Opinion – The Western Howl

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

In a world consumed with Buzzfeed quizzes like “Pick Some Donuts and We’ll Reveal Your Personality Type,” it can be easy to forget that there are real resources available to help you learn more about yourself, and they aren’t concocted by random people online. Amongst these resources, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, is a prominent and useful tool with the power to help people understand themselves and the ways that they interact with the world around them.

Being an advocate for knowing your MBTI type, it frustrates me to hear the way some people scoff at MBTI in a similar way that they might with astrology, since Myers-Briggs is determined solely by your self-reported psychological preferences, thereby serving as a descriptive tool and not a predictive one.

If you are interested in learning your MBTI type, there are a number of questionnaires online, which ask about attitudes and behaviors you have in different situations, that help to determine your type. In the end, the result will be one of 16 four-letter acronyms that stem from four letter pairings: Extraversion or Introversion; Sensing or Intuition; Feeling or Thinking; and Judging or Perceiving.

In my life, I have taken this test several times, and each time I have been categorized as an ESTJ — a type known for its dedication, honesty and organization, but also its stubbornness, difficulty relaxing and difficulty expressing emotion.

At first, I mostly thought, “Hey, that does sound like me. Cool,” letting the basic description of my type’s characteristics serve as the extent to which I used Myers-Briggs. In time, though, I found that the most fascinating part of this personality assessment for me was in learning more about the types of my friends and family.

The first people I made take the test were my parents, and it was enlightening to learn that my mom was the complete opposite type from me, being an INFP, but that my dad and I were both ESTJs.

Reading more about her type, a number of connections started to form in my head about why my mom and I approached things in such different ways, and it helped me put myself in her shoes in a manner I hadn’t before.

In alignment with my type, I am a realist — instinctively reflecting on things as they are, without putting a positive or negative spin on them… at least most of the time. On the other hand, INFPs are highly idealistic, so events normally impact people like my mom more deeply than they impact me. While I’m often inclined to laugh when someone posts a ridiculous opinion in social media, posts like this tend to affect her with more weight.

Once I realized that, I found it easier to be patient with both of us. We are wired pretty differently — but that’s okay.

In addition to the element of self-discovery, Myers-Briggs can also be helpful in trying to figure out what careers could mesh well with your strengths, or in evaluating relationships with friends and romantic partners. These things can be fascinating to ponder; however, I definitely wouldn’t suggest basing important decisions solely off of their insights.

One fun and easy way to get an idea of the personality types you naturally connect with is to create a list of friends and family’s types as you learn them. I have one that I add to regularly in my phone, and I’ve found that comparing people with the same types has helped me to recognize common characteristics of the different personalities.

With that in mind, there is certainly something to be said for the fact that there are more than sixteen distinct people in the world — no one is a stereotype, and I’m not suggesting that people be confined to their type’s typical qualities. Growth is always something that should be encouraged, but it can help to know where you’re starting.

At the end of the day, the most beautiful thing about Myers-Briggs is that it can be used in whichever of these ways are helpful to you.

Contact the author at bthompson15@wou.edu

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

Opinion: Jar-Jar is a definitely member of the Sith

Rachel Hetzel | Designer

Jar-Jar Binks is one of the most hated characters of not only the Star Wars franchise, but of the movie industry in general. It’s understandable; he’s a failed attempt at a comic relief character — clueless, cowardly, idiotic and impossibly lucky. Or is he? Because, as Obi Wan Kenobi taught us in “A New Hope”, “In my experience, there is no thing as luck.” So perhaps it’s not luck. If not, the only logical explanation is that Jar-Jar is a member of the Sith.

There are many theories surrounding the enigma that is Jar-Jar Binks. The most agreed upon theory, started by Reddit user Lumparoo in 2016, is that Jar-Jar is a powerful Force-user conspiring with Darth Sidious. In addition to this, some believe he either trained, or was supposed to become Supreme Leader Snoke, or that he is a reincarnation of Darth Plagueis.

There are a lot of things to take into consideration when discussing this theory. One of the main problems concerns the Rule of Two — there can only be two Sith at a time, a Master and an Apprentice. The Rule of Two was put in place by Darth Bane, and it ensures that only the strongest Sith survive. The apprentice will eventually attempt to kill the master, and then train their own apprentice.

According to this rule, if Jar-Jar was a Sith along with Sidious, then Darth Maul, Darth Tyrannus and Darth Vader should have never existed. Sith, of course, operate on lies and deceit, and this rule has been broken before… so it’s possible Jar-Jar could be a “secret” Sith.

