Mind's Eye 2022 by cobwebcreative

MIND’S EYE 2022

Wicked

GAME

Fields of

GOLD No

SOCIAL Impact

Place Like

HOME F I Gf oHr T

Freedom

STRANGE

FRUIT

Take Your

AIM Mind’s Eye | July 2022

A flag announcing another lynching is flown from the window of the NAACP headquarters on 69 Fifth Avenue, New York City in 1936.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Contents 36

48 | Strange Fruit Rami Achimu

52 | The Cost of Zero Sylvain Chan

58 | Gone Girls Sophia Richter

62 | Take Your Aim Tom Royde

66 | Not Cool Lucy Kite

70 | Happy Ending

Annika Li

20 6 | Fields of Gold

27 | For Art’s Sake

Trajan Majomi

Lily Robertson

12 | Street Wise

30 | To Be Honest

Molly Jones

Anushka Ramyead

16 | Fight for Freedom

34 | Social Impact

Cameron Manney

Ayan Jain

20 | Wicked Game

36 | Heat of the Moment

Alina Gupta

Naomi Cray

22 | March & Dance

40 | No Place Like Home

Thea Bloom

Natalya Hoare

24 | Thinking Straight

44 | Own Goal

William Allfrey

Aditya Kamlani

48 Editor: Anthony Lyons Design: CobwebCreative

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Editorial We never thought we’d see a year more turbulent than the last, but here it is: talk of nuclear war, civilian deaths aplenty on our screens, food prices through the roof and fuel at £2 a litre. But with all these crises underway, what have our writers chosen to muse about now there is so much to lament? Well, for a start, they are still young and optimistic despite the chaos and the suffering. They are as morally indignant as ever, and have a right to be, but they have not become doom-mongers and have stuck to their principles, which are based firmly on a belief that people are good and civilisation is improving, as the Steven Pinkers never tire of telling us. So in the following pages we celebrate a heroic young man who has saved vulnerable children from the dangerous streets of Guatemala, and we make a heartfelt defence of freedom of the press, despite and because of our present obsession with fake news. Another piece explores a new movement that recommends the constant and complete telling of truth, which may not be as mad as you think. There is an attack on a shocking video game whose principle goal is virtual sexual abuse, but there is also a paean to a video artist who denigrates the same brutality.

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A NEW ANGLE IS TAKEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH A WARNING OF THE DAMAGE ITS USE IS DOING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

A bright young scientist explains why OCD is not an embarrassing aberration but a neurological necessity as natural as breathing, and a young dancer and singer makes a passionate plea for the importance of the arts in schools, now deemed under threat up and down the land. A new angle is taken on social media with a warning of the damage its use is doing to the environment, and another of our budding ecologists asks why, if climate change is such a hot topic, the media are keeping so cool. On the controversial subject of asylum seekers we hear that certain sovereign states are being favoured by the UK over others, and should not be, while we are also offered a firsthand account of the civilian crisis unleashed by Putin in Ukraine by a young writer who wants the world to know how it feels to be personally involved but completely helpless. This piece is brave and heart-breaking. Football features once more, this time because the corruption levels have reached new heights and, for the first time in its history, Mind’s Eye takes a look at the knotty subject of game shooting, hitherto, perhaps, deemed too explosive to touch. There’s also a close look at the dangers of peer pressure, and a harrowing account not only of the horrors of lynching but also of its appalling longevity as a lawful, and therefore law-enforced, racist abomination.

But I’m happy to say that one of our journalists chose to swim against this sombre stream and composed a beautifully simple celebration of the happiness that the simpler things in life can bring when we foster our social, emotional and spiritual, over our material, inheritance. Many thanks to all our talented young writers. Tom Boulton, who started this magazine in 2011, would be proud of you all. Mind’s Eye 2022 www.mindseyemagazine.com

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Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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ON THE CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT OF ASYLUM SEEKERS WE HEAR THAT CERTAIN SOVEREIGN STATES ARE BEING FAVOURED BY THE UK OVER OTHERS.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

TRAJAN MAJOMI explains what it’s like to have family living in Ukraine.

efore the Russian invasion of disorientate the Ukrainian people Ukraine, I never believed there however possible, even if it means could be such a conflict in my destroying the culture, morale and lifetime. I recall long summers with my emotional integrity of innocent grandparents in their village outside civilians. While I find losing something Kharkiv, and attending elementary at a distance difficult, I struggle to school close to the city understand how centre. I remember the people can witness Ukrainian people well. and withstand such I remember friends, terror and horror parents of friends, firsthand. I RECALL LONG SUMMERS teachers and my family. WITH MY GRANDPARENTS These days, I turn to I often think of my aunt IN THEIR VILLAGE memories of Ukraine and uncle who live in OUTSIDE KHARKIV, AND for comfort when Kharkiv. A few days ATTENDING ELEMENTARY current affairs cause before I was leaving SCHOOL CLOSE TO THE turbulence in my life. the city to return to CITY CENTRE. school in England last It is because of these summer, I talked to sacred memories that seeing footage them about when we would see each of familiar buildings reduced to rubble other next. While sitting outside their is difficult. On the second week of the new home, we made plans. Now, in all invasion, I woke up to a video of the likelihood, we will not see each other town hall under heavy shelling. The for months or even years. The freedom town hall stands at the top of what to roam they took for granted after is known locally as ‘Freedom Square’ years of living in the same city has in the city of Kharkiv. It is the cultural been replaced by the confines of their centre of a fine town with many basement, now their constant shelter universities and historic buildings. I from shelling. The images and sounds once attended classes in a building they have shared with the rest of the across the street from the site of the family are deeply haunting. impact, and daily drove past the town hall. In the past, I wondered how victims of war cope with loss. After hearing That video made me understand that accounts of the war by my friends the Russian tactic is to weaken and and family I now see that such perils

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Mind’s Eye | July 2022

make victims feel any form of retaliation is fit and necessary. After days of confinement to her basement shelter, I shared an emotional phone call with my aunt, who was starting to feel the effects of living in a cramped space and hearing constant artillery fire. Her form of retaliation had to be mental and emotional resilience, which has proved difficult for her to maintain when the shelling is nonstop. My grandparents, who were abroad during the invasion, struggle to come to terms with their displacement. Based on my time in Ukraine, I believe that Ukrainian values centre on routine

It is because of these sacred memories that seeing footage of familiar buildings reduced to rubble is difficult. and role fulfilment. Like other Ukrainians of their generation, my grandparents grew up valuing a nuclear household. In my eyes, these values offer stability and safety, both difficult to find in war. During the Easter holiday I visited my grandparents and tried to be a supportive grandson. I tried to be sensitive and considerate, especially after they received news from home

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AFTER DAYS OF CONFINEMENT TO HER BASEMENT SHELTER, I SHARED AN EMOTIONAL PHONE CALL WITH MY AUNT, WHO WAS STARTING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF LIVING IN A CRAMPED SPACE AND HEARING CONSTANT ARTILLERY FIRE.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

The freedom to roam they took for granted after years of living in the same city has been replaced by the confines of their basement.

that was not good news. While this was a turbulent period for them, they seemed positive and optimistic. To my surprise, they had even maintained their daily routine and diets. The endless meals to fatten me up, coupled with my grandfather’s never-ending list of anecdotes, made that visit feel like any other visit, and I realised this maintenance of routine by my grandparents was the only way they could cope with being barred from their country and their cherished home. But behind these attempts to cope, and their seeming optimism, there was fear and anxiety with every video from the front lines and every phone call from a friend in the know.

Behind these attempts to cope, and their seeming optimism, there was fear and anxiety with every video from the front lines.

By sharing this account, I am trying to convey the effect the war has had on my family. I am lucky that none of those close to me have suffered fatally, and I hope this will stay the case, not only for myself but for others as well. I also hope the conflict in Ukraine will be the last of its kind, and that with the end of this war humanity can move forward and abandon the mentality that causes leaders of nations to engage in such devastating behaviour. ¢

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Kyiv, Ukraine. July 2021.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

E S I W

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

MOLLY JONES celebrates a hero who has dedicated his life to saving children from the streets of Guatemala.

uatemala, 1989. With more than 5,000 children living on the streets and the country ravaged by many years of civil war, it certainly wasn’t a place you’d want to go for your summer holiday. And yet, five years ago, the number of street children there had shrunk to zero. You may think there is no longer a cause to write an article about Guatemalan street children, but lessons learned from the many children who lost their lives in that country say otherwise.

and often eventual death. Yet the kids who had given up on life had the opportunity to make a new start.

Now, the testimony of these workers’ efforts is showing. The number of children on the street has shrunk from an estimate of 5,000 in 1989 to virtually none living there permanently. It’s amazing this has happened in a relatively short space of time, and this change can provide hope to other countries where the problem of street children is still IT WOULD HAVE BEEN widespread. NORMAL TO WALK THE

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Thirty years ago, it would have been normal to walk the streets of Guatemala City STREETS OF GUATEMALA and see children stealing, One of those who has CITY AND SEE CHILDREN being subjected to violence worked in Guatemala longSTEALING, BEING and abusing drugs by sniffing term is Duncan Dyason, SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE. bags of glue. There were many who was born in Canterbury reasons why children ended and grew up in Britain, up in this situation. Often, they faced abuse becoming a Christian as a young man. He at home, and couldn’t access an education. flew to Guatemala in 1992, after watching There were so many stories of murder and the shocking documentary ‘They shoot torture of street children, often by the police children, don’t they?’ He first set up the themselves, that it was easy for many people, Toybox charity, and then Street Kids Direct with hard lives as well, to be desensitised and in 2000. His leadership has contributed view such children as just another problem massively to the reduction in numbers of for their dilapidated country. children living on the street. The story of his early time in Guatemala is told in the book But over the years a few dedicated people Miracle Children. It was easy for him not to started working and living alongside the have hope when he first arrived. There were street children. They set up homes and so many children in need it was hard to know structures to help support them, recruited where to start. But through persistence and more volunteers, and began educating hope, he has managed to make a difference people about the issue. It has been a long, to many children’s lives. hard struggle. Often the children they helped went back on the streets and slipped At first, getting to know the children was back into their lives of drug-taking, crime, hard. They were naturally wary of strangers,

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

GUAZACAPAN GUATEMALA 2018: KIDS HELPING DONATE FOOD TO THE POOR.

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THERE ARE STILL THINGS WE CAN DO TO AID PLACES AND PEOPLE THROUGH OUR COLLABORATION.

given their past experiences, and found it difficult to trust Duncan and his team. But they persisted, opening youth clubs for the street children, and establishing regular contact with many. Over time, they set up safe and caring children’s homes.

