The Benefits of Boredom
By Kaira D, Y7
Boredom is an emotion that impacts everyone in different ways and is often viewed as unpleasant, but scientists think it could be much more than that One of the reasons why many people dislike boredom is the sense of a slower perception of time and lessened productivity, which can make it feel ‘ scary ’ . However, boredom doesn't just lead to negative outcomes – it can increase creativity, curiosity and self-control.
Studies have shown that people who experience moderate levels of boredom are more likely to engage in creative thinking and problem-solving. This is because it is an emotion that forces you to remain in the present and engage in introspection. In the absence of activity, being bored is an opportunity to reflect, free up your brain and make space for new creative ideas, using your imagination to think in
different ways. Boredom can also motivate you to try new hobbies and pursue your goals
Another benefit of boredom is increased self-control, as it helps us to focus and pay attention Nowadays, we use screens a lot and there are many distractions in our minds, so it is unusual to be alone with yourself and not have anything to do. Taking a break and relaxing is extremely helpful to improve your mental health.
To conclude, boredom is an emotional state which, like any other, has many beneficial qualities. It gives you a chance to check in with yourself and improves mental, physical and emotional health. So next time you feel bored, think back to this article and remember to embrace boredom – It could help you find a solution to your problem!
How does the prominent violence in Nigeria affect the country?
By Ellie T, Year 10
Nigeria is one of the most economically and politically prominent African countries. However, one significant challenge that seems to impede the progress and development of Nigeria is its prominent violence. This is mainly due to terrorist groups. One of the most famous terrorist groups in Nigeria is the Islamic group Boko Haram. The group was first founded in 2002, and its violent activities have caused a significant negative impact on the economic, social, and political development of Nigeria. This essay aims to discuss how the prominent violence in Nigeria affects the development of the country
Firstly, Boko Haram’s actions have resulted in significant loss of life and destruction of property in Nigeria. The group has carried out numerous deadly attacks, bombings, and kidnappings. These have caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Nigerians. Terror attacks have resulted in the destruction of many businesses, homes, and public infrastructures. Many families have lost loved ones. This obviously has considerable implications for the growth of Nigeria’s economy. Nigeria is one of the most highly populated countries in Africa, and it is wealthy in
natural resources which makes it a great prospective trade partner for other countries. However, the insecurity caused by terrorist groups like Boko Haram has negatively impacted the country's economic growth as it discourages foreign investments and scares off tourists. Terrorist activity also leads to the displacement of people from their homes. This leads to an increase in poverty rates and the number of people who have lost their businesses due to lack of income.
Furthermore, Nigeria is an agrarian economy Farming communities have, however, been terrorised by bandits and groups like Boko Haram This violence has led to the loss of agricultural produce and destruction of property due to things like bombing. This situation has interrupted food production and supply, and led to both price inflation and increased malnutrition rates. The situation impacts the income of farmers and the cumulative farming income of the country - this has a massive impact on the national economy. Another significant impact of violence is the effect it has had on the education sector. Teachers and students have been targeted by the different terrorist groups. This
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has resulted in the closure of schools in different parts of Nigeria, especially in the Northern region. The closure of schools is also due to the frequent kidnapping of schoolchildren from their classrooms.
From March 2020 until September 2021, over 1400 students were kidnapped. The closure of schools has led to a lack of development in human resources and limited individual social mobility The situation has disrupted the education of thousands of childrendenying them the right to education has led to a decline in literacy levels.
Violence has contributed to the high rate of poverty in Nigeria, and this has hindered the country's progress. According to World Bank statistics, the majority of the Nigerian population live below the poverty line, with little access to facilities such as health care and education, or to basic human necessities such as food, shelter, and clean drinking
water. This has led to a vast informal sector and reduced government revenue. The low-income earners cannot afford government services and often opt for cheaper (and at times sub-standard) products and services, negatively impacting the progress of the country.