Darth Plagueis was devoted to discovering the power to cheat death and create life — he also wanted to put an end to the Rule of Two. Sidious, however, killed him in his sleep before he could discover this secret… or did he? Darth Plagueis could have been successful, and learned how to harness the power of the midichlorians to manipulate life, and somehow attached his life-force to the weak minded, easily corruptible, Jar-Jar Binks. Sith expect their apprentices to kill them, so by not revealing his success, Plagueis could have resurrected himself after Sidious’s inevitable betrayal.

Many fans were expecting “The Force Awakens” to reveal Jar-Jar as Supreme Leader Snoke. Obviously, that was not the case. Jar-Jar could have trained him, though. The book trilogy “Aftermath” goes over events that took place between “The Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens”. In these books, Jar-Jar meets a “disfigured orphan” whose “scar tissue runs up from his jaw, over the hole that used to be his ear, and to the scalp.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

So, let’s get into the most agreed upon part of the theory: Jar-Jar and Sidious were conspiring together. For a bumbling fool, Jar-Jar had way too many major plot influences. He is the reason Senator Palpatine rose to power in the senate, and later gained the emergency powers that allowed him to destroy democracy and bring the Galactic Empire to life. The two are practically inseparable throughout the prequels — Jar-Jar is constantly at his side, convincing others to give him more power.

It’s also important to note how Jar-Jar uses hand movements and can be seen mouthing words during key conversations with characters, much like Jedi do when using their mind tricks. Now, why else would Sidious keep such an embarrassment around? I mean, come on — they’re even from the same planet, Naboo, and considering the size of the Star Wars universe, that can’t be a coincidence. Perhaps Jar-Jar was the Phantom Menace the whole time?

Jar-Jar can also frequently be seen using the Force during combat. Reddit user Lumpawarroo has done some thorough analysis of Jar-Jar’s fighting style. It’s very similar to Zui Quan, a style used by Shaolin Monks — which is what Jedi are based on. Throughout the prequels, Jar-Jar performs several Force jumps, including a perfect 20-foot twisting somersault — a type of stunt only Force-users are ever seen doing. He takes down a battle droid tank by himself, and multiple droids with a blaster tangled around his ankle.

If that’s not enough evidence for you, George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise, and several actors have pretty much confirmed that there is more to Jar-Jar than what was revealed. Lucas wanted the prequels to mirror themes of the trilogy.

In the documentary “The People vs. George Lucas”, Lucas explains his inspiration for Yoda, saying, “Yoda really comes from a tradition in mythological storytelling — fairy tales — of the hero finding a little creature on the side of the road who seems very insignificant … but who turns out to be the master.”

I, along with many others, believe that Jar-Jar was supposed to be Yoda’s equal opposite, and that Yoda was supposed to fight Jar-Jar in “Attack of the Clones” instead of Count Dooku. Count Dooku was a hastily-written, last-minute character thrown into the plot to replace Jar-Jar.It’s widely believed that Lucas worried that revealing Jar-Jar as the main villain was too risky, because of the backlash and hate from fans. Lucas was even quoted saying “Jar-Jar is the key to all of this.”

Ahmed Best, the actor who portrayed Jar-Jar, confirmed the theory on Twitter and during an interview. Addressing the Darth Jar-Jar theory, Best tweeted “I will say this, it feels really good when the hidden meaning behind work is seen.”

During an interview with Jamie Stangroom, Best said “…there’s a lot about it that’s true … Because of the backlash, and rightfully so, Lucasfilm backed off from Jar-Jar a lot.”

Best also confirmed the existence of a deleted scene where Palpatine confides in Jar-Jar his plans to “wreak havoc,” saying that it “would really give great credibility to the Darth Jar-Jar theory.”

In 2017 The Star Wars Show live streamed a Star Wars celebration, during which Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon Jinn, also confirmed the Darth Jar-Jar theory, saying “(Jar-Jar) did go to the Dark Side.”

As Yoda once said, “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering”. Suffer no longer, don’t let your hate of Jar-Jar cloud your judgement. Use your feelings, and accept the truth of Darth Jar-Jar.

Contact the author at rhetzel18@wou.edu

Illustrations by Rachel Hetzel

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

Taxation is not theft

Lake Larsen | Digital Media Manager

It’s getting to be that time of the year again, everyone’s least favorite season: tax season. As your W-2s, 1099Ts and all sorts of other forms with seemingly random letters and numbers come in the mail, you might find yourself asking, “Why do I even need to pay taxes?” After all, you earned the money already — now the government is going to take it from you? Some people are so adamant about keeping their money that they adopt the slogan of “taxation is theft.” But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The simple notion that taxing citizens is thievery from the government is commonly perpetuated by individuals who not only don’t understand what taxes are but also what taxes pay for.

