The Bucknellian

Justin Marinelli

Writer

(Warning: Spoilers ahead)

Deep down, we all want to be able to do whatever we want without having to worry about the consequences. Daenerys Targaryen, of “Game of Thrones,” is a symbol of this. For this reason, liking her is essentially an escapist fantasy. She herself may be a poorly-written and obnoxious individual, but at a subconscious level we all desire the ideal that she stands for.

The thing I admire most about this show is that it has a rigid, unyielding logic, in that you simply have to be the most cunning, treacherous, amoral individual possible to get ahead. It is survival of the fittest on a brutally Nietzschean level, and any deviation from this path results in harsh punishment, usually in ironic ways.

Daenerys seems to be exempt from these rules. She is somehow one of the more popular figures on the show, and I think I’ve finally figured out why. No matter how many tactical errors or outright missteps she makes on her path to the throne, she rarely gets punished for them the way another character would. Whenever she trusts the wrong person, she lives, whereas for others, this mistake is usually fatal.

She is unique in the show because she fundamentally doesn’t have to deal with the consequences of her actions. She skates by on the fact that she has both competent advisers (whom she rarely listens to) and dragons, the former of which do their best to clean up after her, and the latter of which are a complete Get Out of Jail Free card. In addition, several plot twists seem engineered just to keep her around, such as when an assassin sent to kill her decides to fight for her instead because he thinks she’s cute.

Some would say Daenerys is an important character in the show because she gives people hope. She lets those who know they can never be a Tywin Lannister or a Roose Bolton feel that they too can be special in their own way. I personally think that such fantasies are childish, but I suppose that I’m willing to let all the untermenschen out there have their fun.

I look forward to the next season, in the hope that balance will be restored and Daenerys will finally get her comeuppance at the hands of a more competent commander. Given how necessary her character is to keep the hopeful, escapist dreamers watching the series though, I wouldn’t bet on it.

Caroline Schaeffer

Writer

For many University students, the first few weeks of sophomore year are characterized by high anxiety, no free time, and overall exhaustion. These are the symptoms of sorority/fraternity rush, and with bid day finally behind us, everyone can begin to relax a little more. Since rush is delayed until sophomore year, many students who may be on the fence about the whole recruitment experience have plenty of time to think about it.  If you’re like me, you will continue to debate between “yes” and “no” until you drive yourself insane. Is it really worth it if you’re not completely sold on the Greek system? My answer in the end (having just rushed myself) is a definite yes, but with a note of caution.

Recruitment is hard on everyone. It’s tiring, long, and—at some points—emotionally taxing. That’s reason enough for some people to just avoid the recruitment situation entirely. But if you’re on the fence about it, even if you have a marginal interest in Greek life, I say go for it. What’s the harm in trying? Although my recruitment experience wasn’t all sunshine and laughs, it taught me important lessons about dealing with rejection and keeping a positive attitude. It’s really just about having an open mind—toward rushing in the first place and to the different Greek organizations on campus. It’s easier to start recruitment, decide it’s not for you, and then drop out of the process than it is to realize (as you’re watching hundreds of ecstatic girls run screaming through Smith Quad) that you should have at least given it a shot.

In my opinion, the positives of the experience outweigh the negatives. Even just going through the process, I met so many people who previously I hadn’t even known went to this school. The stress and anxiety of the experience actually helps everyone bond, and it gave me the chance to meet amazing people who I might have never had the chance to meet otherwise. You also get the chance to test out your “small talk skills” which, though painful, can definitely be helpful in future situations like job interviews.

Most importantly, going through recruitment taught me that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Going into recruitment, certain sororities definitely had concrete reputations in my mind, so I was surprised to find that every sorority has different types of people. Without rushing, I think I would have remained ignorant to this fact.

There is really no harm in trying—you might even find the perfect place for you! Give it a shot, even if halfway through the process you decide that it’s not for you. If you never try, you’ll never know.

Tom Bonan

Contributing Writer

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is one of the most striking achievements of the Obama Administration. It ensures that everyone will receive some form of health insurance coverage and helps prevent discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.

