Blake Martin - The Daily Cardinal

Blake Martin

OPINION

Conservative influencers are reshaping masculinity. We all pay the price

By Blake Martin | Feb. 27

In recent years, charismatic and hyper-masculine gurus have taken to the internet to peddle advice on all things men’s wellness. But beneath the surface lies the bizarre. The influencers responsible for shaping men’s digital wellness culture have the power to change what it means to be a “real man” in the eyes of those looking up to them. With that kind of power comes influence that shouldn’t be ignored.

Both pedestrian and bicycle crashes are up from 2014, according to an MPD report.

Morgan Winston, Morgan Winston

OPINION

Madison is a pedestrian’s world. It’s time to share the road

By Blake Martin | Feb. 6

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my four years here, it’s this: Madison is a pedestrian’s world, and everyone else is driving in it. Here, crosswalks are nothing more than a loose suggestion, and drivers hoping for a gap in a constant stream of students are invisible. But, on campus, we need to do a better job of looking out for each other, and we can start by sharing the road.

Isabella Barajas

OPINION

TikTok is back. Let’s bury it for good

By Blake Martin | Jan. 30

Less than 24 hours after U.S. servers went dark, TikTok crawled out of a shallow grave, leaving users with mixed emotions. While some have celebrated TikTok’s unexpected return, others have noticed that something about the app seems different, and in some cases, more heavily censored. If young Americans want to imagine a world where they can stay informed without reliance on social media, censored or not, it’s time to bury TikTok for good.

Kalli Anderson

OPINION

Self-care mantras have corrupted basic kindness. Just hold the door

By Blake Martin | Nov. 14

I owe you something, and you owe me something, too. I have no idea who you are, and you’ve probably never met me before — but that’s the point. While it might be tempting to focus on ourselves, and ourselves alone, we can’t ignore that our own wellbeing often relies on those around us.

Jeff Miller, Jeff Miller

OPINION

Dear class of 2029 applicants, we owe you an apology

By Blake Martin | Nov. 7

On Nov. 1 at midnight, high school seniors across the U.S. submitted their early action applications to secure their spot as part of the class of 2030. This spring, over half will receive a rejection letter. With college admissions in the rearview mirror, enrolled students have started to take their place at UW-Madison for granted. As a student body, we owe it to hopeful future badgers to give falling back in love with UW-Madison another chance.

OPINION

You’re not doing enough: The climate crisis collective action problem

By Blake Martin | Oct. 10

On the other side of the country, Florida residents are bracing for the second devastating hurricane in under two weeks. There, it’s hard to accept this might be the new normal. What does this have to do with us in Madison? As individuals here and across the country, we’re not doing nearly enough to stop the climate crisis that’s causing more intense natural disasters.

PODCAST

Cardinal Call: Canvas and the Right to Disconnect

By Oliver Gerharz and Blake Martin | Oct. 1

In this installment of the Cardinal Call, host Oliver Gerharz speaks to Daily Cardinal Opinions Editor Blake Martin about his article on Canvas, a Learning Management System that UW–Madison uses to connect its students to their classes at all times. In his opinion article Students have a right to leave the classroom. Canvas isn’t helping, Blake argues that changes should be made to the use of Canvas on campus through the angle of a student’s right to disconnect. Articles in this week’s “campus news in brief” segment: UW System president defends recent campus free speech policies in address to conservative groups – Ellie Huber and Bryna Goeking ‘It’s the same history repeating itself’: Wisconsin Black Student Union holds vigil in memory of Marcellus Williams – Sreejita Patra

Hailey Johnson

OPINION

Students have a right to leave the classroom. Canvas isn’t helping

By Blake Martin | Sep. 26

Students deserve the “right to disconnect” from their learning environments, and for instructors, softwares like Canvas have made that too easy to forget.

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OPINION

You are more than the media you enjoy: The post-pandemic fan culture crisis

By Blake Martin | Sep. 5

COVID-19 lockdowns have fundamentally changed the way pop-culture fans interact online. While virtual communities have grown stronger, so has an inability to separate artistic criticism from personal attack.

Meghan Spirito

OPINION

Bursting the Bubble: How campus design can keep students trapped

By Blake Martin | Jul. 25

Not all college campuses allow for wider community engagement: it's time for students at UW-Madison to make the most of stepping outside of the "campus bubble"