THE FOUNDER November 2021
Our Pollution Problem Has Reached Great Depths JOEL DAVIES | CONTENT WRITER
In comparison, the oil spills that are destroying our oceans are almost comically visible, despite the efforts that are made to deflect attention away from them. Massive oil spills are environmentally catastrophic, poisoning wildlife and damaging coastal communities worldwide. Images of jet-black seagulls are often swept aside by ‘greenwashed’ fossil fuel publicity campaigns which leave viewers with an ecofriendly view of oil companies. Spills are often seen as catastrophes that couldn’t be prepared for, but currently in the Red Sea, the abandoned FSO Safer tanker is threatening to create an oil spill of catastrophic proportions, threatening Yemen’s access to fish stocks, and hardly any action has been agreed upon.
I
t has become an image synonymous with environmental catastrophe – miles of open ocean, suffocated by a selection of plastic bottles and single-use bags, the centre stage taken by a sea turtle caught in a six-pack ring. This is the popular conception of the challenge Earth’s marine life is facing. As Covid-19 tests and disposable masks have been added to the image, public attention has turned to finding a solution to this crisis. However, the simplicity of this depiction must be challenged. The threat to marine life is much more complex, and we must understand it to ensure well-meaning action can be deployed effectively. The most easily overlooked menace to ocean life appears as a deceptively small issue – microplastics. These are miniscule pieces of plastic, either manufactured (such as the recently banned ‘microbeads’) or created as the result of breakdown of larger plastics. These invisible chunks end up in our seafood, our water supply, the dust around us. A recent study from the New York University School of Medicine found that these plastics have been found in the bodies of young children and babies, and they have even been found at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, raising concerns that plastic pollution permeates far beyond what we can observe floating on the surface.
Index
Fish stocks are important, as they provide the economic lifeline and main source of food for billions of people around the world. However, the consumption of these fish stocks is becoming an existential threat to ocean life too. Overfishing is a gigantic issue, leading to declines in fish populations, and destructive practices such as sea floor trawlers exterminate the seabed of all life. Fishing waste (especially discarded fishing nets and hooks) likely makes up around half of all ocean plastic, and this type of waste is one of the deadliest for endangered species. Source: Tabitha Turner
News....................................................................................2 Features................................................................................4 Opinion And Debate............................................................7 Lifestyle.............................................................................11 Arts: Arts and Culture........................................................13 Arts: Literary Review.........................................................15 Arts: Film...........................................................................18 Arts: Music.........................................................................21 Sports..................................................................................24
Continued on p.7 Malibu and coke P.5
The Reign of King Charles P.10
How Broadcasting Rights Are Killing Rugby in England P.29
2 NEWS
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Christmas Officially Begins with John Lewis’ 2021 Advert
Managing Editor Robert Matthews
E
John Lewis follows a similar structure each year, encapsulating traditional and special moments between family and friends. This year, these moments will be held in a much higher regard, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forcing friends, families, and loved ones to be apart, a time of loneliness for many. The feelings of longing for togetherness are captured and reaffirmed within the advert, providing a sense of happiness and magic, being able to experience quality time with loved ones once again. The song we hear in the background is 20-year-old Lola Young’s cover of the 1997 song ‘Together in Electric Dreams’.
Editor in Chief Abra Heritage editor@thefounder.co.uk
HARRIET WHITAKER | NEWS EDITOR
ach year we wait with bated breath for the famous John Lewis Christmas advert. This year, we are greeted with the heart-warming story of an extra-terrestrial being, named Skye, who finds friendship in a young boy, Nathan, after her spaceship crashed. Throughout the advert, entitled ‘Unexpected Guest’, Nathan visits Skye often to feed her with stolen scraps (mince pies, of course), play with her and share with her the joys of Christmas.
The Founder Board 2021 - 2022
managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk
Publishing & Creative Designer Ali Krausova designer@thefounder.co.uk
Source: Wikimedia Commons
John Lewis have previously shown off big names with their background music, with the likes of Lily Allen and her cover of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and Ellie Goulding’s cover of ‘Your Song’, an Elton John classic. Last year’s advert saw British-Jamaican singer Celeste rise to stardom, with this year’s voice Lola Young bound to follow in her footsteps. Lola attended the Brits school and had already released music prior to the advert, which are sure to acquire much more attention in the near future. The John Lewis advert is undoubtedly a fantastic opportunity for this young singer, as her cover will most definitely soar in the charts. Lola has already gained over 31,000 followers on Instagram, with many more to come. The advert doesn’t come without controversy. Twitter exploded with mixed reviews, with many praising it and claiming it ‘pulls on the heart strings once again’ (Forbes). Yet some have decided that it is hard to relate to, something that resurfaces each year. Others have hit out with racist complaints. Despite the inevitable mixed reviews, John Lewis have taken a step in a positive direction, providing a message of diversity and inclusivity for all to enjoy.
The Anatomy of Spiking DAN LE | CONTENT WRITER
Content Warning: Alcohol Spiking
O
ne of the biggest dilemmas present-day society faces is the use of spiking drugs. Simply put, these are stimuli that can cause a person to act outside their own interests or control. Main symptoms that occur from spiking include:
News Editor Harriet Whitaker
Illustrator Tabitha Turner
news@thefounder.co.uk
illustrator@thefounder.co.uk
Features Editor Sela Musa
Arts Editor Isabel West
features@thefounder.co.uk
arts@thefounder.co.uk
Opinon and Debate Editor George Woods
Literary Review Editor
opinion@thefounder.co.uk
literaryreview@thefounder.co.uk
Lifestyle Editor Cyann Fielding
Music Editor Finn Murphy
lifestyle@thefounder.co.uk
music@thefounder.co.uk
Sports Editor Oli Gent
Film Editor Tilley Bennett
sportseditor@thefounder.co.uk
Liam Elvish
film@thefounder.co.uk
The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. This means we are not affiliated to the student union or the college. We pride ourselves on our investigative journalism and aim to keep our readers up to date with news on and off campus. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editor, particularly of opinion and debate pieces. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of its stories. To book ad space in The Founder, contact our managing editor at managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk. THE FOUNDER is printed in Cambridge by Iliffe Print
NEWS 3
THE FOUNDER November 2021
• Drowsiness • Confusion
• Speech Difficulties
• Loss of consciousness
This article will dive into the science of spiking, how it can be detected, and how you can keep yourself and others around you safe. What is the science behind spiking drugs? The science of spiking drugs involves 2 main types: • Date-rape drugs
• Recreational ‘party’ drugs
Date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol (aka Roofie) and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (aka GHB) are commonly spiked in drinks, whilst Ketamine can be injected directly into the human body. Roofie comes in the form of a white tablet, whilst GHB and Ketamine can come in both liquid and powder form. Once consumed, effects kick in within 15-30 minutes that can cause symptoms lasting 4-12 hours. The danger of date-rape drugs lies in the fact that it can be odourless, colourless, and tasteless, making it hard to detect. Symptoms include relaxation, sleepiness, and trouble to control the muscles. Recreational party-drugs such as Ecstasy (aka MDMA), Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (aka LSD), and again, Ketamine can also be used to spike in drinks. Ecstasy and LSD comes in the form of a white tablet. Upon intake, victims feel the effects within 20 minutes, and can last for 1-15 hours. These drugs are a form of tranquilizers and stimulants, which can quickly put victims in hallucination trips, cause lack of concentration and comas. Post-effects can include depression, and loss of appetite.
Regarding recreational drugs, it can be harder to spot. However, there are four main signs of a drink being spiked, including: • Foggy and opaqueness in drinks • Over-bubbling in drinks
• Changed of colour in drinks • Sinking ice in drinks
How can I spot a person who’s been spiked? A person who has been spiked tends to show visible confusion, physical drowsiness, and loss of balance or control. It tends to be the case that victims are accompanied by the spiker, and if victims show signs of unconsciousness or lack of awareness or response, please accompany them, meanwhile contacting help from authorities or with surrounding people. If you suspect a person has been spiked but are conscious, stick and talk with them, do not let them go home alone, do not allow a stranger to accompany them, and do not let them drink more alcohol.
How can I keep myself and others from being spiked? Peripheral precautions such as making sure that the venue you are going to is licensed to sell alcohol, have the legal duty for your safety, and are monitored by a local authority. Physical actions include using drink stoppers and alcohol test strips. Additionally, do not accept drinks from strangers, always keep your drink attended, avoid overdrinking, stick together as a group or with a friend, and do shots instead of drinks. It is with great sadness that I have to write an article on this topic, as it should not occur in the first place. Whilst education on how to detect spiking is crucial, genuine positive change comes from perpetrators of spiking being held to account.
How can I spot a drink being spiked? Specifically, for daterape drugs, Roofie has since been produced so that a blue colour will be released when spiked into a drink.
Source: Mishal Ibrahim on Unsplash
COP26: Climate Action at Its Best or Plain Confusing? ANANYA KRISHNA | CONTENT WRITER
T
he COP26 conference is well underway but not without its flaws. There has been confusion about who is attending, why, and general concerns about what is being accomplished. Here is our short guide to everything that has happened at the conference. The most notable absence is Xi Jinping, the President of China, which is currently the largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally. Vladimir Putin is also absent due to worries over travelling during COVID, even though Russia is the fifth leader in greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst both leaders have sent officials in their places, and Russia has approved a climate strategy on 1st November, their absence has not gone unnoticed. President Joe Biden has recently called both nations out for ‘walking away’ from ‘a gigantic issue’ such as climate is a ‘big mistake’. Carrying on from that, Biden has commented on the lack of contribution China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia have played in the talks so far. These countries, namely Russia, prefer staying silent about climate issues.
Additionally, it discounts both countries' work before the event, Russia's approved climate strategy aside, China announced its aim to hit peak emission before 2030 and aim for carbon neutrality by 2060 in September. Both nations have pledged to reverse deforestation, with China also agreeing to create new rules to found markets of new technologies that will reduce, for example, the usage of coal in making steel, thus reducing the price of greener, cleaner technology.
Other large emitters in the world have also taken the initiative in setting goals for lowering carbon emissions and pledging to make their nations greener. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has developed the most ambitious net-zero emissions target by 2070. Whilst this has received backlash for being two decades later than the Paris Agreement had planned, it is still impressive considering India is fourth in its carbon emissions, producing around 2,597 megatons of carbon dioxide each year. The USA, second on the carbon emissions leader board, is issuing rules to cut methane emissions from both energy and agriculture, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. Richer countries aim to move finances around to focus on achieving netzero by changing to more renewable forms of energy with a controlled budget of 130 trillion dollars.
The year to keep an eye on is 2030 to see if these initiatives and targets are met or on track. Whilst it is easy to reduce these goals as empty words and promises, we should remember that this summit and all that is What these comments do not account for is, of course, the work being discussed is a form of accountability. of the officials sent by Russia and Fellow world leaders are holding Jinping and Putin accountable for their absences China, as well as Putin's virtual appearance for the talk on forest and demonstrating their concerns at India's seemingly impossible goal. Still, they are management in the first week. there, talking and listening and understanding that no country is perfect at creating enduring policies that will help our Earth.
4 FEATURES
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The Male Gaze SELA MUSA | FEATURES EDITOR
Content Warning: Sexual Harassment
I
n literature, art, visual media, and other cinematographic outlets, the male gaze is the visual positioning of women as an ‘object of heterosexual male desire,’ (2016, The Conversation). In real life, it is the keeping your head glued down towards the pavement so as not to hold the few too-many seconds of eye contact that burns through you by a passer-by. It is men with their hands on the wheel and their eyes off the road, slowly rotating their heads as the car drives past you on the residential road that you walk to get to your lecture. It is the tugging at the hem of your skirt, the trying to pull your top both up and down simultaneously in the hopes of it covering more skin, when the figure walking in the opposite direction starts to take the shape of a male form. All in vain, they know where to pierce their stares anyway, and how to make you walk the rest of your journey home with an unsettling feeling of guilt and deservingness that you cannot quite untangle. It is the punishment for feeling confident, feeling attractive. You do not feel like feeling those things afterwards.
BBC News reports that incidents of sexual harassment reports on public transport have increased by 63% across the UK compared to pre-pandemic times. This is just those that have gone reported, and it is estimated that around 80% of rapes and sexual assault cases go unreported, (2018, Brennan Center). This is not new information – it is not a new topic. This has been discussed for some time now and many (most likely men) may be feeling frustrated with this ‘hot topic’ that so often makes them men feel guilty for being men. No, it is not all men, and the narrative should not be framed around morally convicting all men. But it is all women. It is all women. There is a reason that you do not know a woman who does not know of another woman that has not been sexually harassed. I do not know one woman who has not been catcalled or been beeped at. I do not know one woman who has not had a man kind of innocently graze their back as they try to get past them in the club. And that last case – it most likely is innocent. But that is the whole point. It has become so normalised to touch a woman in everyday contexts, harmlessly, innocently, that men could not possibly comprehend how abnormal that is. Of course, most men do not understand the problems with grazing your back as they try to get past you in a club. Of course, they feel frustrated when they are told that they have just contributed to the problem. Those people simply cannot relate to the feeling of being inside a body, your literal only shell, that others feel like they can just touch. And they do.
Just a hand at the bottom of your back, a thank you with a light graze of the arm. All harmless, so harmless! But why are you touching me? Why are you touching me? Why are you touching me? No, I am not arrogant. I am not being rude. I am not being unfriendly or over the top.
It is a very strange feeling to know that your body, the literal thing that you are, cannot protect you. No, it is not all men. But it is all women.
Source: The Harvard Crimson
‘I listen to a lot of true crime’
RUBY EASTON | CONTENT WRITER
F
ascination with murder is by no means a modern trait. Look to any form of storytelling in history and you will find tales upon tales marred with homicide, grizzly and graphic. However, it would be difficult not to notice the surge of interest in the macabre in recent years, particularly relating to an area of media known as true crime. This genre gives us a window into the grotesque, displaying genuine human stories tangled with psychology and puzzle-solving in neat podcast, video, or written format.
