PHASE Magazine by Lejoie

PHASE

No.1

spring 2017

MAGAZINE

THE POST-HUMAN ISSUE 1

Issue 1 SPRING 2017

FEATURES 6 LETTER FROM EDITOR

GENERATION ALPHA The next and most experimental generation of all, Alpha. As techonolgy driven tikes, how will Alphas influence the future?

CREATIVES OF INSTAGRAM Meet some of Instagrams creatives in interviews about their artwork and intellectual property on social media..

CONSIOUS CONSUMERISM Sustainable clothing? Veganleather? Is our consumer version of environmental efforts really helping?

THE POLITICS OF BLACK MIRROR Netflix series Black Mirror episodes show a nightmarish version of real life politics.

CONTENTS

06 ....... EDITORS LETTER 08....... Making Art ith Neural Networks? 10....... Natural vs Unnatural, 1000 lines by Marica Villeneuve 16 ....... “Picking Flowers” 17 ....... CRYPTO$$$$ 40 ......How do you percieve the world? 47 ....... Digital Junk

PHASE

EDITOR IN CHIEF: & ART DIRECTOR Brittany Dhamalie CONTRIBUTORS: EDITORIAL: Brandy Hastings, Shea Cummings, Aeriel Merilliat, Chanice Gray, Mike Arnold, ART: Natural Vs. Unnatural by Marica Villeneuve GUEST INTERVIEWS: Suzy Lindow//WinkWink Studio Lucas Doerre Katie Thomas//PrettyPositivePrints Immanuel//EKVISIONS RESEARCH &JOURNALISM: Brittany Dhamalie PUBLISHING: Issuu.com PHOTOGRAPHY: Stock Images pexels.com unsplash.com picjumbo.com

EDITORS LETTER @le.joie

Brittany Dhamalie email: bdhamalie@gmail.com

The process of creating and implementing an Online publication is one force to be reckoned with. When envisioning the path to creating Phase Magazine, my strong fascination with the past and the future of society started to divide as I sought to see the realities of Post Humanism from different angles. It is hard to simply conclude,. for some of us aren’t aware of what was changing and others were simply born to adapt to it. I remember when I was 4 years old and I could perfectly operate a VCR by myself, a couple years later it was the DVD player then mP3, as well navigating online media. These are signs that as the more we go, we further depart completely from nature. We design this world for our own comforts and desires and social needs and becomet he very devices we only dreamt of only using for effiency in communication, or we entertain and interact with networks and platforms we can express ourselves on. Issue 1 “The Post Human Issue” will take an interesting glance at our participation in this technological world, how we became like this and our negotiation realitiy. When we make these technologies are we training the next generation to think unnaturally? Are we blending societies so that it’s easier to understand how we all function or make small judgements based on what we see? Do we want to continue to make friends physically out of reach? Do we really just hate feeling alone? 6

ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE PRESENCE OF WONDER.

-E.B WHITE 7

MAKING ART WITH NEURAL NETWORKS?

Google Magenta is a project developed by researchers at Google Brain, that encourages artist and musians to create unique and creative works made from artificial intelligence. The idea is that algorithyms are gathered from data-bases that mesh content from (different corners of the internet where pictures and sounds are found) to bring them together to make new imagery and music for inspiration. The project hopes to bring together researchers, creatives and coders to build online communities where people can work together to make their inpirations real. To begin, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in programming, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start by using python. Users can use a software database called Tensorflow, which is an opensource for machine learning created by Google researchers as a means to training neural networks to differenciate learning the way a human use. Users can follow with a series of tutorials to start the projects. Tensorflow had a successful first year with 480 people contributing directly. Machine learning is possible with tensorflow and researchers at Google Brain are trying to make it more available to everyone with hopes that more people get into programming so that the network of artist and musicians grow. There is a new generation of creatives emerging and AI is the next hit for the art world. // BRITTANY DHAMALIE

ARTIST: Brittany Dhamalie

ARTIST: MARICA VILLENEUVE “Natural vs Unatural”

