overcome the boss. Make sure you stack up on lightning resistance, gear, and you exploit his weakness to cold. With one of the most important things being recognising the attack patterns in both the phases. Make sure you have good movement, and leverage Asala in Phase 1. Victory in this battle gets you to Act 3, and gives you a lot of great, valuable loot so you can enhance your gear.
London’s spring sky is living up to the exhibition’s title—Partly Cloudy—this April, when Xianghan Wang’s latest creation is unveiled. Inside the M P Birla Millennium Art Gallery, a large contemporary space nestled within The Bhavan—London’s renowned institute of Indian art and culture—visitors wander through an atmosphere of quiet anticipation. Curated by Y Manifesto, the three-day exhibition Partly Cloudy uses meteorological phenomena as a poetic framework to explore the complexities of identity, perception, and existential ambiguity. The very phrase “partly cloudy” signals a liminal state—“neither entirely illuminated nor wholly obscured”—and the gallery brims with art that inhabits those in-between realms. Rather than offering any tidy resolution, Partly Cloudy challenges viewers to navigate the nuanced interplay of materiality and immateriality, presence and absence, finding meaning in the haze between knowing and unknowing.
In a dimly lit alcove, one installation glows with a peculiar allure. It is Xianghan Wang’s immersive VR piece The Rhythm of Tai Chi, fresh from winning a coveted Red Dot Design Award and now making its London debut. In an era defined by rapid technological shifts, Xianghan Wang is a rare visionary who grounds innovation in heritage. The Los Angeles–based XR and motion designer—currently at Apple—continues to captivate international audiences with her immersive creations that blend digital artistry, ancestral wisdom, and narrative depth. Her work redefines the possibilities of spatial computing and immersive media, offering a thoughtful, emotionally rich approach to storytelling through technology.
A Red Dot Award–winning project, The Rhythm of Tai Chi is distinguished by its ability to visualize Qi—the internal energy believed to flow through the body in Tai Chi philosophy. Traditionally, Qi is felt but never seen, described through metaphor and intuition rather than literal form. In her work, Xianghan reimagines this invisible force using motion tracking and real-time animation. As users move through the VR environment, their gestures are mirrored by trails of glowing energy—a visual metaphor for Qi that makes the concept tangible and emotionally resonant. This approach offers not just a virtual demonstration, but an embodied experience. By allowing users to see the rhythm of their movement and breath, the project bridges intuition and interaction in a way that is accessible to both beginners and experienced practitioners.
“It’s not just about showing Tai Chi—it’s about embodying it. We wanted people to feel the rhythm, the breath, the energy, even if they’ve never studied it before,” Xianghan explains. Her intent is clear: to use immersive technology not for spectacle, but for emotional and cultural resonance. The result is a peaceful, intuitive experience that connects body, mind, and digital space—an artwork that teaches as it inspires.
With over fifteen international design awards to her name—including Red Dot, IF Design Awards, AIXR XR Awards Finalist, and the DNA Paris Design Awards—Xianghan has firmly established herself at the intersection of art, innovation, and heritage. Her works have been exhibited from New York to Italy, and now London, consistently drawing attention for their poetic balance of technology and soul. Each new project reaffirms her commitment to honoring cultural memory while pushing the boundaries of digital design.
Her influence is also evident through her roles as a juror and guest speaker in the international creative community. Xianghan has served as a judge for various global design competitions and hackathons, where she brings a critical eye to projects that fuse innovation with cultural and emotional depth. She has also been invited as a guest speaker at institutions and organizations such as the School of Visual Arts (SVA), the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and the VR/AR Association (VRARA), where she shares her insights on XR storytelling, motion design, and human-centered innovation. Through these contributions, she actively shapes conversations around the future of immersive media and inspires others to explore how technology can be a tool for both creativity and cultural continuity.
Xianghan has firmly planted herself at the intersection of art, innovation, and heritage, and her work is a living example of how ancient wisdom can dance with modern technology. In the Partly Cloudy exhibition, this sensibility offers a hopeful through-line: even amid uncertainty, there are experiences that ground us. As the last visitors drift out into the London night, they carry with them the memory of luminous shapes and quiet revelations. The impression is subtle yet indelible: Xianghan Wang is designing for presence in a way that makes the past feel vividly alive in the present, illuminating a path toward the future.
Choosing the right life insurance policy is one of the most important financial decisions you can make for yourself and your loved ones. With the uncertainty of the future and the rising costs of healthcare, securing financial protection can offer you peace of mind. In 2025, the landscape of life insurance is evolving with new options and considerations.
This guide will help you navigate the complexities of life insurance and find a policy that fits your budget without sacrificing the coverage you need.
Assessing Your Personal Needs
Understanding your unique situation is key when selecting life insurance, as your needs may change with major life events like marriage, children, or buying a home.
First, calculate how much coverage you need. A common guideline is 10 to 15 times your annual income, but consider factors like dependents, debts, and ongoing expenses such as mortgage payments and tuition fees.
Different life insurance policies serve various financial goals. If you’re focused on affordable financial protection, term life is ideal. However, if you want long-term savings or investment options, a whole life or universal life policy might be more suitable. Aligning your policy with your broader financial goals—such as retirement planning—can ensure it meets both your protection and wealth-building needs.
Factors That Impact Life Insurance Premiums in 2025
Several factors influence the cost of life insurance premiums. Understanding these factors can help you manage your expectations and possibly lower your premiums over time.
Age and Health
One of the most significant factors in determining your life insurance premiums is your age. The younger you are when you purchase life insurance, the lower your premiums will be. Insurance companies view younger individuals as less risky, as they are less likely to experience health problems in the near future.
Health is another crucial factor. If you are in excellent health, you’ll likely pay less for life insurance than someone with pre-existing conditions. Insurers may require a medical exam to assess your health before issuing a policy, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be beneficial when shopping for life insurance.
