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News

Understanding Cognitive Biases

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By Emma Hersey, ’29

Staff Writer

What are cognitive biases? Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that lead to systematic errors, affecting or counteracting your inner rationale. Your brain can be overloaded with information, and to process that information faster, these shortcuts are used to come up with a quick response to what is being said. This can create misinterpretation or inaccurate conclusions and lead to flawed judgment, poor decision-making, and distorted perceptions of reality. The creators of the idea of cognitive biases are Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, who brought this idea to light in the 1970s. They also introduced the concept of heuristics, which induce immediate judgment that guides you to make irrational decisions.

The inability to make a good judgment on a subject is induced by fatigue, stress, and emotions, which are personal factors, but are also caused by cognitive biases. Cognitive biases play a part in flawed judgment because they cause the brain to process information too quickly. With the quick processing of information comes the capability to miss or overlook important factors that can affect your argument. For example, if you see a news article that several people have died from a plane crash, and it makes you not want to fly, you are exhibiting the availability heuristic. You take what you have just seen or learned, over weigh the probability of it happening, and let it generate fear, even though fewer planes crash, than those that do. The availability of information on plane crashes is, at the moment, more prevalent than information available on planes that have successful trips, causing you to believe crashes are more common than they are.

Anchoring is also one of the biases that can affect your judgment because it uses the first piece of information that you collect on someone, and refuses to acknowledge any change that occurs. If you are at a restaurant, for example, and see a $90 steak and then further down on the menu you see a $50 steak, you will rationalize the price of the $50 steak. In your mind, you will think that you are getting a cheap steak, when in reality, $50 for a steak is not cheap.

People make decisions every day, whether they are good or bad. “Should I eat pizza or burgers tonight?” is a decision that doesn’t have any consequences. But deciding not to do something after someone asks you to, does. That kind of decision, when you prefer to do the opposite of what someone is trying to make you do is called reactance. This tricks the brain into thinking there is a loss of freedom or a forced action. This gives you a sense of need to rebel against the enforcer to regain your control over what you do, causing you to not do what is asked of you, resulting in punishment. For instance, if your parents tell you to put on a jacket when it is cold outside, it may make you not want to wear one because you are being forced to instead of making the choice on your own. Especially if it really is cold outside, you will refuse to admit that they were right about wearing a jacket.

These mental shortcuts make your mind susceptible to receiving and believing distorted information, causing you to make decisions that aren’t always beneficial. The sunk cost fallacy is another effect of cognitive biases because it makes you irrationally cling to things that have already cost you something. If you have run a business for many years that is now going bankrupt, for example, you will not want to sell it because you have put so much money, time, and effort into it. This bias highlights the desire to hold onto something that you have put time and effort into, even though it is no longer relevant or beneficial.

A distorted perception of reality is when someone’s view or interpretation of the world is skewed, which is exhibited by irrational thought patterns. The biases associated with this are declinism and the self-serving bias. They both touch on how things can easily affect our perception and judgment to make room for misinterpretation of things happening in the world. If you believe that earning a good score on your test is due to studying hard, for example, but when you fail, it is because the teacher put hard questions on the test, then you are a victim of the self-serving bias. The self-serving bias is when you believe that your failures are due to external factors, yet you’re personally responsible for your success. This skews the perception of reality and romanticizes your past accomplishments, thus making you less accountable for your mistakes. It makes you unable to take criticism because you believe that it will not be beneficial to you, and your mistakes are not your own. Judging others comes easy when you don’t know the circumstances, but you give yourself leeway because you know what is going on and your thought process. This creates overconfident people who believe they are always right and are never wrong because their mistakes are not their fault.

People who are stuck in the past, always hoping that life will go back to how it was in the past, are subject to declinism. Declinism is when you remember the past as better than it was, and expect the future to be worse than evidence suggests it will be. But in reality, the past isn’t as good as you remember; it is just your mind believing that because you don’t want to experience life in the world you live in now. We believe the past to be better than reality because we are handpicking the good memories to remember, and blocking out the bad ones. The reason reality is not favored is that we are now living through the good and the bad events happening at the same time. Being stuck in the past will change how you view the present world because you will be resistant to change, and want to continue to see the past world through “rose colored glasses.” 