PHOTO: UNSPLASH.com

GENERATION ALPHA

s the digital becomes more accessible the way we engage with it becomes more personal, integrating our off and online experiences. The Center for Generational Kinetics has observed that each younger generation personalized online experiences more than the last. Centennials more than any other generation have expressed a greater connection between their sense of self and social media, in addition, the perception of judgement from others affects what they say online. The popularity of digital spaces amongst Centennials has changed many online platforms to match their sense of normality. A 2015 research study, iGen’s Political & Civic Outlook research study notes that “[Centennials are] so diverse that its members often only recognize diversity in its absence because this diversity is such a core part of their experience”. The increase in representation online can be tied to the generation’s demand for more inclusive and relatable spaces and content. We can expect this trend to continue as generations become increasingly more diverse, with generation Alpha

expected to be more diverse. Many people, from Baby Boomers to Millennials remember a time when technology was more manual. For Millennials, digital spaces (like MSN Messenger, Myspace, Kid Pix, and Jumpstart) weren’t introduced to us until later on in our childhood. In addition, certain forms technology required assistance from an adult to operate. Since then, technology has become more user friendly, including touchscreen and voice activation which make the use of digital devices more accessible to today’s children. Many of these children are a part of Generation Alpha. Anyone born between 2010 and 2025 is considered to be a part of this new generation.This generation is mainly parented by Millennials and older Centennials. With more than 353,000 Alpha babies born each week, the generation is expected to have almost 2 billion people by 2025. One of the things that has interested researchers is how this generation is connecting to the world. Since their parents were largely influenced by technology, many Alpha 13

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children have been introduced to digital spaces in their earliest developmental years. Being online has already been a big part of their engagement, education and entertainment. With Alphas already adapting to new technology it’s time to consider how digital spaces change and affect their understanding of the world. Not only has using device become easier but more online spaces have been created and altered to accommodate the younger generation. In 2013, Snapchat launched Snapkidz, which focused more on photos and drawing, omitting messages and the option to add friends; later on, Youtube released Youtube Kids, which changed the website to only child-friendly content when the app was in use. With their own spaces, kids have an earlier chance to personalize their digital experiences, as well as negotiate how they fit into the space. 14

With Alphas already adapting to new technology it’s time to consider how digital spaces change and affect their understanding of the world.

Technology is the likely factor to define Alphas as a generation, so it’s important to address how their digital experiences connect them to the world. As online spaces have become more accessible to younger users, and more child friendly spaces are created, children can have entire experiences in front of a screen (including play and education). Due to how far reaching technology is, Alphas across the globe are connecting to the world via the same points of access, whether it’s Youtube Kids or Minecraft. Researchers like Jason Dorsey and Mark McCrindle both view digital experiences as something that will connect younger generations across the globe. While Youtube channels like Mother Goose Club are based within the US, they currently hold the leading position for children’s education in Youtube channels worldwide. Similarly, networks with children’s

”

programs like Treehouse, PBS Kids, and BBC have made their content more accessible by sharing their shows via Youtube, iTunes and Google Play. The move to content being accessible to children globally, means Alphas have a shared experience of how they learn, play, and engage. The accessibility of digital devices also means that Alphas are engaging with the world in the same way, even if they aren’t watching the same content. While Generation Alpha is likely to have greater global connectivity, they are also likely to experience a more pronounced generation gap. The ability to connect through a singular experience of digital and physical is dependant on one’s access and understanding of newer technology; access can be limited by various aspects of someone’s life. Barriers, like one’s access to advancements in technology and finances, can be experienced on both a social and global level. This means that people within the coming generation may experience difficulty when trying to relate to other Alphas and older generations. Despite barriers, researcher Jason Dorsey believes younger generations are still more likely to have more in common with a child in another country than someone of a previous generation in their own nation. // CHANICE GRAY

PHOTO:PEXELS.com

SOCIAL CREATIV OF INSTA 18

VES AGRAM 19

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think social media can have as much power over what you create as you allow it to. . .â&#x20AC;? 20