They were naturally wary of strangers, given their past experiences, and found it difficult to trust.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Duncan’s work in Guatemala shows the importance of having systems in and focused more recently on our place locally. If there were better legal own problems, rather than what we can do to help other protection and if homes countries. In Guatemala, for children had been If homes for children the USA is helping more caring and safe, had been more caring to fight corruption. the streets would have and safe, the streets Australia is helping with been a less attractive would have been a more agricultural trade. option. With the right less attractive option. At the same time, it processes in place, such shouldn’t be entirely up as regular checks of all children in their development and to governments to provide assistance. growth, and access to support, advice and education, children wouldn’t have Not everyone will be as willing as Duncan to dedicate their life to to live on the streets. improving conditions for street As the example of Duncan shows children, but there are still things (together with that of the many people we can do to aid places and people from the UK and other nationalities through our collaboration, such as who have gone out to help him as giving our time and support, rather volunteers), there is much we can do than ignoring issues and hoping things to help. Instead, at government level, get better. we have cut the foreign aid budget Any help has to be carefully planned to avoid later obstacles and what could ultimately do more harm than good. In Guatemala, an example cited by Duncan is the response of some charities to street children. One charity closed the children’s homes it had previously opened for boys and girls and sold the properties to the directors of the charity. Even today, some of

these homes are still owned by charity directors, and were not given back to the children who lost their home. The amount of abuse that goes on in children’s homes, Duncan says, can be horrifying, with few in authority facing any consequences. He also suggests that there is a The emotional lessons learnt from the street danger that charities may choose to use street children of Guatemala have been the most children and their suffering to raise important: how they value money through stories and photos, relationships, and how even though They make no but that much of the money raised they have experienced abominable plans for the does not go to help them. Duncan amounts of abuse from family and future, just live in thinks the best way to help street rejection by friends, they still want the moment and children is by ‘helping small and this human connection. For street appreciate the local organisations that have children, they never know if today things they have. volunteering at the heart who really is their last alive. They make no impact lives, and then working with plans for the future, just live in the the government to offer training and resources moment and appreciate the things they have, that create robust structures for the better care which for them is very little. and protection of children.’ We need checks and regulations to ensure that charities are running We, who have so much more, are often dissatisfied properly and that most money goes to help with our lives, searching for the next thing to children in the right ways. bring us pleasure. So let’s be more willing to help, hope, sacrifice, and value the time we have with people we love. The street children of Guatemala show us we’re lucky to have these opportunities. If you would like to know more about Duncan’s charity please visit this website: www.streetkidsdirect.org.uk ¢

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CHARITIES MAY CHOOSE TO USE STREET CHILDREN AND THEIR SUFFERING TO RAISE MONEY THROUGH STORIES AND PHOTOS, BUT MUCH OF THE MONEY RAISED DOES NOT GO TO HELP THEM. Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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SINCE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF FREEDOM, IT HAS BEEN HARD TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS ‘FREE’.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Fight for Freedom In our era of fake news, CAMERON MANNEY reminds us that some freedoms are sacrosanct in a civilised world.

ince the beginning of history freedom has been what every person wants. But since there are many different kinds of freedom, it has been hard to ensure that everyone is ‘free’. This is an ongoing problem in many countries. I believe that two of these freedoms are crucial factors in today’s society. These are freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

in the current situation between Russia and Ukraine, Putin has voiced that he does not like what the BBC and other Western news companies have been reporting about the conflict. He also claims that many photos showing the aftermath of the invasion are photoshopped. This has caused relations between Russia and the West to plummet and has angered many political leaders, not just Putin. This leads to non-political officials (e.g. reporters) having a major say over realworld events, which can be detrimental in many situations.

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the worsening relations between China and Taiwan, there has been a lot of news. Hundreds if not This has caused thousands of TV channels, Another reason why full relations between Russia and the West tabloids and talk shows freedom of the press can to plummet and has have covered these topics, do more harm than good is angered many political and their stories cover many propaganda and bias. There leaders. different aspects. But I find has never been a time in myself wondering if the fact the world when lies haven’t that these problems are broadcast so openly been told, and today is no exception. No is a good thing, like it’s made out to be, and if matter how reliable a news channel may some of the claims which are made are even be, there will always be bias. This bias is so true. This has caused me to think that maybe extreme, in some circumstances, that the such free press could cause more harm than company involved will create ‘fake news’ or good. propaganda, which is aimed to favour or hurt one of the parties involved. The propaganda I believe this for a number of reasons. First, race has already started between Russia and freedom of the press causes tensions to the West. Putin has banned all Western news increase between the country reporting and channels from Russian TV and streaming the country reported about. For example, services. This is to ensure that his people are

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

not seeing what he doesn’t want them to see concerning the war in Ukraine. This is also aimed at news businesses, but due to their target audience being US citizens, this hasn’t worked to full effect. Joe Biden’s USA has taken similar measures to ensure Putin’s views do not ‘corrupt’ US minds, he says. He has banned all Russian news channels and streaming sites, as well as making sure that no propaganda enters the country. So freedom of the press is something that is both good and bad but should be upheld in every modern society. Concerning the Near V Minnesota case it was ruled by the US Supreme Court that freedom of the press was imperative in the successful governing of a country, because if it didn’t exist the government could do whatever it wanted. Freedom of the press is therefore a good thing, although in some ways it can be detrimental to a country and in others it can save them. It deserves more time and effort than countries are currently investing and in the current climate it should be much more of a concern. ¢

Freedom of the press is something that is both good and bad but should be upheld in every modern society.

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JOE BIDEN HAS BANNED ALL RUSSIAN NEWS CHANNELS AND STREAMING SITES, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT NO PROPAGANDA ENTERS THE COUNTRY.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Moscow, Russia - 28 February 2022

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Wicked

ALINA GUPTA shares her disgust that a video game requiring players to become virtual rapists was not just conceived in the first place but released.

ideo games are a part of almost every adolescent and many adult lives, because they provide entertainment and in some ways improve certain skills. Unfortunately video games may also create certain illusions that affect the person’s perception of the real world. One of those illusions is the way women are portrayed and the way they are treated in such games. They often dehumanize women and portray them with an unrealistic body, and the female character serves solely as an object for the sexual pleasure of the player. Even today, in many instances the primary reaction to sexual violence is to dismiss the occurrence altogether. Most incidences of such violence and assault remain undetected, whilst issues like homicide and domestic 20

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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violence are being uncovered. I am shift, because myths, violence and not arguing about which issue is more sexism are still present within every serious, because every community, no matter one of them harms how woke, young people and should be or professional that recognized and fought community is. There against. Movements are always victims that THIS GAME IMPLIES THAT such as #metoo or the aren’t able to speak up WOMEN’S BODIES ARE No Means No campaign and perpetrators with ‘AVAILABLE’ AND, TO MOVE have been spread a delusional mindset. ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL, THE worldwide and gained CHARACTER MUST BECOME A viral media popularity, I will not describe RAPIST. which has affected every reason that guidelines on certain causes assault, but I websites and content. Feminism has will talk about one, in particular, that is expanded in recent years, and victims extremely bothersome, as it can easily are coming forward to share stories be avoided, but is not. and let girls know that they are never alone. The aim is to diminish rape Rape Day (an actual video game) was myth acceptance and abrogate victim banned from being distributed on the blame, which is still present. We, as online gaming platform, Steam Direct, a society, are yet to see that cultural just before its release on 6 March

2019. The platform stated that they respect developers’ desire to express themselves, but rejected the game as it ‘possesses unknown costs and risk.’ The creator lashed out in response by stating that Steam refused to release it because the ‘game contains sexual content and content that may be illegal in some countries’, which is a vague statement that doesn’t begin to describe the atrocities featured in the game. The statement was truly aggravating because the whole point of the game is to ‘verbally harass, kill and rape women as you choose to progress the story’, according to the official description. The game caused an immense amount of controversy but what made it truly chilling is that the unnamed creator described the game as being something he’d enjoy and claimed that ‘4% of the general population are sociopaths and the type of person that would be entertained by a story like this is not even limited to pure sociopaths.’ Perhaps the author intended this game to entertain that sort of audience and give them just enough satisfaction in order for them to not desire more of it and for them to not bring it outside of their online world. But the game may show the types of people enjoying this content that their desires are not unreasonable, even though they most certainly are. In essence, the whole point

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FEMINISM HAS EXPANDED IN RECENT YEARS, AND VICTIMS ARE COMING FORWARD TO SHARE STORIES AND LET GIRLS KNOW THAT THEY ARE NEVER ALONE.

of the game is to normalize rape and enable the mindset that women are just flesh and bones and nothing else. The game is revolting and so is the audience it is aimed at (14 million users worldwide). The game was able to launch in South Africa, since the creator kept attempting to push his game and share it with the world. South Africa already struggles with gender-based crises that involve hatred towards women. This game implies that women’s bodies are ‘available’ and, to move on to the next level, the character MUST become a rapist. The psychology behind the connection between gaming and sexism is more simple than you might think. According to Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, learning occurs through social context and reciprocal interactions. People utilise their acquired knowledge in order to communicate with others, and it affects their behaviour and outlook. Thus in a world ruled by technology most of such knowledge comes from the media and digital representations of women can easily change the user’s attitudes towards women in real life. ¢

In many instances the primary reaction to sexual violence is to dismiss the occurrence altogether.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

When THEA BLOOM watched the video art of Igor Grubic, she was amazed by the tension he forged between calm and chaos, harmony and hatred, and the gentle and the brutal.

gor Grubic, born Croatia 1969, takes photographs and makes videos exploring both present and past political situations that involve intolerance and hatred. Rather than critical speech, he prefers to use the rebellious power of poetic language.

the footage is so depressing! I must admit that I was totally shocked by what I witnessed. I had never seen such aggressive cruelty before in my life!’ The thought of people being this brutal and cruel towards one another for being different made him feel in a state of unbelief. He saw a chance to show the world the horrific turn a peaceful pride march could take.

‘East Side Story’ was recently displayed in Tate Modern. This fourteen-minute video is divided into two sections. The left shows two pride marches and the right shows Grubic had perfected his interesting approach by a dance. One of the pride marchers was from Serbia in adding dancers to this film. The dancers’ slow, recurring 2001 and the other from Croatia in 2002. Combining motions not only imitate the protest but what they saw the footage Grubic encapsulates the harsh verbal and and experienced. Their bodies express a whole range of physical abuse participants of the march received. The movements from anger to disorientation. They could be incidents are re-enacted on the rightshielding themselves then attack suddenly; hand screen by four members of a Zagreb at some points they wince at harsh sounds dance group. Filmed in the same public and vulgar words; the next moment they spaces in which the pride marches took start to chant on the beat. Towards the end, place, the dancer performing in this they dance together, intertwining with GRUBIC JUXTAPOSES THE space explores a society that lacks social each other. The movement of their bodies SILENT CHOREOGRAPHY solidarity, as well as emphasising the represents both protestors and the crowd OF THE DANCER’S MOVES contrast between the brutal events that coming together but eventually retreating WITH THE VERBAL took place and the now-calm streets. back to their sides. Their performance in a BRUTALITY OF THE CROWD. The dancers’ movements illustrate both public space directly influences passers-by the stand taken by demonstrators and rushing through, preoccupied with their the violent, aggressive retaliation from observers. Grubic own business. Unlike in the protest, where passers-by juxtaposes the silent choreography of the dancer’s reacted very strongly, a peculiar dance in the street gains moves with the verbal brutality of the crowd. The audio is a mere glance as a reaction. It is possible that Grubic clear with horrific cheers ‘Kill the faggot’, ‘Get the faggot’, is trying to indicate how society has progressed in its ‘Sieg Heil’, ‘Respect a mother and father as a natural unit’, acceptance of less physical responses or, more simply, ‘You’re God’s enemy’ and more. The footage transforms how society does not fully intervene in matters like this. into a fierce fight. Tear gas and rubber bullets are fired by the police. Innocent marchers get beaten up by groups of The artist has said he is ‘suggesting the presence of a vivid, extreme nationalists, neo-nazis, war veterans and angry creative force very much like a resistance movement that passers-by. Heads bleeding. Bruises appearing. Punches is trying to change an intolerant, conservative society into thrown. Limping. Shouts and cries. How do the marchers a better one. His art not only demonstrates the bravery feel surrounded by policemen with plastic shields? A lady shown by the marchers and the restraints they had to runs to a police car, which is driving away, crying, ‘They’ve face but how easily we forget such important pieces of attacked my friends!’ history.