Gender and Occupation
Premiums can also vary based on gender and occupation. Statistically, women tend to live longer than men, which means they often pay lower premiums. In addition, some occupations may result in higher premiums because of the associated risk factors. For example, those working in dangerous fields such as construction or firefighting may face higher life insurance costs.
Policy Duration and Type
The type and duration of the policy you select also impact your premiums. Term life insurance, which offers coverage for a specific period, is typically much cheaper than permanent policies like whole or universal life insurance. If you’re looking to save money on premiums, a term policy may be the most cost-effective option.
Riders and Additional Coverage Options
Riders can add extra benefits to your policy but also increase your premiums. Common riders include accidental death benefits or coverage for critical illnesses. While these additional coverages can be valuable, it’s important to assess whether they fit within your budget and if they are necessary for your situation.
How to Shop for Life Insurance
Shopping for life insurance involves more than simply picking the cheapest policy. It’s important to compare quotes, understand policy features, and evaluate the reputation of the insurer.
Get Multiple Quotes
The best way to find a policy that fits your budget is by obtaining multiple quotes from different insurance providers. Numerous insurance providers offer online tools that enable you to compare quotes instantly. Make sure to compare premiums, coverage limits, and policy terms from various providers to ensure you find the best option that fits your requirements.
Work with an Independent Agent or Broker
An independent insurance agent or broker can help you navigate the complex world of life insurance. These professionals work with multiple insurers and can help you find the right policy at the best price. They can also explain the fine print and provide advice on which riders or features might be beneficial for your unique circumstances.
Evaluate Insurance Providers
When selecting an insurance provider, it’s important to consider more than just the cost. Look into the financial stability of the insurer by checking ratings from agencies like AM Best or Standard & Poor’s. It’s also essential to research customer satisfaction ratings and claims handling processes to ensure that the company will be reliable when it’s time to pay out a claim.
Cost Guide for Life Insurance in 2025
The cost of life insurance varies significantly based on a variety of factors, including age, health, coverage amount, and policy type. In 2025, life insurance premiums are expected to rise in some cases due to factors like inflation and medical advances. Understanding the typical cost ranges for different types of policies can help you budget effectively.
For example, a 30-year-old non-smoker may pay around £15 to £25 per month for a 20-year term life policy with a £500,000 death benefit. In contrast, a 50-year-old non-smoker could pay upwards of £100 to £150 per month for a similar policy. Permanent policies like whole life insurance can be much more expensive, with monthly premiums starting at £200 or more depending on the coverage amount and additional features.
For a more detailed breakdown of life insurance costs, consider checking out a UK life insurance cost guide [2025], which provides updated pricing data and insights into how market trends may affect premiums.
Conclusion
Finding the best life insurance policy for your budget in 2025 requires careful planning and research. By understanding the different types of policies, assessing your needs, and comparing providers, you can secure the right coverage for your family without breaking the bank. Be sure to factor in your long-term goals, as well as any potential add-ons or riders that could enhance your policy. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to finding a life insurance policy that provides both protection and peace of mind.
Sun-shade sails function as essential outdoor sun protection elements that have become standard patio equipment. The multipurpose fabric structures extend their functionality past basic seating area coverage. Sun-shade sails offer many innovative installation possibilities that extend their application beyond traditional patio uses when properly designed. Homeowners, together with designers and business owners, choose sun-shade sails as their preferred solution because these structures deliver functional benefits alongside visual appeal. This sun shade sail serves multiple functions by transforming both outdoor and indoor areas.
Creating Cozy Garden Retreats
Backyard gardens become more welcoming through the addition of shaded relaxation areas. Homeowners who want a shaded retreat should consider putting up sun-shade sails between trees or posts or garden walls instead of building permanent structures or bulky gazebos. The shaded corner functions as either a reading area, meditation spot, or a spot to relax during hot afternoons. The UV-blocking fabric of the sail defends plants and people from direct sunlight yet enables airflow and natural environmental elements.
Shade Children’s Play Areas
Most parents face difficulties when they want their children to spend time outdoors. The main reason to worry is dangerous UV rays. Sun shade sails function excellently as protective covers for outdoor play areas, sandboxes, and areas with toys. The correct placement of these sails offers all-day protection, which minimizes both sunburns and heat exhaustion risks. Parents have multiple color options when selecting fabric for their outdoor spaces since it provides many cheerful color choices that fit well with playful settings.
Enhancing Poolside Comfort
Swimming pools serve as summer sanctuaries during hot days, yet their surrounding areas typically remain exposed and heat up excessively. Sun shade sails can provide creative coverage for poolside lounges, shallow tanning areas, and water surface sections to minimize surface temperatures and reduce glare. The shade sails resist fading, so they keep their attractive appearance even when exposed to months of strong sunlight. This application provides people who want extended water time a sleek and functional solution to avoid sunburn.
Adding Visual Drama to Outdoor Events
The functional value of temporary shade tents remains high, yet their visual design quality remains limited. Sun shade sails serve as contemporary outdoor decoration for weddings, garden parties, and other similar events. The elegant suspended arrangement or geometric placement of these elements creates architectural intrigue, which turns ordinary spaces into extraordinary areas. The UV protection feature of these structures keeps guests comfortable throughout the entire day. After the event concludes, the sails become simple to uninstall and reuse for upcoming occasions.
Offering Privacy in Urban Settings
Resident populations in dense urban areas face significant challenges when trying to achieve outdoor privacy. Sun shade sails serve as an innovative solution to block off balconies and rooftops together with small backyard areas while protecting against neighboring window views. These sails function as a breathable visual obstruction that protects areas when positioned vertically or at an angle. The sail structure provides an open and breathable atmosphere. This makes it an exceptional choice for urban residents who want privacy while preserving their aesthetic preferences.
