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Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor
Mopinions@theotherpress.ca

(Y Rest easy
(¥ Concerning the hijab
(¥ The immortal bunny

And more!

Moving on from a political climate

» The Canadian federal election is over and it’s time to move on with our lives

Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

A I write this, the federal
election is only a few days
away. Tensions have never been
higher as Canada rallies to end
(or maintain) Stephen Harper’s
reign. All three major parties,
along with the Green Party,
are in a battle at both a federal
and individual level, filled with
arguments, debates, and angry
speculations on the future of the
Canadian government.
However, by the time this
is published, the election will
be over. Canada will most
likely have a new government:
a Liberal majority, minority,
NDP opposition, Conservative
minority, or perhaps even
another Conservative majority.
Regardless of what happens,
it will both delight and anger
millions of citizens, depending
on their political leanings.
Angry Facebook posts, op-eds
in newspapers, and threats of

: moving to Europe will dominate
: the media for a couple of weeks.
: But as always, we'll grow tired

: of complaining and move on

: with our lives—and that’s how it
: should be.

Politics are important,

: affecting the future of the

: citizens and the country in

: many ways. But they are not

: everything. Believe it or not,

: Harper’s alleged reign of terror

: does not significantly affect

: yout life g5 per cent of the time.
: Neither does Justin Trudeau's

: alleged wishy-washy closeted

: conservative views, nor Thomas
: Mulcair’s alleged tyrannical

: ones. The politics in Ottawa

: are complicated, democratic,

: and drawn-out. One election

: or leader does not determine

: the future of 35 million people.

: Factors on a provincial, local, or
: even individual level are much

: more important in determining
: one’s future. It’s all about taking
: personal responsibility and

: not blaming the government

: for everything wrong in the
: country. :
: Do political processes screw :
: us over? Absolutely. This is true
: on some level for every party.

: Are national issues regulated

: and debated by hundreds of

: politicians something you

: know the definitive answers

: to? Absolutely not. Is it worth

: the time and effort worrying :
: about what has happened or will :
: happen in Parliament after the
: election is over? Certainly not.

Talking about our future

: and encouraging political

: participation (primarily by

: voting) during an election

: period is great. But worrying

: about the political future every
: day and consistently arguing

: with peers after it’s over can do
: more harm than good. Partisan
: views ultimately divide us from:
: working towards a better society : respecting differing opinions,
: we can work towards a better
: society.
5; Your taking care of your

: through mutual cooperation.
: If we seek to understand each
: other through having educated
: viewpoints, compromising, and

 

: life and well-being: is it

: really a federal or provincial

: responsibility, or something best
: done on your own?

Photo via Thinkstock

 

In-app purchase games are out of line

» What's to blame: tech-company trickery or poor parenting?

Elliot Chan
- Opinions Editor
‘ws, 4 opinions@theotherpress.ca

QO: October 9, Kanye West
took to Twitter to give

mobile game developers a little
piece of his mind: “That makes
no sense!!! We give the iPad to
our child and every five minutes
there’s a new purchase!!!” He
added: “If a game is made for a
two-year-old, just allow them to
have fun and give the parents a
break for Christ sake.” Empathic
and on point as West was,

he also neglected to mention
that the mother of his child

has one of the most lucrative
mobile games on the market.
I’m speaking of Kim Kardashian:
Hollywood, a game where you
get to prepare the reality TV star
for the red carpet.

It’s hard to sympathize with
West, because... well, who gives
a shit what he does financially.
However, many parents out
there are facing the same
problem as the multi-millionaire
rapper. They give their kids
an iPad, as a replacement for a
doll, a toy car, or a deck of Yu-
gi-oh! cards, and expect them

: to have fun and be responsible.
: Now, I don’t know too many

: two-year-olds that are able to

: conceptualize virtual money,

: because many adults still aren’t :
: able to. Check around to see how :
: many of your grown-up friends
: have credit card debt. It’s unfair
: to put the onus on children to

: be responsible while playing, so
: who should take the blame?

We blame cigarette

companies for giving us cancer,
: we blame fast food companies

: for making us fat, and of course
: we should blame mobile game

: companies for leaking money

: out of our virtual wallets. Some
: consider the freemium-style

: of business brilliant, while

: others consider it trickery. In

: terms of games, it begins as a

: sample, usually free, to get the
: user hooked, and then they

: up the price once the player is

: addicted. While I believe the

: game companies have done a

: brilliant job in harnessing this,
: [don't believe their intentions

: were malicious. And, asa

: businessman, West should know
: that it’s just supply and demand.
: If the player wants to skip a

: level, earn more stock, or gain

: Freemium games aren’t the

: culprit, they are just another

: avenue for your money to be

: lost. The same way you don’t

: give your children your credit

: card and PIN at the toy store,

: you shouldn’t give them an

: iPad with full access until they
? understand that the reality of
: their purchases. Educate your
: children about frivolousness an
: how each $0.99 click adds up.

: from creating products for

: profit, even if they do target

: children. Don’t believe me?

: Look at McDonald’s. You can’t

: win that way. What you can

: do is pull the iPad away from

: your child if he or she abuses

: it. Bea good parent and teach

: your children from an early age
: the value of money, and how it

: relates to the technology they

: are using. Organizations aren't
: going to educate your children
: for you... or maybe there is an

: app for that.

: leverage over an opponent—but
: they don’t want to put in the

: time—they can upgrade with a
: monetary solution.

Surprise, your kids are
going to cost you money!

You cannot stop businesses

 

Photo via Thinkstock