Cognitive biases are the root of systematic errors in thinking that are illustrated through flawed judgment, poor decision-making, and the distortion of the perception of reality. There are so many biases that highlight the errors of the thought process that the human mind uses to formulate a conclusion. Being aware of cognitive biases is beneficial because it will help you make better life choices as well as educate you on how to form rational judgments. But even with this knowledge, you may still make mistakes and struggle with judgment. Also, knowing the cognitive biases isn’t the most important part; being able to see and apply them to your life is what really matters. If you are not aware of your own actions and problems, then there is no way that you can reflect and fix them.

There are many more cognitive biases that I didn’t mention in this article. If you want to know more, go to https://yourbias.is/ And if you like this article, then make sure to read my next one on the Danger of Logical Fallacies next month!

News

Spirit Week Highlights!

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By The Hawk Staff

Spirit Week brought the school to life with a packed lineup of themed days and Homecoming events Oct. 20-25. Monday kicked things off with red, white, and blue outfits, followed by a tropical Tuesday and a “We Wear Pink” Wednesday. Thursday, students showed up in jerseys and jammies. Friday wrapped up the week with class colors, a pod decorating contest won by the “Freshman Fishtank,” and an energetic pep rally highlighted by sibling musical chairs won by the Collins’ brothers. The night continued with Senior Night for football, cheer, and band, capped off with a 42-21 football win over Quincy. The celebration ended on Saturday with the Homecoming Dance and the crowning of Brad Peterson and Morgan Curtis as king and queen.

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Opinion

A Wake Up Call: President Trump’s Impact on Health Care

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By Maverick Langill, ‘27

Staff Writer

If you rely on Medicaid, federally funded health care or the Affordable Care Act, or just can’t afford the ridiculous bills that pile up from the use of our world-renowned health care system, you’re in for a wild ride. On July 4th, President Donald Trump signed a budget bill reducing all federally funded health care programs by 25 percent. Our health care system has been struggling for a while now, and Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has exacerbated the already rough conditions faced by health care workers and patients. In the few months since it was signed, the bill has already resulted in:

  • Shortages of nurses and doctors
  • Rising prescription drug costs
  • Privacy and data risks from the integration of AI into recordkeeping systems

The recently ended government shutdown lasted a record 43 days partly because of health care issues, as Democrats in Congress fought to extend tax credits they argued help keep insurance affordable for millions. The shutdown ended with Republicans promising to vote on the issue, but many fear that is a token gesture since the party has enough votes to reject it.

Although our health care system is not perfect and there are disparities in care and treatment outcomes based on race, ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic status, the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid have provided lifesaving care. Many people with disabilities depend on these programs to pay for medicine, treatment and even basic living expenses because they are unable to work. Others apply for benefits because of an accident or injury that keeps them out of work. But Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” — which he promises will cut taxes and wasteful spending while diverting funds to national security and immigration enforcement — decimates this support. According to the Disability Law Center, the bill makes it harder to secure and maintain disability benefits, imposes unrealistic work requirements, and cuts benefits while raising prices at the same time.

Despite Trump’s constant campaigning to the working class, it seems he could care less about what happens to most of us. Even before this budget bill, the Trump administration paved the way for many states to reduce reproductive rights for women. One of the more troubling stories from recent months is that of Adriana Smith, a Georgia nurse who was six weeks pregnant when she had a stroke in February. She was pronounced braindead. But since Georgia law prohibits abortion after six weeks excluding medical emergencies, the hospital and state argued they were legally obligated to keep Adriana “alive” until the baby was viable. This was against her family’s wishes. Our society has made a horrific, almost dystopian turn for the worse, putting moral ideas over the health and safety of women and children.

Trump also has pushed American medical research back by decades. He cut funding for kids’ cancer research, and just as scientists were figuring out the cure to AIDS, he cut that budget too. The president showed how little he understands science when he cut funding to “transgender mice.”  What our president was supposed to know was that scientists are studying Transgenic Mice, which are not used for transgender operations, as Trump suggested, but for research into gene function, human disease and new therapies. The mice are genetically modified by injecting DNA into a fertilized mouse egg, which is then implanted into a surrogate mother. Once born, these mice serve as invaluable research tools, with the altered DNA becoming part of every cell. So you see, there’s a big difference between transgenic mice and transgender people, but Trump certainly doesn’t get that. Yet he’s making decisions that impact the health of millions.