While documentaries on the subject are certainly still commonplace and widely consumed, the true crime phenomenon is also unique in the way it has become colloquial. Countless videos on YouTube contain makeup tutorials combined with the retelling of a rampant serial killer or the details of a mysterious cold case, bookended by Ads and sponsorships, of course. In a way, true crime is like a twisted form of gossip, we expect the details: names, times, locations, all while enjoying the stories in a casual setting.
FEATURES 5
THE FOUNDER November 2021 However, if you prefer your true crime highbrow, this content is readily available too. Murder at its classiest. Funding, precise narration, and interviews citing how ‘charming’ future serial killers were or how murder victims used to ‘light up a room’ are so common they have their own set of cliches. All of this, eventually, leads to the ultimate question: Is there an ethical way to enjoy murder?
Hazel Wright from Portland State University posits that true crime may be morally sound on the grounds that it fulfils the following six standards: Well-researched, clear, humanizing, non-sensationalist, non-glorifying, and socially aware. These factors sound reasonable, logical, and fair. They also seem to describe almost none of the popular true crime entertainment available. In fact, sensationalism and glorification could be argued as the cornerstone of the media. Humanising sounds more within grasp until you face the harassment of the victims’ families and the speculation about their lives and potential involvement that seems to spike with every case. The victims themselves often have their humanness put on trial. Were they innocent enough? Did they fight back? Should they have seen the red flags a mile away?
Even if a piece of media managed to fit these criteria (though you may be hard-pressed to find one which does) does this take away from the fact that we are essentially consuming grief? If you clean up a crime scene do you drop the charges? None of this is to say that those who watch this content are without morals in any way, nor is it to say that they intend any harm by sharing theories or discussing the potential motives of the killers. True crime enthusiasts have many explanations for their morbid enjoyment including escapism, a sense of justice, and the process of engaging with that which they fear. As stated at the beginning of this article, fascination with murder is by no means something new, in actuality, it is all rather human.
Malibu and Coke ABRA HERITAGE | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Content Warning: Alcohol Spiking
I
t’s 10:30pm and you’re giggling with your flatmate on the walk to the party a couple of doors away. Sure, you’re not entirely certain whether the laughs are pure nerves or genuine excitement, but it’s kind of fun anyway. An hour later and any anxieties have been numbed by the Malibu and Coke in your hand. Hallelujah for the drink of all 18-year-old girls across the UK, it’s served us well for a while now. A few swigs from a bottle of indescribable red liquid passed around and now you’re ready to tell everyone that you love them. Oh, God. Really need to finally break the seal. Leaving the remnants of your coconut concoction on the side, you dash upstairs to the bathroom with your mate. Of course, it’s not quite a night out without a good 10 minutes spent in the bathroom promising to be each other’s maids of honours in years to come, and you’re feeling more validated than ever when you step back into the overcrowded mass of Lynx Africa boys. You blame your early swaying on being a lightweight that only ate a crumpet before going out. Besides, it’s nice having the attention on you. People ask if you’re having a good time as they laugh over Kayne West’s blasts from the far-too-loud speaker. In all honesty, you’re not really sure how much of a good time you’re having. You don’t normally feel so trashed before the morning hits, and it’s weird how self-aware you are of your drunken stupidity. One final embarrassment of falling across the floor, drink in hand, and you’re ready to call it a night. ‘Let’s get out of here’. The walk back is the worst part. ‘God, I’m really not feeling great’. ‘Let’s order food’. Your eyes won’t focus as you look down at your phone screen to see what delights are available at 2am. ‘I think I’m really gone’. You manage to stab at the screen for an order of chips, before falling into your flat’s kitchen. It’s getting bad now. The stairs up to your room are moving with you, carrying you back and forth. Your whole body shakes and jerks. It’s screaming at you to help. What can you do but fall into bed and hope this drunken spell passes? Even lying down hurts. The boys come in, laughing at the state of you. ‘You guys really went all out, huh?’ You laugh with them, but it feels wrong. ‘How much did you drink?’ You look at each other confused, it really makes no sense how hammered you are.
You can’t find the part of your brain that allows you to reply. Then the sickness hits. Your whole body heaves to rid itself of the poison. 10 minutes pass, then another 10. ‘This isn’t normal’. More laughs from the boys. Sweaty and shivering all at once. Your body’s ignoring you. Heartbeat in your head. ‘Let’s get you guys some water’. It doesn’t help.
Are you going to feel like this forever? It’s been hours since your last drink. Your friend drunkenly mumbles what you really didn’t want to have to believe. ‘I think we’ve been spiked’. This is followed by a roar of laughter from the boys. They rub your backs, tell you to get some sleep and stay hydrated. Now it’s just the two of you. Then the tears start. Salty drops of sheer panic, anger, sickness. Google doesn’t help. Why had you never been taught about this? Sure, there were the warnings of keeping your drink covered from overprotective aunts and grans, but what happens when that fails? What happens when it’s too late to protect yourself? There’s the woman on the line, answering from the 111 call. She asks pointless questions. You’re going to throw up again. ‘Try to stay with me, just a few more answers and we can help you’. Then there’s the confirmation, the ambulance on its way. ‘It’s likely something was put in your drinks, girls’. ‘Don’t move unless you have to’. ‘Stay with each other’. ‘Keep drinking water’. Great.
The next morning. The poison continues to pump through your blood stream. It hurts to move. The boys return. ‘Recovered, ladies?’. You want to thrash out, to scream, to cry. You sit still instead. The rest of the day is an almost return to normality. Why hasn’t there been uproar about what happened to you? They’ll all forget in a day or two. It will be flat gossip for a while until it’s boring. You try not to hate yourself for not getting a blood test done, for not asking around with others at the party, for not causing a fuss. It’s easier this way.
Source: StockSnap
6 FEATURES
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Hanging but Hungry, Huh?
MOLLY AINLEY | CONTENT WRITER
T
ravelling to Staines, or even London when you are hungover is not ideal. But, when hungover, there are limited cures: one being food. Have you ever laid in bed starving? Before I sound too much like a ‘how to’ ad, I will simply get to the point: where are the best places to eat in Egham? Provided to you via my experience, google reviews and rumours on the street. Firstly, let’s start with breakfast:
Lastly, for that little bit extra we have The Barley Mow pub in Englefield. This is where class meets accessibility and value. There is a split so-to-speak in the building, but this gives you choice: whether you want a cosy pub or high-class restaurant it is up to you. The food is so refreshing compared to the Uber Eats standard we hold, after all the lockdowns we experienced we warrant the experience of eating at places like this. We deserve it. You deserve it. Not to mention they do seasonal cocktails, so you could just hair-of-the-dog your hangover and do it all over again. Also, with Christmas approaching, you could book a table and enjoy Christmas foods, and beautiful cocktails, and make memories with your flatmates.
The Golden Café, although very much dominated by workers in their breakfast rush, their food is the kind of greasy you dream of. It is also on food delivery apps, which makes it super accessible, and creates an easiness hungover me could only ever imagine of. With an average of 4.5 stars on google reviews, and it being one of most used breakfast cafes I know, it is worth it.
For more breakfast options I think we should turn to Uber eats, Deliveroo, and such. There is nothing worse than awakening to a disgusting hangover and then knowing you need to leave into society and be semipresentable, you need time to ready yourself for the day, you need time to convince yourself to leave your house, and you need time to prepare to simply exists, which is why having places like Burger King (their nuggets do not compare to McDonald’s, please do not try and convince me otherwise) and cafes like Café Nero and Costa to our disposal leads to joy and happiness and recovery only. Next up, lunch!
Really lunch and dinner morph into one, or you snack until you hold enough strength and willpower for proper food.
While you could turn to easy places, you could also treat yourself. Your organs deserve the best. Especially if you have put them through hell and back.
The Rose & Crown is a personal favourite, mainly because their food brings me joy, and their pub-feel and outside seating, with heaters galore, brings me back to home and reminds me of the kind of pubs I visit with my home friends or would go to with my mum. There is home in the air. The Packhorse is similar in that regard, there were so many little events I attended in my first year which took place at The Packhorse, that it drips in memories, and sentiment. Also, the sweet potato fries are magical, and will cure any hangover I experience.
Source: Muddy Stilettos
THE FOUNDER November 2021
OPINION AND DEBATE 7
Capitalism is the Economical Axe on Rainforests EMILY RODRIGUES | CONTENT WRITER
A
s the COP26 meeting in Glasgow begins its proceedings, it is imperative to consider how the environmental concerns discussed are multifaceted with the topic of deforestation requiring some muchneeded precedence. It continues to be a concern of mass uncertainty and a threat to multiple species and environments. However, it has never been and never will be an issue that exists independently to humanity’s own actions, especially in regard to the strengthened prominence of capitalism. Deforestation is a result of logging, livestock farming, mining, and drilling for precious minerals or materials. This may initially seem beneficial to the economy of a country, but the consequences are dire. The industries involved are not as environmentally conscious in terms of sustainability as they should be and therefore are causing significant damage to landscapes. The cyclical relationship of demand, supply, and consumption has completely rejected the concept of utilising or collecting resources in moderation in favour of economic superiority. Materialism has become a driving force for excess deforestation as society hides behind the bittersweet facade of progressive technological development.
These anthropogenic forces have caused issues for other communities too. Namely and fairly recognisably, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil is known for its abundance of different species of flora and fauna. The Karipuna, an indigenous community living in the Amazon rainforest, have created a longstanding history and home in Brazil but are threatened by deforestation removing their home. According to Greenpeace, since 2019, 11,000 hectares of Karipuna indigenous land has been destroyed by illegal logging and land-grabbers. This is roughly equivalent to 27,170 football pitches. However, through mitigating actions of their own, they are fighting against the negligence of the Brazilian government that has seen developers harming the rainforest. Their way of life is not influenced by capitalism like the USA (a technologically progressive country) but instead, influenced by their cultural and historical traditions situated amongst the rainforest. Notably, with brands such as Cadbury, there is some initial progress with sustainability and awareness of the damages of deforestation. According to Cadbury’s website, since 2012, they have sustainably sourced their cocoa through Cocoa Life in order to primarily promote the conservation of forests. However, not all companies are encouraged by this prospect, so deforestation still occurs at a rapid rate with 17% of the Amazon rainforest.
Unsurprisingly, the consequences are a relentless danger to wildlife. This is because of the looming presence of global warming that is worsened by the disruption of the carbon and water cycles two collaborative processes that require trees. According to National Geographic, the tree (canopy) is environmentally beneficial because, with limited disruption, it can be responsible for 23% of climate mitigation. This is one of the eminent issues documented in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The astonishing levels of extinction that are contributing to the biodiversity crisis in multiple areas of the world is anathema to countless countries who utilise deforestation as economical revenue. As a species that depends on quite simply a place to live, why are we not as concerned about capitalism’s impact on other species' way of life?
Source: Biofriendly Planet
Continued from front page This is not an extensive list either. Mercury is a huge ocean polluter, released as a toxic runoff from unregulated mining operations. Pesticides and fertilisers often find their way into oceans, and the raw sewage discharged into UK rivers will join them too. Without considering the effects of these forms of pollution on ocean life, and the health of our population, we are only tackling a tiny portion of the disaster facing our planet.
To hold large polluters to account it is essential that we understand the multiplicity of pollution sources that exist, rather than falling into the trap of solely individual responsibility. A focus on large, often recyclable plastic waste allows the window of responsibility to be shifted towards the public and allows state and corporate polluters to wash their hands of accountability. It is essential that we keep our litter out of the oceans, but futile to only focus on that while large actors fill the seas with toxic pollutants and other, less visible harbingers of marine destruction.