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Originally, this piece was meant to be a documentary consisting of a series of interviews from both parties at the protest, providing an opportunity for parade participants and their opponents to discuss their motivations. ‘But witnessing the violent events made my plan pointless,’ Grubic said in an interview. ‘The film footage was so much more meaningful and significant than any interview that I could have conducted. I mean, 22

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

I had never seen or heard about both pride marches until coming across this video. It is important that videos and documentaries about pivotal events continue to be made, because they not only show the vast progress made in important causes like the LGBTQ+ movement, but highlight polarisation within society today to encourage our acceptance of each other to form a united community. ¢

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

WILLIAM ALLFREY explains that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is not a figment of the imagination but a biochemical necessity.

ockdown 2020 brought about a whole new conversation about mental health. Through social media came a new way to communicate about how we feel and our own self-image. Mental health issues were suddenly becoming raised to a new level, and it was a large talking point for many people as the ‘selflove’ ideology became very prevalent in society. Lockdown gave people a lot of time to think, which isn’t often the case in today’s society. This time allowed people to think about identity, sexuality, gender, mental health or whatever their minds could come up with, and this sparked conversations on every topic out there. One that I became very involved in was regarding the biochemistry behind OCD. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 24

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

is a mental health issue that affects can become rather overwhelming. around 800,000 people across the UK, Scientists have found it hard to narrow and is one of the most down the causes and misunderstood mental effects OCD has on health issues in my the chemistry and opinion. This article, physical form of the however, isn’t about me brain, as it affects THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CAME or my battle with the different people’s A NEW WAY TO COMMUNICATE condition, but more of brains in different ABOUT HOW WE FEEL a scientific explanation ways. However, in REGARDING OUR EMOTIONS in simple terms of what many sufferers it has AND OUR OWN SELF-IMAGE. effects and changes been narrowed down occur in the brain of to several key changes someone with OCD. in the brain. I’m going to talk about three changes, which Humans have extremely complex psychiatrists and other mental health brains, allowing us to feel a smorgasbord clinicians have considered the mostof emotions. However, to someone common and highest-impact for with OCD it can sometimes feel like people who suffer with OCD. this smorgasbord becomes more of an American-style buffet, meaning The primary change in the brain is there is so much to take in everything to the levels of a chemical called

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Serotonin, the brain’s ‘happy’ chemical, that makes us feel good about ourselves and lives. It’s unclear why OCD causes the brain to lack serotonin but it’s something that can be helped with the use of SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), an anti-depressant, which raises serotonin levels in the brain. It’s also been proved that CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) can raise serotonin levels over an undefined period of time (undefined because it’s different for everybody). To understand this next change, it’s important to define how OCD can affect someone. OCD is defined as a communication error in the brain, and this error means if thought X tells someone to do action Y, otherwise consequence Z will occur, no matter how many times action Y is done, it will never be enough to prevent consequence Z, which is always something worrying or anxietyprovoking. So, even if action X is taken and done perfectly, the error is that it will never be quite correct enough to prevent consequence Z, thus it is a communication error. This error occurs between the frontal cortex (the part of the brain for solving problems) and the ventral striatum (the part of the brain that controls motivation, and

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TO SOMEONE WITH OCD IT CAN SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THIS SMORGASBORD BECOMES MORE OF AN AMERICAN-STYLE BUFFET.

signals for dopamine to be released as a reward to feel happy once solving a problem). What this means in simple terms is that the frontal cortex doesn’t correctly communicate with the ventral striatum, since normally, once the frontal cortex solves a problem, the ventral striatum signals for dopamine to be released, and we feel content we have solved the problem. However, with OCD the signal between these two areas is interrupted and, instead of working together to come up with a rational solution, OCD tricks the brain into thinking that rituals and random compulsions performed will solve the problem to release the dopamine. However, this isn’t the case and thus the ventral striatum motivates the

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IT’S UNCLEAR WHY OCD CAUSES THE BRAIN TO LACK SEROTONIN BUT IT’S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HELPED WITH THE USE OF SSRI.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

brain to keep trying the rituals again and again, in a hard-to-break cycle, continuing this communication error. The final change I’m going to talk about is the change to the brain’s grey matter, which controls movement, memory and emotions throughout the brain and nervous system. When compared, a brain with OCD has significantly less grey matter than a brain without. The consequence of this lack of brain matter is less impulse control and a harder time controlling the processing of information in the brain. This decrease in grey matter means that it’s more likely for the brain to linger on ‘negative thoughts’ as it tries to process this information more deeply, making people with OCD obsess over ‘bad thoughts’ whether intent on doing so or not. These biochemical changes on the brain make it incredibly hard for people with OCD to get out of the cycle, and so without proper counselling or medication OCD can quickly become one of the most debilitating mental health conditions out there, and that’s why I wanted to write this article. I

OCD TRICKS THE BRAIN INTO THINKING THAT RITUALS AND RANDOM COMPULSIONS PERFORMED WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM TO RELEASE THE DOPAMINE. want people to understand that OCD, much like other mental health issues, can cause serious physical changes in the brain. Mental health disorders that cause these changes have often been compared to breaking an arm or a leg because the lifestyle changes are both very similar, and both situations make navigating through life very tricky for

a period of time and can leave people bed-ridden and exhausted. Although one condition is a broken bone and the other is a change to the brain, they both have the similar consequences and I think it’s important for people to understand that fact, and try to understand how serious mental health conditions can be for some people. ¢

WITHOUT PROPER COUNSELLING OR MEDICATION OCD CAN QUICKLY BECOME ONE OF THE MOST DEBILITATING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OUT THERE. 26

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‘ E K SA rts a e h t t a h ms t i a l c N O S s the T a R s l E o o B h O c t in s n LILY R a t r o p s im s. are just a academic subject core

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WHAT’S TAUGHT IN SCHOOL TODAY MAY NOT BE USEFUL TO YOU IN TEN YEARS WHEN YOUR DREAM JOB HAS ALREADY BEEN FILLED BY AN AUTOMATON NAMED JENNIFER #278.

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icasso once said, ‘All children are born artists. The problem is to remain artists as we grow up.’ With that truth in mind, I think the arts should be promoted in schools just create new ideas and metamorphose as much as academic subjects, if not into a new way of thinking given time more so. Children are all born wanting and encouragement. A robot can do to achieve the most ambitious and only what it is programmed to do, and appealing occupation that the world society forgets that we are the ones has to offer. However, over time they currently holding the remote control. If are forced out of that mindset by the we are so unperturbed that this is the powerpoints of doubt way to go about our that increase the worry future, why not start The arts should be in the child’s mind that advertising to schools taught more boldly being an artist or a that children should in schools, so that we dancer is not a realistic be given the option can continue to grow job. Instead they are to choose Drama over mentally and keep our told to pursue being Biology? After all, creativity. an accountant, or a the perfect Jennifer place in the insurance #278 will beat me to business. Although these are both still the accountant position anyhow. The valuable places in society and honest arts should be taught more boldly in jobs, not every child dreams of this schools, so that we can continue to destination. grow mentally and keep our creativity as a human race, especially seeing as In schools, the arts are not as important becoming an actor might be a more as science or mathematics. Why? reliable career path in the near future. As we progress as a society, we are progressing with our technological Often in schools confidence is advancements. Presently and even stolen from children because they more so in the upcoming decades, are discouraged when they do not working people will be replaced by naturally excel in core subjects. It is robots and other forms of technology, proven that some people have a natural so what’s taught in school today may inclination to literature rather than not be useful to you in ten years when maths, and this should not be classified your dream job has already been filled as a weakness. When we participate by an automaton named Jennifer #278. in the arts, confidence follows. Why? I But, on the other hand, we currently am personally very involved in drama have an advantage over the artificial. and musical theatre, and I always have We are capable of creativity. Unlike been, and this aspect of my life always robots, you and I can confidently pushed me to be competitive with

other people in my age range, and I couldn’t be competitive standing in the corner. The arts are very social partakings, opposed to sitting in a classroom. I didn’t ever get feedback or opportunities from watching others perform, but I did get feedback from standing up for myself and demanding it. The arts are gratifying to include children in, because they teach them to produce some individual desire and identity. Whether the children fail or do not cannot be judged, because in the arts there is arguably no right or wrong. This quality of the arts makes them appealing to children. That is why drama is the fun subject at the end of the day, and that is why children look forward to it. From my understanding, arts should be taught more in schools so that youth can achieve their potential and goal of being individual. This is an incredible thing to bring with you in life. Finally, the arts bring lots of psychological conveniences. To my way of thinking, the arts are extremely stress-relieving. Stress can be linked to many occurrences in your day-to-day life. Muscle tension is a factor. If the next generation were participating in a dance class three times a week, they would be freeing up their muscles for about an hour while also enjoying the feeling of action. By taking the students to an art gallery and walking around for twenty minutes, you’re not asking their minds to do anything but direct their feet to the next showing room. Not only

would more regularly engaging in some form of artistic partaking be refreshing for students, but it would very likely keep their bodies and minds fresh for the (obviously very important) core lessons. Instead of discouraging a relaxed lifestyle, we could be encouraging a relaxed mindset. The arts being projected more in schools would not be wasting children’s time; it would be proving to them there is more to learning than desks and papers. So, the arts should be studied more in school because they provide differentiation to our AI competitors; they generate confidence and put the mind at ease. Arts subjects encourage self-expression and creativity, which are all key parts to your personal identity. The ability to express yourself confidently in a creative way is a brilliant skill. And those who are different, who stand out, are the sort of individuals we want to graduate from our schools. ¢

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INSTEAD OF DISCOURAGING A RELAXED LIFESTYLE, WE COULD INSTEAD BE ENCOURAGING A RELAXED MINDSET.

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Reflecting on the scientific truth that to be human is to lie, ANUSHKA RAMYEAD recommends we all have a go at telling the truth for a change.

’m going to be completely honest with you. I’m writing this article for myself because I want to start putting my writing out there in the hope of getting better at it and the topic I’ve chosen was simply an afterthought. It probably won’t be the most well-written thing you’ve ever read but we’ve all got to start somewhere.

Welsh journalist, Jon Ronson, touched on the topic in his book So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and shares a bit about Blanton’s course. According to Ronson, the first part of the process is to sit together and state something you don’t want people to know about you. Naturally, most people are hesitant at first, but a previous attendee recalled that the first man Let’s face it, lying is part of to speak admitted that he our way of life, but maybe hadn’t paid his taxes in ten it doesn’t have to be. years, and the response BLANTON BELIEVES Virginian psychotherapist was simply that his secret THAT THIS FORM OF Brad Blanton kickstarted a wasn’t that interesting. HONESTY IS THE ‘KEY TO movement he calls Radical Over the next hour or ENLIGHTENMENT’ AND Honesty, because he so, people began talking RUNS WORKSHOPS TO HELP believes that our lives can about their deepest secrets OTHERS TO ACHIEVE IT. be changed for the better and started to see how if we all tell the truth, the refreshing it was to be whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But completely honest with one another. Now, is honesty always the best policy? as the name suggests, it’s quite an extreme form of honesty, but there are ways to Radical honesty is the act of being totally incorporate it into your everyday life. honest without even telling little white lies. This means holding nothing back. Blanton One of the great things about Radical believes that this form of honesty is the Honesty is that it can lead to much more ‘key to enlightenment’ and runs workshops in-depth conversations. Cutting out little to help others to achieve it. (I’ll level with white lies can be an important first step you: at first, this idea sounded exhausting towards introducing radical honesty into to me but just hear me out.) your life. According to Blanton, the fewer

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Lying is part of our way of life, but maybe it doesn’t have to be.

lies we tell the fewer barriers there are for us to break down, leaving us able to communicate more efficiently. I think you’ll find that when you are more honest with people, they’ll return the There’s a fine line between being rude honesty. By being the first to share your and being radically honest. A few ideas you could be the one to provide years ago, I was at dinner with family a space for people to feel related and friends on holiday, and when the to, such as when you read or hear waiter came to ask us how our food something about someone having was, instead of the usual ‘good, thanks’, the same weird habits as you. Sharing one member of our party decided your true experiences and ideas can to give what she still insists was ‘just constructive criticism’ spark interesting about her meal. conversations with People began talking The chef came out, other people too, and about their deepest offended by her even if you don’t see secrets and started to see how refreshing it comments, to ask eye to eye it can open was to be completely what was wrong. I up some really in-depth honest with one was reminded of this conversation. another. story when asked the question ‘What’s the Putting radical honesty into our lives helps us to be kinder to difference between being radically one another. I know the temptation to honest and just being offensive?’, and lie to make someone feel better can be my opinion is that in a lot of cases strong, but by being more honest about cutting to the chase (i.e. cutting out our feelings and opinions we can be all the time we waste on trying to lie kinder people. When you lie about how our way out of situations) is far more your friend’s new hairstyle really looks constructive. I see no point in lying to just to make them feel better there’s no please someone if they ask you for an going back: you’ve made your bed and opinion. now you have to lie in it by letting your friend go around looking like Edward Scissorhands. When a friend asks for an honest opinion, the kindest thing you can do is be honest – wouldn’t you want them to do the same for you?