On the topic of transgender people, it’s hard to ignore the executive orders that Trump has issued that limit the rights of the LGBTQ community. In terms of health care, the president has attacked gender affirming care, which includes everything from getting your hair and nails done to undergoing testosterone injections and reconstructive surgery. He has decreed that no federal funding can be used in hospitals, government offices and schools to even discuss gender, let alone perform gender affirming care. He’s working double time to try to legislate trans people out of existence.

If you think these issues don’t impact you because you are not disabled, LGBTQ, a woman, or someone with health concerns, think again. As history shows, governments and people in power go after the rights of minorities first, and then slowly target other groups. What’s happening in health care will affect you whether you’re rich or poor, disabled or able bodied, cis or trans, man or woman. It’s time to wake up and protect yourself and your community against these injustices.

Senior Spotlight

Senior Spotlight Highlights Members of the Class of 2026

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By Sienna Lamond and Bradlee Dowling, ’26

Staff Writer and Editor in Chief

This year, The Hawk will profile some of the truly special students in the Class of 2026. Each issue, we’ll ask several seniors about their Hanover High School experience to get to know a little bit more about them before they head off into the world. The chosen seniors showcase excellence, whether as a team captain, award winner, club leader, or academic achiever. In our last article, we covered Leo Galvin, Abigail Kajunski, and Ireland Cronin, so go show those incredible seniors some love by reading our first article in this series! Now, these next seniors are certainly worth the wait, so let’s read about them!

Abigail Minasi

Abby moved to Hanover in July of 2013, entering kindergarten at Center School. Starting in first grade, she played baseball/softball. This spring, Abby will play Varsity Softball for her fourth year; she has served as captain for two!

In high school, Abby started playing field hockey. She describes it as ” one of the best decisions I have made going into high school.” This is because she had so much fun learning a new sport and playing with her friends. Upon entering high school, Abby had to let go of soccer. She says, “. . .at times, I do miss it.” But she is happy having gotten the opportunity to try new things.

Her favorite class at HHS has been AP Precalculus with Ms. Mathisen. She recalls, “I loved her class because she was such a nice teacher, always there when you needed a hand. She is also so easy to talk to and get extra help when needed.” Abby’s favorite high school activity was the District 1 DECA conference in junior year. She said she “had so much fun staying overnight at Quincy Marriott and participating in the role plays.”

After high school, Abby plans to go to college and become a nurse, “specifically,” she says, “a pediatric nurse.” She has always loved her science courses like AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. She found an appreciation for working with kids after taking Early Childhood Education, which influenced her interest in pediatric health.

Abby is most proud of making it into the National Honor Society, racking up many hours of community service, and maintaining a GPA above 4.0. Outside of school, Abby has worked at Dunkin’ for 3 years! “I started as a sophomore in 2022.”

Looking back, Abby believes junior year was her favorite year of high school. “I enjoyed the classes I took and had fun being a softball captain.” If given the chance to do high school over again, “I would take my freshman year a little more seriously and work harder to get better grades.” She wishes she had learned how to study in her freshman year. And she also wishes she had gone to more football games throughout the years.

The biggest lesson she takes away from high school? “Time flies by.” She suggests that students “make the most out of the little time you have.” Her four years of high school have gone by so fast, and she wishes she could go back and have more time.

Damaris Mejia-Miller

If you’ve been at Hanover long enough, you probably know Damaris Mejia-Miller. “I’ve lived in Hanover my whole life,” she says. “So I’ve been enrolled since kindergarten.”

From day one, sports have been a huge part of Damaris’ life. In elementary school, it was softball. In middle school, she switched to soccer. And now, she just wrapped up her last season of Varsity Volleyball, which has become one of her favorite parts of high school. “It’s such a good community and space where I feel comfortable enough to be myself,” Damaris says. “The energy in the games is just so fun and engaging.”