8 OPINION AND DEBATE ‘This is not leadership’: Why Greta Thunberg is Right
THE FOUNDER November 2021
This is why it is so dire to see our government pay such little attention to such an impactful fragment of modern history. Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed business leaders It is difficult navigating conferences and from across the world during meetings of this high level of importance a Global Investment Summit whilst we’re still dealing with the effects ANANYA KRISHNA | during October. During of COVID-19, but equally we have to CONTENT WRITER this speech he discussed acknowledge the impact of the pandemic advances in vaccines and when discussing climate change. We all OP26 has been the centre of medicine relating to the grew up hearing about the polar bears most news outlets attention for coronavirus pandemic, standing on sole melting icecaps and of it presents a precarious balance in however he also prefaced forest fires devasting the natural habitats opinions on its relevance. On the this self-aggrandising boast of millions of animals. How can we hold one hand, this is the conference with a comment on not yet on to this Earth so dearly and shove the which led to the Kyoto Protocol having a cure for AIDS. For inevitable threat of climate change out of and negotiations on the Paris clarification, AIDS is not a sight? It’s an extreme case of completing virus and therefore cannot be Agreement, yet this absence of some an essay the night before, only in this The result of inadequate leadership in this world leaders - especially China case it, you won’t be able to solve all scenario is a bubbling frustration from the world’s vaccinated against, but HIV is and can be, which is what and Russia – render this year’s our climate issues the night before the population. What can we do except beg and plead the Prime Minister should conference almost redundant. world changes. There is no deadline and them to take it seriously? We have no power, no for some reason that is difficult for world means to shake them awake to the reality before us have said. Instead, he threw a comically large spanner leaders to understand. all. If they remain ignorant, Greta Thunberg will in the works and shot down This comes at a time when China How can we trust them to lead us properly remain correct: this is not leadership. decades of headway with a is reported as the world’s largest then? I move on to the point Greta single sentence. It is almost greenhouse gas emitter and while Thunberg raised on Friday in Glasgow: commendable. All artistic questions about the President, Xi Another famous example and, perhaps, ‘Change is not going to come from inside and cultural progress in Jinping, absences have been met the most recognisable is that of Freddie there. That is not leadership - this is challenging the AIDS stigma with a diplomatic response on his Mercury, immortalised in 2018’s Oscarleadership’. How can world leaders who amounts to nothing when it presence would have been welcome, winning Bohemian Rhapsody. This film have not grown up with this information has been crudely dismantled but they can manage without him. demonstrates contemporary attitudes and images of polar bears, fires, and by one careless action. Xi Jinping has sent officials in his to AIDS that Mercury could have only animals dying know how to lead us? place to the conference, yet is this dreamed about when he passed. The illness We want action, not ‘blah blah blah’, as enough? Jinping set a target for is portrayed as destructive and life-changing Thunberg once said. Since it is Johnson’s own China to peak in emission in 2030 while not being stigmatised as something government who should and reach net xero by 2060 which is derogatory, the film is still powerful and be championing the dawn a decade after the Paris Agreement he first of December marks World uplifting at its close and the mention of of the HIV Action Plan, target of 2050. Moving on to AIDS Day 2021, a day of remembering AIDS only enhances this. A literary example that is three years behind Russia, the fourth largest leader in those who lost their fight against AIDS and of AIDS being recognised as an aspect of schedule, it is unspeakably greenhouse emission. Vladimir Putin celebrating their lives and the staggering normal life is Alan Hollinghurst’s Man damning that he cannot cancelled plans to attend due to fears medical advances in curing this illness. 2021 Booker winning novel, The Line of Beauty. even differentiate between around COVID, which is fair except The protagonist of this novel is openly gay also marks the 40th anniversary of the first the two. The irrefutable for when it gambles with the future recognised AIDS cases being discovered in and loses his first sexual partner to AIDS absence of thoughtfulness of the planet. the USA. Indeed, the UK government is still towards the end of the novel; however, and compassion vilifies this while other characters exhibit homophobic aiming to end new HIV transmissions by government in the eyes of behaviour the actual approach Hollinghurst 2030 with their HIV Action Plan, however the LGBTQIA+ community employs to discuss AIDS is so blasé and the lack of government media coverage and it will be deservedly reassuringly casual. Undeniably, it is a and funding for this ultimatum shows that challenging for Johnson to they are not quite as close to treating AIDS harrowing and poignant depiction yet the win back an iota of respect novel itself caused very little controversy and HIV with the respect and concern they from a group that has faced in Britain when it was published in 2004, so much and been given such deserve. showing the inspiring progress that had little from those who owe it been made to establish AIDS as an ordinary most. illness. Yet again, Channel 4’s miniseries, AIDS has received a growing limelight within It’s a Sin, has been a recent driving force media since it was first diagnosed. The infamy in getting people to understand and donate it took on was initially garnered through to AIDS research, even tech giant Apple influential figures passing away from the syndonates a portion of profits made from drome; Michel Foucault was the first public selling red iPhones to Product(RED), an figure to die by complications surrounding DANIEL PEPIN | AIDS charity. AIDS in France, in 1984. CONTENT WRITER
C
T
The HIV Action Plan Needs Urgent Government Attention
What is leadership then? Leadership is being proactive, and it is about listening as well as leading. World leaders are nothing without the people they represent, and power is a doubleedged sword – you can have the power that comes with representing your people but if you don’t listen to your people, they will hold you accountable. At the end of the day, leadership is a responsibility, it requires sacrifice which means that you can’t let your own personal ideas cloud your decisions because at the end of the day. You aren’t representing just you; you are representing everyone. Our world leaders have not shown the initiative or motivation needed in such a crisis, not to the levels seen with the likes of Sir David Attenborough, who has recently been calling, ahead of the COP26 conference, for more people and world leaders to take the climate crisis more seriously.
THE FOUNDER November 2021
OPINION AND DEBATE 9
Is The British Monarchy Outdated? AELIYA RAZVI | CONTENT WRITER
T
he British Monarchy is a system that has lasted for years beyond many of its counterparts. As time has gone on, the need for a monarchy has dwindled, with many countries, such as Russia, even entirely removing their royal figures from power. Despite this the British Royal Family has persevered with an overpowering force, not even crumbling during some of their lowest and most controversial moments. Does this mean that the monarchical system is still suited to the modern era? While it seems at first glance that the British Royal Family have proven that a monarchy can adapt to the 21st century while being a centuries old system, a historical analysis of what they themselves represent versus what they are supposed to represent shows us that that it can be argued that is not the case. The monarchy is supposed to be the head of state, and while the Queen holds that title the reality of the situation is that all legislative power lies with the elected parliament. The emergence of democracy in the running of a country challenges the very notion of monarchy which relies on pre-destined Kings and Queens who were believed to be chosen by God.
The Royal Family also has a legacy that goes back hundreds of years and while some people may see this as a benefit, this means it is tainted for many people by the British empirical past. Britain’s colonial past was figure headed by the head of state, so to then have this figurehead continuing to rule in a country with increasing diaspora from those previous colonies can age the monarchy in the view of the public. Due to the monarchy being a system which allowed this to happen, racist ideals are naturally still a part of it as that is the foundation they were built on and those foundations had never been challenged. Therefore, when the Royal Family were finally faced with changing these ideals that they as an institution had held for so long, with Princess Diana’s radical approach to charity or Meghan Markle’s being married into the family, it was inevitable that they would not be able to adjust.
These factors culminate in the ultimate detachment of the Royal Family from the common public that they are supposed to be representing and leading. The move for leadership to be more representative is shown in the demands for parliament to become more diverse. The fact that the Royal family has not been able to adjust to these demands shows us that this system that is supposed to epitomise Britain’s values and legacy, has failed to move with us towards the future.
The Cool Girl and Internalized Misogyny KENZA GARMZI | CONTENT WRITER
‘ Source: Wikimedia
Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl’, Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl.
I’m not like other girls, a trope more commonly used in literature and film, primarily written by men, when they’re not creative enough to assemble an interesting character development arc for the female protagonist.
It’s something that as a woman I especially remember being prevalent and even going as far as trying to conform to. Trying to navigate a misogynistic society which mocks stereotypical teen girl interests such as having interests in fashion, makeup, and the colour pink was especially hard and many girls tried to find comfort and power in being ‘different from other women’, suggesting that most women are inherently inferior and to be respected, you must be different. This is one of the larger social implications of ostracizing women for having stereotypical feminine interests.
I was first introduced to the concept of the ‘other girl’ through films growing up such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 10 Things I Hate About You. They both indulge in the ‘cool girl’ trope which you could say birthed the ‘I’m not like other girls’ narrative. In both, the romantic lead gets the man’s attention through their quirky interests and boyish charm which separates them from their girly counterparts, thus making them ‘more attractive’. This narrative has subsequently been dismissed in recent years as problematic for a number of reasons. It can have effects on how women view themselves and try to ‘adapt’ to fit this narrative to fit the idea of the ‘male gaze’. One of the main reasons why this trope is damaging is that it encourages internalized misogyny within women. Nina Cherry of UMKC Women's Centre defines internalised misogyny as ‘when women subconsciously project sexist ideas onto other women and even onto themselves’. It makes women view not only themselves as inferior due to their gender but also other women, particularly those who confirm to typical female interests. When girly or feminine women are portrayed as weak, ditzy, or shallow in the media, it makes the women who consume it believe that they will be perceived as such too.
The degradation of women for having interests that don’t appeal to men is inherently misogynistic as it promotes the idea that women, without being desirable to men, are unworthy of respect. Women should exist as humans, not as whatever they choose to enjoy. The problem lies with the pressure to adhere to the social standards placed upon us by men in media. I am like other girls, other girls are like other girls, women are all unique individuals who don’t exist in a bubble of how the media chooses to categorise them.
10 OPINION AND DEBATE
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The Reign of King Charles
GEORGE WOODS | OPINION AND DEBATE EDITOR
T
o a nation’s horror and surprise, the 22nd October brought us the news that the Queen, a living representation of stability and continuity, had been admitted to hospital for precautionary measures. While the Queen returned back to her palace, her trip to Glasgow was cancelled. Old age, it seems, is responsible. While everyone wishes her well, a spectre has begun to emerge on the horizon and with it a series of questions. That spectre is King Charles III. Much controversy has courted the Prince of Wales. Diana. Camilla. His political views, or lack thereof. His affair during his marriage. His relationship with his second son. While much has been made of these in books, films, and plays little has had much impact as Netflix’s The Crown. With it brought a negative representation of our future king. Josh O’Connor’s portrayal shows us a dark side to the prince. His character flagrantly disregards his wife and punishingly bullies her. The real Charles is at the mercy of these portrayals in a way that the younger royals are not. While Harry and Meghan can show a different side to themselves through their youth and more ‘in-touch’ nature, Charles simply cannot. He was brought up to be a future king, and like his mother he is naturally detached from the younger generation. But what does this mean? In the long term, it will cast a shadow far and wide. The Crown has captured public imagination like no other royal drama has. People feel connected to the monarchy, and the monarch. Diana, so amazingly portrayed by Emma Corrin, reminded young and old of the memory of the real Princess of Wales. The resentment The Crown’s Diana felt towards Charles is shared with the audience, and so too is the ill feeling directed towards the real Prince of Wales.
Source: Getty Images
It is in this context that the accession of King Charles will occur. The reign of his mother has marked a period of national growth for our nation. We have gone from Empire to modern nation state. The foremost superpower in the world to a nation battling for significance as the democratization sweeps the earth. For Charles, his reign will be less significant. Already 72, the new King will not lead a reign as long as his mother and will likely be less noteworthy. However, in one essential sense it might. The death of Queen Elizabeth will mark a period of self-reflection for this nation. We will see how we have changed and who we are. This will only be exacerbated while we find a national political identity outside of Europe. And surely it will be asked: is it time to throw away the monarchy? With all the controversy with Harry and Meghan, Charles and Diana, Edward VIII, and a litany of other failures, does it really contribute to national life? The public are unsympathetic to our next king. Maybe he will be known as King Charles the Last.
Source: Tabitha Turner
LIFESTYLE 11
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Seven Tips for Overcoming Gym Fear ANNA MORENO | CONTENT WRITER
W
e have all been there. You walk into the gym for the first time, motivated to finally start working out like you told yourself you would at the start of the month, when it dawns on you that you do not particularly know what you are doing. And people; there are lots of people. And they seem very, very sure of what they are doing. Suddenly, you feel a little anxious and start questioning your decision to try going in the first place.
3. Grab Some Weights and Find a Nice Quiet Spot
Sometimes you may feel that there are always eyes on you. Firstly, this is not true. Everyone is too focused on their own workouts, so nobody will be paying attention to what you are doing. If you do end up feeling overwhelmed by the people around you, especially if your gym is quite busy, you can take some of the weights with you to another room or section where you can get a little more privacy. 4. Use the Machine Diagrams
Each machine in the gym will usually come with an attached diagram that demonstrates how to use them. They may also label which muscle group the machine targets. You will notice that even gym pros will use them as a refresher.
Going to the gym for the first time can be very daunting. Here are some tips that may reduce some of that gym anxiety, so that you can ignore 5. Avoid Peak Times those feelings of doubt and begin to feel comfortable. The busiest times in the gym are usually in the evening. If you want a bit more space and privacy, try going in the morning or late 1. Invest in the Right Gym at night if it is safe to do so. Wear Fashion can be a great motivator. Whether it is a pair of Gymshark leggings or a sports top from M&S, feeling confident in what you wear can add a lot to your workouts. You will feel great mentally and choosing the correct material of clothing will provide a lot more comfort physically. 2. Plan Your Workout Beforehand
Googling some beginner workouts and making a note of what you want to do at the gym can go a long way. It will help to reduce some of that anxiety where you may think ‘I have no idea where to start’, and it will also keep you from standing around looking lost and confused.
6. Take a Gym Tour
Some gyms offer virtual tours of their facilities, which you can freely navigate to see how the building is laid out. Knowing where everything is can reduce some of the stress and confusion you may feel when you arrive. 7. Go with a Friend
Going with a friend can make the experience a lot less stressful, and you can motivate each other along the way. You can even stay together and do the same workouts. It can create a lot of fun memories and laughs, and this way, you may feel less afraid of being alone.
Hopefully, some of these tips may help to ease some of that first-time gym anxiety. Remember, there is no pressure to start lifting as heavy as possible or running on the treadmill for hours. Focus on what you want to achieve and do what you are comfortable with.
Gym Anxiety Friendly Workouts Weighted Sit Up
MAHEEN SHARIFF | CONTENT WRITER
G
oing to the gym is healthy.
As a statement, this sounds like it is factual, right? Studies show that working out regularly means better cardiovascular health and helps the body digest food more effectively. It is wonderful for stress release as well as releasing ‘feel good’ hormones known as endorphins. Most of these benefits are general knowledge, however there is also a part of working out that is much less talked about known as ‘gym anxiety’. This concept describes when individuals feel overwhelmed or anxious at the gym, and it has multiple causes. It may be due to the amount of people that are in the gym, which undoubtedly can sometimes be overwhelming. Alternatively, it could be due to the number of machines there are, another intimidating factor on occasions. It can be hard to know what to do and how to use gym equipment if no one ever explained it, but that is OK! Especially as a beginner gym goer who wants to improve their physical and/or mental health but does not know where to begin, it is so easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. In an attempt to ease these stress levels, here are some workout ideas that are so simple, yet so effective. They are perfect for busy gyms and require very little equipment. If you cannot find any weights available, all of these exercises are still doable. They are also home friendly. Simply use a milk carton or water bottle instead of a dumbbell and you are good to go. So, grab a mat and weight, and use these exercises if ever that gym anxiety kicks in.
With your weight of choice, lie on your back but with your legs upright, and hold the weight above your head. Then, as you go to sit up, make sure the weight stays above your head. Lastly, bring the weight down in front of your knees before going back down to your original position. This exercise is fantastic because it works upper arm muscles as well as your abdominals, which for a busy gym where the machines are all in use, is wonderful. A top tip is to do less sets, but go slowly, so you really feel the burn and are less likely to accidentally injure yourself too. Using a weight makes the workout more intense, so if you cannot use a machine, this works just as well. Weighted Pulse Squats
Squatting works your quads and glutes. Squatting with a weight works them even harder. To then hold that pose and pulse up and down for five seconds before standing upright again absolutely kills. Instead of using a machine or if you perhaps find the bar squats intimidating, this is a great way to feel the muscles work even as a beginner. Sally Up Sally Down Challenge
Lastly, the Sally Up Sally Down Challenge. The challenge that makes you wish you never found it in the first place, but simultaneously makes you feel immensely proud you completed it. On YouTube, find the ‘Sally Up Sally Down Challenge’. It is a squat challenge, in which for approximately 4 minutes you are squatting up and down, and occasionally holding the position as well. This may sound easy but do not be fooled; the next day you will be groaning up Egham Hill.
