Fast forward to today, and everyone knows that technology changes faster than the breeze can shift. And it’s become easy for people to focus on the negative aspects of technology because when it doesn’t work, or we can’t handle it properly, it’s frustrating.

Everything has a good and bad side, but tech does a lot of good to make a positive difference in the world. As everything continues to progress, the good that’s created from technology will only continue to grow.

1. Advice at your fingertips

Back in the day, if your car broke down on the side of the road, you had to either flag down another driver to ask for help or walk miles to the nearest town, hoping they’d have a mechanic. In a situation like that today, you can easily do a quick internet search to phone a tow company, let a mechanic know that you’re coming, and even check your bank account to see how much you can spend on repairs before you ever get the bill.

One of the best things technology has done has been to provide advice. If you think about it, you’ll probably realize that not a day goes by when you’re not asking the internet for an answer to a question or using it to help you figure out how to solve a problem. Websites and instant, mobile internet have changed how life is experienced for new generations that have grown up with it, so no one has to be lost or confused on their own anymore. Answers are always a quick web search away.

2. Social awareness on the rise

Before the rise of technology, people were limited to knowing only about what was going on in their community. Newspapers allowed individuals to learn about national headlines, but only what they chose to publish. Now, anyone can jump on social media or read any newspaper in the world to learn about what’s going on. You can easily get personal perspectives on political or social situations, so naturally, tech has increased social awareness.

What happens when more people are aware of what’s happening around them? Compassion and understanding are born, which leads to more activity in each community. People begin to talk, converse, and take action. Change takes place through events like marches and voting, but it wouldn’t be happening so often or on so large a scale without technology giving people access to more material they can learn about and providing a platform for people to come together and make changes occur.

3. e-Learning opens doors

In recent modern society, there was a path that every young person had to follow to hopefully launch a successful career and life: finish grade school, go to university, and graduate with a degree. This path was a narrow-minded standard since many people can’t afford to go to university. The internet opened up as a platform for e-learning, which has quickly become a new and popular benefit of technology.

Classes online are cheaper because they don’t require students to pay for housing and meal plans. They can also be customized, so students working full-time jobs don’t have to also try to balance the traditional 5 classes each semester. It can be adjusted down to 1 or 2, depending on how much time they have after work. Opening up education to more people helps future generations get an extra step ahead, which wouldn’t have been possible if e-learning hadn’t been made available.

4. Enhanced communication

Anyone and everyone can benefit when there are better ways to communicate. New technology has opened up communication from its old, limited standpoint of phone calls, letters, and emails. Now, people can use smartphones to video chat with their friends and family no matter where they are in the world. People with disabilities can live better lives because tech helps them communicate, like in the case of Stephen Hawking. Better communication leads to better collaboration, leading to happier lives.

5. Lifestyles can become healthier

There’s no need to go out and read through a ton of books about nutrition anymore. Now, you have access to all the help you could need to reach a healthier lifestyle. Whether you want to lose weight, deal with a food allergy, or learn to cook for yourself so that you can stop eating out every night, technology is there to help.

You can research dieticians and contact them for a quote. Millions of recipes are online that you can access for free. You can even have an online personal trainer guide you through workouts so that you become stronger and fitter. Whatever you want to do, tech is there to get you that healthy lifestyle. It’s also there to take away any excuses holding you back!

The world relies on technology so heavily that when something goes wrong with it, everyone focuses on how bad it can be. But the truth is that even with its problems, modern technology has changed life for the better in so many ways.

A key aspect to finding peace and happiness in life is being able to focus on the positives. The technological revolution will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest historical events that changed the world — and in many cases, for the better! So many positives have come out of technology that it would be hard to justify throwing it all away and starting from scratch.

So, remember to look on the bright side.

This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitteror subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.

Ottawa has seen serious speculation that it wants to expand its agreement with Washington, which would enable it to turn away asylum seekers in the thousands. This could potentially be enforceable along all points of the shared border.

What is the STCA?

Naturally, the news that seeking asylum could become even harder for refugees has raised concerns among rights groups in Canada, which have had longstanding issues with the government’s Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA).