In conclusion, the prominent violence in Nigeria adversely affects the country's progress and development The insecurity caused by the terrorist groups like Boko Haram has led to the loss of lives and property, which has hindered economic growth, democracy, and social stability. The violence has destabilised the economy, exacerbated the decline in literacy levels and increased malnutrition rates. The country cannot achieve its full potential without tackling the underlying issues of instability and insecurity. As a nation, Nigeria has to find a way to prevent terrorist groups from interfering with the growth of the country.
What is the Rwanda Asylum Plan and will it be passed through Parliament?
By Eliza H, Year 12
Throughout the past 18 months of Rishi Sunak’s premiership, the phrase ‘Stop the Boats’ has been heard more than ever before With a new plan having been thought up, this idea has a chance of coming to fruition. The plan itself was first mentioned by Boris Johnson in April 2022 and initiated the idea that people in the UK who are identified as illegal immigrants or asylum seekers would be relocated to Rwanda to be ‘processed’. They would then be relocated there, and regardless of whether or not they are deemed legal, these people seeking asylum would not be returned to the UK.
From the moment this plan was first mentioned it has been an extremely controversial topic Many have deemed it unlawful and unethical, however this has not stopped the Conservatives (and party frontrunners, such as Suella Braverman) pushing the scheme forward.
The first deportation flight to Rwanda was scheduled to take off on June 15th 2022. However, this flight was cancelled due to a ruling by the European Court
of Human Rights This represented the first of many attempts to curb the number of immigrants crossing the Channel. Numbers were reaching the thousands per day, and the government therefore felt as if it must take action. As of December 31st 2022, 45,755 migrants had made the crossing over the Channel.
Legislation was drawn up under Rishi’s premiership, and he announced that the ‘migrant crisis’ was one of his five key priorities. The right wing stance of this policy gained criticism from many, including Gary
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Lineker. This criticism saw Lineker suspended from Match of the Day. Former PM Theresa May claimed it was ‘not enough’ to send people to Rwanda, and stated that it was instead ‘shutting the door’ on many of those who are victims of modern day slavery. After months of battles and campaigning from the Conservatives to get the plan passed through government, the Supreme Court ruled the plan to be unlawful, as migrants would be at risk of being returned to their home countries where they could face harm. Other Conservatives argued that they did not want government money to be spent on transporting immigrants to Rwanda.
However, a game changing moment occurred on the 18th January 2024: the new Rwanda Bill was passed in the House of Commons by 320 votes to 276. The new bill was intended to make it clear that Rwanda is deemed a safe country in UK law. As well as introducing the Safety of Rwanda Bill, the UK government also signed a new migration treaty with Rwanda Home Secretary James Cleverley has stated that it guarantees that anyone sent to Rwanda to claim asylum will not be at risk of being returned to
their home country. The bill is now before the House of Lords, where it has already faced a lot of opposition - the chances of it being passed therefore seem quite slim.
The issues of cost, ethics, and safety concerns have caused many to question the legitimacy of and need for this bill The Rwanda Plan has formed the bulk of Rishi Sunak’s policy making whilst Prime Minister Focusing his policy making on a major popular issue such as immigration puts him in a solid position for the upcoming general election. On the other hand, this policy has also faced so much controversy, and immigration is such a divisive issue, that it may sway many of the electorate who remain on the fence towards Labour or the Liberal Democrats. This is due to those parties’ more ethical and practical oppositional approaches. Labour is offering an offshoring scheme, sending immigrants to an alternative country to Rwanda to await the outcome of their application, with successful applicants then being returned to the UK Keir Starmer claims that the Rwanda Plan is a “gimmick”, but does agree that the small boat problem needs to be tackled
How are natural disasters affecting the wellbeing of Burma’s population?