12 LIFESTYLE
THE FOUNDER November 2021
• Walk around Virginia Lake London is on our campus’ and Windsor doorstep. Approximately Great Park thirty minutes on the train, Similar to the first a day trip to London could but a little further act as a post-assignment from campus is To conclude, it is important to emphasise treat at the weekend. Once Virginia Lake and here that exercise should not be a chore. in London, your options Windsor Great Park. Exercising should be done to make you are endless and all down Both these locations feel good. If you feel more comfortable to personal preference. include endless going on a dog walk than doing the Perhaps research before walking and cycling workouts above, do that instead. going what you would routes and different Whatever makes you and your body feel like to do – this could be picturesque locations its best is what you should be doing. It as simple as visiting Hyde to explore. With the is okay sometimes to feel anxious about Park or maybe a bit quirkier ruins, Harry Potter going to the gym, but it is important to like visiting Mina Lima, the filming locations, polo remember everybody starts somewhere. graphic designers of Harry club, and multiple As long as you feel good and confident Potter and Fantastic Beasts, coffee stops, no walk about yourself afterwards, you are doing or heading to the Charles around Virginia Lake everything right. Dickens Museum. or Windsor Great Park will ever be • Windsor Day Trip the same. If you are If you do not fancy walking all feeling ambitious, the way to Windsor, it is also very why not head along easy and affordable to get the bus the Long Mile. Being there. Windsor is a great place to approximately ten explore, with a castle to visit and kilometres to Windsor shops galore. With Highstreet and back walking, it shops such as Zara and H&M, it is easy under foot and is a great local place to achieve makes a great day out a little bit of retail therapy. In – where ultimately addition, there are multiple places you will end up near to eat, including posh restaurants Windsor Castle where and if you feel like it, clubs, and you can do some CYANN FIELDING | bars. Let us be honest, Windsor shopping or have a LIFESTYLE EDITOR suffices more than one day trip lunch date. • utumnal Walk over the course of your degree. Around Campus This may sound pointed, but we It works as a wonderful finishing exercise for one last burn before you head home for the day. It is also perfect for a busy gym, or if you are a beginner and want to build up some strength before you take on any heavier machines.
• London Trip
Things to do this Autumn and Winter Near RHUL’s Campus
A
If you are in third year and have not yet done this, you have no excuse not to now. Campus offers some great walks through its woodlands, around Founders building, field and quads, and even inside the building to the chapel, picture gallery, and reading room. Founders building was made for this time of year with autumnal leaves contributing to a cosy feel despite the temperatures dropping. Whether you wish to go by yourself or take a friend and snap some photos, the walks across campus are endless and a great way to get some fresh air and a break from uni work.
are all in the same boat. Whether you keep saying you will go to Caspari in Englefield Green or check out the bars in Egham town, why do you not just get on with doing them? There are so many places to eat, have alcoholic drinks, or have a coffee within a ten minutes’ walk from campus that there is no excuse to not do them when you have no other idea of what to do on a Saturday afternoon. To give you some inspiration here is a list of places to check out: -Eating: Caspari, Belleni, Cups, Polow
-Drinking: Bar 163, Foresters Arms, Barley Mow -Coffee/Breakfast: The Boilerhouse, Eggham on Toast
The Realities of Living in a Student House REBECCA DE SÁ | CONTENT WRITER
I
f your university experience, so far, feels like someone has suddenly hit the fast forward button – then you are not in the minority. You have pretty much been chucked into the scary world of adulting, where words like budgeting, mealprep, and meetings have become part of your
• Top Golf
Only a short drive from campus is the very fun ‘Top Golf’. Top Golf is where you get a booth at a driving range – but it is a driving range with a twist. You must aim your golf ball at different targets to gain different amounts of points. What is even better is you can order food and drinks whilst attempting to hit your golf balls as far as possible. It is also just as affordable as a tame night out at the SU.
Living in a house adds a whole new dimension to your friendships so make sure that you choose people that you know you get on with and are comfortable with. You can get away with avoiding your flatmates in accommodation, but in a house, there is no hiding away. Ultimately, running a house is difficult. There is nothing more complicated than seeing a gas and electricity bill for the first time. But, over time you will get the hang of it. Living in a house goes hand-in-hand with a new level of responsibility. So, you better invest in a good mop and bucket because making sure that your house is clean and hygienic is up to you.
When you move into your new house, you might be surprised with how appealing a cosy night-in is compared to crazy SU events. Obviously, sometimes the buzz of going out is unmatched, but having a pizza and pamper night will soon become the new norm for you and your housemates.
daily vocabulary. Going to university is probably You might also be anticipating that living unlike anything you have away from the heart of campus will mean ever experienced before, that you are disconnected. But that could not be further from the truth. There is not an but it is normal to feel overwhelmed with just infinite amount of student houses available, how quickly you have to and so you might end up on a road with three adjust to this new way of or more of them. In all honesty, living off life. And even though the campus gives you the best of both worlds. If term has not finished yet, you want a chilled night then you can have one, and if you want to be around people, the race to find second then campus will only be a short walk away. and third year housing will start sooner than you Believe me, you will be thankful for the might expect. Continue peace and quiet when term starts. reading this article to find Despite this, living with friends does not out the truth about the come without its difficulties. Disagreements infamous student house are inevitable, especially when you are and how you can start to living in much closer confines with people. prepare yourself for this It is important to feel comfortable enough next step. with your housemates to communicate your It is no joke that living feelings and boundaries. If you find yourself in a house with your fighting after four weeks, then you are going friends is completely to be in for a long year. different to first-year A well-known fact is that landlords and accommodation. estate agents are pesky. That listing you see For starters, you can as a ‘luxury five-bedroom student house with wave goodbye to the ensuite bathrooms’ could be a house with a awkward encounters shower in the kitchen and black mould on with estranged flatmates in the kitchen, the walls. Make sure that you go and view parading your washing your house before you sign any paperwork to avoid being cheated out of your money basket to the whole and contact your estate agent if there is campus on the way something not up to scratch. to the laundry room, and most importantly, Living in a house with your friends can unnecessary arguments really be the best part of your university over dirty dishes experience. Make sure that you choose left for weeks on the housemates wisely and try to jump on the draining board. Well, bandwagon of house hunting fairly quickly. hopefully you can. Remember that this whole process is a Choosing the right learning curve, and if you feel stressed or people to live with will overwhelmed at any point, have a look honestly make or break online as there are plenty of resources your second year. available to help guide you through it.
THE FOUNDER November 2021
ARTS & CULTURE 13
Kew’s Autumnal Celebration of Japan’s Plants, Art and Culture: The Japan Festival In The Darkest
T
ISABEL WEST | ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
his autumn Kew celebrated its longstanding connection with Japan in a month-long festival during October. Art installations in The Temperate House and powerful displays of autumnal colour along the Kew Gardens trail compliment the already present Japanese landscapes (1996) and Chokusi-Mon, Gateway of the Imperial Messenger, gifted to Kew in 1910. At the heart of the festival in The Temperate House, Chiharu Shiota’s One Thousand Springs is displayed alongside Kiku Matsuri and Chalk Gardens. In the central room of The Temperate House, woven red rope cascades down with 5,000 haikus suspended within creating Shiota’s One Thousand Springs. Traditionally haikus are based on observations in nature and mention one of the four seasons. For this installation haikus were submitted by members of the public, and mimic birds mid-flight in a sea of red, an auspicious colour in Japan commonly used at festivals. Shiota is known for her sweeping, room-spanning thread installations, and this immense display is no different. Every weekend under the sea of nature-based haiku performances from ICHI, a Japanese busker, and Kashuū, a shodō master performing giant calligraphy, transform Shiota’s art. The Japanese busker ICHI, a one-man band, performed his unique and wonderful songs playing a range of handmade instruments using steel-drums, percussion-shoes, and a multitude of everyday objects. His charming performance and clear love of what he does illuminated the red cascade at the heart of The Temperate House. Kashuū’s performance earned a queue that wrapped around The Temperate House as everyone was eager to witness the age-old calligraphy tradition.
Visitors were greeted at the door by one of the horticultural installations, Kiku Matsuri, which was put together by Kew’s horticulturalists and features six varieties of chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums, also known as ‘mums’ or kiku in Japanese, are highly culturally significant and have been called the unofficial flower of Japan. These flowers feature on banknotes, 50 yen coin, passports and the seal of the Japanese monarchy (nicknamed the ‘Chrysanthemum Throne’). Each autumn this vibrant flower is celebrated across Japan at Kiku Matsuri (Chrysanthemum Festivals) where growers compete for first prize. The red, orange, yellow and white chrysanthemums provide a backdrop for examples of stunning bonsai trees placed on plinths.
The last room in The Temperate House housed the Chalk Gardens, a collaboration between Otis Landscape Associated and kodai and associates. The Chalk Garden presents a contemporary Japanese garden designed within a British landscape, juxtaposing both cultures. The Japanese maples planted within the garden turned a beautiful red by the final weekend of the festival, mimicking the red Japanese Acer’s and yellow Gink trees that line the Japanese trail elsewhere in the gardens of Kew.
Kew’s Japanese festival emphasises the integral role of nature in Japanese society. Reflecting on One Thousand Springs Shiota describes how ‘The Japanese language was formed by a culture that cherishes the natural world. Many cultural practices like ikebana, bonsai and hanami are based on the contemplation and enjoyment of nature. For One Thousand Springs I chose to focus on the haiku’. The addition of Kiku Matsuri and Chalk Gardens compliment her linguist focus by displaying tributary aspects of the deep-rooted relationship between nature and culture that exists in Japan.
Source: Isabel West
Hour, There is Light: The Cherry Orchard MAJA KRISTIANSEN | CONTENT WRITER
L
ight falls upon a plain grey stage which simply contains a bright blue porch door and two antique chairs adorned with fluffed pillows, inviting the audience into to the aristocratic past of early 1900s Russia. Anton Chekhov’s classic play The Cherry Orchard opened this fall at the Royal Windsor theatre with the intent of bringing the audience closer, as is evident before the play even starts, with a third of the audience seated on the main stage on separate rows while the act commences. What Anton Chekhov intended as a comedy in its first production in 1904 has since been treated as a tragedy by theatre practitioners such as Konstantin Stanislavski. It is evident that this rendition was an attempt to find a middle ground with Anton Chekhov’s original intended comedic version of the play and its tragic undertone. Humour is present throughout the entire production, from Yepikhodov to the ‘professional student’ Peter Trofimov. Yepikhodov is a clerk whose shoes squeak every time he walks, and his random and awkward remarks amongst the other characters become a source of comedy in the vain of shadenfreude throughout the play. Peter Trofimov’s starry-eyed and romanticized view of revolution and social change is played off with irony and humour, as it is written in the context of when the play was penned: 1900s Russia, when the country was in a dire state. The working class was hit with famine, bad working conditions and high taxes, which result in comedic moments when reflected in a young, bourgeoisie student who continuously expresses his romanticized ideas of what it means to start a revolution.
14 ARTS & CULTURE At the heart of the play are two landowners of the titular cherry orchard, Madame Lyubov Andreievna Ranevskaya, who is played by Francesca Annis, and Boris Borisovich Simeonov-Pishchik. Madame Lyubov struggles to face the issues of the estate and struggles to move on after the death of her son and her lover in France. Boris Borisovich Simeonov-Pishchik, on the other hand, has the upper hand in the future of the estate and represents the future of the Russian middle class. He is the person to take action in the future of the estate and breaks the ongoing disillusion by the rest of the characters in the final act.
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The Cherry Orchard ultimately depicts an aura of gloom and dejection in between the lightheartedness. Every scene-transition is done by the cast removing the set pieces, blue lights hitting the stage, whilst monotone and bewitching Russianmusic, composed for this production by Adam Cork, creates a contrast and a moment of pause to the lively and humorous scenes within the aristocratic household. Small moments like these bring forward the darkness that hides within the humour and the irony- where the original intent of finding the humour in tragedy is brought to light in a concentrated and simplistic way.
The darkness and the uncertainty of the characters, as well as the state of the country is amplified in a production that was created in the playwrights’ darkest moments.
Source: Instagram, @rhul_aslytaming
Source: Theatre Royal Windsor
A Sly Taming Review
ALI KRAUSOVA | PUBLISHING AND CREATIVE DESIGNER
T
he Shakespeare Society’s adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, A Sly Taming, was performed over the weekend of 6th and 7th of November in Medicine. Although putting a modern spin on the classic, the adaptation remained clever and perhaps even more interesting to fellow students than the original.
The incredible cast made of Royal Holloway students across all years also included many first year’s students for whom it was their debut show. It was hard to believe it only took them 5 weeks to rehearse. The cast looked beautiful, they were energetic and confident, but we immediately fell in love with Lynne Biles, playing Katherine. Lynne in her Tim Burton inspired make-up still somehow possessed the grace of Elizabeth Taylor, one of many Katherines. Once Lynne appeared in her wedding dress that was it and she had us all.
The slogan of the play was ‘all men are trash’, which made the audience cheer but raised some questions of the nuance of the adaption’s message. The director, Subhan Haye, commented: ‘My intention with A Sly Taming was to retell this story through the perspective of the male lead. Why exactly does he desire submission? Why is the ‘shrew’ originally seen as the villain? As someone to be tamed. Through this, I hope that I have shown that, while a lot of men certainly do genuinely desire complete submission, that there are also men who don’t. However, living in a patriarchal society that demands a ‘gentler milder mould’ from all women, men in general are bought up to desire this, whether they are aware of it or not. Put simply… All men are trash.’ ‘What fascinated me about The Taming of the Shrew is that it is arguably one of Shakespeare’s most misogynist works - with its message on how women should submit themselves to their husbands because of how hard they work for them - and yet it is the favourite of my closest friend.
When I first began studying the play, it was obvious that Katherine Minola was a big part of why my friend loved the play so much. Her resistance to social expectations is admirable, which made me feel horrible when I learnt how Shakespeare chose to end this tale.’ Subhan Haye says.