Protecting Outdoor Kitchens and Dining Areas
Outdoor kitchens and dining setups gain more popularity, yet a lack of proper shade makes outdoor meal preparation and dining uncomfortable. The installation of a sunshade sail directly above grill stations or dining tables creates substantial improvements to their usability. The shade protects both those preparing food and those eating from dangerous sunlight while it keeps food looking fresh and prevents glare during night meals. Shade sails function as both design elements and functional sun protection for any outdoor kitchen design, whether the area follows rustic or modern aesthetics.
Creating Breezy Carports
Homeowners who lack garage access must worry about sun damage protection for their cars on a daily basis. A rectangular sunshade sail made to order functions as an improvised carport that shields vehicles from damaging UV rays that degrade paint and break down interior materials. Sun shade sails provide weather protection beyond shade since they are water-resistant and durable against abrasions, which prevents moisture, leaves, and debris from reaching the surface. Open sides on the structure enable airflow, which prevents heat accumulation that occurs in enclosed spaces. A simple carport design using sunshade sails works best when placed over driveways and open parking spots.
Covering Walkways and Garden Paths
Sun-shade sails serve an additional purpose by providing coverage for walkways and garden paths. The sails function either by spanning between two structures or by attaching to yard path posts. The sails improve both visual flow and comfort between spaces by blocking direct sunlight and lowering heat reflection from pavement surfaces. Sun-shade sails offer dual protection to stone and metal elements by providing shade, which helps maintain both the functional and aesthetic quality of paths.
Upgrading Outdoor Workspaces
The growing trend of remote work and creative hobbies has made outdoor workspaces increasingly popular among people. People who work outside need appropriate conditions to find their work environment enjoyable because otherwise the experience becomes unpleasant. A sunshade sail transforms a backyard corner into an operational open-air studio or office space. The UV-blocking features, along with mold-resistant construction, enable this product to provide both glare reduction and heat control and maintain a dry environment despite weather changes. Artists, together with gardeners and DIY enthusiasts, choose sun-shade sails to create comfortable working areas outside their homes.
Elevating Commercial Spaces
Sun-shade sails provide business owners with adaptable features that they can use to their advantage. Sun shade sails create an elegant appearance and provide comfortable shade for customers at both cafes with outdoor seating and open-air yoga studios. Modern design elements improve brand image and attract attention when these structures are installed with bold color schemes or patterns. Custom-designed sunshade sails adapt to different commercial applications, which results in welcoming settings that make customers stay longer.
Conclusion
Sun-shade sails serve multiple purposes beyond their role as patio sun protectors. The wide selection of shapes, together with different materials and installation methods, enables sun-shade sails to serve innovative purposes in various locations from urban to rural and residential to commercial landscapes. The sunshade sail continues to develop into a preferred design element for multifunctional spaces because people want outdoor comfort without sacrificing visual appeal. This adaptable fabric solution demonstrates that smart protection and visual appeal can exist together through its ability to provide shade.
In recent years, bail reform has garnered significant attention across the United States. Bail reform aims to address the inequalities within the criminal justice system, particularly how individuals are treated before their trial. For many defendants, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, the bail system can be an insurmountable barrier to fair treatment.
This blog explores the impact of bail reform on Irving defendants, the potential benefits, and the challenges that remain.
Understanding Bail and Its Role
Bail is a payment or condition set by a judge to ensure that a defendant returns for their court appearance. Traditionally, those charged with crimes who cannot afford bail are detained while awaiting their trial. This system has been criticized for disproportionately affecting lower-income individuals and communities of color.
In Irving, as in many other jurisdictions, the amount of bail is often set without consideration for the defendant’s financial situation. This can lead to individuals staying in jail for extended periods simply because they cannot afford the set amount. This system also raises concerns about fairness, as rich defendants can afford bail and await trial outside jail.
The Shift Toward Bail Reform
Bail reform seeks to make changes to the way bail is set, to ensure that individuals are not kept in jail simply because of their inability to pay. The movement has gained momentum in recent years, with many jurisdictions, including Irving, beginning to implement reforms.
The most significant changes include the elimination or reduction of cash bail requirements for non-violent offenses, the introduction of risk assessments to determine whether an individual poses a flight risk or danger to the community, and the use of alternative pretrial services such as electronic monitoring or supervised release.
The Impact on Defendants in Irving
Bail reform has far-reaching implications for Irving defendants, both positive and negative. Below are some of the key effects:
1. Reducing the Burden on Low-Income Defendants
Perhaps the most immediate benefit of bail reform is the reduction in the financial burden on low-income defendants. With traditional cash bail systems, defendants from low-income backgrounds often find themselves stuck in jail simply because they cannot afford the required amount. Bail reform in Irving aims to address this by reducing or eliminating cash bail for non-violent offenders. This allows individuals to maintain their jobs, continue supporting their families, and avoid the emotional toll of pretrial detention.
2. Improved Access to Pretrial Services
One significant aspect of bail reform in Irving is the increased focus on risk assessments and alternative pretrial services. Defendants may be monitored with electronic devices, required to check in with a pretrial services officer, or even receive substance abuse treatment or mental health counseling if necessary. These services not only help reduce the burden on the jail system but also provide defendants with resources to address the root causes of their charges.
3. Encouraging Fairer Treatment Across the Board
With the focus on assessing individual risk rather than financial status, bail reform also seeks to eliminate biases that have historically existed within the criminal justice system. Ensuring that the bail amount is not set based solely on an individual’s ability to pay helps level the playing field for defendants. This approach encourages fairer treatment and ensures that people who pose minimal risk to society are not unfairly detained while awaiting trial.
Potential Challenges and Concerns
While bail reform in Irving has led to improvements, some challenges and concerns remain.
1. Ensuring Effective Risk Assessment
One of the central components of bail reform is the use of risk assessments to determine whether a defendant should be granted bail and what conditions should be placed on their release. However, these assessments are not foolproof. Critics argue that risk assessments can sometimes be biased, relying on factors that may unfairly target certain groups. For instance, an individual’s prior criminal record or socioeconomic status can influence the assessment, leading to decisions that may still disproportionately affect minority groups.