Something new she picked up in high school was getting more involved in clubs,  something she didn’t really do in middle school. But while she’s grown a lot since then, she still misses some of those childhood moments. “In elementary school, I used to go out with my neighbors, and we’d all rollerblade and play around,” she says. “I definitely miss it since most of them have moved away or we grew apart.”

When it comes to classes, Damaris says her favorites have been Spanish, U.S. History, and Art. She especially appreciates teachers who make learning fun and engaging. “Mrs. Gately is my favorite because her class was always engaging, and she’s super understanding and easy to talk to,” she says. “I also like Mr. File because his classes are fun and really inclusive. There’s no set idea of what ‘good art’ is, and I love how he emphasizes that.”

Looking back at all four years, Damaris says sophomore year was her favorite. “My classes were really fun, and I made a lot of new friends who I’m still really close with.” But the year she’s most proud of is junior year, just because of how tough it was. “Everyone says it’s the hardest year, and I totally agree,” she says. “I took more challenging classes, and it was a lot. But I’m proud that I tried my best and got through it.”

If she could do high school all over again, she says she’d focus less on what other people think and more on just being herself. “I’d try to take freshman year more seriously, but I’d also just have fun and not stress so much.”

And if there’s one big lesson she’s learned from all of it, it’s this: “Don’t stress about what you can’t control. If you get a bad grade, accept it and try to do better next time. Staying positive helps you learn from mistakes without feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.”

From kindergarten to senior year, Damaris has grown up with Hanover and it’s clear she’s leaving behind a legacy of kindness, resilience, and authenticity.

Opinion

How Much Does Gratitude Cost This Year?

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By Mae Evans, ’27

Staff Writer

Turkeys, table settings, matching napkins, travel, desserts—the checklist of gratitude has never looked so expensive. Thanksgiving was built on simplicity, or at least that’s the myth we tell ourselves while scrolling through sales and calculating oven times. It’s supposed to be about pausing, appreciating, giving thanks—but somewhere between the grocery cart and the group photo, the holiday turned into a production. Gratitude now feels like a performance: the curated table, the perfectly browned turkey, the caption that insists “so thankful for everyone in my life.” 

We’re not giving thanks—we’re staging it. 

The irony is that Thanksgiving preaches humility while thriving on excess. We consume until we’re full, then talk about how grateful we are. We buy our way into meaning because it’s easier than sitting in silence and feeling it. It’s easier to measure love in portion sizes than in presence. For a holiday about appreciation, it depends heavily on abundance. Gratitude becomes something you perform with purchases—a kind of moral receipt that says, I’ve done enough to feel thankful. 

But when the table is cleared, the receipts crumpled, and the leftovers cooled in the fridge, what’s left that actually matters? Maybe the point isn’t to strip the holiday down, but to notice what would remain if we did. Without the desserts, matching napkins, or endless refills, could we still recognize the feeling we were trying to buy? Every year, we’re asked, “What are you thankful for?” Maybe the harder, more revealing question is the one we never say out loud: “What would still matter if everything else was gone?” 

Entertainment

The Science of Déjà Vu

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By Gabriella DeLuca, ’27

Staff Writer

Have you ever walked into a room and had the strange sensation that you had already been there before? Or turned the corner while visiting a new city and gotten the overwhelming feeling that you had been in that exact same spot before, only you know there is no possible way you could have? This sensation is known as Déjà Vu, the French word for “already seen.” Nearly 97 percent of people will experience this phenomenon at least once in their lifetime. But what causes it? And what does it mean?

Déjà Vu is the fleeting sensation that you have already lived in a totally identical situation at some point in your life, only you haven’t. This conflict between false familiarity and rational knowledge feels as if your memory is telling you one thing, while your brain is saying something different. In fact, this conclusion is not as far off as you may think.

The concept of Déjà Vu has fascinated scientists for many years, and even now the true cause of this “glitch in the matrix,” as the popular movie franchise calls it, is still yet unknown. Some people have proposed that Déjà Vu could be a sign that you are recalling an experience from a past life or experiencing a paranormal event; however, after increased research and experimentation, scientists have developed scientifically proven theories to explain the reasons behind this uncanny sensation. Through the use of insights into neuroscience, scientists have proposed that Déjà Vu is likely the result of dysfunctional connections between the parts of the brain that have a crucial role in memory and familiarity.