So what is a tax? In its simplest form, a tax can be thought of as a fee you have to pay to the government. The most common form of taxes you’ll see is income tax. Based on variables ranging from your filing status to how big the check is, you’ll have different amounts taken out. And these taxes pay for a large variety of things that are vital to the existence of a first world country.

So now that you know what a tax is, it’s time to learn why taxes are actually a good thing. Do you enjoy driving on roads? How about going to a public school? Are you a fan of hospitals? All of these things in one way or another are paid for by federal and state tax dollars. The money that is taken from your check pays for the police officers and firefighters keeping you safe, the teachers that helped you learn how to read and write, and if you ever get down on your luck, your tax dollars fund the social safety nets that will get you back on your feet.

It’s important to note that taxation isn’t designed to break the bank. What you make in a year isn’t the amount you get taxed on. If you have children or are married, that lowers your tax burden. If you pay back some of your student loans or are forced to drive around a lot for work, that also helps lower your taxable income. Moreover, if you buy a hybrid car then that also helps lower your income. There are countless ways the government helps to lower the amount you have to pay. But at the end of the day, it’s still important that you pay the taxes you are asked.

The most common argument about getting rid of taxes or implementing major tax cuts is the idea of privatizing sections of the government we pay taxes to. While this can lead to cheaper costs for consumers, it doesn’t always work. In the instance of space travel, privatization has led to SpaceX being able to develop a rocket for fractions of the cost of what NASA has been able to do. However, when the tax funded NASA sends rockets to space, it’s with the intent of conducting various experiments. Meanwhile, privately funded SpaceX sends rockets to space with the intent of making a profit off cheaper rockets.

However, privatizing schools has resulted in charter schools that have some of the lowest literacy and mathematics levels in the country. On top of this there are some sectors that no business would ever want to make private, like paving and maintaining roads for free for the use of everyone because there is no monetary incentive. Based off changes we’ve already seen, giving tax cuts in exchange for privatizing sectors of the government will only result in unhappy citizens with fractions of what used to be available to them.

Taxes are a vital and irreplaceable part of living in a first world country. They take money from all citizens and use it for the betterment of the country as a whole. Thinking that taxation is theft means you either don’t fully comprehend what taxes are or you refuse to indorse the basis of what a first world country is. So instead of seeing the government as taking your money, try to think of all the good your dollars do for everyone.

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo by: oneohionow.org

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

The Disney Company’s recent controversy

The company that brought you the “happiest place on Earth” is worse than you thought

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

We’ve all enjoyed a Disney movie or two. How could we not? They own everything from Star Wars to Marvel to Pixar, and cornered the market on fairytale princesses. Disney is everywhere, and that’s the problem.

The company has faced numerous controversies since its founding in 1923 by Walt and his brother Roy O. Disney. Allegations of perpetuating harmful stereotypes, sexism and even plagiarism have plagued the company for decades. Most recently, the actions of the company’s CEO, Bob Chapek, in the case of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act has thrown the company into further scandal.

The bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents, was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on March 28. If it remains unchallenged until July 1, it will ban elementary classrooms from having discussions about LGBTQ+ issues and gender expression.

Disney World dominates Florida’s economy by bringing in billions per year in tourism, so the corporation’s political power is unmatched in the state. With this in mind, supporters of the Disney Company expected to hear a denouncement of the bill when it passed in the Florida Senate on March 8. Disney was vocal about making strides in producing more diverse entertainment, so surely they would disapprove of this seemingly anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Yet the company made no public response, and only passed internal memos to shareholders informing them of the situation. That was, at least, until public outcry forced their hand. On March 11, Chapek released a statement apologizing for their silence, saying he and the company now understood the detrimental effects the bill could have, and that they were “pausing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.”

Disney so far has kept up with that promise. However, their existing contributions to the Florida GOP this quarter, totaling $125,000, remain as a glaring reminder that Chapek and the Disney Company seem to only adhere to progressive values when they’re forced to.

Similarly, in 2020, the same year they released such works as “Out” — a short film about a boy coming out to his parents — individuals within Disney donated $10,500,030 to the America First Action super PAC, which backed the Donald Trump campaign in the election. While the company made donations to Democratic campaigns as well, the amount was far less substantial.