2. Increased Pressure on Pretrial Services
As more defendants are released without cash bail, there is an increased reliance on pretrial services to monitor and support these individuals. However, these services can be underfunded and stretched thin, especially in areas with a large number of defendants. For Irving defendants, this may mean less individual attention and fewer resources available to help them succeed in their pretrial period.
3. Risk of Reoffending
Some critics of bail reform argue that reducing or eliminating bail requirements may increase the risk of defendants reoffending or failing to appear for their trial. Although risk assessments and pretrial monitoring aim to address these concerns, there remains a fear that certain defendants may use their release as an opportunity to commit additional crimes. This concern emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to bail reform, where defendants who pose a risk to the community are still held accountable.
Last Note
Bail reform in Irving offers significant benefits for defendants, particularly those from lower income who have been disadvantaged by the traditional cash bail system. By reducing financial barriers, bail reform aims to create a fairer and more just criminal justice system. However, challenges such as ensuring effective risk assessments and reoffending need to be addressed as the reform continues.
For those affected by bail reform in Irving, working with an experienced criminal defense law firm in Irving can help with the legal process, ensure fair treatment, and protect their rights during the pretrial phase. By taking a more individualized approach, bail reform represents an important step toward a more equitable criminal justice system.
Thanya Iyer is a Montreal-based singer-songwriter and violinist who was born to Indian parents and grew up taking lessons in Indian music and dance. She went on to music and psychology at Montreal’s Vanier College, and by the time she graduated in 2017, she had already released her debut album, Do You Dream?, the year prior. It’s an immersive collage of spiritual jazz, experimental pop, and ambient folk that grew more fully-realized on 2020’s Polaris long-listed KIND, one that Iyer and her band continue to hone in on their latest LP, TIDE/TIED. Though they released an EP, rest, in 2022, the five-year gap between albums lends the new collection a different kind of gravity, and the group – including co-producers Pompey and Daniel Gélinas – deftly bear the weight. It is a stirring, swirling antidote to numbness, but it is also the rare kind of therapeutic, jazz-inflected, spiritually-minded music that doesn’t skip to mantras so much as circle the journey around them, paddling through uncertainty and pain. “What do we do when we can’t breathe?/ I forget how to be, how to feel like I’m free,” she sings on ‘Low Tides’. Riding with the feeling, with this group of people, brings her closer to a future far beyond our immediate line of vision.
We caught up with Thanya Iyer for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight series to talk about healing through music, the journey to TIDE/TIED, her collaborative process, and more.
There is a line in ‘Where does that energy go?’ that felt like a good starting point, because it’s about how you used to travel light and how much you really took away from the world. Do you mind speaking to that past?
It’s kind of about waking up, on so many different levels. Internally with our own histories of trauma, and then outside in the world to systemic forces of oppression. I have chronic pain in my hip, and that impacts my mobility. I’ve done everything physically; last fall I was in a more therapy path to it. And I think when I was writing ‘Where Does That Energy Go?, I was just feeling that weight of that confusion, I was first starting to explore that pain on a therapeutic level, and where these things come from. And I’ve realized that things like immigration, colonialism, and racism cut lines of families throughout generations. All of a sudden, we see lots of mysterious pain or disease in lots of BIPOC generations, so exploring that pain was about realizing that, like, maybe it’s deeper than having some hip tension. I’m trying to feel that narrative and accept it, and also not let it be so heavy. But it’s really that internal and external weight that we start to awaken to, just starting to notice.
When did your relationship with music become something therapeutic?
Through everything, music was always this place to be present and heal and process, and I feel like it will continue to take that place in a way that I hope is more consistent, almost. I think sometimes I forget that when I’m in the thick of things, and I want to remember how powerful art is, and why it draws us all together, why it’s so important that it is being made. Before the release started, I had this feeling of, “How lucky are we”? I was talking to Pompey and Daniel [Gélinas], my band, and I was like, “We’re so lucky that we get to play shows and experience that energy in a room with people.” Just feeling that hopefulness and the power of art.
Were there periods of doubt or disconnect since the release of your previous album?
A hundred percent. A lot of this album was written through me writing a song every day for two months. And then, I don’t know if it was just not giving myself permission or feeling really stressed, but I kept pushing album launches and shows and tours. And I was just like, “I can’t push things anymore.” And then I applied for school, and I did the music therapy program. And no regrets at all – I’m so glad that I got to explore that part of myself, because I knew it was always something that I wanted to do, and I didn’t expect it to happen so early. But it was such a rigorous program on top of me trying to do my music, and then teach lessons, and then all of these other community things that I was doing. It was so much and I felt like my personal music practice – me connecting to creativity not within the band or in the world – fell aside a little bit. I only recently remembered that this album came from me committing to that creativity every day, and such special, powerful things can come out from that work. Releasing the album has definitely been helpful in consolidating some things for me.
Was there a point where you felt this collection of songs moving in a more collaborative direction?
It’s always been really collaborative with the band. Usually, I bring a skeleton of a song, and we shape it together. And then, I guess because of the pandemic, I had even more time to explore my vision of what the songs could be. I was just in my room arranging, playing six violin and viola tracks over the songs, playing around with those arrangements. So it was really fun to explore that other part of myself and my interests, and then bring these ideas to the band in a more fully fledged vision. It’s like learning how we’re always growing and changing and trying to adjust that into our very collaborative space.
When we produced the album, Pompey and Daniel and I spent two weeks recording bed tracks, and then another twelve days in this apartment just having fun with the songs – overdubbing, everyone on their own computer in their room working on things, then coming back out and sharing ideas. It was very collaborative.
Is there a detail or memory that stands out to you in seeing the songs come to life that way?