SUZY LINDOW Abstract Artist & Studio Director @winkwink studio Williamsburg, Virginia, USA Q: Are there ever any fears that your works credit will be copied? Does social media influence what you make for sale? WW: No, I don’t really worry too much about copying, or at least I try not to. The process of creating is so personal and rewarding to me, that when I see someone else copy another artist I first think 1) it never looks as good as the original, and 2) I feel sorry for both people involved. The person getting ripped off works really hard. They dig deep and bring it all to the table to create something unique and original to them. When someone steals their thought and promotes it as their own it’s like watching someone take a short-cut to the finish line. I feel bad for the copier too, because they cheated themselves out of the whole creative experience. How sad. I can’t imagine it being that fun sitting down to paint or create something and just looking at someone else’s work to emulate. What a waste

of effort and what could be a time to have your own spark of inspiration. I think social media can have as much p owe r ove r w h a t you create as you allow it to. It can be tempting to paint something that you know will get likes and follows and even sale, but that can be kind of be soul crushing and boring. I try to strike a balance between creating what I love and what others like. Because ultimately I want to be a happy artist who is also enabled by others too continue creating. And I also like to abide by the universal law of attraction: eventually the right people will be attracted to what I love to make.. 21

@EKVISIONS: Advertising and Marketing Entrepreneur Social Media Strategist Ottawa, Canada

Q: When Networking, do you find it easier in person or online to do so? Which do you find more affective for your business? EK: Depends what you’re looking to gain out of it. For me personally, I like networking in person because you get a better feel of what people are about. Online, people have time to write whatever they’re about, I prefer feeling the vibe of a person face to face. I’m sure of myself that I’ve been around enough people to see if they’re genuine or not. Social media is tricky, I hate it and love it at the same time.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Social media is tricky, I hate it and love it at the same time...â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is hard when you want to be seen and get exposure, but also protect your work at the same time...â&#x20AC;? 24

@ Prettypositiveprints Digital Artist in printable designs Adelaide,South Australia

Q: How do you feel as an artist, people taking your work without permission to show on a blog space? PP: It definitely makes me a bit nervous. That’s why I think it’s important to watermark your work, or at least display it in settings that is uniquely your own. It is hard when you want to be seen and get exposure, but also protect your work at the same time. I know that you own copyright in your work automatically. However, I think

that it could be quite difficult to enforce your copyright if you see someone using your work, e s p e c i a l l y if yo u’ r e a s m a l l business owner. I would need to contact a lawyer and costs can add up quickly. I just hope I don’t need to go down that path.

Lucas Doerre Multidisciplinary Designer & Art Director @lucasdoerre Berlin, Germany

Q: How do you feel about using social media to showcase your work? Does it impact what you create sometimes? LD: I don’ t r e all y k now. I actually don’t care much about social media. I mean, I am using it everyday, but it’s not making me happy when I get prouds, l i ke s o r f e at u r e s o n s o c i a l media. Otherwise I totally don’t care about it when people don’t like my stuff. I am actually just using it to get contacts in the real world. To get in contact with nice people and meet them. Then I care about what they think. 26

It’s also nice to get jobs and other opportunities. So I don’t think that social media impacts my work. I mean I tried some time ago to make something just for it. There was a project with a friend 1 year ago. We got a feature at a magazine with 800k followers. But it actually wasn’t satisfying at all.

“I actually don’t care much about social media. I mean, I am using it everyday, but it’s not making me happy when I get likes or features on social media.” 27

IF WE DO NOT RESTRICT THE PREFIX 'POST' TO AN INDEX OF 'WHAT FOLLOWS IN TIME', BUT CONCEIVE IT, RATHER, AS 'WHAT SUPERSEDES AND GOES BEYOND', THEN THE NOTION OF A 'POSTHUMAN' IS AS OLD AS HUMAN IMAGINATION ITSELF. Post human modern MEDIA: how nature was finished when it invented the human brain.