Amnesty International Secretary General Alex Neve opposes the agreement because it says people can claim refuge in only the country of their initial arrival. Therefore, those arriving in the U.S. cannot bypass it to then move to Canada.

However, the loophole that has so far lent itself to asylum-seekers is that anyone already on Canadian soil can file for it. As such, the country has witnessed an increase in irregular movement of thousands of migrants across the border through snowy fields, ditches, and other unofficial points of entry. In fact, in 2017, over 20,000 asylum-seekers were met by police, the vast majority entering via Quebec.

Neve believes the STCA should be lifted because of the U.S.’s attitude toward refugee protection, commenting that the Trump administration has been especially detrimental to the conditions for asylum-seekers.

Enforcing the widening of the agreement is a massive infringement on the rights of migrants, putting them in an even more unstable and fearful situation as they seek to look to the more understanding Canadian laws, as opposed to the harsher ones in the America. Refugees apparently suffer intimidation, detention, and deportation in the U.S., hence travel further afield to Canada.

How imminent is the expansion of the agreement?

It seems there are some mixed messages that the expansion is even being considered. Canada has denied it, asserting that turning the entire border into an official point of entry would create more difficulty and even be dangerous, motivating increased irregular border crossings.

Nevertheless, contradicting this, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it is reviewing a request from Canada to indeed review the STAC. Canadian Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale has perhaps side-stepped the issue by claiming “no formal proposal” has been put to the U.S.

It would not be a surprise to many, as Canada has tried to get some sort of deal in place for severalyears. If STCA were amended, it would likely be more restrictive.

According to Professor Sean Rehaag at York University, the U.S. is not incentivized to expand the agreement and decrease the number of asylum seekers moving onto Canada, particularly given Trump’s harsh approach to immigration in general. The STAC was only agreed upon initially, in 2004, because the U.S. was keen to encourage further sharing of information cross-border post 9/11.

What should happen next?

Rehaag goes further to insist that expanding the STAC will not limit how many refugees arrive in Canada, but will instead force them to cross via more treacherous routes. As it was prior to 2004, many believe the STAC should be lifted to accommodate safe entry for refugees into Canada, where it can be documented and appropriate provisions can be made.

The number of asylum seekers seems to be entirely manageable, and the right way to deal with them should be by properly funding shelters for refugees and increasing staffing at points of official entry.

This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitteror subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.

Despite the negative press, many maintain that Canada is still an environmental leader, even when compared to other wealthy democracies.

As critics have been quick to point out, several of the studies disparaging Canada’s environmental quality failed to take specific integral factors into account. For instance, Canada possesses some of the largest and most abundant oil fields, bitumen sands, and shale reserves throughout the world. Though much of the country is uninhabitable during the harshest months, Canada remains an incredibly resource-rich nation. Some studies misconstrue this fact as being immediately damning for Canada’s record.

For instance, when looking at total emissions within a country and calculating for overall air quality, many studies don’t account for population density. While certain industrial refinement zones within Canada feature some of the worst pollution possible, these areas act as outliers, pushing the data to evoke images of a smog-choked nation.

While other countries undoubtedly suffer from the same problem, the fact that most heavily populated areas are located nowhere near the worst pollution makes Canada itself a unique outlier. In China, for instance, the smog coming from the coastal factories covers Beijing, one of the county’s largest population centres. The same is true for Los Angeles, London, and other industrialized nations. For Canada, a significantly larger distance exists between its largest population centres and its most polluted areas.

Of course, this does not speak to the macro “environmental footprint” Canada is making. As far as waste generation, Canada ranks highly among its cohorts. However, we must look at how they handle that same waste — a follow-up many studies fail to complete.

Canada is extremely cognizant of the waste it produces and is one of the most advanced countries when it comes to proper waste disposal. Logically, the steps and processes a nation uses to dispose of its waste should count as highly — if not more so — as the raw amount of waste produced in the first place. After all, nations are widely beholden to the natural resources available to them: Any country with large reserves of oil will drill and export it. What those same countries do for cleanup helps define their environmental track record.

In a recent comprehensive study, researchers adjusted many of the factors normally measured to be more country-specific. For instance, Canada’s per capita carbon dioxide emissions — which normally place it high on the list of OECD nations — can be adjusted according to the geographical location and relative size of Canada.