One thing I thought was fun, in ‘What can we grow that we can’t see from here?’, there are these little things that would happen. At one point, Pompey put a gate on my synth, and the gate was attached to Daniel’s drums, and then we took out the drums and just thought, “Wow, the Prophet sounds so cool in this vibe.” There were all kinds of little surprises when we were on our computers working on the music. I tend to be in the “more is more fun” camp when it comes to overdubs – put every idea on there – but that creates a lot of work after the fact to do a lot of shaping. ‘Low Tides’ was one of those songs where we had so much material and really had to craft it. There were lots of small fun things.
On ‘High Tides’, you sing, “I want to write words that are easy to read.” A lot of the lyrics strike me as having that directness, but the words aren’t necessarily easy to sing. There’s a nuanced beauty not just to your voice, but how you mix and bring other voices into the songs. How has your relationship to your voice developed over the years?
I started off playing piano and classical violin. I did South Indian classical singing when I was younger, but not in a formal way, or not in this style of music. I only started taking vocal lessons towards the end of taking lessons. I find my voice has changed so much. If I listen to our first album, it’s just so different hearing my voice. I really feel this: The more you sing, the more that muscle builds. This was also the first album where we spent so much time in the studio really crafting the vocal tracks. For my last EP, it was like, “Okay, great,” and we recorded it pretty fast in a day. But here, we spent many days on it, and I feel like it became easier to sing everything. I learned a lot about the prep it takes to show up vocally in the studio.
One of my favorite moments on the album is on ‘Wash it all away’, when this prayer leads the music to recede and flow outward. How do you feel in that wave of quiet?
As someone who likes to play a lot and have lots of things going on – as I’m sure you noticed in the album – the wave of quiet, even when we perform it, feels like a breath to stay with. When I feel on stage that I can take as long as I need in that space, and don’t have to rush to find something, it gives me so much energy and confidence. There’s a lot of power in those spaces of silence, whether live or in that place – just a moment to breathe.
What else helps you stay grounded when performing or making songs?
I’m still learning what helps me. Slowing down is definitely one, but also not pushing through and acknowledging that if I’m feeling pressure in the songwriting process, it usually means something isn’t being taken care of, so maybe I need to switch what I’m doing or try something else. Even at a show, if something isn’t working – because we improvise a lot on stage and arrangements tend to take different shapes – it’s nice to try something new. That can bring excitement to me and shift whatever arrangement there is in the band as well. I really like when it happens in the band organically – when we play together a lot on tour, we start to read the vibe, and magical things can happen when you let things go.
The final track, ‘Waves/Hold/Tied’, is naturally split into three parts. The first part feels like the most vulnerable moment on the album, like it could have been the opener, but you reframe it by tying it to the other two parts. Why was it important to connect these parts? Were they separate at first?
That whole piece feels like the album’s thesis statement. At the start of the pandemic, when I was writing a little song idea every day, those were three different days, maybe weeks apart – I’m not even sure how I decided they should all be one song, but I was like, “Oh my god, it’s a suite!” Those different parts of the story, they felt connected to me, like chapters in a story. And placing it last – it feels like the main story of the album.
It’s interesting you bring up the vulnerability, because it’s true. It’s a really sad part of the album. But the third movement, every time I remember that line – “Try to remember you are part of something” – I get chills. When the choir, my friends, sang it on the album, I got chills. It’s the feeling I always want to remember and be left with, so that’s how it found its way to the end.
How did that duality of the album title, TIDE/TIED, strike you as perfect for the record? Has its meaning grown for you since it came up?
The album title was coined by my friend Blanche, who was helping us apply for some funding. I told her what all the songs were about, and she came back with, “Oh, this is TIDE/TIED.” Over the past three years, processing that title – even talking about it at shows – it’s always been about the waves of life, us being thrown around through it all but trying to find grounding, but also how we’re all interconnected. Those themes have been so present in the album’s narrative. And it helps ground me, too, thinking about the waves of life, the people in my life, how we’re all going through similar struggles together. Even with people we don’t know – all those stories are interconnected, too.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
The next iteration of EA Sport’s much loved Madden NFL franchise is set for a 2025 release date.
Madden NFL 26 will welcome players back to the fray with pre-order bonuses and multiple new editions to choose from.
The game will see all the usual gamemodes and features returning, including franchise mode which allows players to manage their own football dynasty, and ultimate team, allowing players to pick their favourite players and create their own dream team.
New Gameplay Features and Fan Rumours
Madden NFL 26 will welcome back the impressive player control mechanics and a wide range of coaching options, while also fine-tuning the in-game physics and movement graphics.
For example, the game will now factor in the weight, speed, and acceleration of the ball carrier based on their physical characteristics, meaning you must account for more than just your inputs.
According to Screen Rant, the developers are also looking to implement the following details, adding further depth to the game: “next-level coaching”, “QB authenticity”, and “explosive gameplay”.
Explosive gameplay suggests EA may be turning around from the fine-tuned physicality of Madden 25, and shifting towards some sort of momentum mechanic to give the game even more intensity in the contact area.
The concept of QB authenticity is also bound to excite avid football fans, potentially hinting at new gameplay features or abilities for quarterbacks with more freedom of movement, improved passing options and mechanics and chances to make scrambling moves.
While little is known of what these may actually entail, it sounds like Madden NFL 26 will be revolutionising the way you coach your team and set out plays on the pitch.
Madden NFL 26: Release Date, Special Editions and Consoles
In line with EA Sport’s usual sport titles, fans can expect various special editions with varying levels of in-game rewards available to them.
There are currently three options available to pre-order: Standard, Deluxe and the MVP Bundle.
Pre-ordering the standard edition will cost $69.99 and give eager players a superstar legendary XP boost, a cover athelete elite MUT player item, and some franchise coach ability points.
