Debate | Issue 2 | 2015 by Debate Magazine

debate ISSUE 02 | MARCH 2015

CREDITS

CONTENTS

EDITOR Chloe King chlking@aut.ac.nz SUB-EDITORS Laurien Barks Kelsey-rae Taylor DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz CONTRIBUTORS Rajneel Singh | Julie Cleaver | Jasy Anderson | Amelia Petrovich Ethan Sills | Matthew Cattin ADVERTISING Harriet Smythe hsmythe@aut.ac.nz Contributions can be sent to

debate@aut.ac.nz PRINTER Debate is lovingly printed by Soar Print

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the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUCKLAND STUDENT MOVEMENT AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED (“AuSM”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AuSM. DISCLAIMER Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, Soar Print or its subsidiaries.

Editor's Letter

Vice-Prez Sez

Cool Shit

Side Stepping The Oscars

Award Worthy: Dissecting the 2015 Oscars

A Revel On K' Road

The University Bucket List

6 Beaches

Learning to Unlearn

Recipe

Rise Of The Eco Warrior

Making It

Is There Time Left To Save The World?

Plagiarism

How To Go Vegan

Puzzles

Cover Illustration by Nadeesha Godamunne

DIRECTORY

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FA C E B O O K . C O M / A U S M D E B AT E

EVENTS Carl Ewen carl.ewen@aut.ac.nz

EDITOR'S LETTER

Chloe's studio

A word from Chloe King

Kia ora In our second issue of Debate, we have already made some changes to the layout and design. I am dedicated to developing your student mag throughout the year so it reflects AUT’s culture, and the diversity of the University. During the last two weeks, we have listened to the voices of students who emailed in to tell us what they loved about the new look, and what they wanted to see. We have added in a film section that will continue to expand, from top films you have to see, to in-depth film analysis and Hollywood gossip - we have you covered. We have many new student writers who have contributed pieces on how veganism might change the world, travel, a University Bucket List, and politics. At Debate we believe it is important to disrupt the mainstream narrative, and hold account those who are in power, and speak out for the 99%. In this issue we cover plagiarism and how to avoid it as a student. Amelia Petrovich, a veteran writer for Debate talks about unlearning racism and ingrained prejudices, and Debate’s sub-editor, Laurien Barks, writes on the struggles of making it as an artist in a post-American Idol world. Julie Cleaver interviews David Tong, who is an anti-poverty activist who talks about his commitment to social change.

We are still defining things at Debate, and working hard to get more writers contributing so we have diverse content that reaches different students from a multitude of backgrounds and beliefs. I want Debate magazine to become a media movement that has a strong sense of inclusion and community. Words can be uniting, and can inspire people to rise up in times of economic hardship, austerity, and governmental deceit and greed. In the words of John Pilger, “It is not enough for journalists to see themselves as mere messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the message and the myths that surround it.” People have the right to know what those in power are doing behind closed doors. Those writing in the public sphere, Debate included, have the power to speak truth to power. Whether that is through the lens of pop culture, film, politics, student movements… I hope you enjoy the last week of O-Week (tequila slammers are always a good idea), we will be out and about taking photos of what is happening, and talking to some of you for issue three and four.

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PREZ SEZ

VICE-PREZ SEZ We get the word from AuSM Vice-President, Urshula Ansell

Kia ora and Welcome! If you haven’t read last week’s Debate, my name is Urshula Ansel, and I am very honoured to be your student Vice President for 2015! It’s a new year filled with new opportunities, and I look forward to serving as your Vice President. We are now in week two, how exciting! For a lot of you, this week would have been your first classes ever at AUT University, for others it might feel like any other semester. I am studying something completely new, doing my graduate diploma in Business, and know absolutely no one in any of my classes. It feels like my very first day all over again. So trust me when I say we are in the same boat when it comes to not understanding a single thing that is being said. But it’s only been one week, so we have plenty of time to learn, and get our heads around it. ‘May the force be with you’ over the next 14 weeks. The struggle is real when it comes to Studylink…been there done that. Nearly everyone has to go through them, and their painful application that asks if you’re in jail or not. We do need to be thankful that the wait lines on the phone are now less than two hours, (I am not exaggerating, it was like that two to three years ago). I guess it teaches us to be consistent if we want anything done.

To those who have had great experience with Studylink, I am very happy for you and feel slightly jealous because my fight still continues. As a part time student, I am not eligible for anything, only a loan for my fees…so, my heart goes out to all the part time students out there at AUT. I feel your pain. So, this is the last week of O WEEK, I do encourage you all to come along to any of the events that are during the day or at night. I, myself, really enjoyed BitchinBingo, I find it so funny, and just an awesome night. Carnival night brought something different to the table. I look forward to seeing you all at the gig we have on Friday night with The Black Seeds, Katchafire, and David Dallas - make sure you get your ticket, they are going fast. If you see me around campus, at events or free feeds, please don’t be shy to say hi, or let me know what’s up. If you are too shy or busy, please feel free to contact me on urshula.ansell@aut.ac.nz , or come to my office at WC inside the student lounge, I’ll be there waiting. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr Seuss Urshula x

If you have any questions, comments or ideas, email Urshula at urshula.ansell@aut.ac.nz 5

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TRILOGY GIVEAWAY

N I W E M

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SIDE STEPPING THE OSCARS by Rajneel Singh

At the end of the American Civil War, slavery was abolished throughout the United States, and popular thought at the time perceived that the country would soon culturally unify once more. History has shown us that this is not the way things eventuated. Though slavery was illegal, the practice of keeping African-American-indentured labour existed for another 60 years in many parts of the South; while Southerners were “concerned” that the newly freed slaves lacked the education and cultural upbringing to integrate into American society, and thus had to be kept separate and stripped of any powers to participate in governance or commerce. In short, unable to preserve their way of life through war, the South fell back on a second line of defence: the classification of African-Americans as second-class citizens (the “Jim Crow” laws), which maintained their status as the workingclass slave populace of the United States. The abolishment of these laws and the institutional racism at the heart of the American dream is the subject of the film Selma, which depicts Martin Luther King

Jr’s protest march through the town of Selma, Alabama.