After all, a country that is larger and features a more thinly spread population will logically necessitate people travel longer distances when commuting or transporting goods for work, causing more emissions. Also, a sparser population density means more individuals will own homes and fewer will use shared heating and cooling services available in apartments.

Canada is also one of the northernmost countries within the OECD, and accordingly requires some of the most heating during the winters. Furnaces and boilers are some of the leading contributors to domestic greenhouse gases, but are also entirely necessary for surviving a Canadian winter. By adjusting both factors — size and distance of commute, and essential heating during the winter — which do not reflect active choices by the Canadian government, Canada leapfrogs to the top of the list.

Of course, researchers cannot adjust some of these measures. How can one adjust for the relative temperature difference between Italy and Canada? Given the geographical anomaly of Canada, the only data available is from regions of Russia — a non-OECD nation — or from Canada itself, which defeats the purpose of a comparative study. Given this, some factors will still naturally push Canada in a negative direction, and are impossible to adjust fairly.

With Earth Day 2018 freshly in the rearview mirror, it seems timely that this new research would come out so recently. However you look at it, even in comparison to other OECD nations, Canada finds itself among the highest performers. For those measures that are unadjustable or in which Canada is lagging, the country still performs well in comparison with much of the rest of the world. All OECD nations find themselves ranked relatively highly when compared to most other nations, and Canada is no exception. Despite its detractors, Canada remains a model for environmentally-minded growth.

This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.

The election of Donald Trump came as a surprise to many people. He campaigned on various issues, but cannabis wasn’t a big one. Since becoming President, Trump has proposed several changes that demonstrate exactly where he stands on it.

In January, his administration once again freed prosecutors to enforce federal laws in states that had decriminalized marijuana, both recreationally and medically. That means that people who have obtained cannabis legally in their state can still be prosecuted federally. This is a blatant strike against the idea of “state’s rights” that conservatives usually champion, but it’s not something that most people were surprised by.

Trump against the world

Part of the reason Trump got elected was that he convinced people that America should come first for Americans. It strikes a chord with tribalism, and only serves to isolate the US from the rest of the world. This isn’t a good thing.

We have two very close neighbours: Canada and Mexico. Our relationship with Mexico has become increasingly strained, thanks to numerous statements by President Trump, including stating that Mexico will pay for a border wall. Our relationship with Canada has also become slightly more strained, though the effects haven’t been as obvious.

One way this has started to become clear is the way Canada is going about their consideration of legalizing cannabis. In summer 2018, Prime Minister Trudeau expects to roll out legalized, recreational cannabis nationwide in Canada. But Canada does not act as an island, and it doesn’t want to. There are millions of people who cross the US-Canada border every day.

The tie-up

If Canada goes through with their legalization, then the US will have to deal with people who suddenly can’t cross the border. As long as it’s still illegal in the US, Canadians who travel to the US frequently may face ridiculous repercussions. Expect longer lines, more inspections, and tighter security.

This is likely to mean that the US border side will have additional agents and dogs. They’re expected to turn away more people, meaning more paperwork. That all amounts to one thing: a higher cost. So the result is that the US starts spending more money and time on keeping marijuana out of the US, while simultaneously taking away the rights of individual states to determine if they want cannabis to be legal or not.

It’s getting ridiculous. Cannabis, as a plant, has been responsible for no overdoses in the US. We have proof now that it does have potential medical benefits. Many studies have shown that it can help reduce pain associated with long-term conditions and can ease the impacts of severe treatments like chemotherapy.

In fact, legalizing cannabis might have another unintended benefit. A recent article came out that shows that opioid use is lower in states that have less severe marijuana laws. The studies show that people may be more willing to use medical marijuana for pain instead of opioids when they have the option of getting both legally.

So, what are we doing?

Instead of keeping up with the latest research, the US has just fallen into two camps, with one side fervently against marijuana. Unfortunately, that camp makes up a considerable portion our governing body at the moment. And because we can’t make a decision, we’re continuing to throw money at something that should essentially be a non-issue. Task forces dedicated to stopping the sale of marijuana, both legally and illegally, eat up taxpayer money.