By Caitlin F, Year 10
There are a variety of problems that Burma is currently facing as a country that have a negative impact on its population. However, one of the main causative factors of those problems are the frequent natural disasters which Burma faces. Natural disasters have caused wide-ranging issues for Burma, which include; their detrimental impact on the country’s healthcare systems (leaving them as some of the worst in Asia), the displacement of thousands of citizens, and the fact that droughts inevitably lead to famine
One of the main effects that natural disasters have on Burma is the reduction in healthcare availability. Burma currently has a total population of 53 million, but only 1056 hospitals to provide for its entire population. Although this initially sounds like a fairly large number of hospitals, the additional demand created by natural-disaster associated casualties means it is not adequate. Burma is a ‘least
developed country’ (LEC), which means that it is already at a financial disadvantage. Healthcare investment is not necessarily reaching the top of Burma's financial priority list, as they also need to provide food and shelter to those who have lost it. They are therefore forced to rely on a below average healthcare system because it still does the job, just not as effectively.
Another negative effect of natural disasters on Burma's population is the loss of homes due to destruction by floods and earthquakes This is a huge problem for a LEC like Burma because they do not necessarily have the money or the resources to provide relocation shelters to those who have lost their homes. This is why Burma has 1.2 million homeless citizens, along with 1.5 million people who are currently living in relocation shelters due to natural disasters and conflict in the country. This does not positively help the population of Burma in
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any way. People deserve to have stable homeswarfare and earthquakes undermine the effort to provide these.
Additionally, droughts have impacted the country’s food supply, and could potentially lead to a famine that Burma cannot afford Droughts are a natural disaster caused by global warming, and Burma has many drought prone areas This is because a large percentage of the total surface area of Burma falls under vegetation or forest areas, which makes it very difficult for them to absorb the correct amount of water. These areas are therefore more prone to drought. The effects of these droughts could create an even bigger hole in Burma's economy as lack of water has the potential to prevent proper crop growth. This could lead to a famine in Burma which would further impact the already reduced population. Drought therefore has a huge negative impact on the wellbeing of Burma’s population. Burma has already started multiple initiatives to help move them closer towards a safer country, including creating charities such as the Myanmar
disaster relief charity and signing many regional storm risk reduction programs. These storm risk reduction projects are being used to help add safety shelters to Burma in order to protect its citizens by raising money to help build new shelters all around the country. As well as this, Burma also signed the Paris climate change agreement which means that they are also trying their best to help prevent climate change on a more global scale even if it's not just about their own country
In conclusion, I feel that Burma’s natural disasters have a highly negative impact upon its people, as the negative after-effects of natural disasters outweigh the positive. I feel as though the current precautions that Burma is taking are going in the correct direction, and that they should continue to create shelters for the people of Burma - I feel that this is the biggest issue that they are facing at the moment. This is how natural disasters are impacting the total well being of Burma's population
To what extent do fiscal policies impact income inequality and social mobility
By Salem Y, Year 12
Fiscal policy refers to the use of government spending and tax policies to influence economic conditions; it is typically used to promote sustainable and stable growth within an economy and to tackle poverty issues Fiscal policies aim to achieve various macroeconomic objectives, such as economic growth, employment, price stability, and income distribution. There are two main types: expansionary fiscal policy and contractionary fiscal
policy. Income inequality, according to the International Monetary Fund, is ‘the extent to which income is evenly distributed within an economy ’ There is a high level of income inequality in the UK economy as compared to other developed countries, with 37% of total disposable income in
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the UK going to the fifth of the individuals with the highest household incomes.
As seen in the graph below, inequality in household incomes in the UK has remained at a roughly similar level since the early 1990s, but is currently higher than during the 1960s and 1970s.
It would be easy to assume that fiscal policies have an inconsequential effect on the economy, and that how the financial market is fairing has more of an impact. This is an incorrect assumption - for example, taxation policies, social welfare programs, labour market policies and housing policies all sway the UK’s economy. With labour market policies, for example, it can be seen that capitalist economies are fundamentally tilted against workers’ individual ability to bargain effectively with employers. This potentially limits their ability to earn more. This can also be seen on the flip side; establishing and periodically adjusting a fair minimum wage can lift the incomes of low-wage
workers, potentially reducing income inequality. Similarly, policies that strengthen workers’ rights, such as the right to collective bargaining, can contribute to more equitable wage distribution.