This year, The Oscars received notable and public criticisms for both its lack of acknowledging female directors and technicians as well as the “white-washing” of nominees. Flash-forward to the 21st century and discourse about racism and minoritypower politics is still a powder-keg subject. However, we’ve learned a few lessons in that time. One of these is that ethnic minorities in any society have disadvantages that are inherited through racial oppression in the past. The famous caricature of the young white male child standing over a deep pit containing a helpless black child, while sagely intoning the words “come on, just pull yourself out!”, perfectly encapsulates the idea that power majorities in society

are largely blind to the disadvantages minorities face in their society. Defeating these disadvantages is linked to the ability of the power majority to bring the minorities to an equitable social level. In short, have the white kid actually help the black kid out of the hole instead of just acting like the hole doesn’t exist. Dr King and President Lincoln himself recognised that social change is impossible without the support of the masses who are going to be the subject of that change. Let’s side-step a little now. Ever since their first televised broadcast in 1953, The Academy Awards (now officially known as “The Oscars” since 2013) have been the forerunner in Hollywood’s marketing machine. Though its humble roots were founded on a justification for Hollywood’s elite to get blind-drunk and hand out trophies to their peers, the resultant public interest in the awards forged a relationship between movie studios and their audience, which in turn translated into big bucks for awardwinning films. By the time television came around, a well-known, but never formally

'You see, The Oscars are not a meritocracy. Everyone in the industry knows this. Sure, everyone pretends for the cameras that it is, but the reality is quite different.' addressed, shift towards using The Oscars to establish hegemonic dominance over American (and global) cultural norms was in full swing. The process of selecting winners and nominees is a ballot vote of the 6,000 members of the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. These people are all industry workers ranging from grips and animators all the way to producers and executives. Yes, that’s right, people who work in films sometimes end up voting for films they may have had some interaction with. The Technical Academy Awards are said to be fairly straight-forward since they recognise innovation and their wonderfully nerdy nominees get their moment to shine on a non-televised and reputedly boozy morning. But the big night is a completely different story. The main Oscars are not about technical innovation, but rather more about tastes, stories and politics. You see, The Oscars are not a meritocracy. Everyone in the industry knows this. Sure, everyone pretends for the cameras that it is, but the reality is quite different. This is the reason why mass media, critics and industry press make so much commentary on the Oscar choices because it speaks more about what’s on Hollywood’s mind than whether or not the winners and nominees were necessarily worthy. The nominations are the key. Yes, the Academy is renowned for having a fairly even split between picking winners who are in tune with public opinion and those that upset everybody (this year’s win for Birdman over Boyhood being an innocuous example). But the nominations are a different matter; they are the result of a voter’s mental process that is affected not just by a film, but by the current cultural mores, mass media, discussions

going around industry water-coolers (or more likely craft-tables and lighting trucks) and of course by millions of dollars sunk by studios into “for your consideration” advertising to ensure that their film makes a lasting impression. The nominations are where Hollywood can change its own course if enough voters feel it necessary and they can shift perceived standards for either personal or altruistic reasons.

So let’s side-step back again. This year, The Oscars received notable and public criticisms for both its lack of acknowledging female directors and technicians as well as the “white-washing” of nominees. And while The Oscars and its supporters have always made the case that certain genres of films just never seem to “make the cut” (including animated films, super-hero films, fantasy and sci-fi and “urban” or “black” films), this year the absence of Selma for a Best Picture and Best Director nomination shocked a lot of industry experts. Some commentators argue that the films that never get recognition simply just aren’t good enough against the better content that ends up in the ballot list. And in a meritocracy that would be true. However, we are reminded about Jim Crow and about the caricature of the black child in the pit. We are reminded that any film

can be nominated for an Academy Award. We are reminded of the old Hollywood joke that there is no such thing as a “good female director”. We are reminded of the Best Picture upsets of the past that never reflect public or critical opinion. And we are reminded that if studios are allowed to campaign through advertising for nominations about their movie, then really how much of a meritocracy is the nominations process anyway? If The Oscars are not a meritocracy, then the question everyone is asking is why didn’t Hollywood help an obviously great film like Selma out of the pit it had found itself in? And the answer is that power majorities are generally blind to the disadvantages power minorities face every day. Like the notion of “good female directors”, Selma is a film that couldn’t make itself be heard or seen amidst the glaring white-washed backdrop of Hollywood that its own film industry has painted as a depiction of normative American life. Perhaps for all the most innocent of reasons, Jim Crow still lives today to ensure women and other power minorities can’t participate in a society that supposedly holds them to be equal. But, interestingly, this year’s Oscars show that mass media and industry experts are no longer satisfied with the Academy’s obliviousness to this issue (or at least their attempt to claim they’re oblivious). I don’t know what is in store for the future of Hollywood. But when it can only draw creative water from the wells dug by hetero, white, male filmmakers; perhaps we are seeing signs (via the commentary of these Oscars) that the rest of the world is starting to lose their taste for it. 9

RISE OF THE ECO WARRIOR David Tong is one extraordinary person, not only is he a human rights lawyer, he is also dedicated to eradicating extreme poverty and climate change. David is a co-founder of the P3 Foundation, a youth run charity which has raised over two hundred thousand dollars for developing nations across Asia and the Pacific. As if thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough, he has also co-found the Human Rights Lawyers Association and the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education. Julie Cleaver was lucky enough to have a chat with David and find out what motivates him to do so much for the world.

flickr.com/calliope/

'Don't be afraid of something because you don't know how. The best way to learn is to try.'

When did you first become passionate about climate change? My Dad was very involved with environmental issues in the 70s and 80s. He actually created New Zealand’s first council recycling scheme! So climate change was dinner table conversation from the time I was about five. I care about it as an issue and back in 2008 I wrote my honors dissertation in law on New Zealand’s emission trading scheme. I started to get really involved after I went to the climate change negotiations in Lima in 2011. That sounds like an interesting experience, can you tell me more about the conference in Lima? The United Nations Climate Change GOP20 has been held every year, with one exception, for the last 20 years since the conventions first began in Rio in 1992. At the conferences developed nations discuss legally binding schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The current round negotiations are working towards coming up with a climate deal in Paris this year, which I will be going to as well. In Lima I was there with a couple of non-governmental organisations contributing to the negotiations. Also I was doing some media stuff like covering the event to feed it back to the New Zealand news. I hear you are writing a thesis about the climate change negotiations. In simple terms can you explain what your thesis is about? I’m writing my masters in law on equity for the climate change negotiations. Basically my argument is that there should be an objective and universal law that determines how much countries should do in order to reduce their emissions. Currently individual countries decide what they’re going to do themselves. My thesis argues that developed and developing nations should be split into two lists and given a law on how much they need to do to lower their emissions. At the moment developed nations like New Zealand are making ridiculously low targets to reach. Why are we doing this? Because it is a politically feasible decision. That is going to lock us in for a warming of more than two degrees globally.

Fascinating, hope it all goes well for you. Now to change the subject, how did you first get involved with the P3 Foundation? One of my friends had an idea and invited me to get on board. I actually skipped the first meeting because I thought starting an organisation for development in Starbucks was ridiculous. I went to the next one though and together we created the organisation. It was a combination of knowing the right people and also being in the right place at the right time. In your opinion, how does P3 differ from other organisations of its kind? I can’t think of another organisation that does extreme poverty work in New Zealand owned by young people. Oxfam, World Vision and all other similar organisations try to engage young people but are not run by young people. When a group of us first started P3 back in December 2009 we thought that there was a certain generational divide between the developmental organisations and the university students and young professionals they were trying to engage with. We thought the best way to get youth involved was leading by example as other young kiwis. How do you find the time to fit in all of your many commitments? I’ll admit it leaves me working a bit more last minute on my thesis than I should be. I’ve probably been a bit overcommitted for a while. Basically I try to be as efficient as possible when dealing with emails or requests. I try to reply and get on with it rather than let things sit waiting to be done. What advice would you give to young people who want to volunteer and help out but have no idea how to begin? When we started P3 we had no idea how to run a development organisation. I’m still not sure if we do, but we’ve raised more than two hundred thousand dollars for projects in Indonesia, India, Burma and Tonga. Don’t be afraid of doing something because you don’t know how. The best way to learn is to try. The other thing is you’ve got to take risks. George Monbiot, who is a writer from The Guardian, has an incredible column called ‘Choose Life’, which is advice for journalism students. When I was still working as a commercial lawyer this column sealed my decision to resign. He said that he is asked every day by journalism students for advice on how they should start their career. His advice is to not go working for a big paper, but to do what they want to do. He used the example of writing about drone strikes in Pakistan. He said you’re not going to start writing about drone strikes in Pakistan by writing for a big newspaper about the little flower show. The way to do it is to become a freelancer and go to Pakistan. One really powerful analogy he used is you don’t become a better sheep by doing two years’ work experience as a wolf. I guess after two years doing work experience as a wolf at a big law firm I decided that it was time to resign. Sometimes people will find that your ethics and what is professionally easy and expected of you contradict each other… And that’s okay. 11