The fact that Disney higher ups were funding these Republican campaigns and interest groups at all is telling of where the company really stands. While they are slowly introducing diverse characters in their shows and movies, they support politicians who intend to limit how LGBTQ+ people are represented in real life.

It’s important to remain informed of the decisions the Disney Company makes. They play a bigger role in our lives than many realize. Their political contributions alone can greatly affect who we see on the ballot, and their power in Florida, a prominent battleground state, cannot be ignored.

That being said, you are not a bad person if you watch Disney movies. What the multi-billion dollar corporation does with their money isn’t your fault. They have a monopoly on entertainment, and we as consumers should not be faulted for existing in the system they created.

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

In defense of zoos

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Oftentimes, zoos and aquariums are perceived as businesses that capture and exploit animals for personal gain. But if you look closer into the actions taken by these institutions, you will find that zoos and aquariums can be extremely beneficial in their conservation efforts and public education, as well as providing excellent care to their animals.

First of all, it should be emphasized that not all zoos are created equal. Yes, there are zoos that have very little credibility and low standards of animal care. But these aren’t the zoos I’m focusing on right now. The institutions that I’m talking about are the 214 zoos and aquariums across the United States that have an accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This accreditation means that the institution provides top quality animal care, emphasizes education, and funds conservation and research efforts to benefit wild species.

When you walk into a zoo or aquarium, a large percentage of the animals you see can’t be released into the wild. Whether it be that they were born under human care, imprinted on humans, have injuries or don’t have the necessary survival skills to succeed in the wild, they are deemed by the federal government as non-releasable. They are animals that need a permanent place to call home. Many people think that the animals are ripped from the wild to be put into a cage, but the majority of the time, that isn’t the case.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums requires a high level of animal care for their accredited institutions. Every single detail including the quality of the water, the amount of shade available for the animals, and the physical groupings of the animals are monitored. Medical records for every single animal are maintained and they receive regular veterinary check-ups. In addition, animals are given daily mental stimulation in the form of enrichment. This can include direct training with a keeper, physical objects for the animal to interact with, or stimulating the other senses with music or essential oils. The behavior of the animals is monitored to ensure that they’re not stressed out, fatigued, or aggressive.

On a personal note, I worked at an AZA accredited institution, and the lengths staff would go to ensure the well-being of the animals was incredible. If a fish dropped out of a food bucket onto the floor, it was unusable because it could’ve accumulated bacteria. The social hierarchy of the animals was constantly being monitored and the grouping of the animals changed to reduce stress. Animals in the touch-tank are at a constant rotation to ensure that the experience isn’t what you see in “Finding Dory.” I’ve never seen so much work and passion be put into the well-being of an animal.

In addition, zoos and aquariums put money into helping wild species. According to the AZA website, $216 million is put into conservation projects every single year. There are currently 115 reintroduction programs, and more than 40 of these are for threatened or endangered species. Animals such as the Arabian Oryx, the California Condor, the Bellinger River Turtle, and the Amur Leopard were saved from extinction by zoos and aquariums.

And lastly, one of the most important things zoos and aquariums provide is education. Without education and awareness, the decline of animal species around the globe will continue. Even if you don’t watch a presentation or read the signage, meaningful connections you have with the animals and the zoo itself can transform into positive changes. It can encourage kids to have more empathy towards the animals and people around them. It can encourage adults to invest in that reusable water bottle that they haven’t purchased yet. An AZA study found that 54 percent of individuals surveyed commented on their increased awareness of the role that they play in conservation after visiting an AZA facility. Knowledge and awareness lead to positive change.

It’s unlikely that I’m going to change every opinion you have about zoos and aquariums in this article. But if you are concerned about animal welfare, there are a number of ways that you can help. Volunteer at Chintimini Wildlife Center, a wildlife rehabilitation facility just outside of Corvallis. Join the Green Team on campus and get involved in sustainable changes at Western. Buy a few reusable shopping bags instead of using plastic or paper ones. The same goes with reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and even metal straws. There are several ways that you can make a positive change in the environment if you are concerned about animal welfare.

Visit aza.org to learn more about the impact of zoos and aquariums.

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

What are your pronouns?

By: Keith Mathew
Photo Editor

Students or members of Western’s community have most likely heard the query, “what are your pronouns?” Students may immediately respond, some may freeze in confusion. The question is referring to whether a person uses he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs or any number of other options.

In my social circles asking for pronouns is a typical thing to ask, but for some it may be a weird question. In an effort to create inclusivity for trans individuals, the asking of pronouns has become a common occurrence in most LGBTQ+ spaces, however, we must remember not everyone knows what it means.