A considerable portion of the people caught and arrested with marijuana are not dealing with large quantities. In 2016, over 650,000 people were arrested for marijuana. That’s a huge number since so many people support legalization, and taxpayers are the ones who pay for each person that goes to jail. This is especially troubling since it seems that people are willing to choose marijuana over more dangerous drugs, like opioids.

The truth of the matter is the ban on cannabis is not working out in America’s favour. It actually pushes people towards harder drugs, as opposed to acting as a “gateway drug.” It wastes taxpayer money, creates more bureaucratic red tape, and now, it will start hurting our relationship with some of our closest trade partners.

That money could be redistributed to more pressing problems like the opioid epidemic, which is killing thousands of people all over the country, and legalization of marijuana would only further that positive redistribution. If we tax weed, assuming each state makes about $10 million a year in taxes from it, we could fund Planned Parenthood! And that’s a low number if Colorado is setting the standard for expected marijuana tax income.

We need to stop and think about this because something isn’t working. Is the war on marijuana really worth all this? Many other nations don’t think so. Perhaps it’s time we join them.

This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.

Citing recent gun violence in some of Canada’s larger cities, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wholeheartedly backed this legislation. Gun violence within Canada has been climbing steadily since 2013 and often rears its head in gang-related incidents within the urban settings. This bill would seek to limit firearm access for those previously convicted of crime, a provision that is included in the background check.

Opposition

Canada, like its neighbour to the south, has a long tradition of outdoorsmanship, including both hunting and fishing. The previous administration tapped into these sentiments and in 2012 helped to dismantle the nation’s national registry, no longer requiring owners of shotguns and rifles to register their weapons. The registration of handguns and other alternative firearms more commonly used in criminal situations remained on the registry.

While there are no proposals for reinstating the rifle and shotgun registry, many of the opponents of the bill believe it is the first step in reinstating the past registry. Further, some of the provisions of this new law would significantly increase the scope of current background checks — presently set at the past five years of a buyer’s life — allowing the authorities to gain access to a buyer’s entire record. So an 80-year-old could be denied firearm purchasing for a crime committed when they were 18.

Criminologists in and around Canada note that the legislation may not be as necessary and urgent as it sounds. Gun homicides, though apparently surging in the past five years, are still comparatively low by historical standards. 2013 — which is often the year used for comparison with today — was a 20-year low, and is considered a statistical anomaly. Politicians may be skewing the numbers by comparing the current rate of violence to that of 2013.

Over the border

Some Canadians believe the bill’s focus is misguided. While firearm homicides within Canada are not significantly higher than historical numbers, the number of restricted or illegal firearms within Canada is. Many of these — which include AR-15s, commonly used in American mass shootings — come illegally across the southern border. The law itself has made no changes in the status of several semiautomatic weapons — including the AR-15 — which can be sold legally with a special permit.

Many Canadians fear that allowing the purchase and ownership of these weapons could result in the same carnage recently witnessed in Florida. However, under the current system, gun ownership is still extremely stringent within Canada, and with the extension of background checks to one’s entire lifetime, it could prevent such violence from erupting.

Stronger gun legislation

With the acceptance of this new bill, Canada will continue its trend of stricter gun legislation, further distancing itself from its southern neighbour. While opinions on the bill are heavily mixed—with some proponents seeing it as a good and necessary step towards a safer future, and opponents seeing it as statistically unsupported—it will certainly make the purchasing of firearms more difficult.

With an influx of foreign weapons coming over the border and a recent bump in gang violence throughout major cities, politicians have chosen to heed the public outcry against gun violence in Canada.

This guest post is written by Kate Harveston, a writer and political activist from Pennsylvania. She blogs about culture and politics, and the various ways that those elements act upon each other. For more of her work, you can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her blog, Only Slightly Biased.

Pregnancy is a time that heralds a great change in your life and in the lives of those closest to you. Many people experience a great deal of stress that can detract from the joy of carrying a child.

Reconnecting to your spiritual side during the process can help you retain your balance inside and out. Spirituality is all about connection—a deep connection to who you are, the world around you, and the way that you feel.