David Porush 28

ARTIST: Brittany Dhamalie

AGENTS OF CHANGE: CYBER ACTIVISM

Revolution has always been a defining factor in human history. From the American and French revolutions to the more modern protests and uprisings such as the Syrian civil war. With the constant rise in popularity of the Internet, more and more people around the world are becoming aware of movements that are happening in the world, with tools such as social media giving everybody the opportunity to get involved. Cyberactivism is defined as Internet-based socialising and communicating that allows groups or individuals to create and manage activism of any kind. There are two ways in which cyberactivism can occur. Communication and campaigning. Firstly, activism organizations can reach and gain followers 30

ARTIST: Brittany Dhamalie

through tools like social media, broadcast important information and overall, progress campaigns and raise awareness to their causes. Secondly, through campaigning, activism groups can crowd fund, receive donations and give their cause the opportunity to become global. One of the best examples of how successful cyber-activism campaigns can be was in 2015 with the #BlackLivesMatter tag. In the US, stories of police brutality, predominately in Ferguson and other states, were spread across social media platforms and resulted in hundreds of thousands of people demanding change. Following further deaths, including Sandra Bland and Freddie Gray, the #BlackLivesMatter tag was formed and has since been tweeted over nine million times. Since it’s birth on Twitter, the hashtag has become a symbol for social justice and racial equality activists across the entire US. One of the more acclaimed online activism groups is Anonymous. This is a loosely connected group of individuals located all over the world who unite to fight and express their views on specific causes. Using dedicated software, large groups of people are able to target individuals or online communities and effectively take them off the Internet. An example of this was in 2014 with the Anonymous Operation Ice ISIS. In this particular campaign, Anonymous called out to their followers stating that the group was targeting Islamic State social media accounts which would in turn destroy months of ISIS recruitment work. In three days, the global group was able to take down at least 800 ISIS-affiliated Twitter accounts and an estimated 1,000 ISIS related websites. As you can see, cyberactivism has seen multiple successful online campaigns and causes have been able to raise awareness to millions of people around the world. But how does cyberactivism relate to real world situations? More recently, in January 2017, it was Donald Trump’s second day as US president. Using social media platforms, over half a million people from around the world banded together to protest in unison with the Woman’s March that was directed towards Washington. The march was protesting Trump’s ideology on abortion, gay rights, climate change and the US health care system. Word of the marches reverberated across Facebook and Twitter and resulted in protests being staged around the world in cities from New York, Chicago, Paris, Berlin, London and many more. A march was even staged in Antarctica! In total, there was an estimated 600 street protests in cities around the world. Social media played a key role in spreading awareness and in the organisation of these rallies and would not have been

possible without it. Continuing on from Trump’s inauguration, his move to implement a immigration ban flooded airports across the US in protest, signalled by countless tweets and social media posts. Information was posted on dedicated social media pages telling protesters where to go and what to do when they arrived. They were told to create a story by making a scene at airports, scenes which were in turn broadcast across major

The days of standing in the streets with leaflets for passers-by or travelling door to door have nearly disappeared. Activism blogs are very popular sources of information that, once again, assist in spreading cause awareness news and television networks around the world, dramatically increasing awareness. As technology and the Internet becomes more and more advanced, cyberactivism is becoming more and more effective in today’s society. When tags become viral, such as #BlackLiveMatters and #IceBucketChallenge, they become very popular topics on the Internet and on television networks, increasing their viewer range tenfold. As you can see, cyberactivism can take many forms. Another example of how effective 31

PHOTO: UNSPLASH.COM

the Internet can be in raising awareness of causes is through the use of dedicated online blogs. The days of standing in the streets with leaflets for passers-by or travelling door to door have nearly disappeared. Activism blogs are very popular sources of information that, once again, assist in spreading cause awareness, information and providing the public with the information they need to create their own beliefs. Occupy Democrats (occupydemocrats.com) is a hugely popular blog that dedicates itself in being a reliable source of information on anything regarding American economy, human rights, politics and much more. The site posts daily articles of events and situations that are unfolding throughout the US, allowing people to make up their own minds about what is going on. This information could be discarded by the reader or could motivate them to want to inspire change. The authors of the articles are well respected within the activist community and usually have extensive backgrounds in journalism. Sites, such as Occupy Democrats, are available to members of the public across the majority of social media platforms, allowing content to reach the masses with relative ease. These sources of information and articles can then be easily shared by users, spreading awareness and can spark conversations and debates about the subjects, giving Internet users the ability to make an educated choice about whether or not they want to be part of such a movement.

