Cara's Thought Box

         Parents talk a lot about the need to stop bullying. Most importantly, they worry about the cyberbullying their kids face on social media. However, parents can be bullies too. “Mom Shaming” is the parent version of bullying or criticism of another mom for her parenting choices. This is nothing new, but with the evolvement of the internet, it has turned out to become more explicit and open.       We hear a lot about mom shaming related to celebrities through social media. This is an issue that influences practically all mothers sooner or later in their lives, which might cause them to feel ashamed or doubt themselves. Recently, NBA star, Stephen Curry’s wife, Ayesha posted a photo of her and her son, Cannon Curry in the pool. She defended her position and fought back against hateful comments people left regarding her and Steph’s son’s appearance. ENews shared that one user via Instagram commented, “Are you pregnant again?". Ayesha jokingly responded, “absolut

                                                                Yesterday, Disney's new live-action  remake  of their  beloved   original  film, Aladdin , comes out. I  have seen so many posts promoting the movie. Although I have not seen the movie, I have to say that from what I have seen and read, this movie is definitely one for the books. This version of the movie is taking one into a whole new world. Growing  up, I longed that one day I could turn into a Disney Princess. I dreamt of living in a castle and being swept of my feet by a Prince. But, look at where I am now. In reality, these icons that I once respected as a child are really being distorted. They are being utilized as objects to pass on different assumptions or stereotypes and to grab the attention of the viewer. This prevents woman from being greater within society.       Actress Naomi Scott, who plays Princess Jasmine in the movie, is redefining the role of Disney Princesses.   In Scott's view, she

                                                                                                I recently watched a documentary called, The Merchants of Cool provided by PBS/Frontline entertainment. This video introduced me to precisely how we, young people, are seen by the marketing industry. I discovered that we're viewed as individuals who prefer to do nothing but desire drugs, sex, and drinking. These subjects certainly cross our radars, however they shouldn't be what totally characterizes those within the same age range as me. Without a doubt, my friends and I have discussions and debates about religion, music, icons, and numerous topics relating to certain individuals. Yes, high schoolers have authentic and meaningful discussions. What a surprise, isn’t it?!        At this very moment, however, I want to address what defines our world’s current teenage girl - the midriff. The midriff constantly surrounds me. Majority of my friends wear shirts that show a

                                                                    Viral video sites seem to be increasing almost everyday. Serving up to 40 million videos per day, the popular site, Youtube, continues to impact the world today. It is a great way to keep the boredom out of one’s life. Youtube allows one to have the ability to upload a video to show the world, then people can watch them, comment on them, email them to friends, or scare them. On top of that, one can catch up with the latest trends, news, and connect with their favorite influencers. It is an advanced form of entertainment that almost everyone uses, including myself. One gets a lot of entertaining videos and can watch pretty much anything that they desire for free on Youtube. Whenever you go on the internet, there is never a time when you don’t feel inclined to go on Youtube. With that in mind, what makes Youtube so popular?   I cannot think of a single person who has the time to sit down and watch a whol

                                                                                   Music plays a big role in my life, just like the lives of many other individuals. I can use it as an outlet to get my feelings out or to clear my mind when dealing with certain situations. There is never a moment when I am not listening to music. I listen to my favorite artists by gathering them into one huge playlist on a popular app known as Spotify. Spotify is quick to download and enables one to tune in to music at whatever point they please. I believe that is the reason I just use Spotify because I can easily hear my top tracks, but also because it is simply accessible and is of no expense. That is the means by which the creators draw their users in- a free app.        Likewise with all things, nothing is ever actually free. When you download the app and plug in your earbuds, an advertisement will be pop up in the middle when transitioning from song to song. Here’s where Spotify Premium

                                                                                                                As I sat at my computer, thinking about what my next topic will be, I realized that I never analyzed social media. With the majority of the new types of media being brought out at such a quick pace, it can feel overwhelming to try to follow along. Also, when there are such a large number of new apps and sites endeavoring to get a hand on its customers, companies endeavoring to promote their product are prone to losing costumers, on the off chance that they are unfit to always engage them. We can see this with the week by week updates and new features on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. A standout amongst the most utilized apps, Snapchat, works efficiently to keep their millions of users obssesed.       The creators of the popular app have developed strategies such as "streaks", "Bitmoji", stories, and much more. One of the most popular tact

                                                                                             Ah, the Met Gala. One of the biggest nights in fashion. A time where the world’s top celebrities get to show off their unqiue style on the red carpet just to raise money at this exhibition. The money goes towards the  Metropolitan Museum of Art's  Costume Institute. Every year there is a new theme. This year's theme will be ' Camp: Notes on Fashion'. I always look forward to watching the Met Gala and looking at photos of the star's outfits, as their fashion reveals how they interpreted the theme. Throughout the years, celebrities have chosen to make statements within their clothing and that's what viewers love about the Met Gala, as it gives an opportunity for celebrities to think outside of the box and bring awareness to certain issues. N o other fashion show can compare to this. Moreover, it is an honor and privilege to be a piece of this highly anticipated an