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IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SOMEONE, THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO RESOLVE IT IS BY EXPLAINING RATHER THAN SIMPLY LOSING YOUR TEMPER.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

In this case, perhaps total radical honesty isn’t necessary since one amateur home cook’s views won’t be useful in a restaurant. The concept should probably be taken with a pinch of salt, and I’ll admit that it is slightly unrealistic to believe that this wouldn’t be a tricky task to take on, since it will probably elicit a few unpleasant reactions and unwanted confrontations. The way I see it, you should use radical honesty in the parts of your life that could be made better by getting rid of lies. Whilst it may be seen as unnecessary in some situations, a bit more truth can be beneficial to your everyday life. In more immediate situations (i.e. with friends) it allows us to look out for ourselves – if you give out honesty, you’re more likely to get it back. Now you may be wondering, ‘But how do I know when radical honesty is necessary?’ I’m clear to those you are addressing what it is sure you have fairly good morals, so you can you are feeling and why you think that is (i.e. probably guess what is likely to offend people, not immediately posing an offence to them, but theoretically the whole point of radical allowing them to understand you). honesty is not to let any truths go untold. Here it is important to try to decide what will be An example of this may be expressing your anger. constructive. You can do this Rather than just getting angry at by turning to what is known as someone and yelling at them, ‘non-violent communication’ A more cut-to-the-chase ‘I hate you because you ate my (NVC), which requires having approach to life can save food!’, you would use NVC and an open mind in order to avoid you time and allow you to say, ‘I resent that you ate my food moralistic judgments (judgments because I was looking forward feel more liberated. stemming from the belief that to eating it and I expected you your morals/values are correct to have more respect for me and anyone who disagrees with them is wrong) than to do that.’ This is just an example and your and to express yourself in a way that makes it exchanges do not need to be as in-depth or long as this, but the principle remains: if you have an issue with someone, the most constructive way to resolve it is by explaining rather than simply losing your temper.

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THE CHEF CAME OUT, OFFENDED BY HER COMMENTS, TO ASK WHAT WAS WRONG.

I understand that we’re all only human, and it may be challenging trying to stay radically honest all the time, but using it in moderation when you think it might be constructive can make your life so much easier. A more cut-tothe-chase approach to life can save you time and allow you to feel more liberated, so give it a try and you might be pleasantly surprised. ¢

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

We all know about how social media affects our minds, but AYAN JAIN is just as concerned about the damage it does to the environment.

n today’s world, social media have become a powerful force, uniting people locally, nationally and internationally on a level unprecedented by previous technological advancements. Social networking sites allow individuals and organizations to share and exchange information at a rate incomparable to any traditional promotional or educational endeavour. For companies and organizations, the use of social networking platforms has become a necessity to communicate with not only the average person but professional communities as well. By the time you go to sleep tonight, there is a good chance you would have looked at your phone hundreds of times, including glances at social media. This is something quite a few of us do nowadays, and the Covid 19 pandemic has done nothing but 34

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amplify this habit. According to a new you really need to look separately analysis by the market research firm at the two different sides of the Compare the Market, coin. First, there is the usage of social media manufacturing, use and can also contribute to disposal of the devices the climate crisis. Every that you use to access time you open up one social media platforms, BY THE TIME YOU GO TO of your favourite apps like smartphones or SLEEP TONIGHT, THERE it uses energy created computers. Then there IS A GOOD CHANCE YOU mainly by fossil fuels are the servers of WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT and, over a year, the companies who are the YOUR PHONE HUNDREDS resulting greenhouse media you are trying OF TIMES. emissions heat up the to access, and these atmosphere, which is servers usually have an quite ironic if you think about it since extremely high usage of electricity that lots of environmental campaigns are is also rarely produced from renewable run on huge websites like Instagram or sources. Tik Tok. One of the most environmentally Andie Stephens, associate director detrimental apps is Instagram. On of a corporate carbon measuring average the impact of a user from agency, says that when it comes Instagram is 18.6 grams of carbon to understanding the direct dioxide. Believe it or not, the most environmental impact of social media damaging feature of Instagram is just

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A minute of scrolling contributes to about 1.5 grams of carbon dioxide. scrolling. A minute of scrolling contributes to about 1.5 grams of carbon dioxide. Facebook has made huge developmental strides toward decreasing its carbon dioxide release, with the average user producing 12 grams of carbon dioxide over a year, which is more than 25 times better than what it was in 2016. In April of 2021 Facebook announced it had reached net-zero emissions, which was done by the persistence of only working with renewable energy. The next goal that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has set is to reach net-zero emissions across all of its platforms by 2030. Tik Tok has quite a high carbon emission rate, averaging about 2.3 grams of carbon dioxide per minute, and with a reported one billion users that adds up to a lot of emissions. Tik Tok also actively promotes websites like Shein, a company like fast fashion on steroids. Its products can be half the price of other fast fashion giants. Usually, fast fashion companies take a month to get an item from design to store, but Shein cuts that time to as little as a week. It uses powerful algorithms to predict trends, and sometimes doesn’t even start manufacturing until the order is placed. Maxine Bedat, an expert on the fashion industry, claims, ‘The only way you get that cheap a product is by not paying workers and by flouting environmental standards.’ But the issue isn’t that Shein has child labour or abuses their workers but that these workers are not in the social welfare system, which means that the workers have no rights or guarantees. And the rise in demand for cheaper and faster clothing means that wages have to go down to keep the prices competitive. It’s not only

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TIK TOK ALSO ACTIVELY PROMOTES WEBSITES LIKE SHEIN, A COMPANY LIKE FAST FASHION ON STEROIDS.

about Shein but it’s more about the social issues prevailing in the whole of society. But that isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. To have that cheap a product corners have to be cut in the quality of the textile, but Shein has taken it to another extreme by making the material so bad that it’s downright unwearable. And if it’s that disposable it means it all must be getting dumped somewhere. Over 100 million tonnes of textiles end up in landfills every year. Most of it goes to the global south, where locals suffer environmental consequences. But there still is hope, with campaigns like Fixing Fashion encouraging people to try and fix their clothing, instead of buying new items, by merging them together. This has had such a profound effect that even some big brands have started using the same designs for their products.

The issue isn’t that Shein has child labour or abuses their workers but that these workers are not in the social welfare system.

There is a lot to improve on in terms of the impact of social media, but if customers give clear signals that show that they really care about the green issues then they will definitely act faster. Local governments can also be pressured into providing more sources for alternative green energy. Whatever the case we are in this together, and have to act together to get effective changes in not only environmental issues but also the way our world works. ¢

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NAOMI CRAY wonders why climate change is not headline news every day and why most people in power, who know the cataclysmic truth, are still doing very little.

s of 2021 three quarters of UK adults worry about climate change, which begs the question: why isn’t this reflected in the media?

years ago; we’re now paying the price for our recusancy.

It isn’t just the grim future that the average Briton is woefully uninformed about; it’s also the possible solutions to our current predicament. Since 2006 climate scientists have been advocating a global switch to green energy. If an area in the Sahara about the size of the British Isles were covered in solar panels, we would have enough energy to power the entire world, and whilst this isn’t a perfect solution it is certainly viable. Humanity could have gone green sixteen

What makes Scientist Rebellion so different is that the members can’t be written off as bored university students or teenagers hungry for a political voice. These are actual experts taking a decisive stand. The media silence is deliberate, because, for the first time in the climate debate, scientists are making a clear, unified and ugly protest about the political inaction on climate change.

Over Easter weekend, more than a thousand scientists have been protesting on a global Despite the UK ranking second globally scale. The Scientist Rebellion has been spread for articles published about the issue, only across 25 countries, demanding climate 242 minutes were spent directly discussing action from governments worldwide. In climate change on leading British news London, scientists glued scientific papers channels in 2018. According to a survey to the windows of the UK Department for by the group Media Matters, the average Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, western adult hears about whilst in LA four scientists climate change from a If an area in the Sahara chained themselves to an reputable news source only office building of Chase Bank, about the size of the twice a month. the largest investor in fossil British Isles were fuels in the US. And the US But climate change is getting covered in solar panels, also has received barely any worse. By 2030 China will we would have enough news coverage. energy to power the have run out of drinkable entire world. water, whilst the situation in This is a running theme neighbouring India will not amongst climate protests be much better. Later that same decade, the and helps to explain why groups such as Pentagon has predicted it is likely there will Insulate Britain go to such extremes as be societal collapse due to climate change gluing themselves to roads or standing on – either through failure of the global power top of trains. People simply aren’t listening is grid or a new epidemic caused by global the easy explanation. The harder truth is that warming. they aren’t being given the opportunity.

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Atacama Chile. Mind’s Eye Desert, | July 2022 37

When a vast majority of the world’s news is billionaire-owned, or at least billionaire-backed, news starts to be written in order to meet an agenda, one which doesn’t conflict with the profits of a newspaper’s owners. The human psyche also plays a pivotal role here: people don’t want to hear about the, quite likely, end of humanity, and understandably so. It is important, however, that we recognise the harm done by our own apathy, especially when it has allowed private interference in public matters. We no longer have the luxury of hesitancy but we do have the willpower and scientific knowledge to solve the current crisis. Ultimately, the onus is on us to push for political action, through our votes and through our protests. ¢

THE SCIENTIST REBELLION HAS BEEN SPREAD ACROSS 25 COUNTRIES, DEMANDING CLIMATE ACTION FROM GOVERNMENTS WORLDWIDE. Bokod lake, Hungary

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NEWS STARTS TO BE WRITTEN IN ORDER TO MEET AN AGENDA, ONE WHICH DOESN’T CONFLICT WITH THE PROFITS OF A NEWSPAPER’S OWNERS.

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WHAT MAKES SCIENTIST REBELLION SO DIFFERENT IS THAT THE MEMBERS CAN’T BE WRITTEN OFF AS BORED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

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PEOPLE ARE FLEEING THE DANGERS OF THEIR HOME COUNTRIES, WHICH IN MANY CASES ARE TORN APART BY WAR.

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Place

Home

Where the humane settlement of refugees is concerned, in the United Kingdom there is one rule for Ukrainians, says NATALYA HOARE, and another set of rules for everyone else.

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pen up your home to a Ukrainian country and without a visa or passport, refugee and their family and we’ll which their home countries are, not take the Syrian refugees out the back surprisingly, unlikely to give them. There is door’ has been the basic message from the no legal way of achieving this. Therefore, the British Government in the weeks leading up common misconception that refugees are to Easter 2022. There is nothing wrong with illegal immigrants is not entirely correct and the Homes for Ukraine scheme itself, but definitely cannot be used as an accusation we must question Britain’s against these innocent general attitude towards people. We are about to send asylum seekers and the clear to Rwanda refugees inconsistencies in its policies It should also be emphasised from Afghanistan who that have recently been that Britain is not the only are fleeing a war that revealed. Britain and the western nation having to deal with large numbers of refugees. world in general was actually originally Border force union officials The UN’s Refugee Agency responsible for. have said they are expecting has revealed that in general numbers of arrivals of most of the world’s refugees refugees crossing the English Channel to are currently hosted in the world’s poorest reach 60,000 this year, which would double countries, with around 84% being hosted by last year’s figure of 28,000. These refugees developing countries in 2016. Additionally, are mainly coming from countries such as countries including Sweden and Hungary, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, Iran and Syria which both have much smaller populations (among many others), all of which are than the UK, have taken several times more included in The Global Peace Index’s 28 most refugees per head of the population than dangerous countries in the world. the UK. People are fleeing the dangers of their home countries, which in many cases are torn apart by war, in a hope to find safety. Asylum is a legal right, however, and in order to claim it you have to be physically present in the

These statistics do not show Britain in a particularly good light and makes the supposed solution of shipping refugees off to Rwanda seem even more farcical. If other countries are managing, then why

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can’t we? And how can handing the problem to another nation be justified? The UN Refugee Agency has also criticised Britain’s plans by saying that it undermines the established international refugee protection rules whilst also penalising the refugees themselves. However, aside from the faults in the Rwanda scheme, criticism can also be made of Britain’s hugely contrasting attitude towards Ukrainian refugees.The than any other remains a question Homes for Ukraine scheme encourages unanswered. British homeowners to provide accommodation to these refugees for Whether this comes down to racism or six months. The Government stated fears of terrorism, which itself is partly that ‘the UK will welcome as many racism (a reminder may be needed Ukrainians, with their here that few, if any, immediate family Syrian refugees are Even before the Russia/ members, as wish to terrorists!), cannot Ukraine war, the British come and for whom population was not easily be proved exactly opening its arms there are sponsors.’ On by statistics. It may to the refugees coming top of this, people who simply come down to across the channel. take part in providing the fact that the war accommodation in in Ukraine is still a very their homes will receive £350 per month recent event and has therefore taken from the government as a ‘thank you the spotlight away from other disasters. payment’. This scheme is undoubtedly However, this is a tenuous claim since admirable, but why Britain is so willing even before the Russia/Ukraine war, to help those suffering in this war more the British population was not exactly

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THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST AND WILL BY NO MEANS BE THE LAST PEOPLE TO BE FORCED TO FLEE A WAR ZONE.

