The Far Side of the Familiar

Amanda Gutterman is a Columbia College junior majoring in English. At the start, her column strove to present a fresh slant on campus and global issues, an undertaking that in spite of its vagary has persisted to run in the Spectator for a fourth semester. This time around, she hopes to cover unexplored angles of the election among other things, thankfully, because no one wants to hear about the election all the time.

Love in the time of capitalism

Despite the commercialism of its peer holidays, Valentine’s Day endures the most persecution by cynics. Complaints of “cliché” or “commercialization” of love suggest that our celebration of Valentine’s Day antagonizes a higher societal ideal of love. I am skeptical about whether we actually have this. Is our concept of love really so passionate, so unique, so unbridled by capitalism?

By Amanda Gutterman | Feb 22 08:26 pm ET

The university lifestyle line

Appealing to an older and wealthier demographic, expensive college-wear transcends the name or reputation of a particular institution and rather serves as an affirmation of an idealized collegiate lifestyle.

By Amanda Gutterman | Feb 8 06:22 pm ET

Should we, like, like like?

At its birth, “like” was tightly confined to the Valley Girl stereotype. However, the verbal tic grew up and went to college.

By Amanda Gutterman | Jan 25 09:59 pm ET

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