For those that do not know, pronouns are what are used in place of a thing, in this case a name. I use the pronouns he/him/his or they/them/theirs. Even though I am a cisgender male I accept they/them/theirs because it is a way to move towards gender inclusivity and gender neutrality.

A lot of the time, pronouns “match” the gender of the individual but not always. For example, a woman can use she/her/hers most of the time but that does not mean other pronouns cannot be used. A person who is neither a man or a woman can use they/them/theirs or the lesser known xe/xem/xir, however, like in all cases the individual can choose whatever pronouns they want.

Using correct pronouns is important in all cases because it makes the person feel respected and it avoids misgendering. Assuming people’s pronouns based on looks can also lead to misgendering. Misgendering is the misuse of a person’s pronouns. This typically happens to trans people because they may not have the typical “look” of their gender.

Misgendering is like when two siblings where the parents use the wrong name for each child. When the wrong name is called often the child will be upset because they were not called the correct name. That is what misgendering feels like, except worse.

From stories trans people have told me, asking for pronouns is one of the best questions they can be asked. Asking shows caring and interest into wanting to know the person and to be respectful of them. Messing up on pronouns shouldn’t be a big deal though; the best thing to do is to not make a scene and just correct yourself.

Pronouns are becoming a more popular topic to talk about and are being more involved in schools, like here at Western. Knowing the uses of personal pronouns and why they are important can get you far. Hopefully people will become more understanding and observant to pronoun use and no more will you be frozen in confusion when asked, “what are your pronouns?”

Contact the author: kmathew14@wou.edu

The Western Howl

Home » Opinion

Opinion: Call me C–T — the stigma behind the “worst” word

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Content Warning: This is an opinion piece that contains “sensitive content” and the opinion of one womxn. Reclaiming such a word is the choice of each individual, and it is their decision on whether to identify with this word. In the interest of the topic, the word from here on will be used without censoring.

Cunt. Say the word in your head, how does that feel? And again… This time say it out loud. Feels like a bad word, right? — that’s because our society has built a stigma around the word cunt.

In the beginning cunt was considered a good word, representing empowerment and liberation among womxn and was used throughout history around the world. From Ptah-Hotep, an Egyptian vizier, a high official in Muslim countries, who had written cunt, “k’at,” meaning “the body of her,” giving the power of the word to womxn — to the Hindu goddess Kunthi, pronounced “kunti,” who was the Mother to many gods, one of the most respected characters in the Mahabharata, and to this day a common baby name.

In the past, the use of the word cunt was given to womxn and mothers with the highest regard — unlike today where the word is barely spoken and is considered vulgar and, by some, the worst word in the English language, considered an insult or crude way to describe womxn’s genitalia.

Moving into the Middle Ages, we have the wonderful Christian clergymen to thank for banishing the idea of womxn’s empowered bodies and preaching the idea that womxn’s genitals were a source of “unspeakable evil” — ending womxn’s freedom of expression around sexuality and power, and the creation of the redefined word that must not be spoken… cunt.

Because of these vernacular changes, most people refer to womxn’s genitals as ‘vagina’ (even though that is just the inside of the vulva, what we see “down there”), and generally speaking this may not seem particularly bad. However — the Latin roots behind the word vagina literally translates to “sword sheath.” Not misogynistic whatsoever, right? Wrong. Why is such a sacred place on a born female’s body named specifically in reference to where a penis goes during penis/vagina sex? Why do we womxn have to use a word for our own body part that encompasses the protection of a sword, a penis? Because men rule our world and have chipped away at the empowerment, rights and independence of womxn for a long time. Thank you, men and Christianity.

It’s time we, womxn, take back this word and reclaim it as the powerful word it is, using its truth, respecting its meaning and taking the next step in defining our own bodies so that no one else can make the rules. Cunt embraces the entire female as a whole, including but not limited to, our genitalia, the vulva, labia, clitoris, vagina — accounting for her power and her pleasure. Cunt is not a bad word, cunt is a word that was taken away from us to soften our blows and our value in this world.

Cunt belongs to all womxn, it is our word, it represents our power and strength, it honors Hindu goddess Kunthi — and represents our freedom to do as we choose with our own f—-ng cunts.

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

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The benefit to understanding Myers-Briggs personality types

Opinion: Jar-Jar is a definitely member of the Sith

Taxation is not theft

The Disney Company’s recent controversy

In defense of zoos

What are your pronouns?

Opinion: Call me C–T — the stigma behind the “worst” word

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