MAKING IT Ah, the struggling artist...the most romantic of career paths. Passion in the driver’s seat, Ambition taking the passenger side, Talent and Spontaneity - the rambunctious back seat drivers, and every now and then, a hitchhiker by the name of Luck decides to tag along for a few kilometres. It’s a road trip that seems to have grown in popularity over the course of my teen-toadult life, and I certainly know why. by Laurien Barks

Thanks to some recent fancy psychological personality tests, I’ve just been granted the opportunity to confirm that I fall under the personality type of ‘moronically idealistic dreamer’ (I might be paraphrasing what the scientists said a tiny bit).What this means is, I’ve inherited a mind that prefers to trade numbers, realism, and plans, for a much more colourful variety of symbolism, optimism, and what experts call ‘winging it.’ I’m no stranger to the appeal that encompasses the roadtrip of an artist’s career (struggling or otherwise). I have been, currently am, and will continue to be found in the vast creative sea that is literature, music, poetry, photography, film, writing, and any wondrous combination that may present itself. Like any group of like-minded people, we creative-types come with our own set of strengths and flaws. Talent, flair, and an intense uniqueness to the way we see the world are some of our most bragged-about points. We set out to ‘better’ society through means of inspiration, and shining light on the subtextual beauty of the world and life that inhabits it. In my experience amongst artists of all varieties, I would say that it’s an even split when it comes to the desire of fame for their craft vs. the preference to work beneath the eyeline of the public. However, we arts kids reach a pretty unanimous consensus when it comes to making our talent and creative way of thinking the successful and sole way of earning our living. Being involved in university courses as well as gatherings in my personal time, have granted me the opportunity to be exposed to a number of opinions and choices when it comes to the ever-sought after career in the Arts. I’ve watched time and time again as many of my peers find a ‘real’ job and keep their creative intrigues as hobbies, and I’ve also witnessed the opposite - people sacrificing their stable income in order to pursue their craft. Both are options, both have successes and failures of varying definitions, and more often than not, both seem to lead to the same universal complaint: “It’s unfair.” Having been guilty of this complaint in the past, myself, I’m empathetic toward the motivations behind it. It can be hard. It’s hard to succumb to reality and convince yourself to be okay in a job that lies outside of your passion. Alternatively, it’s hard to feel like pursuing your passion is the equivalent to risking everything stable in your life. It feels unfair to watch people intrigued by math, science, and business fall into the happily balanced position of passion and career, while you stand on the sideline and try to decide on one or the other. It’s hard. It feels unfair. But it’s also life, and I feel that collectively...we artists feel too sorry for ourselves.

While the point I’m making applies to all forms of artistic talent, I find the most prominent example in our world at the moment is the ‘rags-to-riches’ musician. Over the last several years, televised expeditions of artistry have taken Western society by storm. Talent shows like The X Factor, American Idol, The Voice, etc. celebrate the performing musical arts and offer a solution to choosing passion or stability, to the everyday, connectionless artists that make up the majority of the creative population. It’s a popular, relatable, and seemingly viable platform that paints a glamorous picture of simplicity. Being a professional singer is only an audition away. I, personally, think these kinds of programs have done more harm for the creative industry than good. It’s constructed this sense of ease and entitlement amongst a younger generation of artists. It’s built this idea that anyone can be famous, that anyone’s talents can be recognized and propelled into stardom within a few short months, glorifying those who choose to throw caution to the wind, and placing the concept of ‘dreams’ on a podium that stands much taller than ‘reality.’ It’s inadvertently placed a certain stigma on those artists who work in a career outside of their artistic dream.

It’s hard to succumb to reality and convince yourself to be okay in a job that lies outside of your passion. Alternatively, it’s hard to feel like pursuing your passion is the equivalent to risking everything stable in your life. A part of me wants to (and sometimes does) blame artists for buying into this commercialised idea of 'making it.' When every other industry that holds this world together, is built on hard work at the individual level. Whether the effort come on the form of med school, networking business connections, or the slow and steady building of a trade skill set, next to no one outside of the creative industry expects their success to be handed to them. On the rare occasion that their success is handed to them, it's seen as the exception, not the rule. Why have so many artists subconsciously convinced themselves that they're different? Why do we give ourselves to complain and protest about our hours in 'meaningless' day jobs, the competition of our field, and the fact that we're not handed our 'big break' on a silver platter? That's not the way the world works. Our years of patience, and perseverance, and experience in a range of employment that lies outside our passion are the equivalent to internships, earning master's degrees, and working one's way up the corporate ladder. It is what it is. The other, more prominent part of me, blames the commercialisation of art, itself. The televised media has redefined the word 'success' in the creative industry as the phrase 'making it.' The middle-aged and rich minds behind the scenes of this form of media, have managed to convince Western society that the appropriate measuring stick of success comes in the form of a 'fan tally.' The more superficial love one has, the more successful they are... the closer they are to having 'made it.' Leaving those artists, whose talents are truly loved by a few, to feel inadequate. It could sound like I'm being a bit dramatic and generalising...but how many times have we heard middle-aged adults recall the dreams they gave up, or the life they threw away. Both of which are statements indicating a change of course in order to achieve their own personal definition of success. A definition, that had it not been moulded for financial gain, would confirm that the tireless hours, ebb-and-flow feelings of inadequacy, and endless battling between dreams and reality, are the true blue elements to the purest artists out there. 13

IS THERE TIME LEFT TO SAVE THE WORLD? by Jasy Anderson In late 2014, I was lucky enough to experience Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece: Interstellar. Do not let the title fool you into thinking it involves extra-terrestrials and lightsabers. No, this film portrayed our world with as much realism as possible. Even the scientific theories are accurate. Then again, it helps when renowned astrophysicist, Kip Thorn, is the producer. To summarise the three-hour film: Earth has run out of food, and humans are reduced to surviving off crops that are also close to extinction. To save humanity, our protagonists travel through a wormhole, enter a black hole, and infiltrate the fifth dimension. All the while managing to evacuate earth before it’s too late. My summarisation does the film no justice, but nonetheless, Interstellar is a classic example of art imitating life; a portrayal of the path we humans currently tread, and the potential wrath of Mother Nature we may incur.