It’s also a deeply personal definition that allows each of us to have and nurture our relationship with our environment and other people in our lives. Spirituality doesn’t have to be relegated to any single religion or belief system.

Psychology Today defines spirituality as, “a boundary-less dimension of human experience.” This leaves the concept completely open to the interpretation of the person undergoing the experience.

In this sense, pregnancy is the ideal time to find and nurture your inner self. As you connect to your growing child, you can redefine your purpose as a person and grow the boundaries of your life to include someone new.

Your child will be an extension of your values, beliefs, and of your experience with the world. Staying in touch with the best parts of yourself has never been more important.

Embracing the process

Growing your family is the very definition of change. It’s extremely important to prepare yourself for what’s happening to your body and your life. Even if they weren’t a spiritual person to start with, many women report an elevated feeling of connection throughout their pregnancy.

Creating and carrying life is a huge concept when you stop to think about it. Embracing the process involves accepting the changes going on in and out of your body. This can be difficult as we watch our waistline spread and deal with physical changes that make us feel awkward in our own skin.

Visualization is an excellent tool to use when coping with these types of changes. It can help to imagine the tiny baby growing inside of our bodies. Think about what your child looks like and how they’re interacting with you already.

Then visualize the changes that your body will go through throughout this journey. Try to look at every change in a positive light. Think about making more room for your baby and providing them with the best home possible.

This type of exercise can help you embrace your body as it adapts for childbirth. This is a beautiful and natural thing. Some women struggle with considering themselves attractive when going through this. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s more important than ever to love yourself during your pregnancy. Love what your body can do for your child, and love the way that your life is moving forward in a positive direction.

Preparing for new life

As you prepare your home for the new baby, you’ll need to prepare yourself emotionally and spiritually as well. Many women face things like postpartum depression after giving birth.

This condition usually results from hormones but can also be due to the significant changes going on in a person’s life. It’s critical to care for your emotional health before and after the pregnancy.

Some women turn to yoga or meditation at this time. This allows them to take time out of their day for themselves, and to focus on their needs. After the baby comes, things will get significantly busier, so it’s important to ensure that you relax and take time to pamper yourself a bit before it’s time to start dividing your attention.

Sometimes, physical symptoms can also cause depression and interfere with our ability to feel connected. Many people combine remedies that align with their spiritual beliefs during their pregnancies.

It’s always important to ensure that these things are safe to use before taking anything. Some herbs and natural remedies may actually be harmful during pregnancy. Unfortunately, helpful things like ashwagandha and pregnancy don’t always mix. Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic herb and method for treating several conditions.

Always consult with your physician before taking anything. The goal is to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible, inside and out.

Reconnecting with your partner

Your partner can also experience stress and anxiety throughout your pregnancy. They, too, are facing many changes and trying to deal with a shifting focus in their life.

Both of you are responsible for this new life, and that ties the two of you together in ways that you may not have imagined before. Embracing this deeper connection can be a great way to take your love to an entirely new level.

Don’t be afraid to reach out and really involve your partner in the spiritual side of your pregnancy. The more connected both of you feel to your new baby, the easier the transition will be when it’s time to introduce that new life into yours.

Strengthening your relationship prior to birth is a great way to ensure that you’re both on the same page and to create a more cohesive support system. Your child deserves a happy home, and both of you working together can provide this.

Restoring new balance

After your baby’s birth, the centre of gravity in your life will change. This shift can throw people off balance emotionally and spiritually. It’s important to have a strong connection to these parts of yourself to find balance at this time.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends, family, spiritual leaders, and loved ones for help. A new baby has a way of bringing people together that is both profound and enlightening. Pregnancy and birth can be an outlet for spiritual growth and take you to a better place in your life.

So this may have been hanging around on your new year’s resolutions list for a couple of years, but how important is it to become more cultured?

In short, probably one of the most important things you can do for yourself!

Becoming more cultured and broadening your horizons is actually more important than many of us might realize, deserving more heed than a noncommittal “I’ll do this once the essential stuff is done.”