As an example of the kind of reach these blogs receive, the Occupy Democrats Facebook page currently has just under six million followers with multiple posts uploaded to the page every hour. These figures are staggering when it comes to activism. Imagine a street protest in which five million people stood up to voice their collective opinions? The results would be historical. There are countless blogs and websites available on the Internet, each with their own causes and sources of information. Cyberactivism is also responsible for many real world changes without the need for physical protests. Websites such as MoveOn.org and Change.org are centers for online activism. These sites allow people to communicate to each other and sign petitions for specific changes. When a petition reaches a set number of signatures, the petition will then be sent to the authorities for consideration and debate. An example of how successful online petitioning can be is the case which wanted to charge George Zimmerman for the death of Taryvon Martin. After Taryvon, who was unarmed, was shot dead, his parents created a petition on Change.org calling for George Zimmerman to be investigated and prosecuted for his acts. This become the fast-growing petition the site had ever seen and received over two million signatures within a month, resulting in an investigation and finally prosecution for second-degree murder. As you can see, there has been a lot of positive changes due to cyberactivism but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth noting there are some cons. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, anyone can be a digital activist. Find

a cause you believe in, click to follow the campaigns posts, click to donate or click to share. This is great for the organizations and allows them to reach mass audiences like never before but there is one major flaw. The whole concept is extremely shallow. It’s easy to read an article online and gain a sense of knowledge about the subject but its a long shot from having well-constructed ideas and beliefs. The entire process lacks perception. Individuals that get involved in ‘clicktivism’ rarely look into the information in depth or beyond what they are originally shown. Any sort of sense of vision that comes from the original article usually wears off over time. Imagine if Gandhi or Rosa Parks had created a Facebook page to air their beliefs on society and the changes they wanted to make. Obviously, this was not possible in that period but if it had, envision what might have been. As in today’s society, racial rights movements may have been successful and may have been for Gandhi and Rosa Parks but it would not have had nearly the impact that it did. Many people would have joined the cause but it takes an individual or group of people to commit an act that inspires the masses to demand change. Cyberactivism is an incredible tool that can assist in communicating ideas, initiating discussions and creating awareness but it will never replace acts of traditional protest, only assist them. That be said, with technology evolving at a faster and faster rate every year, who knows what direction cyberactivism will take and how it will shape the future of today’s society. //MIKE ARNOLD 33

CRYPTO-$$$$$$ THE FUTURE OF BANKING PHOTO: PICJUMBO.com

magine a world without banks as we know them now; big corporate entities looking to make the rich richer and make the poor poorer. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? However, in the last several years, this is becoming easier to imagine than ever before with the rise of Bitcoin. Basically, Bitcoin is a crypto-currency that allows the user to make anonymous transactions with their internet connection. One of the main causes of its growing popularity is the fact that it cuts out the middle man—the centralized bank. Banks aren’t all bad and they certainly have their place. But there are fees for everything now, right down to fees to cover their paper costs. This isn’t the case with Bitcoin. It is secured online in blockchains and when a transaction takes place, it does so between two individuals; we call this peer to peer or P2P. You could liken a blockchain to a bank without the institution. Essentially the blockchain is a digital ledger that is used to facilitate the use of crypto-currency. Anyone can use it to make transactions with the proper software and know-how. It is secure by design and as such, it is a viable alternative to traditional banks. At first, Bitcoin wasn’t widely accepted and was used mainly by individuals conducting less than savory business. But

as time progresses it is becoming a valid form of payment from small businesses, right up to major corporations. People are beginning to see the value in taking control of their financial business as it nearly eliminates the costs associated with financial transactions. It’s one thing to talk about the benefits of crypto-currency, but there is always risks. When a person uses a bank for financial transactions there are high levels of security and insurances in place that guarantee your money. The nature of Bitcoin is one hundred percent digital and uninsured. If someone can hack into your blockchain, they can take your money, and then it’s gone. It’s a pipedream to think that one day we will be rid of banking corporations because they will always have their place. But maybe it’s time we take control of our money and stop spending unnecessary fees. As technology improves, so does security. It is becoming safer to use crypto-currency, and in some cases, it has become an ideal way to do business. Money makes the world go ‘round, there’s no denying it. But what if we took control of it, rather than let it control us?