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opening its arms to the refugees coming across the channel. Of course in regard to Syrian refugees specifically it should be acknowledged that they are political asylum seekers and are not fleeing a war like the Ukrainians but there are also many other refugees from other countries that are at war and, regardless, Britain’s inconsistent attitude is still an issue. Is it really a coincidence that Britain is more willing to help a country which like itself is predominantly white and developed? We are about to send to Rwanda refugees from Afghanistan who are fleeing a war that Britain and the western world in general was actually originally responsible for. We

started a war, fought unsuccessfully for years trying to end it, eventually gave up and left and are now refusing to process their refugees on our own soil. We are, of course, happy to take in as many Ukrainians as possible, though. How noble of us! The reasons for the contrasting reaction towards different refugees cannot likely be pinned down to one cause and there is little definite evidence to claim that it is blatant racism. However, an issue in Britain’s priorities has been clearly highlighted and while we support and applaud those who are working to help the Ukrainians who are currently suffering, we must not forget that they are not the first and will by no means be the last people to be forced to flee a war zone. There are millions of others around the world who have an equal right to our help and attention. Those who risk drowning as they cross The Channel on an overcrowded dingy are also included in that group. ¢

The common misconception that refugees are illegal immigrants is not entirely correct.

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BORDER FORCE UNION OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY ARE EXPECTING NUMBERS OF ARRIVALS OF REFUGEES CROSSING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO REACH 60,000 THIS YEAR. Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Goal ADITYA KAMLANI explains how money has ruined football.

wenty-two men kicking a ball from one side of a pitch to the other doesn’t sound very interesting, does it? Well, if you add in the passion, politics, joys and the heartbreaks, you’re presented with the sport Pelé described as ‘The Beautiful Game’.

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Yet football is suffering from a disease that has come to light in the past three decades. With our advances in global economies and increasing commercial influence upon the sport, the world has been oblivious to the rise in the number of scandals, controversies and political tension at the highest levels of the game.

powerhouse has been under debate for Australia’s failed bid to host the 2022 months. The main talking point against World Cup, came out with allegations Qatar hosting the stating that TV company tournament is the death beIN Sports agreed a of 6500 migrant stadium secret $100 million deal construction workers with FIFA if Qatar won since the tournament the vote, swaying the 222022’S WAR CRISIS was announced, man voting committee BETWEEN RUSSIA AND along with a string of in favour of Qatar. UKRAINE BROUGHT human rights concerns TO LIGHT THE SHEER including migrant abuse In October 2021, the US AMOUNT OF SPORTSand slave labour. On the Department of Justice WASHING INVOLVED IN surface, there was very also accused voters of FOOTBALL. little justification for being bribed to vote for FIFA’s decision, but we both the Russian and all know why Qatar was awarded these Qatar World Cups in 2018 and 2022, rights: money. supporting Bonita Mersiades’ claims.

2022 is no different, with the first Winter World Cup in Qatar on the horizon. The contentious awarding of the hosting rights to the Middle Eastern

With money comes greed, and with greed comes corruption, and FIFA is no stranger to corruption. In 2018, Bonita Mersiades, a whistleblower from inside

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In early November 2021, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini were charged with fraud and were banned from

footballing activities for twelve and two years respectively. Corruption has been present in the authorities of other footballing regions in the world, as seen by the 2015 arrests of fourteen CONCAF and COMNEBOL officials by the FBI, on charges of bribery, fraud, and money-laundering as they tried to corrupt the issuing of media and marketing rights for FIFA games in the Americas. 2022’s war crisis between Russia and Ukraine brought to light the sheer amount of sports-washing involved in football, with former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich being outed as one of Vladimir Putin’s righthand men both personally and financially. Other sports-washing regimes include the Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle by Mohammed Bin Salman, the influence of Qatar as a sponsor to many clubs like FC Barcelona, and Nassar Al-Khelaifi’s ownership of Paris Saint-Germain.

The main talking point against Qatar hosting the tournament is the death of 6500 migrant stadium construction workers.

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WITH MONEY COMES GREED, AND WITH GREED COMES CORRUPTION, AND FIFA IS NO STRANGER TO CORRUPTION.

Money is also damaging football from the competitive side. Since 1992, seven teams have won all English Premiere League titles bar Blackburn in 1995 and Leicester in 2016, and all these teams are financial powerhouses in Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. The average wage-turnover ratio in England’s highest echelon of football is 107%, making planning for clubs in lower leagues who are seeking promotion an extremely difficult task, since they must incorporate the risk of being relegated again with the immediate wage rise of players. This has completely ruined the wage structure of teams, which can have devastating effects, as seen with the decline of Sunderland FC that started in 2017.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was outed as one of Vladimir Putin’s righthand men.

The idea of a ‘European Super League’ proposed by Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, was one recent controversy that sent fans all over Europe into a frenzy. The plan was to bring in 20 of the world’s most valuable clubs and create their own league and knockout tournament hybrid.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER AND UEFA PRESIDENT MICHEL PLATINI WERE CHARGED WITH FRAUD AND WERE BANNED FROM FOOTBALLING ACTIVITIES.

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MONEY HAS WIDENED THE GAP BETWEEN LOWER AND HIGHER LEAGUE TEAMS EVEN FURTHER.

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The justification was to promote better-quality football but, in reality, all the clubs who planned to enter the league were feasting their eyes on the $200 million plus net income that would come from the league every year. Furthermore, the league was set to have no relegation, completely neglecting the lesser teams in all of Europe’s regional leagues. The selfish and power-hungry proposal was eventually quashed but was a massive indicator of how deep the colour of money has gone into the roots of football.

the financially dominant clubs and the smaller teams. However, with the mouth-watering sponsorship deals clubs such as Chelsea and PSG enjoy, these clubs can artificially inflate their Manchester City spends turnovers to increase potential spending. The Some of England’s over £100 million minimum on every solution is that simple. oldest clubs, such as transfer window. Stricter measures must Bury, which ceased to be taken to reduce exist in 2021, and Derby the purchasing power County, in 2022, are only just staying afloat having been of the top teams. However, with the relegated to League 1. Meanwhile, corruption at the highest level it is Manchester City spends over £100 difficult to see how this will happen. million minimum on every transfer window. Is that fair? Wouldn’t the world Football is meant to be the people’s of football benefit from greater control sport, the most watched sport in the world. However, it is a sport whose over the big teams’ spending? legacy continues to be tarnished by the The governing bodies of football insatiability of the biggest clubs’owners. introduced ‘Financial Fair Play’ in Money has widened the gap between 2011/2012, a rule that stated clubs lower and higher league teams even shouldn’t spend more than the further, and the amount of corruption income they generate, an initiative involved at the administrative level has aimed at reducing the gap between created a world of chaos from which the sport may never recover. ¢

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FOOTBALL IS MEANT TO BE THE PEOPLE’S SPORT, THE MOST WATCHED SPORT IN THE WORLD.

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ent, m e v mo BLM rd e h t g ha n f o o l ight takes a rifying l e h In t HIMU most-hor me ever C A i RAMI at the d cr people. e h s k i n loo t-pu st black s a e l n and agai d e itt comm

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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PEOPLE WHO TORTURED AND LYNCHED THE BLACK AMERICANS, WOULD REMOVE PIECES OF FLESH AND BONES AS SOUVENIRS.

ynching was a system of racial and social control used to terrorize black Americans into a position of inferiority and submission, and consisted of torturing and hanging people of colour, mostly black African Americans. Sometimes the killers set the bodies on fire after the lynching was done. The practice was popularized and became widely practised in the USA from 1877 through to the late 1950s. Victims of lynchings would be taken at (while walking down a road, walking into an alleyway, walking in a field) to be beaten, tortured and tormented until they were finally hanged from trees, and mob members, the people who tortured and lynched the black Americans, would remove pieces of flesh and bones as souvenirs, taking them home, most likely displaying them in their houses in some way. These mob members were mostly white American men.

We know that many lynchings took place, but we do not know exactly how many because the numbers any moment are thought to have been dramatically underreported due to the true nature of lynchings. According to the archives at the Tuskegee Institute, a reported 4,743 people died due to lynchings with 3,446 of them being black African Americans (nearly 75%). Most lynchings VICTIMS OF LYNCHINGS took place in former confederate states in WOULD BE TAKEN AT the south. Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida ANY MOMENT... TO BE and Arkansas had the highest statewide BEATEN, TORTURED AND rates of lynchings while Mississippi, Georgia TORMENTED UNTIL THEY and Louisiana had the highest numbers of WERE FINALLY HANGED lynchings in the USA.

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FROM TREES.

The mobs were often aided by the police and some officers took part directly in the lynchings themselves. Police officers would frequently leave black inmates’ prison cells unprotected when word of a lynching got around, to allow a mob to kill them before any trial could take place. This can be linked to the corrupt American prison system today.

Most lynching victims were black men who were accused of sexually assaulting a white woman or even remotely having any form of ‘sexual’ contact. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, nearly 25% of lynching victims were accused of sexual assault and nearly 30% were accused of murder. In Blood Justice: The Lynching of Mack Charles Parker, historian Howard Smead writes, ‘The mob wanted the lynching to carry a significance that transcended the specific act of punishment.’ The mob ‘turned the act into a symbolic rite in which the black victim became the representative of his race and, as such, was being disciplined for more than a single crime. The deadly act was warning the black population not to challenge the supremacy of the white race.’

The mobs were often aided by the police and some officers took part directly in the lynchings themselves.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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AFRICAN AMERICANS AND BLACK PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD STILL FACE RACISM AND RACIST ATTACKS.

Image: ‘The Law Is Too Slow’ by George Bellows, 1923, American print, lithograph. A lynch mob burns a man alive.

Lynchings were seen as joyous moments of celebration and liberty from black people.