Why are many on the far right concerned with ‘cultural Marxism’?
By Niamh S, Year 11
Whether you ’ ve heard it mentioned on TikTok or on Alex Jones' Infowars, "cultural Marxism" may or may not be a phrase that you've encountered before. The phrase appears to be slipping into political discourse, and particularly into the discourse of those on the far-right end of the political spectrum. However, few understand what it refers to or where it comes from. Despite the idea behind it not being new, the phrase itself has gained traction in recent years, making its way into the vocabularies of those running our countries. Why is this, and is cultural Marxism something we should be concerned about?
To fully understand why the far-right seem to be concerned about ‘cultural Marxism’, one must first understand the history and meaning of the phrase The truth is, the phrase is (and there is no better way to put this) in some ways meaningless. Cultural Marxism does not exist, or rather, you will never meet a self-described ‘cultural Marxist’. Those who have read the works of Marx will know that Marxism is not a principle that has any association with culture, but rather with the organisation of the people. Culture is therefore secondary to Marx.
The term derives from the Nazi propaganda term "cultural Bolshevism''. The Nazis would label anything they deemed as degenerate as "Bolshevism"; there was art Bolshevism, music Bolshevism, sexual Bolshevism, and so forth. If it was progressive, it was deemed to be Bolshevism. If a concept was labelled as Bolshevism in Nazi Germany it supposedly meant that it attacked the values of family life, cultural identity, and of classical art and music. This later led to the term being linked to Judaism (the Nazis would later claim that the existence of that which they labelled "degenerate" was due to the influence of Jewish-communist individuals, who they claimed secretly controlled everything and were plotting the demise of the West).
How is this related to cultural Marxism, other than sounding similar? Ideas of Marxism being related to ‘social degeneracy’ then developed into the anti-modernist and anti-progressive ideas of the late twentieth century. The conspiracy theory that there was a group of Jewish Marxists who controlled all
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money behind the scenes and were working on the "fall of the West" was resurrected and popularised by Michael. J. Minnicino's in his 1992 work "The New Dark Age: The Frankfurt School and 'Political Correctness'". Minnicino’s claims in that work include the assertions that; concepts such as 1960s counterculture are a method of brainwashing; the Frankfurt School of Psychological thought is a "Bolshevik Intelligentsia''; feminism and women's liberation are an attack on the family and therefore degenerate; Christianity is being ‘replaced’ by socialism, and other such questionable takes. The paper is written to reference events in a manner which presents Minnicino's conspiracies as truthful. However, any small amount of research will reveal that the paper is inaccurate and incredibly misleading. The paper is thought to be the beginning of far-right conspiracy theories in the United States: it might even be blamed for aspects of the QAnon conspiracy
Due to the influence of Minnicino's essay, the idea of Cultural Marxism spread beyond Holocaust deniers into the mainstream media. The essay was a source of inspiration for the 2011 Norway terror attacks carried out by neo-Nazi Anders Breivik: this later led Minnicino to state he regretted writing the essay. The birth of the internet led the idea to spread like wildfire. Andrew Brietbart, founder of alt-right news outlet Breitbart News, released a 2011 book titled "Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World'' - this book is thought to have facilitated another large step of the conspiracy theory towards the mainstream The founder of conservative movement Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, has been adamant that cultural Marxism is being forced upon students in universities Given that Kirk does not have a college degree, this might be seen as somewhat ironic.