I think such a premise resonates with what Chloe King and Christopher Smith, who declare in the first issue of Debate: “The earth is everything we have, and I think it is worth fighting for.” We cannot hope to fall upon a wormhole in our solar system, allowing us to bend space and time so that we may colonise another planet, only to pursue the same erroneous course that may well damn this planet. If we do not alter the course, some of us will burn, others will freeze, and some will drown. What happens on this side of the planet matters on the other side of the planet. Either way, our fates are intertwined. So where does this environmental cause for concern begin and end? More often than not, it starts in your hands as a cheeseburger, a chicken nugget, or toppings on the pizza you purchased.

When you commit yourself to change, you strive to make the world a better place and you will accomplish more than any politician could hope to achieve. So how does one become a pioneer of change? Farming is our nation’s bloodiest industry, and a living hell for many animals trapped inside. Bear in mind, greenhouse gases, pollution of water ways, and rising sea levels are connected with the slaughter of sentient beings for human taste buds. Cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and fish may not be intelligent like us, but they do breathe and feel pain like us. And perhaps, some will argue, it is our right to dominate these animals for our consumption. I have heard this rhetoric before. Sexists may argue the domination of females is acceptable based on physicality. This claim to domination could also allow racists to justify their treatment of minorities as a matter of “might makes right”. This belief in “might makes right” allows us to wage, as Serj Tankian proclaims: “War with land and all of its creatures”. Our nation’s core industrial enterprise mimics the profiteering found in the economies based on war. Death and destruction become profitable variables so long as they are directed against the 'other'. The environment and every species that inhabits it, including members of different nationalities become 'other'. Fortunately, I am not the first person to make the aforementioned points. I would like to summarise the suggestions that others have put forward, starting with what we should not do, and following with what we can do. We should not financially contribute to disingenuous, non-profit organisations that operate multimillion dollar headquarters. Organisations that were once humble, now operate as a business, employing individuals to sign you up for regular donations that line the pockets of executives in expensive suits. Changing how the world works should not be an entrepreneurial endeavour. You can be your own “pioneer of change.” When you commit yourself to change, you strive to make the world a better place, and you will accomplish more than any politician could

hope to achieve. So how do you become a pioneer of change? It is simple, and it starts with self-regulation. The rejection of consumerist waste such as the latest technology produced by sweat shop labourers working for two cents per hour is an action anyone can do, it does not require chopping down trees to make placards which are later discarded in the weekly trash. Then there’s the rejection of activities harmful to the environment, and to ourselves. When individuals stop eating fastfood, stop purchasing their overpriced latte or Ariana Grande at coffee chains, make use of public transport, cease handing out thousands of flyers (that never make it to the recycling bin) to advertise protest rallies, then meaningful change can come about. Some will argue that such efforts are not enough. I agree, but that does not make such efforts less morally just, nor less effective. And for those of you who are not yet convinced, allow me to reference the words of James Q. Wilson, who proclaims there are less racists today than there were 50 years ago, because American civil rights leaders chose to punish racist behaviour. To maximise on such endeavours, as others have mentioned, will require structural change. The feminist movement is an ideal example of structural change in which the dismantling of patriarchal forces allowed women greater freedom. However, the fight for racial and gender equality is far from over, much as in the same way choosing to live in manner considerate to the environment does not mean environmental pollution will disappear entirely. If we commit to one course of action while ignoring the other, we effectively compromise our goals. That, I think, is hypocritical. Compromise and hypocrisy are qualities best embodied by career politicians, not individuals who are of good character. Structural change should be pursued in conjunction with individual change. We should not force ourselves to pick between the two; we can have the best of both worlds. Some may fault me for championing animal rights and concern for the environment ahead of human rights. I am not, for the benevolence we extend to the tiniest creatures on this earth, we extend to members of our own species. In Sister Species: Woman, Animals and Social Justice, Lisa Kemmerer quotes Martin Luther King to remind us that all oppressions are intrinsically linked. Sexism, racism, speciesism ideologies not only immoral, but destructive to the environment. If we alter the way we live our lives, bring about structural change that seeks to protect the environment, and punish those who transgress against Mother Nature, we may just reverse the damage done to our planet.

HOW TO GO VEGAN WITHOUT GIVING UP ALL

YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD by Amelia Petrovich “Oreos are vegan.” It was the sentence that started it all. I was overlooking a dining room at work, my feet numb and clunky from standing for about eight hours (this is not an exaggeration; hospitality is a field leaving no time for pleasantries such as proper blood flow to all your vital limbs), watching 20 or so guests polish off their Oreo cheesecakes. I was as attentive as a starved puppy and probably twice as mournful looking. When my co-worker leaned in and whispered it to me, I looked at her blankly. “It’s actually fantastic,” she continued, “because I can’t eat any of the food here, but as soon as I get home I just make myself a giant Oreo milkshake with soy milk, and go to bed with a giant food baby.” Now, to me, this was revolutionary stuff. Like most people in this day and age, I had a vague and incomplete notion of what “veganism” was all about. One could definitely conclude that it is currently on the rise, with the vegan population of the US alone more than doubling over the last five years. Vegans constituted 2.5% of the US population in 2012, a figure which has presumably risen even more in the last few years. Working in hospitality also meant I was familiar with Vegan Society founder, Donald Watson’s, pioneering definition of veganism as “a term for milk-and-egg-free vegetarians”. Apart from all that, though, I really didn’t have much of a clue what the whole thing was all about. Perhaps it was an oversaturation of “oh-my-gosh-totesskinny-fitspo-health-nourishing-natural” Instagram accounts and bloggers in my life, but for some strange reason I had previously only considered “veganism” as a personal health strategy (albeit an inherently more compassionate one than most). Therefore, to have a friend of mine speak so enthusiastically about vegan junk food was eye opening, because it indicated a pull towards a vegan lifestyle more substantial than simply weight loss or clean eating. This particular Oreo advocate went on to explain to me later that night how being vegan was actually about considering the human capacity to evaluate our own actions, and recognizing our responsibility to protect fellow creatures, rather than exploiting them. This definition is strikingly similar to that of Watson’s Vegan Society, advocating for “no exploiting or enslaving of non-humans”

and a “just” world for future human beings, in which resources are used sustainably to ensure their longevity and availability. Of course, being the slightly thoughtless non-vegan I was, I also quizzed her about things like home-kill meat, and personal fishing (neither of which involve the “enslavement” of fellow creatures). My lovely friend then gently explained that, even though it may seem a more ethically sound option, humans can still find nourishment and sustenance in other food sources, so why not simply choose the path of least destruction? For those of us raised in a consumer culture of commercialized animal products, however, this path is sometimes hard to see and follow at first. The transition towards a more ethical, vegan lifestyle is about reeducation, and working out which aspects of veganism resonates most with each individual person. Think of it this way: none of us arrived in this world fresh out of the womb thinking “Jeez, wow, what I need is a few gallons of chocolate milk and some bacon strips!” For many, veganism is a process that takes a wee bit of time and a whole lot of self-reflection. The main “learning curve” for the majority of Kiwi consumers occurs once they equate the meat they’re eating with the animals that inhabit their day-to-day lives (as per the findings of the National Report on Perspectives and Experience of Vegetarians, 2007).