The ending of A Sly Taming brought something the original lacks, an obvious closure. Whilst in The Taming of the Shrew we can only assume Katherine hasn’t been entirely tamed as she gets to have the last word, in A Sly Taming she is the one to decide for herself and leaves.
Overall, the play was highly enjoyable and had a wonderful cast. The Shakespeare Society will hold another play in term two. ‘There is also a continuing podcast, Bard Times, which is available on Spotify and has new episodes on Wednesdays and Sundays. Finally, as Education Officer, Subhan Haye plans biweekly academic discussions about all your favourite (and least favourite) Shakespeare plays in a fun and entertaining way - so keep an eye out on our social media for the next one!’ The assistant stage manager, Emily March, says.
THE FOUNDER November 2021
LITERARY REVIEW 15
Sketches by Boz by Charles Dickens LIAM ELVISH | LITERARY REVIEW EDITOR
T
he compilation of Charles Dickens’s early writings, first published in 1836 by Chapman and Hall, has often been overlooked by casual observers of the author’s oeuvre, perhaps more familiar with the escapades of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Artful Dodger, Mr. Micawber, et al. Yet no serious reader engaged with nineteenth century literature could possibly dispute the essentiality of Sketches by Boz. The book charmingly encapsulates all that we admire about England’s most famous novelist, whilst displaying much of the freshness and youthful precocity he possessed prior to his elevation to the heights of literary prominence. There are four separate sections – ‘Seven Sketches from Our Parish’, ‘Scenes’, ‘Characters’, and ‘Tales’- containing an array of fragmentary stories, previously printed in various periodicals such as the Monthly Magazine, and each exemplary of Dickens’s colourfully descriptive prose.
The reader is blessed with a multitude of entertaining episodes, many based on reminiscences of past incidents, and, despite its form as fiction, Sketches is nonetheless a valuable historical document of social commentary, detailing many of the figures and events which Dickens himself witnessed in and around the London of the late Georgian and early Victorian periods. Dickens is both recorder and participant of what is, according to the scholar Denis Walder, a metropolis in which ‘everyone is watching everyone else’. At the very heart of the text is the author’s acute, almost obsessive, observation of everyday life, highlighting the highs and lows of human behaviour and those moments of being with which we can all relate. Who could possibly disagree, for example, with the writer’s masterly assertion that ‘if there be one thing in existence more miserable than another, it most unquestionably is the being compelled to rise by candle-light’?
What Are We Fighting For?: New Poems About War by Brian Moses and Roger Steven MILLIE GARRAWAY | CONTENT WRITER
1
1am, on the 11th day, of the 11th month.
Remembrance Day, Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day. All different names, yet with the same weighted meaning. The day we remember the lost soldiers of the First World War, and all conflicts that have followed. November is the month that we spend remembering and thanking those who served and lost their lives. It is shocking that many Britons are not aware of the weighted history surrounding the day that marks the day this war ended in 1918. Brian Moses and Roger Stevens, through their poetry collection published one hundred years after the outbreak of war, have honoured Remembrance Day graciously while simultaneously providing an anthology which teaches those who read it of the importance of the 11th of November.
Alongside the irreverent, there come moments of great poignancy too – ‘A Visit to Newgate’, for example, depicts the brutal realities of the English penal system and all its horrifying consequences, exemplifying Dickens’s capacity for exhibiting both light and dark with equal punch. The wonderful illustrations by George Cruickshank, who would later provide the artwork for Oliver Twist, complement the text beautifully, bringing to life the extraordinary array of eccentrics and grotesques prevalent in many of the stories. Dickens would go on to publish his first ‘novel’, The Pickwick Papers, in 1837 (really a collection of serialised picaresque adventures) prior to his soaring fame in the 1840’s, yet it is Sketches which should be rightfully regarded as his foremost masterpiece. The collection incidentally includes Dickens’s first ever fictional work, ‘Mr Minns and His Cousin’/ ‘A Dinner at Poplar Walk’ (initially published in 1833 when Dickens was only 21), acting as an excellent example of his early talent as a writer and wit.
Source: Dickens Fellowship
The poems are dedicated to soldiers and animals alike, who fought bravely in 1914 - 1918 to protect and serve Britain. Individual and universal experiences are voiced in a delicate array of poetry which beautifully envelopes the meaning of remembrance. Famous figureheads and the unusual discourse within the war are explored to encourage understanding and compassion for those no longer with us on Remembrance Day. These poems are delicate in their discussion of such a harrowing time, helping those who read them to understand the importance of never letting the fighters’ spirits die. Winston Churchill, The Angel of Mons, the Christmas Truce of World War 1 (when soldiers from both sides played an uplifting game of football in a time of terror), and war time propaganda are all beautifully honoured through humour and humility in What Are We Fighting For?. The amalgamation of poems allows for readers to understand why remembering during this month is so crucial to our way of life and country. Mingled throughout the historical truths is an undertone of light-heartedness which has allowed Stevens and Moses’ collection to be a less daunting read and more of an encouraging learning platform.
16 LITERARY REVIEW They have created a love for war poetry and history combined. With praise from The Guardian, why wouldn’t you pick up this accessible contemporary anthology full of love, learning, and recollection?
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Stevens and Moses have managed to create an undeniably honorific anthology that is both emotional and informative. Each poem holds its own unique emotion which is widely accessible to younger readers as well as those looking to understand a little more of this memorial month. Keeping the memory of the fallen soldiers both man and animal is vital as we express our gratitude for their protection of our way of life. Their bravery is unmatchable, so we must honour their sacrifice through respecting Remembrance Day and understanding our responsibility to do and be better. Remember those who fell, Source: Source: ‘100 Years After World War One, Where We Stand!’ – Youngisthan.in remember those who lost their today so we could have a tomorrow - remember your poppy. ‘Lest We Forget’.
The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer LIAM ELVISH | LITERARY REVIEW EDITOR
I
f there is such a thing as reading for pleasure, then there is also such a thing as reading for displeasure. An author who evidently had little predilection for the art of editing, Norman Mailer’s first novel is a weighty volume, in more ways than one, many of its passages circumstantially lending themselves to skim-reading. The Naked and the Dead was a commercial success upon its publication in 1948; over 200,000 copies were sold, and it remained on the New York Times best sellers list for a year. One wonders whether it was merely the abundance of profanities that provoked such hype; Mailer’s infamously liberal use of the ‘f’ word (spelt ‘fug’ for those of a sensitive disposition) is probably the only liberal thing about the novel. For, not only is it a depiction, but a celebration of American hostility and its tendency for machismo conformity.
The novel explores the trials and sacrifices of a US army platoon fighting the Japanese on an island in the Pacific. Mailer captures the intense suffocation of the submarine and army camp environments, along with an exhibited masculine behaviour within the platoon; the misogynist, racialist, and homophobic language amongst the officers presents us with an ingrained prejudice in which Mailer himself was well-versed, having served in the Philippines as a cook during the Second World War.
From the young soldier Hennesy defecating himself prior to his imminent death from a grenade shell to Minetta’s experience on a field mental ward, we are given portraits of the fragility of the young male in combat, always alert to the mercy of doom. Through the imposing figure of General Cummings, along with a line-up of officers prone to favouritism and sycophancy, Mailer effectively conveys aspects of a warped paternalism in military hierarchy containing underlying homo-erotic tendencies.
Source: Amazon
LITERARY REVIEW 17
THE FOUNDER November 2021 The novel is overly lengthy, often convoluted, and persistently dreary; indeed, Mailer has a knack for tedium in its most immense form. The putrid filth of the conditions in the jungle, with any number of sights and smells described, is strongly conveyed, yet the author places no limitations on himself. Mailer adopts a superfluidity of adjectives for every scene, character and emotion, and it seems as though it had become necessary to the author as a mechanism to produce intentional discomfort, but only contributes to new levels of frustration and impatience for the reader. Mailer’s perpetual use of animalistic similes also vary from the moderately impressive -‘He felt like an insect crawling through the entrails of a horse’ – to the nauseously elementary – ‘like a dog with a bone’. Gore Vidal’s verbal and written skirmishes with Mailer have attained legendary status and the former famously rebuked the latter for ‘leaving nothing out’ of this initial work. It can be said that its strengths as a ‘war novel’ also provide the basis for its weaknesses; for Mailer will embroider his material to considerable excess.
The Naked and the Dead is a depressing, unpleasant read, but a crucial one, nonetheless, for the assessor of human contradictions, one which may possibly instil a future avoidance of ‘epic’ novels and a great appreciation for brevity in any form.
Source: Unsplash.com
Remembrance, Friendship and Self Discovery in The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa REBECCA WEIGLER | CONTENT WRITER
A
delightfully wholesome novel, translated from the original Japanese into English, The Cat Who Saved Books offers an exuberant dive into the world of books and the opportunities that can be unlocked from recognising the power they withhold. Written with engaging dialogue and a pure admiration for the world of literature, Natsukawa crafts a magical world where characters fully experience the power of the written world and continuously recall the memory of loved ones to guide them through unforeseen circumstances and thrilling encounters. Despite being a comparatively short novel, it is bursting with a myriad of life lessons for both the characters and the reader to take away. Set during the lead up to Christmas Day, in a cosy street in downtown Tokyo, The Cat Who Saved Books is first and foremost a novel about remembrance and friendship. Rintaro Natsuki, the witty and intelligent protagonist, is learning to cope with the passing of his grandfather, and as a result, detaching himself from his community and friends. Often alone, save for the thousands of books he cherishes, Rintaro finds comfort in his grandfather’s signature mantra that ‘books have tremendous power’; a mantra which certainly echoes for the reader as well as Rintaro.
Rintaro is classified as a ‘hikikomori’, a Japanese term given to those who hide and shy away from the outside world. While residing in his grandfather’s antique bookshop, ‘Natsuki Books’, Rintaro begins to uncover a distant realm, saturated with the very same belief that permeates his everyday life - ‘books have tremendous power’. Encountering labyrinths of leather-bound volumes, cold-hearted professors and cynical publishing houses, Rintaro steps forth into the world of literature and sees for himself the very ‘power’, and of course danger of this ‘power’, that books can possess.
Filled with the grief of a lost loved one, and eventually emerging with acceptance and realisation, The Cat Who Saved Books is just as charming as the debonair tabby cat itself and is a linguistic expression of the spirit of remembrance. It reminds the reader that the voice of a lost loved one is always still present and has the power to shine a light on any darkness. Rintaro is a loveable and relatable protagonist, and we experience every step of his journey towards finding himself amidst a life of loss. The Cat Who Saved Books is, without a doubt, one of the most endearing novels of the year.
None of such adventures happen alone, however, as Rintaro soon finds himself in the company of an enchanting talking tabby cat, Tiger. The cat installs hope and courage in Rintaro, pleading for his help to save the books from the hands of those too ignorant to recognise their true purpose, and as the novel progresses, the cat succeeds in not just opening the minds of the antagonists, but also opening the metaphorical book of Rintaro’s life, one which has hitherto been closed to everyone but himself. Source: PNGitem
18 ARTS: FILM
THE FOUNDER November 2021
A Chernobyl: 1986 JETHRO ROBATHAN | CONTENT WRITER
I
t is somewhat inevitable the papier-mâché model that is society’s effort to tackle the Climate Crisis led me to my binge of environmentally oriented disaster films recently. At the forefront was Danila Kozlovsky’s Russian-language Chernobyl: Abyss (2021) – also titled Chernobyl: 1986 on Netflix UK. Unlike the press coverage of the COP26 summit, Kozlovsky’s film manages to avoid being derailed by entirely predictable political dialogue. That should really stay in parliament’s playground. Instead, there is a refreshingly tragic emphasis placed on individualism that reignites the forgotten flame of human emotion. Chernobyl: 1986 follows Alexey (played by director Danila Kozlovsky), a cockyturned-lovesick fireman who encounters ex-girlfriend Olga (played by Oksana Akinshina) during a trip to the barbers, where she conveniently works. What ensues is a mishmash of romance and drama, naturally, where Alexey to and froes between a sense of familial duty to protect and a desire to rekindle a lost love. It’s mostly to-ing though, as Alexey repeatedly abandons Olga with an estranged son. Sidenote; I would have thought that screenwriting duo Aleksey Kazakov and Elena Ivanova wouldn’t empty their arsenal of narrative cliches in a single script but, clearly, I am mistaken. Chernobyl: 1986 is perhaps better classified as a tearjerker given how often romance sidelines the titular event, Chernobyl.
There are welcome overtures to the radioactive footprint of Chernobyl; a particular vivid scene of a dead bird falling from the sky is faintly reminiscent of Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds. Kozlovsky even alludes, via assorted characters’ dialogue, to the onus of Chernobyl being in the hands of the Soviet-Russian government. This figurative game of Russian roulette (sorry, not sorry) points the barrel at Soviet authorities, thus undermining much of the pro-propaganda criticisms levelled at Chernobyl: 1986.
Chernobyl: 1986 is, at heart, an emotional romance-drama. It traverses the borders of a tearjerker, benefitting from the microcosmic focus on the Savostina family. While Kozlovsky undeniably succeeds in jerking the audience’s tears, both as director and lionheart liquidator, he doesn’t quite manage to capture our hearts. Chernobyl 1986 ticks all the boxes expected of a familydriven cinematic epic - the distraught but driven mother, Kozlovsky’s picture has largely been the sick son and the sacrificial met with scathing consensus against saviour. the backdrop of the critically acclaimed HBO miniseries Chernobyl (2019). Citing the lack of recognition to Soviet But that’s all it is. Box ticking. state blunders, one could easily dismiss Chernobyl: 1986 as an exercise in glorification. Further, it being partially funded by the Russian state certainly seems like a public relations narrative. Yet, this interpretation is a disservice to a film that reminds us that at the heart of every mistake there are real people with real lives who are impacted. To focus solely on the - dare I say ‘objective’ happenings serve to dismiss the human nature of error. Despite their shared subject matter, comparing the two productions is misguided. HBO’s Chernobyl pivots on the docudrama motif of non-fiction, following real life public figures in the wake of the disaster of 1986. Kozlovsky’s take instead operates on a fictional basis; Alexey may have roots in the tragic sacrifice of Chernobyl’s liquidators but the romantic tension throughout teeters on the cusp of eye-rollingly cheesy. Whilst not for everyone, the AlexeyOlga dynamic mimics an awkward fumbling for normality. Not unlike reality itself.