According to Dr. O’Connor, a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St. Andrews, this miscommunication arises between two parts of the brain, namely the medial temporal lobe that is associated with recollecting memories and the frontal cortex that is responsible for higher order cognition and fact-checking. Déjà Vu may occur when the temporal lobe sends signals to the frontal cortex to indicate a familiarity with the experience at hand. The frontal cortex region then evaluates whether this signal is consistent with a prior experience. If a prior experience is not identified, the sensation of Déjà Vu occurs and you are left with the conscious feeling of familiarity without evidence to back it up; in other words, false memories.

In 2006, a group of medical researchers led by Leeds Memory Group conducted an experiment in an attempt to recreate Déjà Vu in a lab setting. First, the patients were presented with a simple memory while under hypnosis, such as playing a game or seeing a certain color. The test subjects were then given the suggestion to either forget or hold on to the memory. The experiment showed that this later triggered the sense of Déjà Vu when the patients were presented with a situation that reminded them of the memory they were introduced to while under hypnosis. The results of this confirmed to scientists the belief that Déjà Vu is a memory phenomenon, a feeling of familiarity that cannot be placed.

What does it mean if you experience Déjà Vu?

Although this memory quirk may seem as a sign your brain is working improperly, it actually indicates the opposite. The sensation of Déjà Vu demonstrates that the fact-checking brain regions are functioning correctly to prevent you from incorrectly remembering events. Having this feeling of false familiarity is a sign that your brain is functioning properly to accurately remember situations and events, and is overall a sign of a healthy brain and mind.

Through recent studies and experimentation, scientists have discovered specific situations that can increase the probability of experiencing Déjà Vu. For example, age can have an effect on whether you are more likely to experience Déjà Vu. Young people between the ages of 5 to mid-20s tend to experience more frequent instances of Déjà Vu due to the fact of healthier fact-checking frontal regions in younger brains. As you age, the brain’s ability to detect memory errors declines, and the instances of Déjà Vu become less common.

So, if you experience Déjà Vu in the future, do not worry – instead, view it as proof of a well-functioning brain and a healthy mind.

Works Cited:

“Can Science Explain Déjà Vu?” BBC Bitesize, Apr. 2024, http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zdpbwsg.

Cleveland Clinic. “Why Does Déjà vu Happen?” Cleveland Clinic, 23 Oct. 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/deja-vu-what-it-is-and-when-it-may-be-cause-for-concern.

Kennedy, Justin. “The Fascinating Science of Déjà vu | Psychology Today.” 20 Dec. 2023, http://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain reboot/202312/the-fascinating-science-of-deja-vu.

Stierwalt, Sabrina. “Can Science Explain Deja Vu?” Scientific American, 23 Mar. 2020, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-science-explain-deja-vu/.

Sports

X-Ray Tables and “Injuries”: Inside the NBA’s Betting Scandal

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By Greyson Potter, ’29

Staff Writer

For a very, very long time, the cardinal sin of professional sports has been gambling: players making bets on and fixing games for profit. Let’s be honest, who wants to watch a rigged game? If you want to watch something fixed, watch the WWE, not the NFL or the MLB. And pro sports leagues have not been very sympathetic toward those who have been caught gambling. Take the Chicago “Black Sox” of 1919. They intentionally lost the World Series to get a big payout. Eight players on that team were banned for life from Major League Baseball. Perhaps the most famous example of the consequences of athletes’ gambling is the late, great Pete Rose. The MLB’s hits king with 4,192 in his career was found guilty of betting on games, including his own, and throwing them, for years. In 1989, Rose was banned from baseball and the Hall of Fame, a place where someone with 4,000 hits belongs.

In late October, the FBI announced that they had made 38 arrests across eleven states involving illegal poker games and sports betting. Two of these people were NBA coaches, and one of them was an active player. Chauncey Billups, Hall of Fame guard and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach, allegedly worked with the mafia to run fixed poker games. Former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier III were arrested for providing illegal betting information. The news broke just days after the 2025-26 NBA season tipped off, putting a sour taste in the mouths of those happy that basketball is back. The sport has never really seen anything like this, and some reports indicate that the news so far may only be the tip of the iceberg, with an impact much more far-reaching.

