Positions

This position holds that mental illness is a central theme of The Catcher in the Rye. It argues the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, suffers from real mental-health struggles—reading his depression and recurring questions, like where the ducks go in winter, as signs of his distress.

This position holds that morality is a central theme of The Catcher in the Rye. It argues that Holden Caulfield is constantly preoccupied with the morality of those around him, condemning the adult world as full of 'phonies' and pervasive hypocrisy.

This position holds that sexuality is a central theme of The Catcher in the Rye. It points to Holden Caulfield's confused relationship with sex — his encounter with a prostitute, the unsettling episode with Mr Antolini — as evidence the novel is, in part, about sexual coming of age.

This position holds that the chicken came first, then laid the egg. It argues that life begins with a first living, breathing creature, so the mother that produced the egg must have existed before it — and, on a religious reading, that God created the animals fully formed at the beginning.

This position catalogues the theory that the CIA assassinated John F. Kennedy. It points to the agency's disagreements with the president, to gaps in the Warren Commission, and to oddities like the 'umbrella man' in the Zapruder film. It runs counter to the official finding.

This position holds that Christine Blasey Ford's allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are credible and must be investigated. It argues that the nomination process should not proceed until the claims are examined — whether through a full FBI investigation or at least a formal hearing.

This position recommends reading the classics while self-isolating, arguing that quarantine finally affords the time for famously long works once set aside. Suggested titles include Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year, Dickens's Great Expectations, and Tolstoy's War and Peace.

The Cleveland Browns are one of the most well-known franchises in the National Football League (NFL). However, they are known more for their terrible losing streak than their small successes.

This framing presents the UK lockdown through the lens of the 'collective coordination state.' It argues the state exists to help citizens coordinate when each has legitimate claims on the other, and that lockdown resolves a gap between private behaviour and social cost.

This position names The College Dropout as Kanye West's best album. It argues that his debut — recorded before his ego took over, and fully self-produced — set his career in motion and altered the course of hip-hop history, remaining his finest work.

Instead of moving to Croatoan Island, the colonists chose to move inland. John White, the governor of Roanoke was a talented artist and cartographer who created the best map of the North Carolina coast to date. The colonists could have followed that map, which has been said by experts to be extremely accurate, inland.

Shakespeare's comedies are defined by their playfulness, irony, and wordplay. They feature themes of marriage, mistaken identity, family relationships, and foolishness.

Democracy claims to be humanitarian, but is really a vehicle for corruption, abuse of power, and repression of minorities. These are the cons of democracy, and why this form of government should be reformed, if not abolished.

Global warming has been a very big problem since the 1970s. Carbon emissions have contributed to the destruction of the earth’s ozone layer. Scientists and activists have been trying to make solutions to stop it. This includes cutting down on carbon emitters. After the coronavirus outbreak has become a global catastrophe, environmentalists wonder if the lack of human interaction with the environment has caused problems like global warming to slow down. However, that is not the case.

This position holds that coronavirus is bringing down ill-prepared national economies rather than the whole global system. It argues the damage is concentrated in a few nations—China as the epicentre, and the US, where a climate of fear hit the economy hard.

Global warming has become a major issue as the years go by. Scientists are afraid that carbon emissions will cause degradation of the earth’s atmosphere and subject the planet to environmental catastrophe. Thankfully, the coronavirus has been aiding the efforts of stopping global warming.

This position holds that the coronavirus pandemic may never truly end. It argues vaccines will not fully eradicate the virus, that it could persist through reinfection, and that — like flu, HIV and other viruses humanity never eliminated — it may simply become a permanent presence.

Made in mid-2020, this position predicted the coronavirus pandemic would end within six months, by January 2021. It argued masks, hand-washing, and distancing were bringing control, and that vaccines, antibody treatments, and herd immunity would soon end the crisis.

While a second wave may arrive this winter, with good government and public health and a fast tracked vaccine we are well on the way to getting this under control.

This position predicted that the coronavirus pandemic would not end until at least July 2022. It argued that a safe vaccine would not arrive until mid-to-late 2021, that a second wave was coming, that public noncompliance would prolong it, and that reaching herd immunity would take time.

No economy is an island. The complex links between national financial markets mean that it's only a matter of time before coronavirus causes an economic collapse.

The Dark Knight has become the gold standard of superhero films. It features Batman's arch-enemy in Heath Ledger's Joker, and a compelling story true to the mythos of Batman.

This position names The Dark Knight Rises, the third film, as the strongest entry in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. It argues the film boasts the best story and a wealth of talent, bringing Nolan's saga to a satisfying and fitting conclusion.

This position holds that the dating ban imposed on K-pop idols is fair. It argues that the ban works effectively for the industry — cultivating fan loyalty by preserving an idol's availability in fans' eyes — and that it helps keep idols safe from the threats of obsessive fans.

This position holds that the dating ban imposed on K-pop idols is unfair and should no longer exist. It argues that idols are adults who should be free to do what they want with their private lives, rather than have their relationships controlled by the industry to please fans.

This position characterises the divide over the Harper's Letter as two sides talking past each other. It argues one camp focuses on the quality and principle of open debate, while the other concentrates on the letter's actual content and the people who signed it.

This position holds that Donald Trump's defining legacy will be his double impeachment — the first president in history to be impeached twice. It argues that, much as Nixon is remembered for Watergate, this singular distinction will dominate how Trump is remembered.

There are many disadvantages to Liberalism. Without checks and balances, corporations can take advantage of workers and sectors. Additionally, there can become an over-dependence on Liberalism as well as cultural issues from pushing Western values on people who do not want them.

This position catalogues the drawbacks attributed to the Green New Deal. It argues that the plan would greatly expand federal control over the energy sector and personal choices, and that its enormous projected cost would balloon the national deficit and raise household energy bills.

This position holds that the economic damage from coronavirus is only short-term. It argues that markets naturally fluctuate, and that the shock the pandemic dealt the global economy will stabilise as governments put measures in place to account for the illness.

Many English majors work in the education sector because it is the most direct career path that allows them to use what they have learned throughout their degree.

This position holds that the egg came first, and then hatched into a chicken. It argues that an egg is logically required to hatch a chicken, and that the science agrees — egg-laying animals long predate chickens, so eggs existed on Earth far before the first chicken did.

There is evidence, backed by prominent actors of the international community, that the national election was not conducted safely. On top of this, Evo Morales should not have run for re-election a fourth term.

The European movement presented society with an awakening of ideas, including God, reason, nature, and overall humanity. The movement allowed individuals to rationalize their role in government.

This position holds that the entertainment sector offers viable careers for English majors. It argues their skills suit a range of roles—writers, screenwriters, copywriters, actors, and critics—pointing to scriptwriting and film criticism as natural fits for the degree.

This position holds that the European Union will continue to exist in some form. It argues that the EU is a strong, durable institution, and maps the possible futures it might take — deeper integration as a membership body, a looser federation of states, or even a 'United States of Europe'.

This position holds that the European Union will not exist in the future. It argues the bloc is in steady decline and that its dissolution is only a matter of time—predicting the EU will eventually break up, perhaps to be replaced by a looser collaborative organisation.