ISSUE
06 March 2012
AISE’S OFFICIAL IB NEWSLETTER
IB Busy!
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this issue Bassem Youssef: A Reflection P.1 How I Lost Height P.2 Senior vs Junior Year P.3 Teacher Psychoanalysis P.4
Extended Essay Tips Planning out your extended esVD\" $UH \RX FRPSOHWHO\ ORVW DQG QHHG D NLFN LQ WKH ULJKW GLUHFWLRQ" IB Busy! brings you tips from exSHUWV LQ WKH ÂżHOG
Mr Heubner: When choosing a topic, make sure that you choose something you are passionate about, something you know you could write 4000 words about without getting bored. Also, start early, like right now!
Ms. Belal: Make your research question applicable to real life. That way, it’s more innovative and creative. I would also advice you to make it experimental. Make sure to QRW MXVW VWDWH IDFWV EXW DQDO\]H your results and challenge them. Start early!
0V *HQG\ I would tell you to start early, and choose something that you are interested in, but I’m sure someone else has said it already. So the best advice I can give you is to READ THE RUBRIC! It will give your essay more direction because you will know what is expected of you!
Do you have any ideas for questions you want to ask your teachHUV" $Q\ VSHFLÂżF DGYLFH \RXÂśUH ORRNLQJ IRU" ( PDLO XV DW aise.ibbusy@gmail.com
Bassem Youssef: A Reflection It is no secret that Bassem Youssef is the king of political satire in Egypt. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been called the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jon Stewartâ&#x20AC;? of Egypt, and his show has been compared to Stewartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Daily Showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Built on the premise of poking fun at various Egyptian news reporters, political and soFLDO ÂżJXUHV ZKLOH UHPDLQLQJ LQIRUPDWLYH %DVVHP <RXVVHI believes that with his show, he can hopefully be a source of liberation in media and show off his Armani suit at the same time. A political satire program of this scale is new to Egypt, and he himself has called the show â&#x20AC;&#x153;the voice of reasonâ&#x20AC;? during an interview with CNN. Airing every Friday, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a huge success thus far as well as masVLYHO\ LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQWLDO ZLWK WKH YLUDO MRNHV ÂłKZZ\"´ Âł*DV DQG alcohol donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mixâ&#x20AC;?, and other less school-appropriate MRNHV El Bernameg currently has more than 30 million viewers a week. So far, however, the show has received mixed views. Bassem Youssef is often criticized for the copious amounts of swearing. This has increased in recent episodes, possibly aiming to appeal to younger viewers or maybe even to assert the freedom he has. In fact, Bassem Youssef often speaks in interviews about freedom in PHGLD +H YLHZV KLV VKRZ DV WKH ÂżUVW true free program in the Middle East, in which he is free to criticize and PRFN SROLWLFDO ÂżJXUHV DOO LQ JRRG QDture. The use of swear words and toilet humor could quite possibly be an assertion of this newfound freedom. Some Egyptians not only have a problem with the swearing, but the premise of devoting a TV show to poking fun at certain people in a country is very new in Egypt. This western approach to entertainment and information comes off as a bit of a shock to some, as demonstrated in conversations held by actual IB MXQLRUV D IHZ PRQWKV EDFN DV WR WKH ethical implications of the way Bassem Youssef criticized some people. There were those who did not agree that spreading information should come in the form of sarcasm and witty facial expressions, while others shared the TV hostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion that it was all in good humor and WKDW LQ GLIÂżFXOW WLPHV (J\SWLDQV QHHG WR ODXJK Bassem Youssef has currently been facing legal issues with lawyers representing previous targets of his satire, PRVW QRWDEO\ D ODZVXLW ÂżOHG DJDLQVW KLP E\ SUHVLGHQW 0RUV\ÂśV RIÂżFH FODLPLQJ WKDW %DVVHP <RXVVHI KDG GHfamed the president and that El Bernameg was â&#x20AC;&#x153;circulating false news likely to disturb public peace and public security and affect the administration.â&#x20AC;? The conclusion RI WKLV ODZVXLW LV XQNQRZQ EXW ZDV WKLV ODZVXLW MXVWLÂżHG
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or another attempt by the government to silence political RSSRVLWLRQ" It is important to note from an open minded and inquiring standpoint that some clips on the show are shown out of context, with the intention to take a quote and parade the hilarious ignorance/incompetence/beard of the victim. While these do produce laughs and promote critical thinking when listening to a news reporter or politician, extreme cynicism is dangerous. By continuing to display Ă&#x20AC;DZV LQ PHGLD LW JLYHV YLHZHUV DQ LQFHQWLYH WR VWDUW WR GLVWUXVW WKH PHGLD RU UHMHFW LW DV D ZKROH ,WÂśV DOZD\V D good idea to distrust what the media says, but is comSOHWHO\ UHMHFWLQJ DQ\WKLQJ VDLG LQ WKH PHGLD KHDOWK\" 2I FRXUVH WKLV DOO LPSOLHV WKDW DQ\RQH UHMHFWLQJ HYHU\WKLQJ they see on TV as a result of watching Bassem Youssefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show is an easily swayed person and this is actually the opposite of being open-minded. An open-minded, inquiring IB student should be able to formulate his or her own opinions based on multiple factors. Bassem Youssef as a person, however, is genuine. He does not press the opinions he expresses on his show onto anyone, and often invites the people he makes fun of on the show. In interviews, he mentions how he does not mind when people oppose his views. Such a personality on Egyptian television is rare, and hopefully, we might see a rise in politically interested, open minded television hosts stealing the spotlight from the conservatives. This would be an interesting transition in Egypt that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite happened yet, and if standing in front of the Presidential Palace throwing rocks at the cops doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring change, maybe this new form of activism will. Bassem Youssefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El Bernameg shows how Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media is transitioning and how one show can give hope to so many people, empowering their voices. If you really care about making a difference, or at least want to stay informed, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go around showing off how much of a liberal you are and how you â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trust the mediaâ&#x20AC;? or how you â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t watch TV.â&#x20AC;? Staying informed means watching multiple news sources, evaluating their strengths and ZHDNQHVVHV VHHLQJ ZKDW <28 SHUVRQDOO\ EHOLHYH DQG donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe, and formulating a constructive opinion. AfWHU DOO DUHQÂśW \RX XSKROGLQJ WKH ,% OHDUQHU SURÂżOH"