Chauncey Billups was just entering his fifth season as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers when he was arrested. It was found that he had been working with the mafia to illegally rig poker games. He and his mafia pals would use high-tech gadgets such as rigged shuffling machines, X-ray tables, and special contact lenses to see marked cards. They also had poker chip trays that could read cards and fake cell phones with card analyzers. All of this information, along with how good each player’s hand was, was transmitted to a behind-the-scenes “quarterback” who would process it and send it to the players he or she was working with. The scheme allegedly made $7 million over six years, with one victim losing $200,000 at one of these tables. And if you could not pay your debts, the mafia thugs would not be shy about violently threatening you. Not only that, but Billups was involved in gambling as well. He allegedly gave bettors insider information about his team’s tanking, who he was playing, and who he was not playing in a given game.

Terry Rozier was entering his 10th NBA season, this one with the Miami Heat. He has been there for a couple of years now. But it was Scary Terry’s actions that sparked the whole investigation into the NBA and gambling.

It started all the way back in March of 2023, when Rozier told his childhood friend that he would leave the game early with an “injury” to hit his under bets. This friend, Deniro Laster, told other conspirators what Rozier said so they could all cash in on it. Terry stayed true to his word, leaving the game after about nine minutes. Thousands of dollars came in on his unders because of this, sparking the NBA to look into it. There was another instance in January 2024, when Rozier said he would leave the game with a leg injury. Sure enough, he left that game with a leg injury, and a considerable sum of money came in on his unders again. The NBA had been investigating him, but had supposedly cleared him to continue playing.

Damon Jones was the third person involved with professional basketball to be arrested. He was a former player and assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. He was more on the gambling side of things, where he supposedly told some conspirators to make a large bet on Milwaukee one night, because a specific player would be out. LeBron James showed up on the injury report that night, and Los Angeles lost again, with lots of money coming in on this loss.

Sports betting has always been a disgusting practice for a professional athlete, something frowned upon by all. It can tarnish a reputation and ruin a career in the blink of an eye. It happened to Pete Rose. And now it could very easily happen to someone like Chauncey Billups, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. If he is found guilty, his reputation and how people remember him will be changed for the worse, forever. The same goes for Terry Rozier and Damon Jones. Neither of them was going to the Hall of Fame. But if found guilty, they will forever be associated with one of the biggest gambling scandals in the history of professional basketball. None of these people will ever be associated with the NBA again if convicted.

Not exactly the way I would want to go out.

News

Mamdani: The Dawn of Democratic Socialism

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By Sophie Bunar, ’27

Staff Writer

Zohran Mamdani was recently elected mayor of New York City, and he’s sharing his progressive ideas with the country. Mamdani proudly describes himself as a democratic socialist, similar to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. So what exactly is democratic socialism?

After President Donald Trump tried to label Mamdani a communist, the candidate became very vulnerable with his political and economic beliefs in public. When CNN’s Erin Burnett asked Mamdani during the campaign if he liked capitalism, he said: 

“No, I have many critiques of capitalism. And I think ultimately, the definition for me of why I call myself a democratic socialist is the words of Dr. King decades ago. He said, call it democracy or call it democratic socialism. There must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God’s children in this country. . . . For too long, politicians have pretended that we’re spectators to that crisis of affordability. We’re actually actors, and we have the choice to exacerbate it, like (outgoing) Mayor (Eric) Adams has done, or to respond to it and resolve it like I’m planning to do.”