Source: IMDb
Gunda: The Big Reveal DEVESH SOOD | CONTENT WRITER
Spoilers are included in this review.
D
irected by Viktor Kossakovsky, Gunda is an hour and a half, black and white film, documenting the lives of a family of pigs, a few chickens, and a cow, all living on a farm. Most would predict it to be dull, others may call it boring, and the possibility of strange is also likely. Throughout the runtime, I ran through all three of these emotions, each at different stages. Yet, there was one emotion that absolutely caught me off guard: empathy. The film had been released for months before I was able to see it. I had heard that it was a raw tale of nature, and the ending was sure to leave any audience member certain to adopt the ideals of veganism, though not knowing the specifics. As a lifelong vegetarian the idea of the film left me extremely cautious, especially with a topic as sensitive as dietary. Additionally, I had my predictions about the film’s end, one of extreme gore and unpleasantness to fulfil the message of the film, with the fear of horrors being treated not dissimilar to a lecture. Hence, the first hour and twenty minutes were bizarre. An absolute painting of a film; a shot portraying almost a silhouette of the mother’s head causing my jaw to drop. Yet, for about 90% of the runtime, the audience is surrounded by the squeals of new-borns and the sights of what seems like a dozen pigs tackling each other in order to receive a seemingly never-ending supply of milk from their mother.
ARTS: FILM 19
THE FOUNDER November 2021 While the argument of this just being ‘natural’ can be made, it doesn’t make it any less pleasant to watch. A later scene with the one-legged chickens could be inputted into The Lighthouse and would be equally as effective in building the sense of unease which that film was already so successful in achieving. At that point, I was ready to label the film as a visually delightful bore. But that 10%... that final 10% changed everything. All the confusion of everything before suddenly made sense. Knowing the ending to be upsetting, my assumption suggested a violent, graphic end to Gunda, one that demanded emotion. Yet, the ending that exists actively rejects this, instead opting for a much quiet ending with no blood, a few squeals, and circles. Ultimately, Kossakovsky’s ending was mature, and his ending was far more effective than any of my ill-conceived ideas. While I questioned the choice for most of the movie, titling the film ‘Gunda’ is absolute perfection. Though present throughout most of the film, the main focus always seemed to be on the piglets, seeing them grow up with their continued demand for milk. As the sound of the tractor fades away, we are left with a confused, grieving mother. One who we witnessed go through the pains of childbirth, the one going through the struggles of raising her young. Left alone, walking, trotting, and running in circles around her pen, going through the stages of confusion, panic, misery and finally acceptance, bitter acceptance. Stunned, as the credits rolled. Those ten minutes achieved the impossible, something so bizarre yet heartfelt; it made me empathise with a pig.
Source: IMDb
Spencer DEVESH SOOD | CONTENT WRITER
S
pencer finally helped me understand. Telling the story of Diana during Christmas 1991, the film seems oddly timely considering the state of the monarchy today. My personal thoughts on the Royals are… complicated, and having never shared the earth with the Princess, hurdles were already in place when I sat down to watch this film. When looking back at recent films based on real people, many rely on the achievements of the subject rather than creating something interesting around that subject.
Yet, this is not always the case, one of those examples being Jackie (2016) from Pablo Lorraine, the man behind Spencer. Unlikely that most, if any, of what’s portrayed is of truth, this melancholic, bitter tale taught me more about Diana than any one of the numerous dull BBC documentaries on her. Firstly, Stewart shines. While it may take some a few moments to register the accent, she quickly settles into the role. Long gone are the days of the ‘spider-monkey’ (though this was known to anyone who watched Clouds of Sils Maria or Personal Shopper) and will likely require the equivalent of an Emma Stone ‘La La Land’ performance to dampen any chance of a Best Actress nomination and even win at next year's Oscars. Speaking of Stone, be ready to expect both the costume work and the hair and makeup to be credited alongside the likes of Cruella next year, with many accurately replicating the designs of the past. Demonstrating a woman trapped within an outdated family, one scared of the threat of modern journalism, a common theme as seen from the sign in the opening shot of the film labelled ‘Keep noise to a minimum. They can hear you’, to the idea of words being weaponized and labelled as ‘currency’. This sense of dread exists throughout the entire film, reinforced with the haunting score that shook my seat and the flat, misty look that was equally stunning as it was depressing.
In a surprising way, the film has several moments of levity, with a joke relating to ‘pleasure’ completely stunning the audience, and at least one pop song being a very pleasant surprise. Strangely, the film I kept finding myself associating to this was Rocketman, my favourite film of 2019, and one scene on a beach almost mirrored one of the best moments in that film, though while that one was more the slight misconstruing of a friendship, here it is a more cemented, accepted look at one.
Yet the ending made this film. In avoiding spoilers, I will say, compared to most biopics which end with a description of everything that happened after the films end, this one finds the best place to leave these characters, and absolutely uses it. For the first time in the entire film, that sense of melancholia is gone, leaving the audience in a conflict of emotions; one from the ending these characters face and the other knowing what the real people had to endure in the future. And with that feeling, as the credits rolled, I finally understood why those events in 1997 were so important to so many people.
Source: IMDb
20 ARTS: FILM
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The French Dispatch: Anderson’s Iconic Cinematography Inspiring Relevance Yet Again
TILLEY BENNETT | FILM EDITOR
O
n the 21st of October Wes Anderson invited audiences into his fantastical, ironic and, at times, dark depiction of France. Having been postponed due to the pandemic, The French Dispatch was a long-awaited return to cinema from Anderson. The film is undeniably Anderson from its slightly ambiguous plot to the star-studded class. It seems Wes Anderson is unable to cast any minor actors/actresses, and some may argue part of the joy of his films is finding famous actors in unlikely roles or places. Spearheaded by Bill Murray who plays Arthur Howitzer Jr, leader of the fictional magazine Liberty, viewers join the team as they are compiling their final issue. Anderson is so memorable as a director due to the intricacy of his worlds; the world of the liberty is no stranger to this. The film is split into three different sections mirroring the different articles in the final issue, it is in this way that each character and storyline is given the attention it deserves. The anthology structure was a brave choice from Anderson and has been critiqued for being hard to follow at times. However, when it comes to Anderson films simplicity of plot is probably not the first concern for the director or the notable thing that springs to mind for viewers. The first section is narrated by Tilda Swinton, who was made for the role of eccentric art correspondent.
Source: IMDb
The whole first section is entirely removed from reality, from Owen Wilson’s initial cycle around an almost caricatured idea of France to the notion of prisoner Moses Rosenthaler (Benecio Del Toro) as a ground-breaking artist. The standout of this segment is the way Anderson combines comedy with emotion, it is the most moving installation. The second segment, which was also my favourite, follows journalist Fabien (Frances Mcdormand) and spunky student Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet) as they revolt against the system. Admittedly, it lacks some substance in comparison to the other two ‘features’ and perhaps relies too heavily on the pastiche. I believe it captures the essence of youth evocative of French New-Wave cinema and its representation of France. Anderson closes with, ‘The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner’ an engaging crime story focused on the culinary industry. The final section feels the most unique perhaps because of the mesmerising animation that matches the fast-paced narrative, allowing viewers to admire every side of Anderson’s film making.
This film is a visual masterpiece and a feast for the senses. It has everything viewers have come to love and expect from Anderson as an esteemed director. Although it feels at times like the focus is purely on aesthetics and less on the cohesion of the plot, it is still a whimsical and peculiar delight for audiences, not just your tweed wearing, film school hipsters that worship Wes Anderson’s every move. Arguably, Anderson has used this film to showcase his unique ability as a cinematographer to indulge in the bizarre yet still create a picture that is enjoyable for the masses. This film is worth watching even just for visual pleasure and a deeper understanding of Anderson’s technicoloured brain.
ARTS: MUSIC 21
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The Founder Recommends A
s part of a new feature, each issue of the Founder will feature some of our editor’s recommendations for their favourite songs, albums, and artists. So, have a read if you want to find something new to listen to or even be reminded of one of your own favourites.
Designer, Ali’s picks:
Favourite Song: Kings of the Wild Frontier - Adam and the Ants
The 1980s hit from the English rock band, Adam and the Ants, is Ali’s choice for her favourite song. She particularly appreciates the way the band used the drums in the recording of the song and notes how powerful that makes the track, whilst also picking up on a strong sense of pride throughout. The group formed in London in 1977 and lasted until 1982 in two different incarnations of the band, both fronted by Adam Ant. Favourite Album: Lost & Found – Jorja Smith
Written over a five-year period, Ali recommends Jorja Smith’s debut album Lost & Found. Smith was presented with the Brit Critics’ Choice Award in January 2018, becoming the first independent artist to have been nominated and also win, and later that year in June, her first album was released. Ali remembers buying this album on vinyl in London when it came out and cherishes it as a memory of that time in her life. Our designer thinks it’s a great album to listen to in your 20s, especially when still trapped in London.
Favourite Artist: Lana Del Rey
American singer-songwriter, Lana Del Rey, known best sometimes by her many alter-egos, such as Lizzy Grant and May Jailer, is Ali’s favourite artist. She is a fan of lyrics that tell a story and thinks Del Rey’s music does just that. With 8 studio albums and 4 EPs, Lana Del Rey has a wide-ranging discography with something for everyone. Selling over 3.2 million copies of her album in the US (as of August 2019), Lana proves, according to Ali, that your personality can become your art if you are well-read and well-lived. Ali finds Lana both inspiring and reassuring. Film Editor, Tilley’s picks:
Favourite Song: Damselfly – Loyle Carner
The 2017 song from Loyle Carner, the English hip hop musician, is Tilley’s current favourite song. Featuring on his debut album, Yesterday’s Gone, Tilley likes the way in which the song is fit for any occasion, describing it as a song that she feels ‘you could imagine it in a coffee shop, but you can also jam to it in the car’. Favourite Album: Blonde – Frank Ocean
Tilley feels like it would be rude to not choose Frank Ocean’s Blonde as her favourite album as she loves every song on it. After starting his musical career as a ghost-writer, Frank Ocean has proved his abilities as a singer and songwriter, having won 2 Grammys and the Brit Award for International Male Artist in 2013. Tilley describes Frank Ocean as a ‘super talented songwriter and musician’ with Blonde and one of his other albums Channel Orange being a testament to that.
Source: Spotify
Source: Spotify
Favourite Artist: Jamiroquai
English funk and acid jazz band, Jamiroquai were formed in 1992, fronted by Jay Kay. Tilley’s favourite artist changes all the time, but she feels that at the moment is is Jamiroquai. She is a fan of Jay Kay’s interpretation of funk and thinks that all of Jamiroquai’s music gives a summer feeling, something that she is trying to hold onto as we move into the winter months. Tilley notes that it is amazing how consistently good their music is with their 2017 album still feeling current.
22 ARTS: MUSIC
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Spice: 25 Years On FINN MURPHY | MUSIC EDITOR
G
inger, Posh, Baby, Sporty, and Scary. A group of 5 girls that responded to an advert searching to form a girl band in 1994 but have easily become some of the most recognisable names in the music industry. 2021 marks 25 years since the release of their debut album, Spice. An album that shaped a generation and is still shaping the lives of people today. Along with new merchandise lines, the girls have come together to curate a deluxe edition of their original debut album to mark the occasion. The 2-disc edition of Spice features all 10 tracks from 25 years ago, with 12 new tracks for fans to enjoy, including demos and remixes of fan favourites. When lead single Wannabe was released in June 1996, no one expected the song to have the cultural impact that it did have, to the point where even young people nowadays still know what to reply when asked ‘If you wannabe my lover…’. The lyrics of the song were not revolutionary, but the track and what it represented started a revolution. With each member of the band taking on a different persona and representing their differences proudly, the group still came together to create a message of girl power and delivered it in an accessible way. One of the most standout moments of the song comes when Mel B, aka Scary Spice, breaks away from the repetitive pop lyrics to bring in a rap that she wrote on the toilet in about 8 minutes on the Today Show back in 2018. The new anniversary album features a Dave Way alternative mix of the classic song, which, whilst it doesn’t quite have the same effect of the original, is a nice breakaway from the traditional Spice Girls sound. One of the greatest features of the deluxe album is the orchestral version of the ballad 2 Become 1. The voices of the girls sit softly on top of an exquisite orchestral backing track to make a beautiful song even more astonishing. The album also heavily features demo versions of the classic hits that fans love, and it makes for an interesting listen to try and spot the differences to see how the songs got to where they are. Notably Who Do You Think You Are has a more muted tone in the demo version and If U Can’t Dance is missing the iconic intro repetition of the title of the song. The 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Spice is a treat for fans of the group, whether that be those that grew up when the Spice Girls were first formed or those that have found a love for the Spice Girls after they split up, there is something for all to enjoy. The original album has also been re-released on vinyl with a different colour variation for each member of the group. You can choose which Spice Girl you are and spice up your life the classic way with a vinyl record.
Source: Spotify
Erasure at the O2 Arena, 17th October 2021 KATHERINE MCGLADDERY | CONTENT WRITER
4/5 Stars
8
0s nostalgia was strong as Erasure successfully raised the roof of a sold out O2 arena on the last leg of their UK tour. Formed in 1985, the electropop duo have sustained their longevity and are still writing and recording, most recently with their new album, ‘The Neon’, in 2020. The album reached number four in the UK and was their highest charting album in twenty-six years, proving their continuing popularity. The atmosphere was electric when Erasure took to the stage after a slightly disappointing supporting set from fellow 80s synth-pop band Blancmange, in which a mixture of spoken word and downbeat ABBA covers served as a lukewarm entrée to the main event. However, the heart of the evening certainly did not disappoint. Bursting onto the stage with charisma and boundless energy, frontman Andy Bell proved an engaging foil to the characteristically reserved Vince Clark, who sheltered near the wings for the duration of the show.