Obviously this law signals significant reform in the convoluted area of health care in the United States, but other than the aspects of the law that are championed by progressives, and the erroneous constitutional arguments against the law levied by conservatives, many consequences of the act have not entered the mainstream discussion in the country.

The ACA really does not address the rising cost of insurance, which is the core of the health care issue in the United States. Costs were rising between 6.5 percent and 9 percent per year between 2000 and 2010, while inflation was somewhere between 2-4 percent per year over the same time period. The United States also spends the most amount of money on healthcare compared to other industrialized countries, reaching 17.9 percent of GDP in 2011.

As a part of health care costs, the ACA patients will still have to go to doctors that are “in network,” risking their coverage if they do not go to an accepted hospital. Health insurance will still be managed by for-profit companies, which is another uniquely American approach compared to other industrialized countries. Finally, the law doesn’t address the issue of how health insurance is meant to treat patients after they get sick, and how it is not meant to be preventative for illnesses such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, or obesity.

In most instances of ineffective legislation, it is symbolic because it represents a step in the right direction. This is true with the ACA for the few points I mentioned earlier, but ultimately the law adds to already prominent issues in the health care industry. Conditionality is a significant part of the law, resulting in an even more complicated system.

Currently, doctor’s offices have 25-35 minutes of paperwork for every hour of patient visits. After the ACA is fully implemented in 2014, the amount of bureaucratic work could increase by 10-15 minutes for each hour of patient visits. This seemingly small increase will result in millions of hours of extra paperwork, making the already lethargic health care process even worse.

Allowing people with pre-existing conditions and allowing dependents to stay on their parents’ plan until age 26 are great steps in the direction of health care reform, but this bill is ultimately change for change’s sake. The achievements attained by this law are overshadowed by the insidious reinforcement of structural issues in the current healthcare system. To really change the system, a dramatic overhaul of the entire industry needs to occur, either through a public option or single-payer system, both of which were barely discussed when drafting this bill. The drafters of the ACA mean well, but for all intents and purposes it is a Band-Aid covering a wound that requires stitches.

El McCabe

Writer

Now that recruitment is over and all sororities and fraternities are welcoming their new sisters and brothers, independents may be feeling like they are “missing out” on part of the college experience. Watching your friends go through the recruitment process and coming out with bids is without a doubt difficult, even though you are excited for them as well. What many students fail to realize is that there are indeed perks to the God Damn Independent (GDI) lifestyle.

On the surface, sorority and fraternity life appears to be the be-all and end-all of sophomore year and your entire college career, but there are so many fantastic things about not being part of a Panhellenic organization. First off, you have so much more free time to try new things, catch up on sleep, hang out with non-Greek friends, and get your work done. Time not spent at recruitment events, chapter meetings, and other Greek duties adds up in the end, and will leave you less stressed out. Another bonus to being independent is not worrying about what the outside world thinks about Greek organizations and their members. Fraternities and sororities are often stigmatized in the media and consequently not as well-respected in the outside world. When I was considering going through recruitment, I was certainly judged by my outside friends because they had heard of all the negative stereotypes. Though these stereotypes often do not apply to most Greek organizations, they are still prevalent and I appreciate not having to worry about them as an independent.

Being independent makes you eligible to be the perfect date for your single friends at date parties and formals! Not having an affiliation with a particular fraternity or sorority makes it much easier to attend any date party you are invited to. Finally and most obviously, the amount of money you save by remaining independent is incredible. First-time members of a sorority must pay a fee of approximately $400-600 and then about $250 each semester after that. In the least expensive sorority, dues come to about $1,650 for your college career. That is a lot of money that can be spent or saved somewhere else.

While being a GDI can be hard at times, there are many covert and overt benefits to not identifying with a Greek organization. Once students realize that Greek life is only a small portion of the huge array of activities, events, and clubs our school has to offer, these benefits will become clearer. The University relies on independents to bring diversity to the social scene and to balance out the Panhellenic influence on campus. Remember that not being Greek does not make your college experience any lesser. You can be happy on either side of the spectrum, and what is most important is finding the right place for you.