Being cultured means being educated and insightful. It could mean being well-read, maintaining an interest in classic films, or developing a well-trained eye for appreciating art in its many forms. To be cultured also means to be educated about the world, to understand the dynamics and politics in foreign countries as well as domestically, and to compassionately comprehend what seems to be unfamiliar and far away.

So how do we become more cultured and why?

Read more

This shouldn’t feel like a chore! And if it does, it’s time to break it down to basics:

• Classic novels are there for a reason, and while you should aim to read at least one classic novel per year, they can be overwhelming. So, start off with something you actually enjoy.
• Choose a genre such as philosophy, poetry, politics, or history and pick a book recommended by critics, friends, or family.
• Once you feel you’ve become considerably better read in a field, move on to another genre of similar interest.
• In the meantime, subscribing to a well-reputed magazine detailing general knowledge and news is a helpful way to cover all bases. Do not underestimate the importance of international news.
• Respond to the culture by following up on research with any questions you have, visit a local library or museum to gain insight into your chosen topic, and maybe even write about it!

Watch and listen to better films and TV

This may come more naturally to us, but instead of picking the standard Hollywood slapstick comedies or a reality TV show, go for something where you have a better chance of being intellectually challenged.

• Foreign films and TV are excellent ways of tuning into the intricacies of another culture without physically going there, but you can also become more cultured by connecting with people who perhaps came from other countries.
• Commit to documentaries, true story dramatizations, and highly revered stories of our time. Become educated through your entertainment — perhaps you can supplement your chosen reading genre with film and TV episodes?
• Vlogs and podcasts can also fall under this genre; travel vloggers in particular are thoroughly fascinating and their stories provide an entry into another culture or country which otherwise may not be accessible to you immediately.
• Understanding politics and the struggles of groups other than your own is an important aspect of being cultured too. Try visiting feminist sites, reading about the experiences of other races, or becoming involved with LGBTQ advocacy efforts online and in your community. Empathy and understanding is an important aspect of being open-minded and analytical.

Get a hobby

This is a big one. How about restarting your violin lessons or your speech and drama classes? Hobbies connect us with the world and provide an otherwise hidden segue into a deeper human experience.

• Take up yoga. It may connect us on a universal level, and many types actively practice embracing peaceful cultures and equality. Needless to say, you’ll also feel calmer and get a rock-hard core.
• Art class or live drawing reconnects us to a creative energy, which is great for coping with negative emotions and stresses. Art itself is a universal language that can generate a deeper interest in the world itself.
• Learn a language. Yes, English is widely spoken, but what about all the books, media, entertainment, and insights you’re missing out on because of that language barrier? Learning a new language can be a cultural eye-opener, and there are plenty of apps and programs available nowadays that help you do so easily from the comfort of your own home.

Becoming more cultured connects us deeper to the world around us, the history that got us here, and to other people. Through education, we also rid ourselves of intolerance stemming from ignorance of other cultures, and the above steps can help us to learn more about what we each truly care about on an individual basis.

It’s always important to remember where you came from: your hometown, your humble beginnings, maybe your parents who saw you through it all. In today’s world, though, appreciation for the past seems to be lost in the fray, cast aside in favour of fast-paced jobs, modern technology and eyes focused intently on what’s to come.

I think it’s important that we start to change that, both for the current generation of elders, as well as for future generations who will eventually take on the same role. We have so much to learn from those who have walked through life before us, but we often forget to ask.

They have good advice

The world has undoubtedly changed from when your parents or grandparents were your age. While they may not have faced the same exact trials as you do nowadays, they can still provide you with nuggets of wisdom, having been through most of life’s ups and downs already. As such, their advice is even more valuable to you: They’ve navigated problems successfully and can help you do the same. Then, their wisdom will become yours to pass on in the future.

Our elders have a great perspective on our problems in the grand scheme of life because they’ve lived for decades already. Don’t be afraid to tap into the insights of your grandparents or parents and see things from their vantage point. What’s bothering you seems huge now, but in a few years’ time, it will likely be a small blip on the radar. If anyone can assure you of that, it’s someone who’s lived through a similar sentiment.

We can defeat ageism

In today’s world, it’s all about looking younger, feeling younger and, in many cases, acting younger. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of the first few decades of one’s life, but seeing aging as a negative thing can have consequences.