1000 PEOPLE GATHER TO SEE THE BODY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FRANK MCMANUS HANGING FROM A TREE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, THREE HOURS AFTER HIS 4AM LYNCHING ON APRIL 28, 1882.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Lynchings were seen as joyous moments of celebration and liberty from black people and were attended by white people who, as seen in many photographs taken by them, seem very happy. ‘Whole families came together, mothers and fathers, bringing even their youngest children. It was the not for the murder of black people show of the countryside – a very but for things such as arson, rioting, or popular show,’ read a 1930 editorial in other minor offences. According to EJI the Raleigh News and Observer. ‘Men (Equal Justice Initiative), of all lynchings committed after 1900 joked loudly at the sight only 1% resulted in the of the bleeding body. Most lynching lyncher or lynchers being Girls giggled as the flies participants were fed on the blood that never punished both convicted of criminal offences of any kind. dripped from the Negro’s because of the true nose.’ number of people As a person of colour who had a hand myself, I am shocked According to the in the killings and autobiography of W. E. because of the passive to see that these white B. Du Bois, an American actions of the law and Americans were not brought to justice. government. sociologist, after the Although these 1899 lynching of Sam Hose, the knuckles of the victim were occurrences do not affect me to this day, on display at a local store in Atlanta I am certain that there are many people and a piece of his liver and heart were of colour who feel that the American presented to the governor of Georgia. government should pay reparations A reported 4000 people were present not only for the lynchings themselves at the 1931 lynching of Raymond Gunn but for the lack of punishment for those and at least 25% of the people were involved in such hate crimes. women with hundreds being young The murder of 14-year-old Emmet Till children and teens. happened after he was accused of Most lynching participants were never whistling at a white woman in a shop. punished both because of the true He was kidnapped and murdered by number of people who had a hand in the two white store owners. At his the killings and because of the passive funeral, his casket was opened and actions of the law and government. photos of his mutilated body were There was no law against lynching, and released all over the press, greatly it was only seen as a hate crime in 2018. influencing the civil rights movement. There was, however, still punishment, The woman who accused him would

Image: Emmet Till aged 13. Original photograph taken by Mamie Till Bradley. Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3981740

recant her story over 60 years later. Imagine being accused of something as minor as catcalling a woman and then having your life taken away after being beaten and tortured. One could argue that cat-calling any gender is wrong but even this argument cannot justify a life being taken away. A fine should have been the highest punishment for the boy’s family.

26 years after the murder of Emmet Till, the last generate a huge amount of white support for an recorded lynching in the USA occurred. In 1981, anti-lynching bill. The great migration of black Michael Donald was attacked at random by Americans out of the conservative south states to two members of the Ku Klux Klan. He was then the more liberal northern and western states also beaten, strangled and hanged. Michael’s mother played a big effect on lynchings ending. filed a case against the clan and Although violence and crime won, being awarded seven million The murder of towards black people did not end dollars by an all-white jury. This all14-year-old Emmet with lynching, it still decreased a white jury, without realizing it, had Till happened after significant amount. Although black changed forever the way people he was accused of viewed lynchings. whistling at a white people are still being terrorized and killed, the downfall of lynchings has woman in a shop. helped a great deal. Despite all this, Lynching rates dropped at the killing of black people for public the coming of the civil rights movement in the middle of the 20th Century. entertainment and as a public affair did not end There were many anti-lynching efforts, led completely with lynching, and African Americans predominantly by women’s organizations, that and black people all over the world still face had a huge effect. By 1937, the efforts helped racism and racist attacks. Black people still face the effects of the past today.

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HIS CASKET WAS OPENED AND PHOTOS OF HIS MUTILATED BODY WERE RELEASED ALL OVER THE PRESS, GREATLY INFLUENCING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were both killed in police attacks. These murders, and countless others, kicked off Black Lives Matter, a long-overdue modern-day civil rights movement against racism all over the world. ¢ HAHIRA, GEORGIA - A BULLETRIDDLED SIGN MARKS THE SPOT WHERE 21-YEAR-OLD MARY TURNER WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED IN 1918 BY A LOCAL MOB AFTER PUBLICLY DENOUNCING HER HUSBAND’S LYNCHING.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

SYLVAIN CHAN evaluates Hong Kong’s response to the pandemic and concludes that any government who betrays its people that drastically no longer deserves the people’s trust.

s I boarded my flight to the UK to advance Some experts say this seeming lack of urgency my education, changing the trajectory created complacency, as shown through the fact of my teenage life, I firmly believed that that vaccination rates remained less than 50%. my home would remain constant in its strict This would prove especially problematic later prevention of the spread of Covid-19. And up on for the physically weaker elderly population. until the beginning of 2022 this was the case: The tightening of border controls, contact Hong Kong stood out as a pandemic success tracing and strict quarantine measures only story, widely considered as proof that proper helped buy time before the poor vaccination policy planning could mitigate the effects of a rates would render the Zero-Covid Policy global pandemic over a densely useless, and with it the collapse populated city. Patients could be inside of Hong Kong’s society and their trust in the government. the cramped Covid Yet months later Hong Kong has wards where body some of the highest Covid-19 From only recording 213 deaths bags have been piled death rates in the world, an and roughly 13,000 cases of up right next to them, ever-growing issue people Covid-19 from January 2020 due to overwhelmed can no longer overlook. This to early 2022, the city has now morgues. drastic turn of the tide is widely become overwhelmed by the attributed to the once-lauded latest Omicron wave, leading Zero Covid Policy Hong Kong implemented to 1.18 million cases as of April 9th, and the to keep infection levels at zero for as long as deaths of roughly 8,700 people. Apart from possible. All seemed well initially. The public the demographic impact, Covid has also put was compliant with the imposed precautionary Hong Kong’s already-fragile public healthcare measures: quarantining guidelines were system under further strain. Tents have been followed, people wore surgical masks outside set up outside hospitals for patients to wait in, the home, and adapted to various social sometimes for days, before medical treatment, gathering restrictions. City life prevailed as the low temperatures of the early months before, essentially indistinguishable from life adding insult to injury. Otherwise, patients pre-Covid. The notion that the city’s cases could be inside the cramped Covid wards would remain low and manageable, due to the where body bags have been piled up right next perceived success of the policy during the early to them, due to how overwhelmed morgues stages of the pandemic, meant the government and mortuaries have become. The chronic had not properly considered responses to stress healthcare workers are subjected to takes potential wide-scale outbreaks. Few people a mental toll on their conscience – ‘You literally had acquired natural immunity, and there was have to decide who lives and who dies. You’re little incentive to vaccinate because of media forced to make these heart-breaking decisions fear-mongering of the health risks associated about who gets higher levels of care,’ physician with vaccination. Siddharth Sridhar says.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

Furthermore, Covid-19 has transformed the lives of the uninfected. Some people have resorted to sleeping outside to avoid infecting family members, in light of the compactness of housing. Migrant domestic workers, who already have few legal rights, have been fired after getting sick and are forced to sleep on the streets. Plumbing is frequently reconfigured to accommodate the multiple households sharing one apartment in tenement homes, and faulty installation alongside insufficient ventilation can further enable the transmission of the virus indoors. Although online classes have become the norm, the pandemic dragging on has only amplified students’ disconnection from social life. Those less privileged and lacking proper access to the internet, or requiring special needs, have not been adequately considered. Despite how the issues with online classes are not unique to Hong Kong, these points merely reinforce the impact of Covid restrictions. Additionally, to compensate for students’ reduced learning effectiveness, the government has decided to bring forward school holidays, with the last day of school being pushed back to August. International schools have been exempt from this policy, but only after a backlash from both students and teachers regarding issues such as

TENTS HAVE BEEN SET UP OUTSIDE HOSPITALS FOR PATIENTS TO WAIT IN, SOMETIMES FOR DAYS, BEFORE MEDICAL TREATMENT. disrupted learning schedules, being unable to participate in summer programmes, and struggling to find work experience. It also goes without saying that travel and social restrictions have been detrimental to the city’s businesses and economy. Hong Kong’s strict social distancing measures and mobility restrictions have turned its busiest shopping and nightlife venues into ghost areas. Dine-in bans at night have severely affected restaurants,

A SEEMING LACK OF URGENCY CREATED COMPLACENCY, AS SHOWN THROUGH THE FACT THAT VACCINATION RATES REMAINED LESS THAN 50%. 54

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

and because of the high demand for food, market prices have been severely skewed: in late February, the average cost of Chinese lettuce was nearly three times higher than in January. Despite the unstable supply and weak demand, the government has offered little cash relief or subsidies to support independent businesses. One hot-pot restaurant owner aptly dubbed the Covid-Zero policy the ‘Zero-Business Strategy’. In the public’s eyes, the failure of the Zero Covid Policy as represented by its societal and economic impact was further proof of the government’s incompetence, fanning the flames of distrust immediately after the National Security Law protests of 2019. While the government has implemented beneficial policies, such as subsidising high-risk job employees and preventing employers from sacking quarantining staff members on the basis of ‘unreasonable dismissal’, evidence of apathy towards the public and the repression of rights have persisted. For example, half a dozen people were arrested and charged with sedition in February, while a raid in an area where domestic workers commonly gathered resulted in the workers being fined more than their minimum monthly wage.

Some people have resorted to sleeping outside to avoid infecting family members, in light of the compactness of housing.

Hong Kong’s difficulties are especially notorious because the government no longer has democratic accountability to push for a review of public health.

Much of the world has struggled with various phases of the pandemic, but Hong Kong’s difficulties are especially notorious because the government no longer has democratic accountability to push for a review of public health decisions, owing to a crackdown by Beijing and the imposition of the National Security Law. Hong Kong ‘doing sit-ups’ has been a popular metaphor for representing the city’s struggle to return to normalcy. Mainland China has been described as taking a ‘standing’ approach towards Covid – constantly quick on their feet with detection and isolation, allowing everyone to return to a normal life as soon as possible. Europe and the United States have contrarily been described as taking a ‘lying down’ approach – having loose prevention measures and essentially embracing coexistence with the virus. Because it is more difficult for Hong Kong to take prevention control measures as strict as China’s, and because allowing everyone to go out similar to Western countries would run too large of a risk when vaccination rates still remain low, Hong Kong has been teetering on the edges of both methods with the Zero-Covid Policy; i.e. doing ‘sit-ups’.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

The government’s simultaneously ‘tight and loose’ mishandling of Covid has caused the pandemic to drag on for an incredible period of time. The suffering of the public while they bounce back and forth highlights how the National Security Law new order ‘is not only about elections and activists, but extends to all realms of life,’ as professor Ho-Fung Hung proclaims. The longer the pandemic persists the more Hong Kong’s preventive policies become intertwined with its ever-expanding security apparatus. It is much easier to recognize the trials and tribulations Hong Kong has been put under than to experience the repercussions of government incompetence firsthand. There is something disturbingly dystopian about comparing the severity of the pandemic’s impact on a city or country using mere numbers. It’s more palatable to the foreign observer to make quantitative comparisons, but it doesn’t evoke deeper considerations of the pandemic’s everyday consequences.

DINE-IN BANS AT NIGHT HAVE SEVERELY AFFECTED RESTAURANTS, AND BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND FOR FOOD, MARKET PRICES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY SKEWED.

News articles brought my attention to how poorly things were being handled, but the gravity of the situation really hit me when I listened to stories from my friends in Hong Kong about how depressed they felt after weeks of online classes, losing their sense of belonging in schools, being unable

to experience the ambience of local restaurants, or putting weekly visits to their grandparents’ home on hold. The video calls I have with my family are few and far between, and so it was harrowing for my dad to end a call early because he was exhausted from taking care of patients all day. It is clear that

Hong Kong’s policies, by fixating on achieving aims proven to be unrealistic through experience and expertise, neglect the humanitarian crisis brought on by the pandemic. Undeniably, the unpredictability of global pandemics pose a tremendous challenge for policy makers to balance stakeholders and address as many issues at once. Yet it is hard to stay optimistic about the government’s approaches given how many people have been negatively affected thus far, and their stubbornness with the Zero Covid Policy. The Hong Kong government has confirmed that they will begin to ease their restrictions from 21 April onward, regaining some semblance of normalcy in allowing beauty parlours, cinemas and gyms to reopen as infections hover below 2000 per day. However, given how long it has taken for these relaxations to be implemented, public confidence is still waning. While the toll Covid has taken on the city is not irreparable, it is clear that the financial hub will struggle to bounce

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

It was harrowing for my dad to end a call early because he was exhausted from taking care of patients all day.

back from being frozen in a state of isolation and unease. Chief economist Iris Pang asserts that ‘the job market will remain fragile, so there is a pessimistic outlook for catering businesses and other retail sale’. But with regards to its society’s recovery, not all hope is lost: some Hong Kongers have persistently remained resolute in their battle against Covid. Some people lifting dumbbells and doing push-ups in outdoor parks while their trainer instructs them through a Zoom call represents one gym owner’s mentality that ‘there is no better drive of innovation than survival.’ It is also a testament to the strength of Hong Kong citizens in their transformation of everyday space into protest space during the pandemic – people still stand up against government injustice despite restrictions preventing civil disobedience like the 2019 protests. However, to glamorize the public’s resolve and integrity

is also overlooking how they are essentially risking their health and safety to remain determined and optimistic. The case of Hong Kong is not just a cautionary tale as to how not to handle a pandemic, but also a demonstration that, once a government has betrayed its population, it is incredibly difficult to rebuild trust. ¢

