Th e me note S m o ke a nd M irrors C at h e ri n e B o u chard
mysticism and illusion have always entranc ed humanity. We loveto trick our senses and minds with optical illusions, and there seems nothing wrong with the shallow playfulness these imply. The phrase ‘smoke and mirrors’ dates back to early magic tricks that used these tools to project illusions of objects floating and disappearing to enrapt audienc es. Yet, smoke and mirrors can be deployed in darker c ontexts for more nefarious purposes, providing embellishments aimed at distracting attention away from the truth. Politics has long relied on strawman arguments and flimsy policy distract ions to attempt to soothe populac es into states of passivity. C ompanies use advertising to c onc eal the harm they cause societies. We lie to ourselves as well daily, and our delusions are ultimately sustained by fantasies we prop up with smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors as a theme invites us as readers to question and challenge the c onstructs of modern life. It invites us to peel back the thin veneer of modern societal narratives. It invites us to question our sense and relationships within the global c ommunity. As human beings, I think its important to believe in the morality and rat ionale behind our choic es and daily lifestyle. But what happens when this is stripped back and challenged? What happens when we pop the growing postmodern bubble of hyperbolism and grandiosity? These are the questions this issue wants to prompt you to answer.
G-YOU MAGAZINE// FEBRUARY 2022// 2
T rickery,