Things have already begun to get better. The elderly, who have struggled to hold onto jobs into their later years, can no longer be discriminated against for their age in the workplace. On top of that, more films and TV shows feature representative characters. The elderly are more active and healthier than they’ve been in the past, too.

By opening our hearts and minds to the oldest generation, we can further break down these barriers to fulfillment and success that younger people do not see until they’re in the same shoes down the line. Just by spending time with our elders, we will deepen our understanding of and appreciation for them.

They thrive, too

Popular culture will lead you to believe that, once people reach a certain age, they lose a lot of their good sense: Their memories are gone, and so is their grip on reality. On our screens, older people are often portrayed as crazy.

However, not every country has the same representation of their elders. Take China, for example: There, the oldest generations are seen as mentors, exalted for their wisdom. Because of that appreciation, elderly individuals in China perform much better on memory tests than those of the same age in North America. In other words, our expectations of older people can affect the way they live and remember — when we invest more confidence in them, they are more likely to follow through on those expectations.

Sometimes, the elderly also need help to take care of themselves. By some estimates, 1,800 deaths per year are linked to elder abuse. We tend to forget issues unique to the elderly because they don’t make it into the media as much. But this is something we can change, if we take the time to.

Attentiveness and appreciation can make all the difference in a situation like this one. Simply
checking in with an elderly relative can ensure their well-being.

Appreciate, learn, grow

Learning from the past will help our generation and future ones to grow and be better. That could mean we’re enriched by family or historical traditions that we pass onto our children. Perhaps we might find ourselves able to avoid major conflicts and problems because we know how a similar situation unfolded years ago. We can follow our elders’ lead and make better choices, so as not to repeat history.

No matter how we look at it, the elderly are one of our best assets. It’s up to us to keep them involved in our world and make them feel respected and heard. In the end, we’ll only end up with a mutual appreciation for one another, which is a sentiment humankind can always use more of.

If evolution is a theoretical end-goal of successful art — a.k.a. “it makes you think” — then what about the evolution of the artist behind the art? Do you excuse the artist their personal failings, especially crimes, for contributions of great art to society?

It’s been a big question in recent months as society exposes popular movie makers, comedians and other artists for years of horrible abuse. Do you turn on yourself and society, shifting or not shifting beliefs, as a result of such dialogue? Do you, or does society, change? Can you simply sit back and enjoy the art?

Bill Cosby

Many grew up watching the lovable Huxtable family on TV, where Bill Cosby played Dr. Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show. His character always had something to say with the proper mix of humour, wisdom and love. Aside from being America’s Dad, Cosby’s character also represented a vital presence on screen and in society for people of colour.

In recent years, many women came forward to reveal the actor as a sexual predator. Cosby claimed that everything was consensual, but more and more women stood up to call out Cosby as a predator and rapist.

You try to go back to Dr. Huxtable, to separate the artist from his art, the proclaimed predator from who you see on screen. You laugh at some of the funny parts, until Cosby stares at his young TV daughter’s tight pants — and you cringe. You try to reason it out: “That’s not Cosby. That’s Dr. Huxtable!” Something is still off, and there is only grief. Many lost their childhood to this knowledge, along with the women who lost so much.

Harvey Weinstein

The allegations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein made many fans rethink their love of Miramax Films. Weinstein’s abuse also extended to his staff who claimed the cult of Miramax protected him from the ramifications of his behaviours.

Decades of allegations of mental, emotional and sexual abuse by staff and dozens of women must be considered, but what of those who made the art, too? What of the women who made art associated with Miramax?

Is it ever appropriate to enjoy the art without condemning the artist?

Whether the history books will remember celebrities like Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby most prominently for their art or for their wrongdoings is unclear. The actions of the artists lead to the question of how society “should” perceive their art, but abuse often occurs in parallel time without public knowledge.

Is it still appropriate to enjoy the art after you’ve innocently viewed it and had no knowledge of an artist’s reprehensible behaviour? What narrative conflicts do you and society face?