'Rather than letting the thought of a world where every New Zealander swaps fish and chips for equally scrummy tofu frighten us, perhaps we should have a go at working towards it.' I still have a way to go before declaring that, I too, am an ethically charged, perpetual vegan, but the movement itself and all that it stands for does have me exorbitantly excited. Although the obvious aim is the promotion of complete abstinence from animal by-products, literally every small action makes its mark. Rather than letting the thought of a world where every New Zealander swaps fish and chips for equally scrummy tofu frighten us, perhaps we should have a go at working towards it.

Caden Crawford

Next time you’re grabbing lunch with your buddies, look for something free of animal products and explain why you’re searching. Pop into your local Countdown and buy cruelty-free shampoo (bonus points for praising the first slightly frazzled looking employee you see for stocking it in the first place). After all, Oreos are vegan. It could be the sweetest transition you’ll ever make. 17

AWARD WOR THY Dissecting the 2015 Oscars Another year, another Oscar season. After months of premieres, campaigns, red carpets and controversies, the 2015 awards season dragged to a four-hour close a few weeks back. And while things may have fizzled at the big show, the night is ultimately about celebrating movies. These eight films are what the Academy decided were the best of the year and now that they are all out in cinemas or on DVD here, Ethan Sills decided to rank them by just how deserving of the nominations they are. American Sniper (6 nominations, 1 win)

Plot: Tells the story of real-life soldier Chris Kyle on his four tours to Iraq and the effects the war has on him and his family. Every year, one film manages to defy the expectations of critics and commentators alike to earn a Best Picture nomination. After being ignored by most major awards ceremonies, American Sniper surprised everyone when the nominations were announced by beating out some more hotly contested films to get the coveted Best Picture nomination. Despite reading about the racial controversy surrounding the movie, I tried to go in with an open mind. I was hopeful at first, but after two hours of a completely emotionless Bradley Cooper, I was really over this movie. I would be willing to give it more credit if it had done more to highlight the horrors of war, and those elements were definitely there, but they didn’t go far enough. Instead, the movie was overly patriotic, painted his wife as hysterical instead of reasonable, and glossed over his PTSD. It seems we will have to wait for another movie to be brave enough to judge the Iraq war rather than glamourise it.

The Imitation Game (8 nominations, 1 win)

Plot: Biopic about British war hero Alan Turing, a social misfit who invents the computer in order to crack the Nazi enigma code, whilst hiding his homosexuality. The Oscars are infamous for their love of biopics, and this is the most biopic-y entry in this year’s race. It is not to say that Imitation Game is a bad movie. It is well written and extremely well-acted: deserving nominations for Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley plus an award-worthy supporting cast. However, it is a very by-the-books movie – there were no real twists (I mean, we all know who won the war), it moved from Point A to Point B fairly smoothly, and did little else in between. It was a pleasant watch, but at the same time it was heart-breaking watching Alan’s life get cruelly destroyed by a barbaric law. It is great that more people know about Turing, what he did and what was done to him, and while Benedict was fantastic, the man himself deserved a better movie.

Boyhood (6 nominations, 1 win)

Plot: Shot over 12 years, we follow Mason Evans from the age of six to 18, along with his divorced parents and sister as they struggle through all life has to offer. This was the movie I was waiting to see last year. When I first heard about it and saw the trailer, I was blown away by the idea and the concept and wondered whether it would work or not. After universal critical acclaim I naturally rushed to see it at the earliest opportunity, and… I was disappointed. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke are great as Avery’s parents, and the movie is haunting to watch and see how much the world has changed in just 12 years (can you believe how old High School Musical is?). However, all the themes and messages, while thought-provoking and moving, do not make up for the fact it is rather boring (which probably says a bit about life…) and it ends one scene too late. I am surprised it didn’t win Best Picture, but pleased that the Academy saw past gimmicks and rewarded the more creative film.

Selma: (2 nominations, 1 win)

Plot: Dr Martin Luther King Jr. leads the civil rights movement to secure the vote for black people in America. Similarly to Boyhood, a lot of hype around a movie does tend to build up your expectations. A 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a rarity, and all the fuss over its lack of nominations and perceived racism had me curious. While I left the theatre shaken and moved, I did not think Selma was a great movie. There were too many angles and characters crammed into the movie, making it jumbled and cluttered. It was powerful, yes, but with all it had going on it was very hard to care about everyone and everything.

The Theory of Everything (5 nominations, 1 win)

Plot: Follow Stephen and Jane Hawking as they meet in college and quickly fall in love, only for Stephen to be diagnosed soon after with motor neuron disease. The film follows the pair as they struggle to keep their family tighter. I went into this movie knowing it was about Stephen Hawking and his struggles. I knew he and Jane would get divorced. I knew that Eddie Redmayne would be amazing. But I had no idea that this would be far more Jane Wilde’s story than Stephen’s. Redmayne has gotten the brunt of the praise, and for good reason, but Felicity Jones’ quiet, calm, but powerful performance as Jane Wilde was mesmerising. She was an incredible character, and I was amazed by how the movie was unafraid to show that it really isn’t that great being married to someone with such a debilitating disease. Jane’s story makes the movie, and I doubt Redmayne would have been as good in his role without Jones to act opposite.

Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (9 nominations, 4 wins)

Plot: Washed-up actor Riggan Thompson is attempting to revive his career and shake his superhero alter-ego by putting on a Broadway play, but must deal with a difficult actor, his troubled daughter, a spiteful reviewer and his own uncontrollable mind. I was sceptical about Birdman going in, thinking it would be another gimmicky movie a la Boyhood, but I was really surprised by how good it was. It is hilarious with lots of raunchy and weird out-there jokes that had me and my friend laughing in our seats. The acting is incredible, with well-deserved nominations for Michael Keaton, Emma Stone and Edward Norton. From Riggan’s daughter completely tearing his character apart in a matter of minutes, to a bitter theatre critic explaining all the reasons why she hates the play before it even opens. There were better movies released this year and greater ones nominated, and at times it was too weird and too much about Hollywood, but this was still a much more enjoyable and fun two hours than its closest rival Boyhood.

Whiplash (5 nominations, 3 wins)

Plot: Jazz drummer Andrew finally finds some success at his prestigious music school when he is selected to join an exclusive band run by the infamous Terrence Fletcher, only to discover just how cruel his new teacher is. This is the most tense and surprising film on this list – I had no idea what to expect from this, but was blown away by what I sat through. There is no way of telling what happens next, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie. Music plays a key role in driving the plot and driving the characters, and it helps suck you in and experience all the intensities there are on offer. J.K. Simmons is deserving of his Oscar, putting a lot of energy and soul into the maniacal Terrence Fletcher. The fast-paced script gave him some of the most inventive insults I have ever heard on screen. A well-crafted, heart-stopping, gutwrenching psychological thrill ride of a movie, easily deserving of the three Oscar wins.

