The Great Man Theory of History, popularized by Thomas Carlyle in 1841, argues that history is primarily shaped by extraordinary individuals whose leadership, intelligence, and vision drive major events. Figures like Napoleon Bonaparte and Julius Caesar are seen as pivotal forces shaping history through their decisions and actions. The theory suggests that without these great men, historical outcomes would be vastly different.

Demonisation refers to the portrayal of something as entirely wicked, evil, and without any redeeming qualities.

Mythological religions are polytheistic religions with multiple, mythical deities (e.g. Nordic, Greek, Roman, Egyptian pantheons). Religious canon typically presents these deities as having differing, human-like personalities and characteristics. By contrast, Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) feature a single deity, described as all-encompassing, abstract and dehumanized relative to typical human characteristics.

In 2025, amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, the U.S. imposed massive tariffs on Chinese imports. In response, Chinese manufacturers adopted a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy, leveraging platforms like TikTok to market products directly to American consumers. By shipping goods in small parcels under the $800 "de minimis" threshold, they bypassed traditional tariffs and customs duties.

This approach enabled consumers to purchase items resembling luxury brands at significantly reduced prices. Viral TikTok videos showcased products such as yoga pants and handbags, claiming they originated from the same factories as high-end brands—though companies like Lululemon and Louis Vuitton have denied such affiliations. Influencers now often take viewers inside these factories—offering behind-the-scenes tours, interviewing manufacturers, and showing how the only difference is the label.

Importantly, this D2C strategy is not limited to fashion or accessories. Chinese factories are now selling furniture, electrical components, auto parts, lighting equipment, and home appliances directly through wholesale sites like 1688.com, Made-in-China.com, DHgate, and AliExpress, as well as setting up their own websites.

In March 2025, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul and a prominent opposition figure in Turkey, was arrested on charges including corruption, bribery, money laundering, and alleged support for terrorism. His arrest came just before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

The move was widely seen as politically motivated, with critics arguing that it was an attempt by President Erdoğan to eliminate a key rival. İmamoğlu’s detention sparked mass protests across the country—the largest anti-government demonstrations in over a decade. In response, the government cracked down hard, detaining thousands of protestors and banning public gatherings in Istanbul for four days. Social media access was also restricted.

Despite being in custody, İmamoğlu was officially nominated as the opposition’s presidential candidate. His arrest has become a symbol of the struggle for democracy in Turkey, with supporters framing the upcoming election as a battle between authoritarianism and democratic freedom. A Turkish court has since rejected appeals for his release, and he remains in jail awaiting trial.

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a global political commitment affirming that states have the primary duty to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. If a state fails, the international community has a responsibility to assist or intervene, using diplomatic, humanitarian, or military means as a last resort. R2P emerged in response to mass atrocities in Rwanda (1994) and the Balkans (1990s), where global inaction led to devastating loss of life. It was unanimously adopted at the 2005 United Nations World Summit and remains a guiding principle in humanitarian intervention and international peacekeeping.

The institutionalization of therapy is a concept that describes how talking to a medical practitioner is:

i. a legitimate form of medical treatment

ii. has equivalent or higher efficacy to treat mental health conditions than the alternatives

Retail investors are non-professional individual investors who buy and sell financial assets (e.g stocks, bonds, commodities, cryptocurrency etc.).

A mistrial occurs when a trial is invalidated due to police procedure errors, legal errors, juror misconduct, or a hung jury (when jurors cannot agree on a verdict). Mistrials force the prosecution to decide whether to retry the case, offer a plea deal, or drop charges.

The star chamber is a supernatural power which randomly but accurately identifies crimes that would otherwise go unpunished, and then ensures that the perpetrators of these acts suffer to a degree that is proportionate to their offense. This punishment is administered in such a way that no one (including the perpetrator) ever connects it to the immoral act; ie. no one will ever be able to realise that the punishments they're suffering are karmic consequences of their crimes

For the purposes of this debate, there exists a safe technology which can accurately simulate the experience of being in prison. A person within the simulation will experience the simulation as fully real, including time passing slowly as in "real life", while not interacting with others in the "real world". In reality, even a long sentence in the simulation will be done in a matter of days.

The Consciousness Lottery is a technology that allows for two random individuals within the country to swap bodies, experience life as each other, and return to their original bodies after a period of time, with their memories intact.

Techno-pessimism is a view which emphasises that advances in science and technology do not lead to an improvement in the human condition.Techno-optimism, on the other hand, emphasises a positive outlook on the power of technological progress to solve social, environmental, economic problems.

The narrative "If he wanted to, he would" conveys the idea that genuine care and prioritization are demonstrated through deliberate action. Conversely, a lack of action is often interpreted as a lack of desire or interest. This narrative gained popularity on TikTok, where users—predominantly women—shared videos showcasing thoughtful gestures from their partners, such as buying flowers or planning elaborate dates, often accompanied by this caption.