Whilst Clark’s sleek grey three-piece suit (complete with tie pin) compared to Andy Bell’s bespoke blue corset and bright yellow checked jeans may hint at completely contrasting personalities, there was no doubting their cohesion and professionalism as they launched into a stream of hits old and new. Particularly memorable in the sea of upbeat dance songs was The Circus with poignant, melancholy lyrics and Bell’s soaring clear vocals set against a mesmerising beat and fairground-esque riff. Inevitably, their new songs such as Shot a Satellite and Nerves of Steel didn’t elicit as joyous a reaction as veteran 80s hits like I Love to Hate You and Blue Savannah. However, Bell’s infectious enthusiasm navigated the slight energy dips with ease to a powerful finale featuring London based choir Funky Voice, who joined the duo onstage for an encore with Oh l’amour and A Little Respect, ensuring the concert ended on a high note. The audience reaction proved that Erasure’s niche of 80s synthpop magic is very much in demand, and that the duo still have a card or two up their sleeves, or corsets.
THE FOUNDER November 2021
ARTS: MUSIC 23
Review: The Sunrise Project, Songer OLI GENT | MUSIC EDITOR
I
n what could be one of the unsung albums of the year, Reading rapper Songer has dazzled with his third record The Sunrise Project, spitting home truths and powerful messages over old-skool beats and backing tracks. Following up his initial successes of Dream Workz and Lyrics for Sanity, he’s back for more with deeper-hitting tunes that take the listener aback, with relatable and earcatching bars a huge feature of the record. The album kicks off with Songer’s spoken Intro, dedicating the album to ‘everybody trying to find sense in a world that doesn’t make any…’, before transitioning immediately into the distorted vocals and seemingly calming piano instrumental of Sunrise, before Songer enters with aggression, talking about how he ‘think[s he’s] in love with the pain… vanity cover[ing] insanity… with something… bugging [his] brain.’ His verse takes us back to his roots – drinking till sunrise with his mates whilst longing after women, and the theme is continued with the beautiful track that follows, Without My Lover. Accompanied by a beautiful mandolin backing, the beat stays consistent and supports the powerful lyricism of the performer, as he laments the inevitable ending of a relationship close to his heart, recalling memories from the days gone by, ultimately remarking that although ‘she’s hurting more… she’ll cover that up with a hot girl summer.’ Summery tunes Lemonade and Orange (Soul Food) follow Nuttin’ to Shout About, where the beat becomes more old-skool, with Songer going hard from the get-go, bigging himself up and brashly boasting about his lucid lyricism and his position against those who holler abuse at him on social media.
Source: Worldplay Magazine
I’d Rather You Cheat and Morning Breath reflect further on past relationships, with dreamy instrumentals providing a bed for Songer’s hard-hitting words, as he conveys his mental state, not just in relationship trouble, but in the current pandemic climate as well. Look at the Clouds picks up the pace with a quick beat and simple piano block chords, as Songer begins to melodise his vocals with sung lines in another summertime hit.
He jazzes the album up somewhat with the saxophone-led instrumental on Classic, dropping football bars on top of dissing the government’s handling of Covid, labelling life as ‘savage… vision gets blurred like critical damage.’ Never Pretend and Endlessly demonstrate the rapper’s flow wonderfully; the sung chorus of the former complements the quickly-rapped chorus incredibly, whilst the sampled, highpitched ‘Don’t you think like that, I will love you endlessly…’ as heard on Tik Tok sets the track up for another deep, lamenting tone as Songer longs after another of his previous love interests.
Confession Tape 17 encapsulates the deeper meanings of the album that Songer wants to get across – he speaks before his entry on the track: ‘Big up Mark B on production… this beat is so beautiful… if you love the quick, aggressive songs, you might wanna skip this one.’ He delves again into his personal mental state and how he ‘can’t keep the way [he] feel[s] a secret…’, as he desperately seeks to do what the album sets out to do, find some form of truth in a world that doesn’t make any. The album is completed with its bonus track – Carefree – a classic Songer track where his lyricism and love of football can take over. A Chelsea freestyle, the song blew up on Tik Tok when the rapper posted an initial version of it as he rapped along to the instrumental in his living room with slightly different lyrics, ticking off a visual checklist of Chelsea figures past and present. The song’s highlight is Songer’s wordplay on Raheem Sterling’s name and is visually articulated incredibly in his music video. And as the plucked guitar instrumental is built upon by a strong drum beat and a trumpet’s rallying cry, Songer spits: ‘Man City got Sterling, but they got no ST so they want Erling, but we’ve got NG (N’Golo Kanté) on it from early (spelled ‘erli’ in the visual), giving out L’s so we can get eerie (eri), certi, if you can’t hear me I’ll send you to the ER near me, add what’s left to the song (-er), and you’ll get an artist that levels up yearly (his own name).’
The bar, the song, and the record itself are prime examples of Songer’s lyrical ability and his talent when it comes to wordplay. He utilises clever and recognisable hooks to keep the listeners engaged with his deep messages, and throughout the course of this project, he has ventured into all areas of the hip-hip scene: exploring and experimenting on different beats and backing tracks and killing every single one of them.
24 SPORTS
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The The Championship Making Promise of Motorsport Accessible to Scotland Women: What is the W Series? PETER GEDDES | CONTENT WRITER
CYANN FIELDING | LIFESTYLE EDITOR
T
he W Series is an all-female racing championship in single-seater cars. With the first season in 2019, the championship consists of twenty drivers contesting in six races. Its aim is to provide equal opportunities for women and eliminate the financial barriers that have historically prevented women from progressing to the upper echelons in motor sport. Each driver in the W Series is selected purely on their ability and every car within the championship is mechanically identical, meaning that all races and the Series will be won by the most talented rather than the wealthiest, unlike other motorsport championship such as Formula One. The W Series believes that the more it shows that women can compete at the top level and become successful within the sport, the more girls will be inspired to go into karting, ultimately bringing more participants into the sport in the future. In 2021, the W Series made a further step forward by racing alongside Formula One at eight of Grand Prix weekends. Looking back through history, female role models in motor sport have been rare. With it being more than 45 years since a female driver last started a championship Formula One Grand Prix, the W Series offers the opportunity for women to get into motor sport in a more accessible way. The Series is also working to achieve the UN's gender equality 2030 deadline to ensure female empowerment within the sport. Unlike Formula One, the W Series race a car that is the same for every single driver: the Tatuus F3 T-318.
Like other motor sport championships, the series features women from around the globe with the title then awarded to the competitor with the highest number of points at the end of the series, from all qualifying round runs but excluding any points penalty points incurred. If more than one driver finishes the season with the same number of points, the highest place in the series shall be awarded to the driver with the highest number of race wins. However, if the number of race wins is also the same, the championship title is awarded according to the number of second place finishes, third place finishes, and so on. Points are awarded to the top ten positions in each race with first place securing twenty-five points, second place - eighteen points and third place - fifteen points. Again, like other motor sporting championships, the W Series travels the world, but with fewer races than the likes of Formula One, Formula Two, and Formula Three.
Despite the championship coming across as progressive for women within motorsport, the W Series has also faced its fair share of criticism, with opponents claiming that the category segregates female drivers rather than promoting their inclusion in other championships.
However, the Series today has proved to be a great success, helping to inspire thousands of young girls into motor sport - whether that be driving, engineering, or the media side of the sport. And having been dominated by Briton Jamie Chadwick since 2019, the sport offers a great example to the female British public that motor sport is not male-exclusive. Instead, the W Series illuminates opportunities for women fairly, setting an example for all other motorsport championships.
The sport is also becoming successfully broadcast and is now available on Channel 4 in the UK. The show is presented by longtime F1 journalist Lee McKenzie, who shares his duties with Anna Woolhousem, and he was also joined by Naomi Schiff as a studio analyst in 2019. The Series is also live streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in countries without the Series’ television rights.
Source: Wikimedia
A
fter a somewhat frustrating European Championship, there was a concern among some Scotland fans and commentators that a draw against England and two disappointing losses against the Czech Republic and Croatia might be as good as it gets for this Scotland team. It was such a satisfying achievement to get to the tournament in the first place that the experience of actually playing in it understandably left some cold by contrast. This posttournament hangover has continued into the World Cup qualifying campaign with a loss to Denmark and an ugly win against Moldova seemingly risking a return to the disappointments of old. However, the collective strength the squad has shown to go on and beat Austria and Israel - in admittedly fraught fashion - has been heartening and displays a determination to build on the success of the Euros qualification. In light of those recent results, I want to take a look at the current squad and what Steve Clarke has been able to achieve.
SPORTS 25
THE FOUNDER November 2021 The win against Israel is perhaps the most illustrative; it is beyond question that in years gone by, Scotland would have lost that game. 2-0 down at half time, against a team you’re expected to beat, with a penalty missed just before the break? That’s not a psychological barrier that any Scotland team has been able to overcome in decades. Yet they did it, and they deserved it. The entire second half the Scots controlled possession and crafted some fine goals; Billy Gilmour was central and showed just how valuable a player of his quality can be the sort of player Scotland haven’t had. His intelligence on and off the ball were exemplary, but what was most impressive was how he didn’t simply maintain possession but advanced it: he pushed the team higher and became more and more involved in the attack. The most impressive thing about Steve Clarke’s system is that it is both adaptable and geared towards the strengths of its key players. Both Robertson and Tierney are given the freedom to attack, and both have the intelligence to cover the other. McTominay, when played as a right sided centre back, can carry the ball forward and his tendency to not show for the ball is mitigated by his role at the start of build-up on the right. Clarke very rarely deploys him as a 6. The emphasis on the wing backs on either side stretches the play and delivers quality crosses for the improving Lyndon Dykes. If that fails, McGinn, Gilmour, and McGregor are all threats from range and can slip balls through for Ryan Christie or Che Adams.
The 3-5-2/3-4-1-2 can either sit high or drop deep in to a back five. Set pieces need work and some players have the tendency to take unnecessary risks… Hendry vs Czechia, anyone? I would stress that the team doesn’t pose the counter attacking threat that it should with Dykes up front; though his hold-up play has improved, he is still technically limited and not particularly quick. I’d prefer to see a change in personnel when Scotland are likely to concede possession, perhaps Adams and Christie together. However, the team is overall defensively sound, and furthermore, the system can, and does, work against a variety of opposition.
This brings us to the most difficult question of all: what can this team achieve? Qualification for the World Cup, as of writing, is well within their grasp. A win against Moldova and favourable draw in the play-offs could see Scotland through to a consecutive tournament appearance which, in itself, would be a good achievement. However, the Tartan Army will not accept simply qualifying for too much longer. There was a distinct feeling that Scotland could, and perhaps, should have done better at the Euros.
Source: SNS Group
It is fair to say that they'll be expected to win a game and put up a fight against nearly anyone given the quality within midfield and defence: that would put some building blocks down for next time round. Scotland aren't unrealistic to expect that they can get to the knockout stage of the biggest tournaments given the achievements of Wales, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and a whole host of others who have smaller or equivalent populations and domestic leagues. They can aim high, but patience is key for what is a developing team.
Club Case Studies: 2) Bologna
OLI GENT | SPORTS EDITOR
A
brief historical insight
Initially founded in 1909 by Austrian Emilio Arnstein, Bologna have grown to become one of the most recognisable clubs in Italy.
In the 1920’s and 1930’s, they were incredibly successful, winning the Northern Italian League and National Italian League titles for the first time in the 1924-25 season, and then again four years later, a year before the Serie A was formed. Before the end of the Second World War, Bologna would go on to win the ‘Scudetto’ another four times, in 1936, 1937, 1939, and 1941, confirming their winning legacy at the peak of the Italian game.
However, I Rossoblu would struggle in the post-war years, only winning the Serie A title once in 1964, and the Coppa Italia twice in 1970 and 1974. The club was knocked out of the European Cup in the qualifying round by Belgian giants Anderlecht in 1965.
I Veltri started to fall off a very steep cliff, with backto-back relegations into the Serie C in 1983 to culminate a horrendous 20-year span for the club, regardless of the two domestic cups.
The 1990’s were spent yo-yoing between the top, second, and third flights. Bologna would yet again suffer two consecutive relegations in 1993, but returned to the top division in 1996, which proved to be a short-term upheaval that Bologna needed, and two years later, they played in the UEFA Cup, having won the Intertoto Cup in 1998, beating Ruch Chorzow 3-0.
The club remained in the Serie A until 2005, when they lost out to Parma in the play-offs, losing 2-0 at home despite winning the first leg away, with Alberto Gilardino scoring the fatal goal that sent I Rossoblu down.
Strong favourites to bounce straight back, Bologna made a quick rebound much more difficult than it should have been for themselves. Chopping and changing between managers certainly didn’t help, with the experienced Renzo Ulivieri sacked, replaced by Andrea Mandorlini, and then reinstated in March of the following year. However, relations were thin between the chairman Alfredo Cazzola and Ulivieri, leading to the head coach’s second dismissal in as many seasons, before he was eventually replaced permanently with Daniele Arrigoni, who finally led the club to promotion in the 2007-08 season.
On their return to the promised land, a tricky takeover in preseason was preface for a tricky campaign. An incredibly promising start ensued; including an exquisite smashand-grab 2-1 away win at the hands of AC Milan on the opening day, with Marco di Vaio and Francesco Valiani scoring the all-important goals.
26 SPORTS However, the club continued to tinker with their management, sacking Arrigoni in November, and then sacking his replacement Sinisa Mihajlovic in April. Giuseppe Papadopulo was able to lead the Greyhounds to survival on the season, and Franco Colomba was assigned to the hotseat for the coming season, maintaining Bologna’s top-flight status despite arduous financial restraints. The 2010’s saw further boardroom instability for the club, with the Bologna 2010 consortium taking over from Sergio Porcedda, who had only bought the club from the Menarini family months before. Granted, Porcedda had risked driving I Rossoblu toward bankruptcy, but boardroom insecurity was exactly what the club did not need as they strove to preserve their seat at the top table.
Yet after only 28 days at the head of the table, chairman Massimo Zanetti resigned, due to ideological differences of how to run the business element of the club. Further uncertainty was to arise. Marco Pavignani lasted only 76 days in the job, and Albano Guaraldi stepped in as chairman. Guaraldi was strongly opposed by the Bologna faithful. Relegated back to the second tier in 2014, financial difficulties came to the fore yet again, and star man Alessandro Diamanti, known to many in England for his time at West Ham and his winning penalty against the Three Lions at Euro 2012, was sold to Guangzhou Evergrande.