The deluxe edition will set players back $99.99 and offer various incentives including 4,600 Madden points (in-game currency), three days of early access, and all the bonuses offered in the standard decision.
The MVP bundle brings the Madden deluxe edition as well as the deluxe edition of EA’s upcoming College Football 26, alongside all the pre-order bonuses of the two games.
The game is set for an August 14 release, with early access opening on August 11.
Madden NFL 26 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, however the MVP bundle is only available on Xbox and PlayStation.
Keeping up with the news in 2025 can cause side effects.
Nausea. Anger. Disillusionment. Fear. The desire to leave civilisation behind, run to the woods, befriend a squirrel, and never come back. We’ve all been there.
When the real world becomes too much to handle, a little escapism can go a long way. And if you pick your entertainment carefully, your downtime won’t just be relaxing. It will put a big smile on your face.
On that note, we’ve gathered 10 uplifting movies guaranteed to temporarily restore your faith in humanity. That’s exactly what you need at the end of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
Rocky
Rocky acts as a reminder that life isn’t always about winning. It’s about showing up and not giving up when the odds seem stacked against you. That makes it one of the most motivational movies available.
The action follows Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the world heavyweight title. Watching him give it his all is downright inspiring. Not only that, but the movie can give you a much-needed push to ignore the noise and focus on what truly matters to you.
The only problem is that you might want to immediately binge the entire franchise.
The Pursuit of Happyness
This 2006 gem revolves around a struggling salesman trying to build a better life for himself and his young son. When everything goes wrong, however, he finds himself broke and homeless.
As a result, he must push forward in dire conditions, hoping that his hard work will eventually pay off.
The Pursuit of Happyness might be painful to watch at times, but it’s incredibly moving. It’s also the kind of story that makes you want to root for humanity. The fact that it’s inspired by true events is just the cherry on top.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Ever wished you could live a big, bold life? Walter Mitty sure does.
A daydreamer at heart, he works for a magazine and leads an overall unremarkable existence. When he embarks on a journey to track a legendary photographer, his path takes an exciting turn.
With great cinematography and a soundtrack for the ages, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a love letter to anyone who has ever felt invisible. Turns out, even the most ordinary people can pull off extraordinary things. They simply need to relocate their spark.
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine centres on a dysfunctional family that goes on a road trip to support young Olive in her bid to win a beauty pageant. As they approach their destination, chaos ensues.
This is the kind of movie that finds beauty in humanity’s messiness. The characters are all imperfect, but their flaws only make you cheer them on harder.
Ultimately, a good life is about showing up for the people you love. That’s doable even when the world seems to be falling apart.
Barbie
While it may look like a straightforward comedy, Barbie is so much more. It’s a celebration of individuality and growth.
In other words, the exact kind of movie that invites some introspection and nudges you to reflect on what it means to be human. The fact that it also makes you laugh throughout is a nice bonus.
The movie follows “Stereotypical Barbie,” who lives a perfect life in Barbie Land. When something goes wrong, she begins to question her purpose, leading her to journey into the real world. Gear up for a wild ride.
The Martian
If you’ve ever questioned your resilience, The Martian will make you reconsider.
The movie revolves around an astronaut left behind on Mars after a storm forces his crew to abort their mission. Alone on a hostile planet, he must use his scientific knowledge and wits to survive as people around the world come together in a daring effort to bring him home.
Thrilling and surprisingly funny, The Martian serves as a testament to the fact that creativity and human connection can help you find a way out of the darkness. Even when all seems lost.
Amélie
Amélie centres on a shy young woman who is bent on secretly improving the lives of those around her. As she performs small acts of kindness, she might accidentally stumble upon some happiness of her own.
Quirky and captivating, this French marvel harbours a deep belief in the goodness of people. You’ll feel like the universe just gave you a warm hug.
The Shawshank Redemption
Equal parts devastating and inspiring, The Shawshank Redemption is incredibly popular for a reason. It’s a story about dignity and the unbreakable nature of the human spirit.
The movie follows a man wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. Once in prison, he befriends a fellow inmate and begins to carve a place for himself, despite knowing very well that he doesn’t belong there. Most importantly, he holds on to the hope that he’ll someday manage to break free.
Life can be cruel. But the belief that it can improve is essential for those keen to persevere.
Big Fish
Directed by Tim Burton, Big Fish is a gorgeous movie with a lot of heart. It revolves around the strained relationship between a son and his dying father, a man known for telling fantastical tales about his life.
As the father nears the end of his life, the son sets out to separate fact from fiction. His purpose is to finally understand the man behind the myths.
There’s power in seeing life through a lens of wonder. This movie will help you remember that.
Godzilla Minus One
Godzilla Minus One is set in Japan after World War II and centres on a former kamikaze pilot haunted by survivor’s guilt. As the country struggles to rebuild, a terrifying threat emerges, and ordinary citisens must band together in a desperate fight for survival.
I pressed Play on this movie hoping to see a big lizard cause all sorts of havoc, and ended up crying through the end credits. Godzilla Minus One honours the power of community and courage. It’s nothing short of phenomenal.
Sophie Gilbert is a staff writer for The Atlantic. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism in 2022, won the 2024 National Magazine Award for Reviews and Criticism, and is the author of forthcoming book “Girl On Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves.” In her book, Gilbert casts her critical eye on pop culture at the turn of the century, analyzing its lasting influence on millennial women’s identities and ambitions.
In our conversation, we discussed pornography’s influence on pop culture, misogyny in reality television, capitalism’s corruption of the “Girl Power” slogan, and the power of stories.
Your book is a reappraisal, as you say, of pop culture examined through the lens of gender. The scope begins in the 90s, when millennial girls were approaching young womanhood, and spends later chapters on the 2000s and 2010’s. What repeats reliably across these three decades is a cycle of progress, to varied degrees of effectiveness, then a swift and often brutal backlash. Why is it important to reappraise pop culture? Why this era specifically?