A REVEL ON K' ROAD The iconoclastic cafe, Revel on K’ Road, owned by Jeff Nagle, provides hearty vegetarian food with the dual aims of running a sustainable business and getting involved with the local community. Jeff is also an activist against child poverty. Julie Cleaver spoke to him to find out more about his business ethos, sustainable practices, and friendly K’ Road customers.

What was your motivation behind creating Revel Cafe? I had been working in hospitality for a while, and I’d always catch myself saying, “If this were mine, I’d do this.” So I had been thinking about it for a while, and I thought it was about time to give it a go. I started planning, then all of a sudden I was committed. That’s probably the best way to start a business: to back yourself into a corner, then figure out how to get out of it. What is your favourite part about owning Revel Cafe? I’m quite proud of what everybody does here and what we provide. My favourite part would probably be coming to work, locking my bike up, walking in past the counter and saying hello, and then walking past the seven tables and knowing everyone’s name – that’s pretty cool. Or walking through with a tray of dishes or food and seeing everyone smiling; that gives me a bit of a kick. Have you always had a passion for cooking? Yeah, I guess so. I can remember always doing a lot of cooking when I was growing up – cooking chocolate Weet-Bix slices and pikelets using the Edmonds cookbook, like everyone else does when they’re at home. I did lots of cooking when I was a little kid. Revel Cafe specialises in a lot of vegan and vegetarian food. What is your connection with this style of food? I’ll eat anything as long as it comes from a nice life. Actually that’s not true – I won’t eat anything; I’m a bit fussy. I like vegan

and vegetarian food and I probably eat that way most of the week. I only eat meat in a meal with other people, like my family or my friends. It sort of came about by being on K’ Road; my staff introducing me to that sort of food, and the customer demand for it. So I’d say that 20 years ago I wasn’t interested at all, and I’ve just evolved into it. I find it’s a more interesting way of cooking. As a chef, it challenges you more, and the scope is bigger. Once you take that lump of protein off the plate, you have to think harder. Your cafe is really artistic and quirky. Are you responsible for the design? I love the way you say “design!” I’ve got some photos of the cafe when it was first opened – it was very sterile. I’ve just slowly added to it; cluttered it up, de-cluttered it, and then cluttered it up again. It’s definitely a work in progress. A guy down the corner, Ben, brings me some quirky cool stuff. He’ll bring it in and we’ll do a little trade. I love going to op-shops and trawling random places. You could say it is one of my addictions. I have a lot of crockery – cupboards and boxes full of it. What are the customers at Revel Cafe like? You can’t really generalise – we have such a variety. But I guess they’re different to other places I’ve worked at, especially different to other places in Auckland. The customers are friendlier. When I worked in other places, I don’t ever remember being asked how I was and have anyone listen for my response. That’s a very noticeable part of this place. People care about how you are, which is nice.

I noticed you are involved with raising awareness for child poverty in New Zealand. Why and how do you support this cause? I was approached by the Green Party for a photoshoot and a couple of comments. I was very happy to do that, because my kids are at a low-decile Primary School, and they have classmates who are pretty hungry sometimes. These kids don’t really learn much when they’re hungry. I think talking with the Green Party isn’t the end goal, because everyone’s got an opinion on if people should feed their own kids. Part of the end goal is to get the parents clued-up and responsible so that everyone can afford to feed their own kids. But I don’t think the kids in that situation right now should have to suffer until that happens. I think there needs to be help from outside because kids don’t choose if they grow up in poverty or in Remuera, they’re just born where they’re born. How do you incorporate sustainability into your cafe? I try to use things as much as they can be used. For example, with our food – I try to use all of it; everything that comes in. I try to reuse things as much as I can. I also try to minimise things like water and detergent, which you don’t need a lot of but are often overused. Reduce, reuse, recycle – in that order. We also contract a compost pickup system. They take tons and tons of compostable waste out to a compost unit. I think everyone else has caught up with what we have: things like bio-containers, compostable cutlery, and reusable cups. 10 years ago it was a bit quirky, but now it’s mainstream, which is good. I’m glad everyone else has got on board.

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On your Facebook page you are often liaising with local artists and trying to get the community involved with your cafe. What does community mean to you and your business? The community makes the cafe. If it weren’t for having local people spending so much time here, it wouldn’t be Revel – it would be Newmarket or something. It’s amazing how many people have met each other here by sitting side-by-side. You have a lot of interesting recipes at your cafe that are continually changing. Who creates the menu, and where do the ideas come from? I think everyone who has worked here has added his or her recipe to the recipe book. We’ve evolved a few, stolen a few, and made quite a few up. It has definitely been a community effort. They all mainly come from people who have worked in the kitchen, besides the stolen ones! What advice would you give to young people who are thinking about starting a business? I think you need to work in your desired profession under somebody else for a while, and learn as much as you can before you take that leap. If you want to own your own business, and you don’t just want to work in that business, you would want to really give it some effort. Talk to lots of people who have actually done it – not lots of people who just have an opinion about it. Everybody’s got an opinion.

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by Matthew Cattin

Many people will tell you, in the warm haze of hindsight, that ‘university is the best years of your life!’ As a graduate myself, I can assure you this statement is, for the most part, incorrect. It probably only applies to those who passed with a C- average, spent their days in a tipsy euphoria and got with the hot stats tutor. For most of us, uni is a hard slog through an academic wasteland, dodging the assignment landmines under the beating heat of a dithering grade point average. However, all is not lost. As an ex-student who made it to the other side in one piece, I have kindly assembled a bucket list which should aid you in getting the very most out of your time at university. It’s not all doom and gloom, you know! In fact, if you stop every once and a while to search for silver linings, you might even enjoy yourself.

Pull an all-nighter. Make sure to tick off the all-nighter as many times as possible while you’re at university – it really is the joyous activity that just keeps on giving. Time management is for chumps – why not do nothing on your assignment for three weeks, and then tear into it the night before? That way you can keep your evenings free of uni work, and open a can of whoopass on the assignment just before deadline. Genius. Slam down some energy drinks, drink coffee until your fingertips shake, and you’ll be good to go. Just make sure you allow time for computer crashes, broken printers, personal dramas, procrastination breaks, power naps, needy partners, procrastination urination, a season or two of your favourite series, and of course, faulty USB sticks. Do all of that, and I guarantee nothing can possibly go wrong.