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PEOPLE STILL STAND UP AGAINST GOVERNMENT INJUSTICE DESPITE RESTRICTIONS PREVENTING CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE LIKE THE 2019 PROTESTS.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

SOPHIA RICHTER laments finding one thing missing from the noble tradition of Western Philosophy, and that’s women.

hilosophy is ‘the study of the fundamental A subject as important as the study of the creation of nature of knowledge, reality and existence, the Earth wouldn’t usually be described with words especially when considered as an academic as harsh and ruthless as ‘misogynistic’. However, it discipline.’ Even without studying certainly is, from the exceptionally Only 6% of authors the subject, most people know the low numbers of females staying in the popular philosophers who provide the in student books and field of the deep philosophical studies fundamental ideals of modern society, to overall harassment of females in texts are women, such as Plato, Aristotle and Nietzsche. the working field of philosophy. The only further proving However, philosophy in itself has been 21st Century has provided the world the point that the misogynistic throughout history. with a brand-new outlook on many deeper issues lie Female philosophers have always generational issues and discrimination much deeper than been under-represented. against minorities. Therefore, it is to the lack of female be expected that it would also affect rights in the ancient Earlier in history, when philosophy the view society has on certain people world. was just gaining popularity in the studying certain things and certain ancient world, females in general people having certain jobs, although were being discriminated against. They couldn’t at the end of the day that isn’t the case. even enjoy basic human rights, much less the ability to have a good-enough education and financial While there is definitely a lot of improvement since support to be able to pursue the complex study the Ancient Greek and Roman days over all the of reality. Philosophy in itself and the way that pressing issues in the world, the judgement society people study philosophy have definitely changed gives to people who are just slightly different from throughout history. While Ancient Greece mainly the stereotypes placed on everything, those most focused on the individual issues, rather than issues commonly being rich, white males, prohibits people of a large group of people and Ancient Rome once from pursuing, studying and doing what they like. again developed ideas extremely similar to Greek Philosophy wasn’t sidetracked on this, with most ones, such as stoicism and epicureanism, the modern females who join introductory classes to philosophy world is deeply interested in ideas such as realism, never actually majoring in the subject and relating rationalism and individualism. that they were faced with harassment from their classmates along with an inadequate syllabus There is a definite correlation between the more that was heavily dominated by the male study of brutal and violent studies of ancient philosophy, philosophy. Stoicism, and the more general and softer studies of modern philosophy, Rationalism. The larger range of One wouldn’t expect Philosophy to be on the same topics that modern philosophy provides definitely grading lines as Mathematics, Engineering and the has a lot more to do with the fact that many more physical sciences about the under-representation women have been interested and eased into the of women or more commonly referred to in a depth of the studies of philosophy. surprising and joking manner, ‘women in STEM’, Mind’s Eye | July 2022

the term being used by thousands of people that exaggerate the fact that there are females in such difficult and complicated studies. Philosophy, as a humanitarian study, is an unexpected name on the list. People throughout the world wouldn’t be expected to know any female philosophical names such as Aspasia of Miletus, Clea and May Sinclair. It would be expected that at least those doing in-depth studies of philosophy would have a more or less balanced scale of male and female studies. However, that was proven to be extremely wrong since only 6% of authors in student books and texts are women, only further proving the point that the deeper issues lie much deeper than the lack of female rights in the ancient world. Philosophy greatly contrasts with all of the other humanitarian studies as most of them are fairly close to gender parity and even exceed mathematics in the male domination of the field, which is the most commonly known subject for female discrimination. There are certain stereotypes set in place suggesting that subjects in the more analytical spectrums of studies are ‘too difficult for the female brain’, ‘too harsh for females’ and ‘too competitive for women to handle’, all of which are advertising the idea that females are less adapted for competition and the ‘harsh’ realities of life. However, the truth is that females face a lot more competition particularly

MOST FEMALES WHO JOIN INTRODUCTORY CLASSES TO PHILOSOPHY NEVER ACTUALLY MAJOR IN THE SUBJECT AND FACE HARASSMENT.

because of these stereotypes set in place by society. These stereotypes are a starting point for women having to do and achieve much more in their adolescent years than men, when they are both fighting for the same place at university. Philosophy doesn’t stray far away from the same societal stereotypes of it not being ‘soft enough’ for women to

THERE ARE CERTAIN STEREOTYPES SET IN PLACE SUGGESTING THAT SUBJECTS IN THE MORE ANALYTICAL SPECTRUMS OF STUDIES ARE ‘TOO DIFFICULT FOR THE FEMALE BRAIN’. 60

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handle in their studies, while in reality most women aren’t given the chance to even get a taste of what the subject is like. If they do get the chance to get a glimpse of the subject, they are most often scared away from ever pursuing it as an actual career by both their peers and mentors. Even to begin with Philosophy isn’t really a ‘popular’ subject because it is a popular belief that a degree in Philosophy won’t land

It is a popular belief that a degree in Philosophy won’t land you a highly paid job and would complicate your life rather than make it easier.

you a highly paid job and would complicate your life rather than make it easier. Social media is another reason why not many people are ‘standing up’ and ‘calling out’ the issues that surround the subject. It proves to be one of the least popular topics of conversation and debate and it doesn’t receive the necessary recognition for the issues to be dealt with. Philosophy is one of the most misogynistic areas of study in the modern day. Since ancient times this study has been centred around men and it has been very hard to change the stereotypical students of Philosophy. In future the equality of genders in the study of Philosophy depends on the willingness of modern society to give up traditional stereotypes. However, today people are not doing anything to change or accept the new modern non-misogynistic idea of neophilosophy. ¢

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SINCE ANCIENT TIMES THIS STUDY HAS BEEN CENTRED AROUND MEN AND IT HAS BEEN VERY HARD TO CHANGE.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

While TOM ROYDE understands that shooting live game is a brutal business, he wants to point out it’s not all bad.

hooting is considered pompous and ‘public school’. Of course, like anything else it is stricken with stereotypes. Most see anyone supporting this pastime as stuck up and inconsiderate but it’s important to discuss its value and explore how shooting with the natural environment is changing for the good of all. Shooting has always been heavily misconstrued and misinterpreted. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) is at the front of a fight to share the knowledge needed to conserve this sport and tradition. First, what are people’s objections? Shooting, a blood sport, involves the use of firearms to kill live game. There is no way to sugar-coat the sport. It is a brutal thing to do, and for a first-timer 62

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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potentially harrowing. Before I begin question is not shot stone dead, but to list the benefits, and rather knocked out the conservation and of the sky by a hit to biodiversity that the the wing or tail. This land used for shoots creates the harrowing THIS CREATES THE brings, one cannot part of the experience: HARROWING PART OF THE deny that there are the bird plummets out EXPERIENCE: THE BIRD negative sides. Shoots of the sky and smashes PLUMMETS OUT OF THE SKY are considered cruel into the field. You AND SMASHES INTO THE by members of the or the (much better FIELD. non-meat-eating trained) dog are then persuasion, and I have left to put the poor found myself arguing thing out of its misery. the benefits in a never-ending circle. I will spare the details. It is almost impossible to hit everything dead first The main problem with live game, and time (however much some of the older what makes it a sport, is that without members of the shoot may claim). This practice it is difficult to hit a small leaves numerous pheasants, partridges creature moving at 30 miles an hour, and pigeons limping around the especially when it is over 70 metres countryside. This is not to mention up in the sky. This leads to birds being the breeding conditions of some large ‘winged’. This is where the bird in shoots, using the same methods as

This gives the game birds a good few years of life before they are driven out for game. fast-food chains to breed birds for the shoot. This includes factory-farming and cage-breeding. For the UK, there are numerous minimum standards that must be met for the protection of animals bred and kept for farming. However, there is a hole in these standards for game birds, because this law does not apply to ‘animals intended for use in competitions, shows, cultural or sporting activities’. This means that the small number of game birds bred in battery farms are not given the basic welfare protection that birds bred for food enjoy. This is where groups such as ‘The League against Cruel Sports’ focus their attention and attempt to pick apart the legitimacy of how well game birds are treated. Only a tiny minority of birds are actually subjected to these conditions, so that from the average of around 57 million birds released on shoots, 8% of birds are raised in this manner. Luckily the other 92% of birds are raised either in the wilderness or in acres of pens, with feeding houses located every few hundred metres. This gives the game birds (usually pheasant and partridge) a good few years of life before they are driven out for game. The birds can ‘free-range’ and are essentially wild.

And the benefits? I’m unapologetic when I say that killing a flying bird is enormously exciting and almost satisfying when it is shot stone-dead. For this reason, it is a sport, not to mention the social aspect. Pre-Covid, or possibly post-, there would be a shoot lunch, meeting friends of friends and people from all different walks of life. It is an invaluable experience, which I am enormously thankful to have had the opportunity to do. Like any other activity it brings people together. The conservation opportunities that managed land brings to the environment not only is saving the environment but also provides an economic lifeline in many ways. The shooting community has allowed land to flourish with life, especially through grouse shooting. Grouse reside in heather moorland, a habitat rarer than tropical rainforest. The precious environment of the moorland requires careful management, and it is the gamekeepers on grouse moors that have the expertise to carry it out. There are an estimated 217,000 acres of heather that have been renewed and regenerated over the last 30 years of shooting conservation. This is beneficial to all parties involved, allowing all species in the area to thrive, and allow the land’s use out of shooting season.

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THE SHOOTING COMMUNITY HAS ALLOWED LAND TO FLOURISH WITH LIFE.

Without practice it is difficult to hit a small creature moving at 30 miles an hour. Mind’s Eye | July 2022

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PRE-COVID, OR POSSIBLY POST-, THERE WOULD BE A SHOOT LUNCH, MEETING FRIENDS OF FRIENDS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.

This is in many ways one of the most humane methods of catching a meal, and many of the participants in the shoot will go home with their freshly shot pheasant or partridge.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

My main objection is to those who are against shooting because it is ‘cruel’ but not vegan or vegetarian. These people are usually shocking hypocrites, Shooting is enjoyable. There is an perfectly happy to mouth off about atmosphere of social setting, not the ‘t*ats in plus-fours’ while they go mass murder. As you shoot, the and buy a battery-farm chicken off payments made to the gamekeeper the shelf in Sainsbury’s. There are few are reinvested in the environment, and people I have had a conversation with for it maybe five pheasants will fall out about going on a shoot who haven’t of the sky. The sport has its positives shot before, and who have not been and negatives. A pair of new shotguns could set you back well met with horror or Next time you buy over £15,000, and some amazement at how a chicken from a people simply cannot someone could do such supermarket, ask handle having to snap a thing. This attitude yourself if that a small bird’s neck. It persists, especially in chicken has taken is both a tradition and London and less rural part in developing an a sport well worth areas. A shooting man ecosystem. investing in. So next or woman will feel time you buy a chicken more connected to their game, and aim for a quick, clean from Lidl or Sainsbury’s, or any other kill. This is in many ways one of the chain supermarket, ask yourself if that most humane methods of catching chicken has taken part in restoring a meal, and many of the participants historic land in hundreds of thousands in the shoot will go home with their of acres over the UK, and developing freshly shot pheasant or partridge. At an ecosystem. Or perhaps you don’t one of the shoots I attend, the surplus care what the chicken has done for the game is given to homeless shelters, not environment. ¢ stuck in the freezer for months. There are ways around such environmental issues, such as food waste and land degeneration, and the shooting industry has seemingly gained the answers to some of these problems.