I decided to reappraise this era when Roe v. Wade was overturned. It was a moment in time where catastrophes were happening, one after another. First, Donald Trump defeated Hiliary Clinton, the first female candidate for president from a major party. Then we had #MeToo which was an outpouring of stories of abuse and harassment. #MeToo made it seem like things were not actually going that well for women at work. Then, we had the pandemic where we started to see the full force of women’s rage, stuck at home, often many of them women with children struggling to do five jobs at the same time. It felt like a real breaking point in the world of domesticity. There were all these moments in time that crystallized that things for women are not okay, and progress is not inevitable.
A lot of people were digging into the politics of why that was, but it always seemed to me that culture is profoundly influential on how we define ourselves, our ambitions, our identities. I wanted to go back to this era because I know how the culture had influenced me and because it was the time when millennial women were coming of age. I certainly remember the era of pop culture being bad. I was really shocked by the scale of how monstrous it was and perhaps naively shocked at how influential porn was on the culture. Porn, as a new artform, was the most influential cultural product at the time. In every aspect of pop culture, porn had a cultural dominance, and still does.
The epigraph to the introduction includes two quotes. One from beloved poet Adrienne Rich, and the other from the slightly controversial, notoriously “anti-porn” feminist Andrea Dworkin. Can you explain why you chose to include an Andrea Dworkin quote, and why this quote, “woman is not born: she is made,” in particular?
Honestly, I wasn’t thinking of the significance of Andrea Dworkin when I included the quote. I was looking for wisdom from the elders that would get at what I was trying to say in the book. The Rich quote (“Re-vision – the act of looking back, of seeing with fresh eyes, of entering an old text from a ew critical direction – is for us more than a chapter in cultural history: It is an act of survival. Until we can understand the assumptions in which we are drenched we cannot know ourselves”) was so perfect because it was so crucial about why we need to revisit the culture of the past to understand all the ways in which it formed us. Thank you, goddess!
The Dworkin quote was a version of the same thing. I went back recently and reread “Pornography: Men Possessing Women,” “Women Hating,” and “Right Wing Women” (by Andrea Dworkin). There was a quote in “Pornography” that really spoke to me: “Pornography incarnates male supremacy.” The simplicity of how she said it captured something that made sense as a frame. I’m not “anti-porn” with the virulence that Dworkin was, and I certainly don’t share in all her opinions, but she was precient about the violence in pornography and how it became sanctioned, and what kind of impact that might have.
In chapter 5, in your discussion of pornography you say porn “tests the limits of what men could do to women for entertainment while cameras roll.” In your research, how did porn emerge as a central contributor to pop culture’s misogynist treatment of women?
I wasn’t expecting it to have as much as a presence. My idea was to go back and do some cultural/historical digging to see what would resonate with what is happening now. I always compare porn to reality TV because it has a massive influence that no one wants to take seriously, talk about, or even think about. People write off porn and reality TV as trash and don’t understand what it is sending out to us.
I found the scale of porn, the explosion of it, even before the internet, so interesting. VHS as a technology was basically established on the back of porn. I grew up watching videotapes from Blockbuster and I had no idea that I was utilizing a technology that was made so people could watch other people have sex.
In the early 2000s, porn culture became so core. Everything was enthralled with porn and its imagery, tropes, and aesthetics. It was a very jokey moment that said, “Don’t take any of this seriously!” I found the weaponization of irony interesting because that certainly has resonated with a lot of the misogyny in the last few years. The idea that misogyny is just an act, a performance, makes it really hard to critique. If someone tells you they are just making a joke it forces you to be the kill joy, ruining all the fun.
The more research I did, the more porn seemed to be everywhere. In every topic, era, virtually every person, and cultural product porn was involved or influential in some way.
How did we get from Riot Grrrl, a collective political movement, to #girlboss, an individual capitalist aspiration?
Through the Spice Girls. I’m so sad to say that because I loved them as a tween. It was the corruption of “Girl Power” from this furious activist slogan that had specificity, demands, and an agenda to the Spice Girls version that was about spectacle, fun, and celebration. There is a joy to that too, but when Spice Girls became famous and Girl Power became their slogan, it didn’t mean anything. The Spice Girl’s financial success, the branding deals, and number of products that they were able to sell became so overwhelming that it really took over music. Marketers at that point started to glom onto the spending power of teenage girls who don’t have mortgages, but who do have babysitting money and cash to spend. They are a great market to sell frivolities to. The minute people saw how the Spice Girls could tap into that market it was basically over for the angry ladies of rock. That was how we ended up with the pop stars of the 2000s that were similarly glitter, shiny, fun. The music was for girls, but the aesthetic was for boys.
A lot of people have described “Baby One More Time” (The Britney Spears song and music video) to me as the moment they grew up. For a lot of us older millennials it was a rupture in the fabric of time, afterwhich nothing else was the same.
You argue reality TV, shows like The Bachelor and Real Housewives, informs, upholds, and reinforces misogynist ideals and marginalizes and tokenizes women of color. We have consumed so much sensationalized reality TV, it makes sense now that the United States has a reality TV president surrounded by reality TV looking women. How accurate is pop culture as a barometer for how society values women? Could we use it to predict presidential elections?
I have a line in the book about the moment I thought Hilary Clinton would be elected president. I remember thinking it would be so powerful for everyone to see the most powerful position in the whole world held by a woman. That will shift people’s thinking! But at the same time I was writing about the Ghostbusters movie. Men didn’t want women to be Ghostbusters. They didn’t want to see their beloved cultural totems corrupted by the presence of yucky girls! Of course I should have seen that as a harbinger of what was to come. If men are not willing to give up one single Ghostbusters movie they are not going to give up the seat of power.