//SHEA CUMMINGS 35

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM: WHY IT'S NOT WORKING

L 36

PHOTO: UNSPLASH.COM

Being a conscious consumer has become especially trendy in the last couple of years,. Whether it be a hashtag, a pop up store in Manhattan or a hip restaurant, millennials are all about saving the environment and the world through the things we buy. The idea behind conscious consumerism is a simple one—you buy things from companies that align with your moral values with the hope that you are using your money to change the world for the better.

ately a term has been thrown around when talking about conscious consumerism: vote with your dollar. There’s been a serious shift in the way millennials are spending their hard earned dough versus how the generations before them were spending it. Millennials are using their money not necessary to buy the things they want or need, but to make a political and personal statement. Hence the phrase vote with your dollar. We aren’t so concerned with saving up our money to buy houses or cars. Who needs a house when you have Airbnb, and who needs a car when there’s Uber? We spend our money on things that reflect back on us and the kind of world we desire. Buying a veggie burger from the local vegan restaurant on your block says that you care about your health and the wellbeing of animals. It also says that you care about supporting small, local businesses. Buying sustainable clothing made from organic cotton suggests that you love the environment and care about your carbon footprint. And so on and so forth goes the idea of using your money to buy things that support causes you care about. This all seems like a great idea, right? What could be better than a simple way to help out the world and show everyone on your Instagram feed that you care? Mil-

lennials are always looking for ways to streamline and simplify things. Conscious consumerism allows us to make a political statement and feel good about ourselves all with the swipe of a credit card. There’s only one problem. You cannot save the world, clothe every child in Africa, or end animal abuse by making a purchase. No matter how well intentioned conscious consumerism may be, it’s just not enough. That’s the inherent downfall of it—everyday you do one little thing like buy a latte from a locally owned shop, crafted with fair trade beans, poured into a biodegradable cup, and you feel like you’ve done enough. Unfortunately, thanks to a little thing that keeps the steady heartbeat of our country going—capitalism—it’s incredibly difficult to disrupt the system. The corporations that run the behind the scenes actions are just too powerful and prevalent in every breath we take to be brought down with a swipe of a credit card. The sooner millennials learn that their conscious consumerism is a misplaced, lazy form of philanthropy, the sooner we can actually get some change done. Even if you try to consume less or only consume consciously, it doesn’t matter. Our country feeds on consumerism. Halina Szejnwald Brown, a professor of environmental science and policy at Clark University puts it like this, “70% of GDP in the US is based on household consumption. So all the systems, the market, the institutions, everything is calibrated to maximize consumption.” Basically, no matter how hard you try to consume ethically or in lesser amounts, there’s no escaping consumerism and evil corporations. When you combine these facts with the realit y that conscious consumerism and the entire sustainability movement is extremely elitist, it never even had a chance of working. Think about it, in order to buy local and organic produce, you need to have both time and money. Two things that make up the backbone of priv38

ileged America. If you’re a struggling single mother, not only do you not have the physical time to trek down to the farmer’s market, but you don’t have the excess income to waste on a head of lettuce that costs $10. When it really comes down to it, capitalism not consumerism is the root of the world’s problem. Capitalism has made it increasingly more difficult to even have the option to make a sustainable choice. It’s extremely rare to buy something in a store that isn’t somehow packaged in plastic. Recycling companies are far and few between, and you either have to pay extra out of pocket or travel to get to a recycling plant. And all of this would be fine and feasible if we all had time and money. But most Americans are working longer hours for less pay, leaving no time to garden their own vegetables, make home cooked meals, or pick up trash on the side of the road. So we do what we can. We buy sustainable clothing, we shop at Whole Foods and the farmers markets, and we try to limit our plastic consumption. We perform these actions to feel like we’re doing our part in helping the world. So we feel less guilty about the state of humanity.

