The one child policy, which was implemented from 1979 to as recent as 2015, was in effort to reduce the rapidly growing Chinese population. However, recent years have shown the repercussions it had on fertility rates and gender ratios. Most families only wanted a male successor, to continue on the family name. Millions upon millions of Chinese girls were abandoned, given up for adoption. Presently, the Chinese government is fighting for the opposite, increased birth rates. They face a dilemma: there are no women! Their solution is to pressure those they have into getting married at an early age and reproducing as quickly as possible, leaving those who don’t in a shadow of societal shame. Young women are beginning to fight back however, and are displaying an inspiring show of female power and initiative.
We’ve all heard about this month’s new favorite white boy, goodbye Matt Rife, hello Tom Blyth. The new Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has everyone captivated, and the casting couldn’t be more perfect. Although the persistent antagonist throughout the whole series is the big, bad, notorious President Snow, this movie makes it difficult to feel quite the same hatred for him as you once had when reading about his treachery at age 12. A powerful lesson of empathy and madness is taught, as we watch Tom Blyth embody an overly burdened and disturbed teenager, making his descent into madness.
Pop your earbuds in and listen to this Popcast on your walk to work, or worse, school.