Culture is hugely influential. I think Donald Trump would not be president if he had not been on a reality show. We savvy cultural consumers look at reality TV and see that it is staged. We understand that it is all fake, constructed simulacra, but a lot of people don’t see it that way. Trump in particular is an inveterate salesman and showman. Something about reality TV really suited him because it let him be obnoxious and ostentatious. It let him sell himself as a rich successful man.
In the early days of reality TV, the minute people understood it was going to be a smash, it became this race to the bottom. Everyone was trying to make shows that would be incredibly cheap and grab eyeballs. People were competing to have the most disgusting formats: Fifty women pageant style competing to marry a man they’ve never seen before. It was turning women into farm animals, livestock at the country fair. In some ways, we have never lost the origins of that model. We see it throughout The Housewives franchise and The Bachelor. A lot has become better since then, but we are still stuck within a lot of the same framing.
The diffusion of media sources – more streaming services, blogs, Instagram, Facebook, and even OnlyFans – has the potential to create broader, more visible modes of difference, but it often still upholds existing oppressive structures. How is a layperson supposed to know the difference? Should they be expected to care?
Most consumers can sense when something is offensive. Platforms like OnlyFans are interesting to me because they are driven by market demand. For years culture has told us there is one standard of female beauty and sexual attraction, but the women who make the most money on OnlyFans are over fifty. There is a substantial sexual drive towards women who are older which is not something that mainstream culture has acknowledged. There is space for performance of all different kinds of bodies. It is not the indicate standard of sexuality that was propagated in most media in the 2000s. That itself is revealing and a sign of progress. It shows that we are not all robots who blindly follow what we see and consume. Desire is actually really complicated. When we are allowed the space to figure it out ourselves, who knows where it might lead.
In terms of cultural consumption, I know that not everyone will connect with this book, but I do know that women, especially millennial women, are great readers. My hope is that there is enough in the book that connects with different people’s experiences so everyone can find a touchstone. So far every review and interview has zoomed in on different points, which to me is super fascinating. It shows that it is up to every individual to take away what they want from the book, and what leads them to further consideration. I want my project to be something people take for themselves.
There has been such a fascinating and rich revision project of this era. There have been so many great books, TV shows, and new justice for people like Monica Lewisnski and Tonya Harding. There is a new willingness to see these women, who were totally stereotyped in the era, with the full complexity that they deserve.
People don’t take women’s culture and history seriously. So much of history is written from a male perspective, basically all of history up until very recently. People assume history is the stuff of gravitas – things that happen in government buildings and on battlefields – but history is how people are formed. This is our history and it formed us. It had a profound impact on the way the world currently works. My goal was to try to get people to see the significance of women’s history and treat it with some credence.
I imagine it’s fun to do research on a subject you are genuinely interested in.
So fun! A lot of the research in this book is really heavy. Working on chapter six I definitely had nightmares. It was really dark. The best moments writing the book were when I figured out why things happened. To make pop culture make sense is always the goal for me.
Even more nefarious than porn, the grabby not-so-invisible-hand that guides pop culture is capitalism. Whether or not something can sell – from gory revenge porn to fad diets to Kardashian imprinted beauty products to plastic surgeries – determines whether or not it should be promoted in mainstream pop culture. How did the aughts get away with buying and selling feminism, thus removing all collective power and sense of a movement?
The trick that was pulled off was persuading women that feminism was no longer necessary because they had money now. That is overly simplistic, but it is so much of what happened at the end of the nineties. The messaging was, “Girls! You have jobs now! You can do whatever you want. You can wear whatever you want. Isn’t it fun? Go buy this lipstick. Live free! Be sexually desirable.” But really, this is allowed as long as you conform to a quite narrow vision of womanhood.
Spending money is thrilling, as we know. Earning money can be similarly thrilling. The trick of post feminism was harnessing that. And making it seem like spending money was the same thing as having equality. It might have seemed like it at the moment too, but it really did neutralize the momentum of the feminist movement in a way that took longer than a decade to see in full clarity.
I am reminded that Riot Grrrl intentionally didn’t copyright the phrase “Riot Grrrl” or “Girl Power.” It was for everyone to use. Now, we can buy feminism as a fashion statement. How was that transition from Riot Grrrl to capitalist feminism so swift?
Because it was easy. People have been expressing frustration in reviews that the book does not have more answers. I wish I had more answers. The answers that I have are vague and abstract. I think we need to move away from an individual idea of success and towards a more collective struggle like what we had in the 70s, which created some fairly substantial political change.
Individualism is so much easier. Capitalist feminism has very simple solutions: ask your boss for a raise, do a power pose, do a lean in circle. It makes the feminist project small and manageable by breaking it up into small goals rather than the much broader institutional goals that we still somehow haven’t managed to achieve in the U.S. Persuading America to see women as full human beings is surprisingly hard. Telling women they can be empowered by buying lipstick or a Wonderbra is much simpler.
I found the final chapter very forward thinking. In it you say stories, specifically new stories, have the potential to rewire our brains away from the turn of the century’s misogynist pop culture. Where do you imagine these stories will come from? Where will they not come from?
Recently, there have been a lot of movies about women that have perplexed me in an interesting way. I’m still thinking about Babygirl months later because I can’t quite figure it out. I love that. I love that it is not this sort of rote boy meets girl framing. It is rich in all these interesting ways and keeps you at a distance. The show Dying For Sex has been really fascinating in its treatment of female sexuality that we rarely see in mainstream television.
The industry at the moment seems to be in a period of retrenchment. That makes me think more of the change will happen at a smaller scale. Women are endlessly creative, endlessly resilient, and endlessly flexible in terms of what we can do in our art. Making our art for a long time was difficult and we made it anyway. The fact that there are fewer obstacles now and much more receptiveness to different kinds of stories about women really makes me hopeful for the future. Will it be enough? I don’t know. My book is not a manifesto, maybe someone else can write that. Stories define our imagination. Stories are where the bounds lie. I hope that will seed something new for the future.
