Positions

The Italian Renaissance experienced a revival of Greek and Roman antiquity. Philosophers sought to reconcile pagan writings with Christian thought. Humanism fostered a strong belief in individualism and the great potential of human beings.

This position holds that the Italian Renaissance changed Europe above all by initiating an economic boom. It argues that expanding trade and manufacturing — financed by new banking houses and the wealthy families who commissioned art — gave people a real sense of living through a rebirth.

This position holds that the Italian Renaissance only affected the wealthy. It argues Renaissance culture applied almost exclusively to the upper classes, so that its philosophy, art, and prosperity left the lives of ordinary people largely unchanged.

This position holds that journalism is a strong career path for English majors. It argues that their skills in writing and analysis make them well suited to producing valuable reporting — working as reporters who gather and tell the news, or as columnists offering comment and opinion.

This position traces the origins of '420' — slang for cannabis — to the law. It weighs the claims that the number came from a Californian bill to legalise cannabis, or that it began as a police radio code for marijuana use, as underground origins for the term.

At the heart of this approach is the belief that lockdown is a violation of fundamental human rights. Its proponents range from the UK alt right, to high court judges, to commentators seeing the closure of British drinking holes as a bleak symbol of authoritarian rule.

Kanye West's 2016 Album, the Life of Pablo, underwent frequent changes before, and even after, release. Ultimately, these changes produced the best album West has ever recorded.

If Roanoke were to be the single example of a zombie plague afflicting a populace, it may explain why the colonists suddenly disappeared. As a self-contained island with a relatively small population, that could explain why there weren’t any further outbreaks.

This position catalogues the theory that the mafia killed John F. Kennedy. It points to the Kennedy family's alleged organised-crime ties, to Robert Kennedy's crackdown on the mob, and to figures like Jack Ruby and Sam Giancana, casting the assassination as mafia retribution.

This position attributes Labour's 2019 election defeat to its manifesto. Unlike the well-received 2017 version, it argues the 2019 programme was ill-conceived—too radical, poorly prepared, and trying to be all things to all voters at once.

This position holds that the marketplace of ideas does not actually exist. It argues that we cannot know whether it works because it has never truly been put into practice — that bias pervades every public forum, so no genuinely free and equal competition of ideas has ever taken place.

The way we communicate has changed drastically in recent years. Leaders now promote their messages through more far-reaching methods. Trump is the latest in a long list of presidents who are seeing the benefits of social media.

This position blames the media for Labour's 2019 election defeat. It argues the mainstream press was unabashedly pro-Conservative, vilifying Jeremy Corbyn and his party, and that this relentlessly hostile coverage created an environment in which Labour could not win.

Although it is assumed by many that the crash of MH17 is related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine because the flight went down in a region where there were currently battles taking place, there are many who believe that the MH17 crash was unrelated to this conflict and was caused by outside forces.

This position holds that the minimum wage is good for businesses, not just workers. It argues that paying a decent wage reduces costly employee turnover and boosts productivity, so that the benefits of a minimum wage extend to employers' bottom lines as well as their staff.

This position holds that the minimum wage is good for workers. It argues that it lifts people out of poverty, narrows gender and racial income gaps, and can even fuel job creation by putting more spending money in workers' pockets.

This position holds that the minimum wage is too low. It argues that raising it would unlock economic benefits and fight poverty more effectively — boosting consumer spending and government revenue — and that letting the minimum wage stagnate has been a key driver of rising inequality.

This position frames the minimum wage as a way to reduce government spending. It argues that paying workers a wage floor lessens their reliance on social safety nets — cutting the cost of welfare programmes — while also providing a stronger incentive to work.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the most well-known franchises in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Unfortunately, they are known more for their terrible losing streak than their small successes.

This approach believes that the role of the state is to look after its citizens. It considers alternatives to lockdown, which give the state control to monitor the movements of its people for their own good.

The Olympic Games are an antiquated form of international competition that comes with imagined prestige for the hosts. The sheer scale of construction required to host the Olympics Games can overwhelm an unprepared economy, as well as cause damage to already vulnerable citizens. While hosting the games can bring a city and country into the international eye, the intangible alleged benefits are doing so are vastly outweighed by the literal, negative, and concrete impacts on a city.

The Olympic Games stand for both international camaraderie and competition. To be a host is to step into the international spotlight in a favorable way and present the best of one’s city and country. It is a phenomenal opportunity for host countries, cities, and citizens to announce to the international community that their city is a place ripe for appreciation. The Olympics Games can stoke the local economy, increase prestige, and even benefit communities long after they are over.

This view suggests that a successful, widely distributed vaccine will not be produced and that people will have to get used to this new lifestyle.