“ When you combine

these facts with the reality that conscious consumerism and the entire sustainability movement is extremely elitist, it never even had a chance of working. ”

PHOTO: UNSPLASH.COM

So we can’t be blamed when everything comes crashing down in flames. The problem is that these are all selfish reasons. We’re buying things so we can have some credit, some kudos, and a weight lifted off our shoulders. We’re not a part of the problem—the problem is a part of us. There’s nothing we can do to avoid it. So stop feeling like buying sustainable and organic is enough. Because it’s not anymore. Don’t guilt your friends into becoming vegan with vague facts about animal slaughter and methane gas that you don’t fully understand. Don’t yell at your grandma for not recycling, or your best friend for buying her clothes at the mall. We’re not to blame, capitalism is. Instead of trying to tackle this thing on a personal and individual level, we need to get it at its source. Things We Can Do to Actually Help the Environment. Now that any ounce of hope you had left about saving the planet is gone, let’s talk about things that you can that will actually make a difference. Instead of throwing away $9 million dollars Americans are projected to spend on green household products in 2017, we should be putting that money towards lobbying our government. Instead of waiting in line to buy a sustainable latte, we should get on the phone with our local representatives to tell them how we feel about laws that are killing our planet. We’re not saying that you should say screw it all and start buying plastic water bottles and eating at McDonald’s again. It’s just that doing little acts of conscious

consumerism isn’t enough. Yet, it makes us feel as though we’re doing enough. That’s how we become complacent. A false sense of hope and activism is helping no one, especially not the environment. Some things that we can do to help the environment include thinking about actions on a larger scale. This could be anything from encouraging schools or your office to do file sharing instead of printing out hundreds of unnecessary papers. Start working on building a communit y garden where you and your neighbours can sustainably grow fruits and vegetables. You can also start by just simply living within your means and not buying in excess or wasting the products you do buy. Most impor t antly, we should all be working to stop harmful legislation that hurts our environment and gives incentives to large companies for producing waste. Take an hour or two out of your day to read up on your local representatives and the laws that they’re work ing on. Then gr ab your phone and start dialling. Change on a larger scale can only happen when we voice our opinions and make them heard. Next time you are about to make a sustainable purchase, think about how much you are actually doing to stop harmful corporations and terrible policies. Saving the environment doesn’t have to be difficult. Just remember—it’s not always as simple as swiping your credit card. // AERIEL MERILLAT 39

TRY FOCUSING

You can't copy Nature

Divided Consciousness

'Artist:: Brittany Dhamalie 'Neo Janes' 42

BLACK MIRROR DETAILS A TROUBLING WORLD WITHOUT OBJECTIVE REALITY

he science fiction anthology Black Mirror has garnered a great deal of attention for its grim depiction of the not-sodistant future and scathing, too-close-for-comfort social co mm e nt ar y. In to day ’s tumultuous social and political climates, each week’s strangerthan-fiction headlines seem to bring us a step closer to another one of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian futures. Sony has filed a patent for the JamesBond-esque video-recording contact lenses that capture the world through the users’ eyes like in “The Entire History of You.” A social network called ETER9 has programmed artificial intelligence to turn personalities into an algorithms that can be replicated after death like in “Be Right Back.” (Their website entices you to “become eternal.” CREEPY!) F inall y, it ’s har d n ot to s e e s h a d e s of “ T h e Wal d o Moment ”—an episode in which a crass, loudmouthed TV icon runs a farcical-turnedreal political campaign—in the recent US presidential election.

The most chilling real-life manifestation of this dark show, however, comes from “Men Against Fire.” In this episode we visit the aftermath an ambiguous, unnamed war. Cocky young soldiers root out a terrifying subhuman enemy, like Top Gun meets The Walking Dead. At least that’s what we think. We soon discover a performance-enhancing implant in every soldiers’ brain does more than give them an advantage in hitting targets and distributing military intelligence; it alters their perception of the enemy. Where the soldiers see “roaches”—gross, mutated monsters with gray flesh and jagged, gnashing teeth—there are only human beings. When one soldier’s implant malfunctions, his whole worldview comes crashing down. It’s a fascinating concept rooted in the history of warfare. Inspired by a book of the same name, the episode “Men Against Fire” reveals that in WWII, despite risking their lives and jeopardizing the fate of the world, only 15-20% of soldiers actually opened fire. The solution to this problem, we’re told, is to alter