Democratic socialism, as described by both Mamdani and Martin Luther King Jr., is a political ideology advocating a socialist economy within a democratic framework. It seeks to achieve a more egalitarian and just society by controlling the economy to benefit the majority, not just the one percent at the top. Democratic socialists support policies like universal health care, higher minimum wages, and worker cooperatives. They strongly distinguish it from both communism, which is seen as authoritarian, and social democracy, which they believe doesn’t challenge capitalism enough.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani holds a press conference at the Unisphere in the Queens borough of New York City, on Nov. 5, 2025. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

While no country is a pure democratic socialist state, Nordic nations such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are often cited as examples that follow many of the ideals. They utilize a mixed-market economy that combines private ownership with a strong social safety net, and they’re known for their comprehensive welfare system, including universal health care. Public services are funded through taxation. Labor unions, as well as labor market policies, reduce conflict between labor and capital. Other countries influenced by democratic socialism include Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Despite how beneficial these ideas sound, is America ready for democratic socialism? The U.S. operates under a representative democracy with a capitalist-based economy. Capitalism is a stark contrast to socialism; it features private ownership, free markets and competition, while socialism involves government or collective ownership with a focus on equitable distribution. Capitalism promotes individual economic freedom and innovation through competition, but it can lead to inequality, which is what socialism aims to reduce. However, socialism has potential drawbacks as well. Despite its just basis, it can stifle innovation due to reduced competition and government control. Also, like many “unchecked” economies, it can lead to authoritarianism and gradually devolve into communism. However, under the current administration, many people are asking for either a socialist shift or a mix of both socialism and capitalism.

Mamdani’s own ideals are probably part of the best basis we have when it comes to the modern understanding of democratic socialism. His big policies are all focused on making life more affordable for working people. He aims to:

  • Freeze the rents for one million people in rent-controlled apartments. This means a temporary, legal halt on increasing rent for residential properties, preventing landlords from raising it for existing tenants and sometimes for new ones too.
  • Subsidize New York City buses to make them free to riders, as well as making child care free for New Yorkers.
  • Start a pilot program of one city-run grocery store in each borough to see whether removing the profit motive makes groceries cheaper—a risky arrangement.

    One of Mamdani’s policies is the most ambitious, though: increasing taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and on the city’s corporations. In the same CNN interview, Mamdani goes on to say:

“I think the dream at its core is a dream for stability in one’s life. And what you’re saying is that you work hard enough and that you then reap the benefits — too many New Yorkers, and Americans for that matter, are working eight hours and then still feeling like they haven’t made enough money to keep living in the city they call home.”

Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech. Photograph: Yuki Iwamura/AP

Works Cited

Campbell, Lucy. “Who Is Zohran Mamdani, New York’s Democratic Socialist New Mayor?” The Guardian, The Guardian, 5 Nov. 2025, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/04/zohran-mamdani-profile.

“Capitalism vs. Socialism: An Overview | EBSCO.” EBSCO Information Services, Inc. | Www.ebsco.com, 2019, http://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/political-science/capitalism-vs-socialism-overview.

Genovese, Daniella. “Business Leaders React to Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Victory.” Fox Business, 5 Nov. 2025, http://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/business-leaders-react-zohran-mamdanis-nyc-mayoral-victory. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Lach, Eric. “The Mamdani Era Begins.” The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025, http://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/the-mamdani-era-begins. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

National Museum of American History. “Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship.” Americanhistory.si.edu, americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/learn/government-basics/11/learn.

Thaywick, Lena. “15 Democratic Socialist Countries and Social Democracies.” HowStuffWorks, 22 Oct. 2025, people.howstuffworks.com/democratic-socialist-countries.htm. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Treisman, Rachel. “4 Things to Know about Zohran Mamdani, Presumptive Democratic Nominee for NYC Mayor.” VPM, Virginia’s home for Public Media, 25 June 2025, http://www.vpm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2025-06-25/4-things-to-know-about-zohran-mamdani-presumptive-democratic-nominee-for-nyc-mayor. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Wolf, Zachary B. “Democratic Socialism, according to Zohran Mamdani.” CNN, 6 Nov. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/politics/mamdani-democratic-socialism-explained.

Opinion

Will AI Take Over The World?

5 Comments

By: Emma Hersey, ’29

Staff Writer

The concept of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been around for a long time, dating back to around the 1950s. It started with just chatbots on your computer, and now you can create original images, text, videos and more. The world has changed significantly due to AI, but as with all progress, it can have a downside. AI has already done much good, but what damage will follow close behind?

