Dear Readers,

These are the words of a recovering pneumoniac, if that's even a word. Five a.m., slouched, coughing, in on a Monday night, head full of antibiotics and devoid of good ideas for a letter.

If anything, our latest effort is a people issue. An informal analysis of the NU student, based on four year's worth of observations. Based on our acquaintances, our non-acquaintances, our classmates, our friends, our foes, ourselves.

I once learned a profound thing about people from a Dostoyevsky novel, "The Idiot." Or rather, from a lecture on "The Idiot." In Dostoyevsky's opinion, the greatest way to insult someone is to say they're predictable. To tell a person you know, without a doubt, how they'll act in a certain situation. To, in a sense, classify them. It saps a person of their sense of creativity, of individuality, of free will. Makes them angry enough to rebel.

Well, in the realm of NU pop culture, I think our "Redefining the NU Stereotypes" piece manages to break Dostoyevsky's cardinal sin, 14 times over. From the Greek Expatriate to the Jaded Global Perspectivist, 14 NU lifestyle types are nicknamed, categorized, profiled and predicted. Insulting, maybe, but sorry, Fyodor, it was just too easy, too much fun.

I don't think, however, that the stereotyped will be angry enough to rebel. These Dostoyevskyian insults simply aren't pointed enough. That's the thing – you never fit completely into one stereotype, but read, and I think you'll admit, there are parts of you lurking here and there amid the links. Thinking about stereotypes makes you think about yourself, about where you fit in NU's grand scheme of things. Who am I? An individual, of course, but maybe, just maybe, part Greek Expatriate, part relaxed-version of Media Lifer, who shamelessly needs a job, by the way. See, it's easy.

Before you scoff, play along. You might just learn something about yourself.

Sincerely,

Luke Winn
Editor-in-Chief

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