The UK Disposable Vape Ban
By Tehreem, Year 12
The UK government plans to place a ban on disposable vapes, coming into force in early 2025, as well as imposing other restrictions around their sale. These planned changes include introducing plain packaging and reducing use of flavours to make vapes less attractive to children. Shops will also be
The phrase is contemporarily used as a synonym for ‘wokeness’. Reactionary pundits such as Jordan B. Peterson, Alex Jones and Ben Shapiro have all blamed ‘cultural Marxism’ for the creation of anything they deem as progressive or leftistwhether that be gender-neutral pronouns or free healthcare In the words of philosopher and social theorist Theodore W Adorno, it seems that ‘Cultural Marxism is everything I hate’ The phrase may have lost its explicitly anti-Semetic use, but the conspiracy of a radically left-wing organisation running everything still haunts politics like a spectre.
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss recently accused a leftist ‘deep state’ of sabotaging her efforts. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman received backlash from various Jewish organisations for using the phrase ‘cultural Marxism’ in a speech in 2019. Despite the history being lost to the popular imagination, the phrase remains a dog whistle in the mouth of the far-right The phrase is not only contradictory in its meaning, but misconstrues both the ideas of Karl Marx and culture It is a creation of the growing culture war we see most prevalent in Europe and the United States. The Pew Research centre in the United States conducted research to show that as of recent years, the divide between Democrats and Republicans has been growing and the two have been pushed down the further ends of the political scale. Regardless, ‘cultural Marxists’ are not ruining your life - they are a distraction. Surveys have shown that people at both ends of the political spectrum in the United States and the United Kingdom have started to feel increasingly let down by their governments
Could it be that cultural Marxism is, therefore, yet another distraction from the problems at hand?
required to alter the way they display vapes, moving them behind the counter
Currently, vaping products are subject to VAT, but do not have an additional tax like tobacco. The government may, however, introduce a new vaping
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levy in the upcoming Budget. Treasury analysis suggests the new vaping tax, along with the rise in tobacco duty, could eventually raise around £500m a year. Additional fines will also be brought in for any shops in England and Wales that are caught selling vapes illegally to children.
Current figures show that nearly 8% of 11-17 year olds vape (results of an online survey by Action on Smoking and Health) - this is a 4% increase since 2020. Vaping is now also twice as common as smoking among children. Although vaping is a better alternative to smoking, it is not harmless and has many negative health effects, especially on children.
It can cause long term damage to young people’s lungs, hearts and brains. The vapour includes a small amount of chemicals including nicotine. However as illegal vapes are widely available, these are more likely to contain more harmful chemicals and drugs such as cannabis.
Yet the UK Vaping Industry Association, an industry body for vape manufacturers, said a new tax would "penalise" smokers who have made the switch from tobacco. The ban could result in some returning to smoking cigarettes. Furthermore, it could result in the proliferation of unregulated and unsafe vaping products on the black market.
How one volcanic eruption changed everything for Iceland’s economy
By Carmen H, Year 12
An island that traditionally held little appeal to international tourists saw a complete transformation just fourteen years ago, after an eruption ended up obscuring European skies.
In April 2010, Eyjafjallajökull (a volcano in southern Iceland) began spewing several kilometres of volcanic ash into the atmosphere Although the eruption was small, its impact was massive The 270,000,000 cubic metres of tephra ejected into the atmosphere meant that E-15’s eruption caused the greatest airspace closure since WW2, cancelling 100,000 flights and causing a total economic impact of £5 billion for the airline industry.
However, the event turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Media attention focusing on the eruption, closely followed by a social media campaign by the Icelandic government, opened up a number of doors for Iceland. The ‘Inspired by Iceland’ campaign aimed to capture and share the natural beauty of the country and the friendliness of the people. Within one day of launching the campaign, the video had over one million downloads and inspired more than five million tweets. Shortly following the launch of the campaign, ‘USA Today’ voted Iceland as a top travel destination for 2011,
accelerating the newfound attention that Iceland was receiving.
An overall 79,252 additional visits were achieved following the E-15 eruption, generating a total revenue of £138 7 million Over the course of a decade, tourism has morphed from a minor part of the Icelandic economy, (with fishing being its biggest sector) to becoming the county’s largest industry
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