Recently, AI has been very popular among students. It is a quick and easy way to get your work done without having to think too hard on your own. But using AI to complete your work will only cause harm to yourself. Getting your work done is important, but there is no point in homework if you don’t complete it yourself. Using AI doesn’t help you to know the material and actually learn it. The grading system has become more uptight because of the increase in AI usage. AI checkers can be controversial because they are programmed to see em dashes (a long horizontal dash that emphasizes a claud) and Oxford commas (the comma before “and” or “or” in a list) as indicators of AI. But in fact, these are just basic grammar tools. Now, people who use Oxford commas and em dashes might be flagged down by a teacher for the use of AI.

With the recent popularity and interest in AI, there has been a surge in the abilities that these tools can accomplish in a matter of seconds. Due to the complex code behind AI, it has been able to take the place of many jobs, thus putting humans out of work. Jobs such as editing, manufacturing, bookkeeping, customer service and graphic design are among those impacted by AI. If someone wanted to use AI to write and sell a book, it would be possible. AI tools can write the chapters, edit the pages, create the cover, have it published and manufactured, keep track of its financial standing. If there are any problems with the customers, AI can accommodate them. These five jobs listed are all part of the process that goes into creating and selling a book. If the decrease in jobs for humans remains steady, AI could displace 6-7 percent of the population’s current jobs. 

AI has become a staple of everyday life, to the point that some people don’t even realize they’re using it. To be able to predict things, AI uses your past actions and creates a pattern to follow to anticipate what will happen next. Google, autocorrect, face recognition and personalized recommendations are all examples of the AI that is integrated into your everyday life. When you pick up your phone and unlock it with Face ID, turn on a recommended playlist based on your prior listening, and use automatic correction in Google search, these are all ways that AI works behind the scenes. While many debate the use of AI in school and the workplace, it is hard to argue that we haven’t benefitted from the increased efficiency and personalization.

AI allows tasks that require human intelligence to be completed via computer; it helps with problem-solving, decision-making, etc. Though this is created by computers and loads of complex data coding, the system is not perfect and leaves room for misinterpretation. Most people in this world do not have a higher level of intelligence than AI, but human thinking will always be superior. This idea of higher human thinking is shown when making important court decisions. AI can always present wrong output, and that can put the client’s freedom and privacy at risk. Information coming out of AI would be expected to be correct, but there can always be AI hallucinations in which it presents false evidence to set forth. It is also risky to put in the information of your client for the AI to do its job, because that would be a breach of confidentiality of the client. This now gives the people managing and overseeing the program information about your client. That information that you put in will also be remembered by the system. AI is not a perfect system and cannot always be trusted; this is why the human brain will always be superior regarding AI.

AI is everywhere, even in places that you don’t expect it. There are many benefits that come with using AI, but it also has its drawbacks. The use of this technological tool is enabling cheating and lowering the integrity of education. It is impacting the job market. In the future, its reach could be even more extensive than it already is. AI has become a fundamental part of our world, but will it get to a point where it is the world? When considering the seemingly limitless potential of technology, we must think about not just what AI can do, but what it should do. AI is just at the beginning of its full potential, so what will the world look like when AI reaches its full capacity? What will the world look like? Will there still be humans? Will AI take over? We are only at the advent of our journey to figure out this question.

 Works Cited

Balto. “Examples of AI in Everyday Life.” Balto, 2 July 2021, www.balto.ai/blog/how-ai-already-impacts-our-lives-in-unforeseen-ways/. 

Goldman Sachs. “How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce?” Goldmansachs.com, 13 Aug. 2025, www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce.

Marr, Bernard. “5 Reasons Why Artificial Intelligence Really Is Going to Change Our World | Bernard Marr.” Bernard Marr, 2 July 2021, bernardmarr.com/5-reasons-why-artificial-intelligence-really-is-going-to-change-our-world/.

Thomson Reuters. “Key Legal Issues with Generative AI for Legal Professionals.” Thomson Reuters Law Blog, 1 Mar. 2024, legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/the-key-legal-issues-with-gen-ai/. 

Urwin, Matthew. “AI Taking over Jobs: What to Know about the Future of Jobs.” Built In, 15 May 2025, builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-replacing-jobs-creating-jobs.