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

LUCY KITE assesses the costs and benefits of peer pressure.

veryone struggles with pressure, teens feel compelled to ‘belong’. Teens especially from those who are see their peers engaging in certain close. Friends, family, colleagues, activities and join in to ‘look cool’ or ‘be mentors, neighbours and other people like’ others. These activities can range all have an influence on us one way from drugs, alcohol, smoking, vaping, or another. External eating disorders, sex pressure comes from and everything in people who we interact between. with on a regular basis, whether it be ACCEPTANCE BY PEERS The Office of National at home, school, a job TRIGGERS A STRONGER, Statistics reports or out-and-about in MORE POSITIVE EMOTION there were 4,633 the community. These DURING YOUNG LIVES THAN IN drug overdose deaths people have some sort ADULTHOOD. among teens in 2020. of influence on us. The This is a 3.8% increase most common type of on the number of pressure is from friends in particular, deaths registered in 2019. And 62% more commonly known as peer of teenagers have been admitted pressure. This can take many forms, to hospital for alcohol abuse, an 8% including reinforcement, demands, increase. 3.4 million people in the UK dares, intimidations, or insults. People are affected by an eating disorder also respond to unspoken peer pressure and around 25% of those are male. 35 by feeling the need to partake in certain million people worldwide are affected activities simply because their friends by sex-trafficking and that’s 0.4% or colleagues are doing so. of survivors that are identified. The majority go undetected. It has been shown that acceptance by peers triggers a stronger, more positive The UK Youth Justice Statistics reported emotion during young lives than in a decline in some offences with the adulthood, which may be a reason why exception of violence against another

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Mind’s Eye | July 2022

person, which increased by 21%. Underaged sexual offences increased by 2%: that’s teenagers 15 years old or younger having sexual intercourse and/or being violent towards another person all ending up locked away and having a criminal record.

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YOU MAY EVEN FEEL COMPELLED INTO SHARING SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL JUST AS PRETTY OR POPULAR - EVEN IF THAT MEANS DOING SOMETHING UNHEALTHY OR DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS.

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THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL STATISTICS REPORTS THERE WERE 4,633 DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG TEENS IN 2020.

There are positive undertones too. Peer pressure can have an equally positive influence: exposure to different cultures and beliefs can actually Is having more access to TV shows, multiplayer help counteract negative peer pressure by games and social media that openly refer to encouraging us to be ourselves, rather than sex, alcohol, smoking, eating disorders and trying to conform to what everyone else around other activities causing peer pressure, and can us might be doing. Social media allow us to it be a positive connotation? TV shows like make friends with other people who share our interests, even if they do not Stranger Things, Love Island, The live in the same area. This Simpsons, The Handmaid’s Tale These media appliances type of influence is not always and Game of Thrones all have a encourage a certain recognised as peer pressure large number of followers and type of behaviour and because of the usual negative online multiplayer games such are making the younger connotations of the term, as Apex Legends, Fortnight and generation evolve too but it can help to inspire us Call of Duty have a large number quickly. to be the best person we can of underage users (because possibly be – to reach our full you can fake your date of birth). These all show violence, sexual attacks, gender potential, whether physically (such as by losing discrimination and smoking, and normalises unhealthy weight and being more active), these activities. We’re seeing an increase in academically (such as by putting more effort teenagers (as young as 13 years old) putting into lessons and gaining higher grades) or in up racy pictures on social media websites. any other way, even supporting us in resisting These media appliances encourage a certain negative peer pressure. type of behaviour and are making the younger generation evolve too quickly. Thanks to social Negative peer pressure can be used to convince media, the methods of interacting with peers a reluctant teenager to sneak out of the house may have changed. Therefore, it is important to and crash a party. Social media have changed understand and be able to recognise both types things because, instead of just a few people trying to talk the person into going, a much of peer pressure, positive and negative. larger number of people have access to the teenager and can apply more pressure. And social media can be combined with peer pressure to convince a younger child that they have to have a particular multiplayer game, no matter what they have to do to get it, because it’s all that their friends, online and in person, are talking about. It used to be the case that we only had to deal with that kind of pressure while at school. In some ways, we all need to be diligent

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in making sure that we are capable of handling peer pressure, since it can now reach us at any time, even at home.

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TEENS SEE THEIR PEERS ENGAGING IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES AND JOIN IN TO ‘LOOK COOL’ OR ‘BE LIKE’ OTHERS.

The people we spend time with will inevitably affect our behaviour. Motivational speakers say, ‘You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’ And we’re talking about everything from their sense of humour and their mindset to their decision-making and habits. Naturally, people who are responsible, successful, happy people can be a positive influence. On the other hand, time spent with people who engage in questionable activity can be a negative influence. That’s why it’s so important for each and every one of us to choose friends who model the ideals, behaviours, and goals we have for ourselves. This is particularly true for people struggling with mental health followers, it can be difficult not to feel jealous. issues and substance use disorders. Similar to You may even feel compelled into sharing bullying, peer pressure can be made even worse something that will make you feel just as pretty when social media are involved. or popular — even if that means Whether you’re at school, work, Motivational speakers say, doing something unhealthy or or home, Facebook, Instagram, ‘You’re the average of the downright dangerous. Twitter and Snapchat are always five people you spend the there. Friends, relatives and Like traditional peer pressure, most time with.’ acquaintances are constantly social media peer pressure posting pictures of their most can lead to poor body image, reaction-worthy pastimes. In many cases, this alcohol use, violence, self-harm and depression. means post after post of filtered selfies that The good news is there are things you can do make us question our looks or wild nights that to minimize the negative effects. The fact is that make drinking and drugs look cool. And, as you peer pressure will always be a part of everyone’s see the likes, comments, and shares of fans and lives, especially teenagers, and social media can play a big part in how it affects us. It can be difficult to avoid negative peer pressure, which is why we must learn how to properly deal with it. Social media have the advantage of including a number of privacy tools and options, including blocking and deleting negative people from your list. Parents should always know what their child is up to whilst online, including on mobiles. Children who refuse access have something to hide and that’s never good. Discuss limitations on websites, who can communicate with you, to reduce the amount of negative peer pressure. We still have to learn how to cope with negative peer pressure, but we can make it easier by encouraging positive influences on social media, giving us more opportunities to develop healthier and happier lifestyles. ¢

Mind’s Eye | July 2022

ANNIKA LI suggests that happiness still cannot be bought by working hard to earn money to buy stuff to impress people you don’t even know; happiness can be found in keeping it simple.

n a private jet soaring above the world equivalent to living life to the full. But a billionaire sips a glass of champagne studies show that wealth influences our while surveying the clouds which, ways of thinking in all aspects of economic when compared to the pristine white of his and social life. People of lower status in the luxurious seat, look like trodden snow. Back economy are shown to be better at reading on land in a dress glittering more furiously the facial expressions of others than people than thousands of stars of higher status. People who overhead, a celebrity flashes a are less wealthy have more smile to combat the dazzle of empathy because they are cameras. On the balcony of a exposed to a broader variety small apartment overlooking of ‘social threats’ and will have PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS the city, a mother hums softly to adapt continuously to WEALTHY HAVE MORE while hanging up her laundry changing surroundings and EMPATHY BECAUSE and pauses to warn her have a deeper perception THEY ARE EXPOSED TO children not to get too close to of emotion. Money can also A BROADER VARIETY OF the edge. Who is the happiest disorient moral judgment, ‘SOCIAL THREATS’. of these individuals? At first and so many wealthy people glance, it seems to be either hold themselves in higher the billionaire or the celebrity, regard than others ranked with their privileges, but what if I were to below. A recent study in San Francisco found tell you that the billionaire feels lonely with that luxury car drivers were four times less clouds for company and the celebrity is likely than drivers of less expensive vehicles hiding self-loathing behind her confident to stop at crosswalks and follow a law that posture? What if the mother is the only one allows pedestrians to pass safely. Researchers whose heart truly carries the sweetness of also discovered that the probability of her song? study participants lying was higher when introduced to money-related words and Recognition, wealth and social status are questions. Due to this, many billionaires what people chase in life. People try to grasp are unable to foster strong relationships every opportunity like ships embracing the with family, friends and partners alike, and full force of the wind in their sails. ‘Live life socialise most of the time with acquaintances to the full.’ That is the motto nearly everyone in business. A lot of wealthy people lead lives by to motivate their actions. But what solitary lives, which adds to the misery many does it really mean? of them endure.

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Most people assume that leading the most adventurous life with maximum wealth as well as recognisable achievements is

Fame is just as incompatible as money when it comes to finding true happiness. Studies show that most celebrities hoard narcissistic

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behaviour in the form of self-loathing rather than self-love. The Mirror Effect, a book written by a behaviour specialist, describes celebrities as ‘traumatised individuals’ who are frequently driven by the pressure of having to please their audiences and the fear of being outdone by others alike. Experts claim that celebrities have an ongoing need

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EXPERTS CLAIM THAT CELEBRITIES HAVE AN ONGOING NEED FOR ATTENTION, FLATTERY AND ‘ADORING RECOGNITION’ TO REPLACE A GENUINE LACK OF SELF-LOVE AND RESPECT.

for attention, flattery and ‘adoring recognition’ to replace a genuine lack of self-love and respect. They are also under constant stress to support their public image; several doctors admit that celebrities are challenging patients because they will often refuse medical treatment or advice if they fear it would negatively affect society’s perception of them. And the mental as well as physical health of most celebrities is neglected in many circumstances to cast consistent impressions on their audiences. For example, certain drugs with long-term side-effects may be taken for performers to have a better

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A MINIMALISTIC WAY OF LIVING, HOWEVER, FOCUSES ON THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER, LIKE FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS.

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on-stage impact. Contortionists, acrobats or the like may risk serious injuries to impress. When plenty of celebrities push their health aside for reputation, their stories often end badly and many choose to commit suicide out of severe depression. Both the celebrity and the billionaire are materialists, people who base their love on physical objects or comfort

instead of spiritual values. Materialism is addictive. Both fame and wealth are psychological drugs; you are flung into a strange and beautiful world at first experience. ‘If you come to fame not understanding who you are, it will define who you are,’ says Oprah Winfrey, a television presenter and producer. You encounter it, seeking the kind of happiness you think will fulfil everything you have ever dreamed about. But material possessions do not quench desires; they fuel only greed. Take the billionaire, for example. He can possess items of the richest quality, but even with those he will never be fully satisfied. The same goes for the celebrity, who feigns happiness from a thirst for praise. Every material life is a gamble and requires sacrifices to be made. Wealthy people give up time meant for loved ones just to find themselves isolated when they require a friend to confide in, ending up overwhelmed with their own bitter secrets and gloom. Famous people tangle their life’s purpose by pleasing others while neglecting their own well-being, and eventually abandon

even their will to live. It is hard for most people trying to let go of stardom, like quitting a drug. Some may succeed but have lost too much ever to be the same again. Maybe they will give up and lose themselves forever in the labyrinth of flashing neon lights, red carpets, and too-bright smiles.

Fame is just as incompatible as money when it comes to finding true happiness.

A minimalistic way of living, however, focuses on things that really matter, like fostering relationships and putting all materialistic concepts behind. Instead of racing time and seeking what could bring the widest grin to your face, you would be surprised how easily a thousand smiles could come to you every day if you savour every small delight in life. Of course, being wealthy allows you either to stockpile or to restrict what you buy. The Financial Diet, a personal finance book, suggests that the only people who can practise minimalism in any meaningful way are people on whom it isn’t forced by financial or logistical circumstances. Minimalism is a philosophy which revolves around getting happiness from what you possess, not from what you do not – in other words, finding contentment in a simplified way of living.

Both the celebrity and the billionaire are materialists, people who base their love on physical objects or comfort instead of spiritual values. The mother on the balcony sings to herself, carefully teaches her children what is right, and enjoys the gift of living without rushing. She takes care to achieve a balance between upholding her family with money and with love. She is not fully satisfied with life (no one can be), but she is doing her best to live in the moment. By that she is genuinely living a happy life and living it to the full. So, living a full life means doing what you love without ever throwing away who you are. It means simply enjoying every breath and step you take. That is the key to unlocking a truly beautiful world. ¢

Mind’s Eye | July 2022