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SPOTLIGHT: Sure about that?

> DSU Philosophy Club wants students to ask questions uninhibited

Aaron Guillen
Staff Reporter

 

I there such thing as free will,
or are humans instead subject
to a determined destiny? A
question like this never finds a
conclusive answer, especially
when the DSU Philosophy Club
is involved. Inspired by free will,
or perhaps fate, two students—
Milad Doust, current President;
and Jerzy Mazurek, member—
brought the thought-provoking
group back to life this semester.
“The club was originally
formed years ago, with different
leadership,” Doust explained.
“During the Winter 2016
semester, after the club had been
inactive for just under a year, me
and Jerzy stepped up to restart
the club. We just wanted to
provide the opportunity for [...]
every person to [have] a chance
to get their thoughts out. My
aim is to give others a spotlight
to feel like their thoughts are
being heard and respected.”
Doust promotes the club to
be a place where every opinion
can be shared freely in a safe
environment. He also clarifies
what it takes to be involved in a
seemingly “deep-thinker” group.

“I like to stress that none
of our members are required
to have any background or
dedication to the subject of
philosophy,” he said, “but if you
tend to think about things in a
deep way, or like hearing others
thoughts on [relevant] things,
you're probably a fit for our club.

“The moments that are
most valuable to me are [those]
when I see someone just release
what’s been on their minds—
it’s a relief. Questions which
the general public may find
meaningless or humiliating, [are
ones that] the club really respect
and take seriously.”

If thought-provoking
conversation isn’t enough,
the DSU Philosophy Club has
another offer to draw students
in.

“We help philosophy
students with their work,” Doust
explained. “I don’t believe there
are philosophy tutors in the
college—so we're the next best
thing. Lots of our members have
taken a wide variety of courses,
so if students are ever stuck on
essay topics or their arguments,
they can get the feedback from
us.”

While Doust loves an

open discussion, he admitted
that some meetings have the
potential to turn into debates,
which he tries to avoid.

“The idea of a debate can
discourage those who are more
hesitant and shy to speak,”
Doust said.

“[Debates] end up evolving
out of control to the point
where we haven't gotten many
of the answers we were looking
for. In my opinion, everyone
has thoughts worth sharing,
and many times it’s people
who aren't necessarily into
philosophy who give really
valuable insights into certain
issues.”

Off of a fresh restart, the club
hasn’t made any concrete plans
for events outside of meetings,
yet. Doust suggested that pub
nights, held in previous years,
might see a return should
enough interest be shown.

In addition, proposed weekly
meetings at David Lam have
been discussed, but will only
take place if demand becomes
apparent. Until then, the DSU
Philosophy Club meets on
Tuesdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in
the DSU Building (Room 328) at
the New Westminster Campus.

Gord Downie announces creation of the
Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

> Donations go towards Truth and Reconciliation

Lauren Kelly
Editor-in-Chief

 

Gr Downie, lead singer of
the Tragically Hip, recently
announced the creation of the
Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack
Fund. It is named after Chanie
Wenjack, a 12-year-old boy
who froze to death escaping
a residential school in 1966.
Downie learned the young boy’s
story from a 1967 Maclean’s
article titled “The Lonely Death
of Charlie Wenjack,” as his
teachers incorrectly called him.
Downie was diagnosed with
glioblastoma—a terminal form
of brain cancer—last December,
and has since made this fund
his focus. As part of this legacy
project, Downie is releasing a
new album called Secret Path,
with songs inspired by Wenjack,
as well as a companion graphic

novel by Jeff Lemire. He will
perform two concerts on October
18 and 21, performing the new
songs. A one-hour animated film
titled The Secret Path will also
air on CBC. Proceeds from all of
these will go directly to the fund.
In an interview with Peter
Mansbridge on October 13 to
promote the fund, Downie
commented that Canada’s
150th anniversary next year isn’t
something to be celebrated due
to the country’s history with
its Aboriginal populations.
Instead, he’s looking
forward: “The new 150 years can
be years of building an actual
nation. Imagine if they were
part of us and we them, how
incredibly cool it would make
us? That’s what’s missing as we
celebrate doughnuts and hockey.”
He hopes that his fund,
which will be handled via the

National Centre for Truth and
Reconciliation (NCTR), will bea
part of achieving that. The NCTR
is dedicated to preserving and
bringing light to the history of
the residential school system,
and he hopes that this knowledge
will help unite the nation.

“Generations grew up not
hearing about what’s happening
in the North and in Indigenous
communities everywhere,”
Downie explained in a statement.
“The next generation can’t be
raised the same way. It is my
hope that the fund will do
its part in starting to bridge
some of the gaps that exist
between Indigenous and non-
Indigenous communities.”

The Secret Path will air on
October 23 at 9 p.m. on CBC
without commercials, and the
album and graphic novel will
be released on October 18.

 

   

Image via Wikimedia

Image via Wikimedia