'Cry angry tears when your group mate forgets to hire camera equipment, talk shit behind the back of the member who never shows up, try to keep your temper at group meetings when nothing goes your way, and sigh in relief when your tutor returns your grade, a C+.' Arrive half an hour late. Whether it’s a broken down train or a bus that simply never arrives, showing up half way through a lecture is an absolute must for any student. Try as you might to sneak in quietly, every head will turn to witness your entrance because any spectacle, no matter how mundane, is more exciting than the lecture slides on Immanuel Kant’s philosophy. You’ll finally find a seat right up the back in the middle of the row, because lesbehonest, filling up the rows from the middle is just too obvious! Flustered, you’ll take a seat, only to realise you needed to pick up a lecture sheet from the front… Fuuuuuuu…

Fall asleep in an 8AM lecture. After a tearful all-nighter, what better way to recuperate than a nap in your 8AM lecture? With a tiredness so complete, even your triple shot flat white can’t soothe your puffy eyes, falling asleep is inevitable, but you still won’t accept it. Oh no, you’re just going to shut your eyes for a while, right? Listen to the lecturer with your eyes closed so you can concentrate on just the words, and not how bright the room is… Hey, this desk is pretty comfy when I slump my head on it just right… What was that she said about the assignment? Shivers, that heater feels great on my back… Perhaps I should just stop listening for a couple of… Reduce your GPA with a group assignment. Because God forbid your university successes be judged by your individual efforts alone, am I right? No university experience is complete without an absolutely tragic group assignment, so you’d be a damn fool to miss out on this frustrating part of uni culture. Cry angry tears when your group mate forgets to hire camera equipment, talk shit behind the back of the member who never shows up, try to keep your temper at group meetings when nothing goes your way, and sigh in relief when your tutor returns your grade, a C+. And to think, if the assignment had been grading backstabbing, frustration, arguments and tantrums, your group would most certainly have topped the class. Lose your dignity at an AuSM party. Notoriously wild, wet and sticky, what better place to lose your dignity than at an AuSM party? Dress to impress, let yourself loose at the bar, and prepare for a night of thumping beats and dirty debauchery. After downing a few too many vodka Red Bulls, you’ll shift smoothly from first gear to drunk as fuck, and your dancing will suddenly be looser than a wizard’s sleeve. Backs will turn on your crazy moves, people will yell “taxi!” as you knock into them, and the lights and sounds will suddenly feel like too much as you charge to the nearest toilet bowl. But on the bright side, the event photographer has captured your descent to madness, and in your hung-over stupor the next morning, the tagging will begin.

6 BEACHES YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF

You’ve all heard of Venice Beach, Mykonos, Byron Bay and Cancun, but what about somewhere to go when you don’t want to be surrounded by thousands of families with young children, spring breakers or backpackers galore? Don’t stress, we’ve found some stunning hidden gems for you! Check out the STA Travel team’s favourite coastal treasures below.

PLAYA PARAISO, CUBA Often recognised as the best beach in Cuba (and that’s saying something!), Playa Paraiso is located on the west side of Cayo Largo, a resort island in the Caribbean Sea. With its glistening white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and a single beach shack selling Cuban essentials like rum and cigars, you can look forward to some relaxation without a thousand fellow beachgoers stealing your sunshine. The island itself only has six accommodation options all located a few kilometres from Playa Paraiso, so the closer beaches are more crowded and offer more activities, but Playa Paraiso is accessible by a fifteen minute beach train from the hotels and is a must-do if you find yourself in Cuba. Secluded beach, turquoise water and beach shack beverages that you won’t have to share with tons of fellow travellers? Um, yes please! PRAIA DA INGRINA, PORTUGAL Located on the most south-western point of Europe, Praia da Ingrina is a secluded and sheltered beach offering low-intensity water sports (diving, paddle boarding, kayaking), awe-inspiring views and absolute tranquillity, a nice change if you’ve been frequenting the coastal tourist hotspots throughout Europe. Try a paddle boarding tour through nearby caves, take a picnic lunch and then hit up a beachfront restaurant for dinner with a view.

PANGLAO ISLAND, PHILIPPINES Boracay has become the party island of the Philippines, so if you’d prefer a more laidback and less crazy beach break then Panglao Island in the Bohol province is your best bet. It’s certainly becoming more popular but it still has a chilled vibe, unspoiled beaches and locals will be happy to help you out. Spend your day relaxing under a palm tree or in a hammock, or for those busy bodies there are a ton of water sports on offer – you can snorkel, dolphin watch and scuba dive (even at night!) to your heart’s content.

AGONDA BEACH, GOA, INDIA If you’re planning on holidaying in Goa you’ll likely end up at Palolem Beach at some stage, along with every other tourist nearby. Here’s a top tip: take a fifteen minute detour from Palolem and spend the day at Agonda Beach instead! As it’s a turtle nesting site, Agonda is looked after by the local village and the result is an intimate, clean and safe beach to relax at away from the crazy high prices and overcrowded beach of Palolem. There are fewer shops and eateries than the tourist hubs but get a picnic basket, some snacks and relax on the sunbeds uninterrupted for a few hours. TIOMAN ISLAND, MALAYSIA Selected by TIME Magazine as one of the best ‘deserted’ beaches in the world a few years ago, Tioman Island has recently grown into an established resort area, although it still boasts its natural environment and exotic wildlife. With lush jungles, azure waters, a ton of scuba diving companies, snorkel hireage and even an 18-hole golf course there’s enough to keep you occupied no matter what you’re into. Get sweaty with a trek through the nearby rainforests and take in the island’s incredible fauna and flora, or if the thought of running into giant lizards freaks you out a bit relax with a massage with a view at the local spa, or get your diving license while marvelling at the beautiful reefs and abundant marine life. PORTHMINSTER BEACH, ST IVES, UK The UK not a common beach break destination, but Porthminster Beach gives off more of a Caribbean vibe than English! Located in West Cornwall, this UK hidden gem is popular with British residents wanting their dose of sunshine but less so with tourists. There are a number of accommodation options near the beach and a variety of eateries; we suggest booking a table at Porthminster Beach Cafe and treating yourself to their signature dish of banoffee pie while overlooking St Ives Bay. If you’ve been exploring the UK or are planning on moving to London, keep Porthminster in mind for when you’re missing the New Zealand sunshine!

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'Not only is learning a constant process throughout life, but possibly the most important learning curve occurs as soon as you step out of the cosy confines of your childhood. I am referring, of course, to the process of unlearning.'

'Unlearning is a process demanding every single one of us to discuss our own norms on a communal and global

Every generation is brought up with certain societal assumptions that are so built into the collective psyche they become difficult to identify and tackle. Think of the baby boomers, who chained-smoked tobacco for its “health benefits”, or the Gen X-ers, who were brought up for the most part thinking that homosexuality was a curable “illness”. In 2015, millennials – my generation – are deconstructing and readjusting the way we see the world. For example, even I can recall a time not so long ago when there were only two possible genders and that subscribing to one of those two was non-negotiable.

level to facilitate positive change.'

The importance of unlearning and questioning norms like these is something I have been aware of for some time; however what I didn’t realize is that the push to unlearn wherever possible has become somewhat of a global movement.

