Vol. 2, No. 4 | April 2025 Envy Longing. Desire. Wish. Art by Eden Voss We Regret to Inform You By Brianna O’ConnorThrough a series of rejection letters – from my parent's refusal to buy me a new toy to a college denial from my dream university – I revisit the moments of envy that shaped how I grew up. How Star Wars Reimagines Rebellion Through Envy By Kian WilliamsAs the Star Wars universe traded grand battles and heroism for something far more real and raw, the show Andor quickly reimagines the rebellion as something not derived by pure destiny, but rather through envy of freedom and choice. Why Not Four? By Aryan PershadEver since coming to the realization that not everybody lived at home with just their parents, I have envied my peers who had siblings. “I Wish”: The One-Hit Wonder on Jealousy By Daniel Xu Skee-Lo’s “I Wish” was a cultural phenomenon—a satirical song in the midst of gangsta rap. However, after reviewing the lyrics, it brings some of the downsides of overly simplistic content to light. The Envy Economy: How Reckless American Consumerism Sustains the Economy. By Raynard OeiAll of us already understand that laying down hundreds for new clothes or “scents” every day may not be the most prudent of decisions. But what if I told you that, in a few months, you might be wishing for all the reckless spenders to come back. What if consumerism is actually important for the economy? Court of Gold: A Review of the 2024 Olympics Docuseries By Akshay AgarwalThe Olympics is the epitome of competition, skill, and teamwork—or so we think. Netflix’s Court of Gold shows everything under the surface: the psychological warfare between players, how envy defines rivalry, and what goes behind the elusive gold. View our last issue on The Forgotten! Issue 3 Hamilton: The Lessons Burr Can Teach Us By Emma TorjesonAs we seniors watch our peers get into Ivy League colleges, the musical Hamilton can teach us a thing or two about managing envy. Hamilton includes the story of Aaron Burr and gradual descent from admiration to domineering envy, and let me tell you what that can tell us. Why Candace Really Wants to Bust Phineas and Ferb: A Fight for Recognition, Not Retribution By Adam BrestCandace Flynn spends every episode of Phineas and Ferb trying to bust her inventive brothers, but it’s not justice that she’s chasing. Beneath her desperate cries of “Mom!” and scheming demeanor lies a deeper need: envy. The Real Math of Online Misogyny By Gayatri DhirAs of last month, the Netflix show Adolescence was a wake-up call for many adults about how teenage boys have been exposed to toxic, misogynistic, or specifically,“incel” content on social media — leading to fatal consequences. Click here for more about "Envy" I Wish I Were… Like Other Girls By Kaitlyn Zhu“Pick me, choose me, love me.” The modern pick-me girl sets feminism back by decades, always trying to prove her worth to men over other women. But thinly veiled is her eternally envy of those girls who get chosen. BeReal and the Performance of Authenticity By Stefania SigismondiBeReal promised authenticity, but I found myself curating even my most "unfiltered" moments. This is a reflection on how even the realest apps can’t escape performance—or envy. Counterfactual Thinking Drives Us By Kaavya AnujWe don’t only fear missing out, we fear choosing wrong. This piece explores how counterfactual thinking drives emotions like FOMO, envy, and the ache for a life that feels “right.” Gilead Lives On: How Envy Divides Modern Women By Reese MinIn both Atwood’s Gilead and today’s America, envy simmers between women. Divided by ideologies, roles, and lifestyles, they’re taught to resent each other’s choices—whether it’s fertility, freedom, tradition, or rebellion. If envy keeps women distracted and divided, who really wins? Two Sides of a Mirror: Between Tan Oil and Sunscreen By Sammie XieOn the beaches of Bali and Sanya, the same sun sparked opposite reactions—one chasing the tan, the other avoiding it at all costs. Beneath these choices lies a shared desire shaped by envy: a pursuit of beauty, status, and privilege, driven by deep-rooted cultural ideals tied to skin tone. Non-Nonch: On Being Chalant By Isabel PinedaMy generation seems to prize nonchalance. Though I’ve spent my whole life envying people who embodied this ideal, “nonch” is something I just can’t be.
