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Artificial Intelligence wants to be your friend, for a price

More and more often, we see the term “Artificial Intelligence Induced Psychosis,” or AIIP, being used by journalists and psychologists to describe the reports of individuals experiencing breaks from reality after interacting with AI chatbots. Despite the popularity of the term, there have been no clinical or longitudinal studies that definitively prove that chatbots are causing psychosis in their users. There were, however, several reports of chatbots actively encouraging their users’ delusions of grandeur, paranoia, as well as acts of bodily harm towards themselves and others, with evidence being found on the site’s chat logs during criminal investigations. More often than not, users of all ages engage with AI socially, as one would engage with a friend or romantic partner. How could these chatbots be getting so close to users in the first place? One scholar offers an explanation for why some users trust these chatbots so willingly. 

The performative male epidemic

A few months ago, I was transported to the frontlines of the performative male epidemic when I attended a Geese concert, a band that has become synonymous with tote-bag-wearing men in their twenties. Having become a fan after being entranced by their sound upon the release of their 2023 album “3D Country,” and having loved frontman Cameron Winter’s solo album “Heavy Metal,” I was anxiously waiting for their next album. By the time the concert came, I had seen them go from a lesser-known band, with iffy ratings on music-rating websites, to being seen as the successor to the Isaac Wood era “Black Country, New Road.” Both bands, in fact, had a beloved lead singer with a unique voice and unique lyrical styles, which, combined with their art rock fusions, proved popular among a certain sect of people. With this rise in popularity came the flooding of what has been termed “performative males” into their fanbase. 

The race to move in and the fees one incurs

In the first two weeks of this semester, many Brandeis students received an email from the Department of Community Living notifying them of winter housing fees costing between $200 and $300. This email was a notice to any students living in housing without kitchens who moved in before 9:00 a.m. on Jan. 11 about the money they owed the school for moving back to campus early. Of these fees, $220 was for using the Brandeis dining services, such as Sherman Dining Hall, before they reopened for the spring semester. DCL only allowed Brandeis students to avoid these fees by returning to their residence halls on Sunday, Jan. 11; the first day of classes was Monday, Jan. 12. Additionally, many students received this dining fine despite there being no record of them swiping into any campus dining hall facilities before they reopened for the spring semester. 

Forum, Unfiltered — Ellie Harris

The Rabb Steps aren’t that bad

Letter to the Editor — Mateo Levin

To the editor:

Letter to the Editor — Jon Hochschartner

Support the PROTEIN Act

Stop threatening our language programs

 — Clarification: A source familiar with the matter has clarified that some of the language professors are "contingency faculty," meaning that if there is need to teach a class, they are hired; once this need is fulfilled, they are no longer contractually obligated to continue teaching at the University. 

It's time to abolish ICE

Back in November 2024, I wrote in The Justice’s forum on the topic of immigration for its special 2024 presidential election issue. At the time, I laid out the case for Kamala Harris implementing a more compassionate immigration policy than the one she was campaigning on, should she be elected president. I described Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policies as “horrifying” and “fascistic in nature,” concluding that, “immigrants are not pawns to advance political agendas, they’re real people whose lives are affected by policy.” I will be the first to admit, the piece was optimistic, maybe even naively so, but I saw a real opportunity for progress if Harris won.

The weather outside is frightful: Concerns with the handling of the snowstorm and a thank you to facilities staff

This editorial board wants to express our gratitude to the facilities workers who plowed, shoveled and otherwise removed snow around the University campus, especially in light of the immense amount of snowstorm that crossed the east coast last week. However, this board also acknowledges that a snowstorm of this magnitude requires more than the standard number of employees to appropriately clear the snow. 

Letter to the Editor — Marc Sapir

Brandeis Alumni Newsletter Editor:

Letter to the Editor — Mike Sawyer

Dear Editor,

Letter to the Editor — Richard Sherman

Boston University Law Professor Raphael Stern’s discussion about any contention that may exist about Israel’s borders as reported by Chava Thiell appears to  ignore the controlling international law concerning   Israel’s status:  Article 80 of the United Nations Charter, an international treaty, that supercedes any resolution of the Security Council or General Assembly that may conflict with it.  (“Making Israel’s Legal Space: Discussions About International Law”).

Klein: Unrelated; AK’s Waltham’s pizza

A critical look at finals-induced academic stress

 Entering the Brandeis libraries at this time of year, you’re more than likely to see the building overflowing with people in all directions. Surprised that everybody had the same idea as you, you might settle for the last seat available on a couch in front of Starbucks or somberly retire to your dorm room to study in solitude. Sure, the library is a hotspot for socializing and productivity alike, but why exactly is it that there always seems to be such a surplus of people within its confines at all hours of the day, whether it be morning or even up to its closing at 2 a.m.? 

Forum, Unfiltered — Brianna Earle

Grad is not that bad.

Letter to the Editor — Micah Rothkopf

Winter senior send-off

 Farewells are always challenging, but as the end of the fall semester approaches, it’s time to say goodbye to those who are graduating early. Graduating and receiving an undergraduate degree is a remarkable accomplishment that takes endless hours of hard work, dedication and focus. With this in mind, The Justice Editorial Board congratulates all who are graduating in December, and wants to take this opportunity to honor Justice Arts and Culture Editor Maeve Coakley ’25 who will be graduating in the coming weeks.  

We may need fewer days off in the fall

 Every fall at Brandeis, students may wake up on a Wednesday with a Tuesday class schedule, or on a day when there are no classes for reasons unbeknownst to them. These days off may provide opportunities for relaxation and relief, but so much time off in October always leads to a messy midterms schedule, and this semester, it meant finals end on Dec. 22. While a secular university, Brandeis follows the Jewish calendar and gives days off accordingly. A small fraction of the student body requires all of this time off for religious purposes, leaving the rest of the student body to navigate the unclear class schedule. This editorial board believes that the unequal value given to some class times and the lack of organization for midterms could be addressed by a clearer class schedule regarding time off for religious holidays in the fall. 

In defense of the modern novel

There has been a recent discussion in The Brandeis Hoot about the downfall of the novel due to capitalism. To me, this seems like a surface-level argument. The novel chosen as the pinnacle of “pre-capitalist” peak literature in this debate is George Eliot’s 1871 novel “Middlemarch,” a novel that astute readers might point out was written and released at the end of the Victorian period, a time during which capitalism had already sunk its fangs deep into the anglophone world, as demonstrated by Mark Twain referring to the period in American history as the Gilded Age. So, is “Middlemarch” truly unaffected by capitalism? Probably not, but that is neither here nor there. 

Being busy is a social currency at Brandeis

At Brandeis, there seems to be an unspoken rule: “If you’re not busy, you’re not doing enough.” Every conversation seems to begin with a schedule rundown of every club meeting that has to be attended, the endless amounts of essays, homework and midterms — probably due within the next 24 hours and, usually, those conversations end with an apology since it is hard to find time to hang out in the midst of the endless flow of work.