LEARNING TO UNLEARN

“Unlearning” as a concept and social project is promoted by online organisations such as unlearn.com, a site and team aiming to “provoke thought in the hope that it will promote positive change”. Steve D’Amico eloquently describes unlearning as “a process of removing barriers that blind us to our authentic selves, questioning our classical conditioning, deconstructing and re-ordering our identities, identifying and discarding negative values.” So, basically, what we should all be doing is taking what we think we know and becoming comfortable with questioning the hell out of it.

by Amelia Petrovich Over the last six months I have somehow acquired a “20 Questions” friend. I think we all know the type: constantly curious, with a poor sense of timing; the type of person who will give a poignant silence about five seconds before turning and asking, “If you could date any Spice Girl who would it be and why?” Said “20 Questions” friend is always coming up with good, controversial material, much to the amusement of everyone around him. However, it was his most recent outburst that shocked me more than any other. Quite nonchalantly and typically unprovoked one morning came the question, “Hey, don’t you think it’s sad that as you grow up you learn less and less?” It was the kind of question that sought affirmation; an emphatic “Oh my God, yes!” perhaps. But I found that it was a notion I just couldn’t agree with, because it was so grossly inaccurate. Not only is learning a constant process throughout life, but possibly the most important learning curve occurs as soon as you step out of the cosy confines of your childhood. I am referring, of course, to the process of unlearning.

Unlearning is not, however, about treating those with a difference in outlook scornfully. A meat-eater in a sea of passionate vegans may not be a naive and callous consumer, but rather a fellow human being who has yet to engage with the unlearning process. Todd Nickolas of unlearn.com places particular emphasis on “allow[ing] others equal opportunity to express their views, and challenge yours, as well”, an idea that is all too often forsaken in place of selfrighteous critique and interpersonal frustration. Imagine a world in which schoolchildren are yelled at and taunted for not knowing how to read, rather than taught the strategies needed to do so. This is exactly what happens when one attacks others with oppositional opinions, rather than using said opposition as a springboard for peaceful discussion. Unlike my dear “20 Questions” pal, I happen to believe that we are all always learning and unlearning. Unlearning is a process demanding every single one of us to discuss our own norms on a communal and global level to facilitate positive change. In the words of ‘90s icon Vanilla Ice, everybody needs to “stop, collaborate and listen” on this one. Embrace the chance and opportunity to improve, question all that you take for granted and be gentle to your fellow unlearners – this is a movement that will move only if all of us move with it. 27

CHEESY CARAMELISED RED ONION SCROLLS MAKES APPROX. 12 SCROLLS PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES Cooking time: 20 minutes These scrolls are made with a nice simple dough that doesn’t need yeast, so they can be whipped up quickly when you need a tasty snack to feed the troops. If you don’t have time to make your own jammy onion, you can always get nice onion jam from specialty food stores. These are best served warm with a little extra melted butter or olive oil drizzled on top.

CARAMELISED RED ONION 50g butter 4 red onions, finely sliced 3 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar salt

SCROLLS 2½ cups self-raising flour ½ tsp salt (or 1 tsp flaky salt) 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten ¾ cup milk, plus extra if needed 50g butter, melted 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan olive oil for drizzling Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. To make the caramelised onion, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and starting to caramelise. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for another 10 minutes until starting to go jammy. Season with salt to taste. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. To make the dough, sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the salt, egg, milk and melted butter. Fold until just combined into a rough dough. You can always add more milk if it’s too dry or more flour if it’s too sticky. Turn out onto a floured benchtop, knead a few times to bring it together to a smooth dough, and roll out to a rectangle about 1cm thick. Spread with the cooled red onion mixture in an even layer right to the edges, and sprinkle with the cheddar and half the Parmesan.

Carefully roll up lengthways into a tight log, sealing the end with a little milk. Cut into 2–3cm thick slices and arrange on the baking tray, a few centimetres apart as they will expand. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.

Recipes extracted from Everyday Delicious by Chelsea Winter, published by Random House; RRP: $49.99. Photography by Tamara West.

Solja Virkkunen

PLA-GIA-RISM. SAY WHAAAAAAT…?

Put simply it’s “using someone else’s words or ideas as your own when a) you shouldn’t or b) without acknowledging it (properly) 2 Types: Copy-and-paste/getting “some help” from books, articles, websites or your mate, and passing it off as all your own work;

(Academic Integrity Officer). You are expected to manage your time and complete assignments by the due date. Don’t forget that the dude or chick sitting next to you in lectures could have produced a quality piece of work in the same timeframe. If you are genuinely sick or had something serious come up, look into an extension but don’t take the easy route, it aint worth it.

IF YOU REFERENCE PROPERLY, YOU WON’T

Not really getting the referencing bit down pat i.e. you throw in a few references e.g. (Debate, 2015) here and there but no “…” or proper original/secondary source referencing (this is the silent killer) e.g. Bennett (as cited in Rudman, 1999) defined…

BE PENALISED FOR PLAGIARISM AND YOU’LL

Q: How do I avoid it? 1. Be the Zen master of referencing! If you reference properly, you WON’T be penalised for plagiarism AND you’ll actually get more marks in your assessment. Simple as that! (NOTE too much referencing isn’t good as it leaves little original thought.) All AUT students MUST follow the APA Referencing style (unless your lecturer tells you otherwise e.g. Law School). There is a whole section online about this – AUT Library’s website or Google it, OR; Take a (FREE) referencing workshop (via the Library or Student Learning Centre). It’s better than getting caught out on a plagiarism and potentially failing the assessment or paper. 2. DON’T look at your mates work I know it’s tempting “to have a look” especially when they got an “A” last semester in the same paper. Even if you don’t directly copy and paste, it’s easy for their work and ideas to creep into yours and you will get busted. 3. DON’T share your work (past or present) By doing this you are actually saving them (and yourself ) from getting into trouble. AUT will drag you over the coals if they think you had a part to play in their stupidity. 4. DON’T leave it to the last minute “I had 2 assignments due on the same day”, “My cat threw up on my laptop”, and “I’ve lost my USB”. There could be millions of real reasons behind the “rush” but it aint gonna fly with the AI

ACTUALLY GET MORE MARKS IN YOUR ASSESSMENT. SIMPLE AS THAT! Q: What happens if I Plagiarise? 1st time round should be a learning curve and goes something like this; You get an email from your Faculty or School advising that you’ve potentially “breached the University regulation around plagiarism”. The email may have a letter and/or a soft copy of a Turnitin report attached. The letter will outline what’s happened and may include a penalty. This could range from downgrading to a big fat ZERO. However, don’t think that doing it for the 1st time or just doing it once will mean you get off lightly, this is because failing that particular assessment may well mean that you will fail the paper overall. They will also ask you to come to a meeting or give you a date for a disciplinary hearing depending on whether this is your 1st, 2nd or subsequent offence and whether or not there’s a likely risk of failing the paper. If this happens; Email advocacy@aut.ac.nz with your details, copies of letters/correspondence received and your concerns. We will do our best to give you honest and informed advice on your situation and/or come to your meeting or hearing with you.

PUZ ZLE

SUDOKU Classic Novels

CROSSWORD

Down 1) The burning point of paper 3) A sin and unjustified hatred 8) Seriously, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name 10) A place where some inhabitants are more equal than others

6) A small seed has high hopes and a mysterious benefactor 7) The most doubleplusgood story ever written 9) A load of air from one of the Bronte sisters 11) A small landmass of wealth 12) Noel song

Across

13) The best laid plans

2) The short stop in the wheat

14) Rags to riches tale with an unexpected ending

4) Kangaroo court for an avian murder 5) Midgets fight an evil jeweller

15) Pale mammal of the deep

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