If an intrinsic end point of art is evolution, separating the art from the artist fails to engage people in the vital conversation aesthetically and humanely needed. The art and the artist fail the audience, and at some point, you must stop being the audience and remember your humanity. It’s important to understand that for the abused, the art isn’t always separate. It’ a part of what happened as the art was made, never lessening that horrible personal experience.

So while we can give the artist credit for what they were able to create, that’s about as far as it goes. We can’t excuse their actions because of their talent. It is not wrong to view the art and appreciate it for what it’s worth, but it cannot be denied that there is some worth lost when we find out that all along, our onscreen heroes were never heroes to begin with, but instead the bad guys.

To know God, and through that relationship live the best life one can lead, is at the centre of many religions. As one of the prominent religions on the planet, Christianity has evolved into different expressions of faith across all points of the globe.

Two places that are geographically close can have incredibly different outlooks on spirituality. Marshall Shelly, director of Denver Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program, recently set out to explore the way that people from all over the globe differ in their expressions of Christianity relative to the brand of faith seen in the United States.

For Christians and non-Christians, Shelly’s findings are an eye-opening and refreshing reminder of how nuanced the topic of faith is, and how easy it can be to forget that your approach to religion isn’t everyone’s.

Surveying the globe

Shelly spoke to pastors from Mongolia, Korea, Guatemala, and Africa who have immigrated to the United States and practiced the faith. His reflections on what they had to say offer a diverse pallet of Christian practices and outlooks, which he shares in “What Christians in the US Can Learn from Immigrant Pastors.”

What becomes apparent when you read Shelly’s thoughtful piece is that American Christianity has, in some ways, neglected the parts of Christianity that encourage believers to challenge themselves. Accepting some of what these immigrant pastors shared might require some followers to step outside of their comfort zone, but isn’t that worth a closer relationship with one’s faith?

The importance of community in faith

Young people are leaving organized Christian churches these days. To get them interested again, pastors are changing their approach, adopting a take that focuses more on doing good in the community and building relationships. It’s the antithesis of the megachurch culture that has influenced many American Christian organizations, turning them into informal pot lucks where no one actually knows one-another.

While big faith isn’t necessarily informal, Mongolian pastor Mojic Baldandorj, who now practices at Colorado Mongolian Church, contrasted the arms-length relationships of US churches with a system in Mongolia that clings to expressions of respect for the church, but also fosters stronger interpersonal bonds.

In Mongolia, for example, it’d be awkward to hear a pastor encouraging people to attend an event simply because it should be fun. Instead, the focus of a church event should be its value as a means of becoming closer to one’s faith.

The focus on relationships was echoed by Endashaw Kelkele, pastor of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Denver. To consider attending a funeral for someone you had never met seems alien to Americans. In Ethiopia, it’s thought of as very appropriate — a Christian lost has an impact on the entire community, and part of observing one’s faith is to help fellow Christians lift that person up.

The gospel around the globe

Another area of faith that Shelly’s research sheds light on is the approach to the gospel in the United States.

Mandy Smith, a pastor from Australia, shared with him that “it’s hard for the gospel to feel new here. Most people have heard some form of Christianity (from cultural references to it in the media). But they’ve often heard a perversion of it. So the resistance isn’t to the gospel as often as it’s to some misrepresentation of it.”

Smith’s point is easy to follow.

The misuse of organized religion has led to people to associate gospel with some kind of racketeering; a means to an end. In places like Guatemala, where respect for spirituality is heavily integrated into the culture, you see the evangelical side of Christianity more freely expressed, often in the form of people preaching the gospel. For example, a follower might share the gospel on a city bus or train, and there’s nothing awkward about that.

Grace and understanding

Practicing extroverted evangelism in the US might evoke different responses than it does in Guatemala, but the topic of grace is something American Christians can change their approach on at a personal level.

More than one of the pastors that Shelly interviewed cited an unwillingness to accept the self-critical side of religion in American Christians. As Shelly puts it “Resting in God’s grace is quite different from “work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).”

But these things are healthy to discuss, and less than they’re negative, they’re informative. In Christianity, there’s still room for balance, not everything is perfect, and practicing Christians have to be honest with themselves about that. It’s through this lens that Shelly’s observations become developmental, rather than critical.