how the s oldier s s e e their enemies. “It’s a lot easier to pull the trigger when you’re aiming at the boogie man.” The soldiers sleep easy knowing they’re saving humanity from rabid, diseased demons bent on destroying mankind. The government hasn’t bothered to take these extreme measures with ever yone, though. The v illa g e r s d o n’t h av e th e s e vision-altering implants. When they look at the “roaches,” they see people just like themselves. Their perception has been altered in a more traditional

way—with lies and propaganda. It’s an idea we can relate to. The truth is, we don’t need mind-boggling, futuristic technology to control how people think or the way they see things. Controlling a population’s perception of its enemies is a hallmark of a totalitarian government. The tactics taken by the government in this episode echo a familiar story—that of Nazi Germany. Catarina, the first enemy that our main characters Stripe sees as human, describes how she became known as a “roach.” “First, the screening program. The DNA checks. Then the register. The emergency measures. And soon everyone calls us creatures. Filthy creatures. Every voice, the TV, the computer. Say we have sickness in us. We have weakness. It’s in our blood. They say our blood cannot go on. We cannot go on.” Catarina’s words conjure familiar images from the history books. We see the horrific identification badges Jewish people were forced to wear under Nazi rule. We see the propaganda claiming that 45

Jews and other “out siders” were genetically inferior, that their presence was dangerous, and that the country would be better off without them. The parallels to the real world sadly don’t end in the past. Xenophobic sentiment has not gone any where. If anything, its voice has recently become louder as global opinions on “outsiders” repeat a common theme. Many vocal supporters o f B r ex it , D o n a l d Tr um p ’s wall, and Australia’s refugee detention camps all echo the s ame toxic idea: there are large groups of people each respective country would be better off without. Donald Trump’s famous words about Mexican immigrants are a prime example of a (prospective) world leader attempting to change the way his constituents view an entire group of people. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best...They ’re s e n din g p e o p l e th at h av e lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us . They ’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Trump tries to sell the American people on the horrible notion that the cartel criminal is somehow the average Mexican immigrant. The scary part is, it seems to be working. “Men Against Fire” is science fiction because the implants ch a n g e w h a t t h e s o l di e r s actually see. It disrupts neurological pathways, creating an “alternate” reality. The soldiers can no longer trust 46

their own eyes, but is that really so far fetched? More troubling than Trump’s attempt to change opinions and perception is the attempt to change actual facts. His administration has been called out by the media for manipulating and manufacturing information since his first day in office, from exaggerating his inauguration crowd to citing incidents and “massacres” that never happened. Trump has declared war on major news outlets— branding them “fake news,” barring them from the White House, and decrying them the “enemy of the American People.” This level of disregard for the free press is worrisome. There may be two sides to every story, but there’s only one side to a fact. There can’t be “my facts” and “your facts.” There is truth, and there are falsehoods, period. By arguing the existence of “alternative facts” and naming the people who attempt to uncover the truth as the enemy, Trump creates an “us versus them” mentality over facts. Trump has managed to undermine reality. No one can do this without our consent, however, as “Men Against Fire” explains.

THE TRUTH IS, WE DON'T NEED MIND-BOGGLING, FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY TO CONTROL HOW PEOPLE THINK OR THE WAY THEY SEE THINGS. CONTROLLING A POPULATION'S PERCEPTION OF ITS ENEMIES IS A HALLMARK OF A TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT. Just before the end of the episode, Stripe sees his consent video from when he joined the military. In the video, he agrees to have his implant installed and his mind altered. Michael Kelly, who plays the military psychologist, may as well be staring right into the camera as he describes Stripe’s complicity to the deception. “No one lied to you. You knew all of this, all along [...]We can’t just embed it and feed you a dream. Your mind would reject it. You have to accept it willingly. It’s exactly what you did.” When the truth is ugly, sometimes we’d rather not see it. We deceive ourselves. Stripe is given the choice between living with his newfound knowledge or going back and erasing what he’s learned. Like the American people, Stripe chooses ignorance. //BRANDY HASTINGS

Artist: Brittany Dhamalie 'Digital Junk