Taking advantage of the club’s off-field troubles, interest began to brew in yet another takeover. North American businessmen Joe Tacopina and Joey Saputo, who owned Montreal Impact, came in with an irrefutable offer in 2014 to take over Bologna as a new ‘BFC 1909 Lux Spv’ consortium, beating another offer from former chairman Massimo Zanetti.
Since their return to the Serie A in 2015, the side have managed to maintain mid-table mediocrity, or as some would say, stability, at long last. How’re they doing this season?
It’s been a mixed start to the campaign for Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men. At the time of writing, they sit 13th in the Serie A, with an impressive 3-0 win at the hands of Lazio their only victory in their last five games.
They ran AC Milan close despite losing captain Roberto Soriano and centre-back Adama Soumaoro to red cards, and they were able to cling onto a goalless draw away at Atalanta. But against sides they really should be beating, I Rossoblu have struggled. Just squeezing past inferior opposition such as Salernitana and Hellas Verona by onegoal margins at home does not represent signs of success, and batterings away at Inter Milan and Napoli show that there is much to do to close the gap on the league-leading teams. Mihajlovic has set his side out in a 3-4-2-1 shape this term, dabbling in a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-33 early, but the 6-1 drubbing at the San Siro and a 4-2 humbling at the hands of Empoli forced the Serbian’s hand into a back trio, as well as injury to centre-half Kevin Bonifazi.
The 3-0 victory over a lacklustre Lazio with the back three system would inspire I Veltri to persist with the shape, as veteran midfielder Gary Medel dropped into the middle of the trident, despite being only 5’7”.
He is usually joined by Belgian 21-year-old Arthur Theate and Frenchman Soumaoro either side of him, and whilst reliable for the most part, it is clearly a makeshift defensive unit. Lukasz Skorupski continues to keep goal behind them, and Lorenzo de Silvestri and Aaron Hickey offer quality in the wide areas as wing-backs.
THE FOUNDER November 2021 In the engine room, talented duo Mattias Svanberg and Nicolas Dominguez occupy the ‘double pivot’, although neither player really has the profile to sit in as a number six, instead wanting to drive forwards and be more allaction as a number eight. The Swede Svanberg is the more creative of the two: with an incisive eye for a pass and a physique that allows him to drive through midfield and progress play with a dribble. His Argentinian team-mate does the more terrier-like defensive work: tough-tackling, energetic, as well as having the determination and technical ability to pick out a pass or carry the ball himself.
Ahead of them, captain Roberto Soriano picks up the right half-space, being a more creative outlet than Musa Barrow off the left, with the Gambian known for trademark bursts in behind or inside onto his favoured right foot, looking for a goalscoring opportunity. And in the centre, the talismanic figure of Marko Arnautovic, acting as the complete forward to play off, and Mihajlovic often relies on a piece of individual brilliance from the Austrian when it comes to game-changing moments. Where need
to
do
they improve?
Whilst there is a beauty in having a wonderful complexion of youth and experience, the main downside to that philosophy is that the old often need replacing regularly. In Bologna’s case, the vast majority of their older players are at the twilights of their careers, and many will have run their contracts out come the end of the campaign.
While there are some questionable loan deals that have led to supposedly important players leaving the club temporarily, there is still an improvement to be made if Bologna are to get back to challenging in the top half of the table again, just like they were in the mid 20th century. Skorupski is a competent goalkeeping option, but he has a mistake in him. He has performed admirably for I Rossonblu this term, but he could do with some competition, and a ‘keeper should be on the radar.
Bologna are well-stocked for the moment at rightback, with a nice blend of experience and talent coming from Lorenzo de Silvestri and Ibrahima Mbaye, but it is at centreback where the real question marks lie. Stefano Denswil was curiously loaned to Trazbonspor despite being the club’s best central defender, and since the injury to Bonifazi, Mihajlovic has had to experiment with Medel in the middle of a makeshift back three. Arthur Theate is a decent option and can improve, whilst Adama Soumaoro is solid, but shouldn’t be relied upon as a mainstay. 20-year-old Luis Binks is promising English talent, but could do with a loan move to enhance his development at the top level.
In midfield, it remains to be seen whether Bologna will keep the 3-4-2-1 shape or revert to a midfield trio with a conventional back four. Were Mihajlovic to go back to a more traditional 4-3-3, his central defensive midfielder should be Dutchman Jerdy Schouten. A good size, with an eye for a pass and a willingness to break up play, the 24-year-old will only get better with regular playtime. Flanking him, it should very well be that Svanberg and Dominguez partnership, where the Swede will more of an advanced playmaker, with the Argentine the box-to-box midfielder, supporting both defensive and offensive phases. Roberto Soriano would be an excellent alternative to Dominguez, or even to Svanberg, should there be a need for more defensive solidity and discipline against a stronger opponent. The depth in the engine room is not as strong as it could be: Medel is still going strong at 34, whilst Kingsley Michael is decent but replaceable. There is work to be done in the middle of the park. In the front three, Bologna could well score some goals were Mihajlovic to play a system that allowed for him to fit Arnautovic, Barrow and Riccardo Orsolini all in the same side. But for the moment, the talismanic number seven sits on the bench, with Soriano favoured, despite being played out of position.
There is able cover across the front line: Andreas Skov Olsen is a tricky wide man capable of playing off both sides, while Emanuel Vignato is also promising At left-back, 19-year-old but could be improved upon Scotsman Aaron Hickey should the opportunity arise. has managed to displace Federico Santander is the go-to Mitchell Dijks, with the target man off the bench, allowing youngster offering guile for a different profile of striker to and determination down the impact games late on, and further left flank. The Dutchman attacking depth could be provided Dijks is the more physical, were Arnautovic be shifted standing at 6’4”. He offers leftwards to compete with Barrow, more defensive solidity allowing for a more prolific and experience than Hickey number nine to come in and fire might. In all, two excellent, Bologna up the table. complementing options to have on the left of defence.
SPORTS 27
THE FOUNDER November 2021
Fred Is Not as Bad as You Think He Is TOM GIBBS | CONTENT WRITER
T
here are few players who receive as much hate from their own fanbase as the Manchester United midfielder, Fred. One of the issues may be the large price tag attached to his arrival: United paid £53.1m to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 to secure his signature, according to Transfermarkt. Yet, the same database estimates his current value to only be around the £20m mark. Even if overrated, the hate that Fred receives seems excessive. This begs the question, price tag aside, is Fred really that bad? Let’s start by saying that the Brazilian is not perfect. There are legitimate issues with his game. Furthermore, this article isn’t a pitch for Fred to start every game, nor a defence that he is necessarily Manchester United quality. Those things are far too subjective and lie outside the scope of this analysis. The goal of the piece is merely to assess if the hate is justified, to determine if Fred is as ‘useless’ as many on Twitter seem to think he is. Fred’s attacking numbers are, without a doubt, underwhelming, registering only one goal and no assists in the 2020/21 league season - a tally bettered even by Victor Lindelöf who registered one of each. However, the former Shakhtar man plays in a deeper role as part of a double pivot for Manchester United, so instead, let’s focus on his defensive numbers.
Here, the story starts to change. According to FBref, in the last calendar year, the Brazilian was in the 92nd percentile for pressures per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues - compared with positional peers. This rises to the 94th percentile when you consider successful pressures per 90. That puts him in an elite bracket, but this isn’t the only area he excels in. Using the same comparison, Fred ranks in the 87th percentile for tackles per 90 and the 97th percentile for blocks per 90. Perhaps most impressive is that Fred is in the 99th percentile for passes blocked per 90. This is a stark subversion of the narrative that Fred has no discernible strengths.
Interestingly, it is pressing that lets Kanté down in these averages. Of course, some of this will be systematic difference in the teams they play in, but it is interesting to observe nonetheless. This isn’t to say that Fred is a better player than N’Golo Kanté - of course not. But it does highlight the job that Fred does relative to other stylistically similar players in his position.
Again, this is a huge problem if you are playing as a six, but not as bad if you are playing as an eight with cover. For reference, Jorginho’s short pass completion puts him in the 93rd percentile.
Source: FBref: An overview of Kanté ’s stats compared to positional peers in Men's Big 5 Leagues and European Competition over the last year.
Source: FBref: An overview of Fred’s stats compared to positional peers in Men's Big 5 Leagues and European Competition over the last 365 days.
Compare this to the pinnacle for highoctane central midfielders - N’Golo Kanté. Fred is in a higher percentile for progressive passes, blocks, and pressures. Taking into account the four main defensive stats pressures, tackles, interceptions and blocks - Fred averages in the 88th percentile for these metrics, the same as the Frenchman.
The main issue with Fred defensively is that he gets bypassed far too frequently. The Manchester United man is quite dismally in the 14th percentile for being dribbled past. As a number six this is problematic as it leaves the backline exposed. As a high-pressing eight, it’s not great, but it’s less of an issue as there is more cover behind you. Even Fred’s passing, which has been heavily criticised, isn’t awful for a defensive eight. He is in the 84th percentile for progressive passes - Jorginho is only in the 80th. His passing looks so problematic because he is only in the 60th percentile for short pass completion percentage.
Continuing the comparison, we can start to uncover the issue - Fred is being played out of position. He is not a deeplying midfielder, he is a defensive eight. His stats for defensive third tackles per 90 put him only in the 77th percentile. Kanté is in the 99th percentile for this. Yet if we compare tackles and pressures in the middle third of the pitch, Fred ranks in the 87th and 95th percentile, respectively, with Kanté only in the 83rd and 45th percentiles, respectively. So, what does this mean? Fred is more comfortable and effective in the middle third of the pitch, than when defending deeper into his team’s half. Simply put, Fred is better occupying positions that are more common for natural eights to find themselves in.
Looking into the data, it becomes clear that Fred is good at quite a lot of things. This isn’t an argument for Fred being world class, worth the money Manchester United paid for him, or an argument against the club’s pursuit of a new number six. It is simply a rejection of the common online narrative that Fred isn’t good at anything or useful in any way. Fred may not be the silky footballer that many would like to see in the Manchester United midfield, indeed he is infuriating at times. However, to argue that Fred is a bad player, to celebrate his absence or to slander his selection, is to overlook the many positive attributes that Fred has. United’s number 17 is largely the victim of being played out of position. Furthermore, he may be a player that is better used as a tool in specific games than a mainstay in the centre of midfield. The truth is, it may not be pretty, perfect or jaw-dropping… but when it comes to players of his archetype, Fred’s game is effective.
28 SPORTS
THE FOUNDER November 2021
The 2021 Ballon D’Or and The Problems with Individual Awards BRETT VAN ZOELEN | CONTENT WRITER
J
udging footballers is difficult. A variety of individual, statistical, and team factors come into it, and furthermore certain types of players fit better in particular systems and play better under different coaching environments and conditions. This is good for healthy debate and direct comparison, but individual awards are where these debates become more difficult. Naturally, the fans want more than a team of the year, and the football world is in constant debate. The Ballon D’or is popular because it stimulates fierce discussion between fans, such as, who is the greatest of all time? Who is the current best player in the world? Yet despite the hype, this prestigious award comes with a set of problems. A dispute that comes to mind is the seemingly endless back and forth between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair have dominated the award since Ronaldo’s maiden win in 2008, and his last coming in 2017. While these two legendary players are widely regarded as the greatest players of all time, as their careers begin to decline it is now clear that the criteria in which the Ballon D’Or judgement panel adjudge players is neither clear nor consistent.
There are many ways to judge players. Firstly, you have the eye test. Technically speaking, this method should be able to pinpoint the most skilful individual, which is what the award claims to be about. However, it has its drawbacks. Because of football’s very different roles and systems, it would be unfair to compare players that play in different positions, but due to the nature of this award, it must be done. As a result of this, many believe that players who win the most major trophies that year should be the frontrunners to win the award. It is easy to see the logic in this argument: if a team wins the treble and then one of their players goes on to win a major international tournament with their country, it could be argued that they themselves were the consistent factor in their continued success.
Source: Getty Images
A good example of something like this being rewarded was Real Madrid’s Luka Modric winning the award in 2018. However, the problem here is that you can have players who, on paper, deserve to be in the conversation purely based on the competitions they have won, but when it comes to the eye test and their role within the team, they don’t stack up to the same level. A recent example of this is Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho. Whilst he enjoyed an important role in both sides’ successes this last calendar year, there are other factors that allowed his teams to flourish. Along with many of his Chelsea colleagues, his game has been revitalised by the arrival of Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge. This begs the question, are his recent stellar performances down to him, or are they a reaction to the quality coaching teams he works with all year-round? Essentially, you cannot solely judge players on team achievements: if that were the only criteria, then the award would go to a Champions League winner every single year. This argument was popular around the time Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk made it into the top three in 2019. Now that the list has been supposedly leaked for 2021, this point has yet again become relevant. As the leaked reports claim, Lionel Messi will win his record seventh Ballon D’or. Usually this would be warranted based on a variety of angles such as the eye test, statistics, and team achievements. However, this time around it’s a little different. Many fans believe Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski to be the rightful claimant to this year’s award because, statistically speaking, the Pole has remained consistently at the very top since the beginning of the 2019/20 season.
Watching Messi or even Ronaldo play is usually enough to put your vote behind them, and in the past, the numbers they have put up have been completely unrivalled. It appears though, that now somebody has surpassed their numbers as their careers begin to regress, that the goalposts have been moved. If the leaked list is true, the methods of France Football need to be questioned as it seems that there are no consistent criteria used. In recent years, fans’ interest has wilted in these awards, and if nothing changes, then it runs the risk of losing its prestige, disappearing into the oversaturated market of individual awards in sport. FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 - Mirror Online
SPORTS 29
THE FOUNDER November 2021
How Broadcasting Rights Are Killing Rugby in England OLLY WALLACE | CONTENT WRITER
I
With different leagues and competitions being shown 'exclusively' on BT Sport, Sky Sports, Amazon Prime, and Premier Sports amongst others, it is simply not possible to get all your rugby in one place. Where this leaves the average fan is in a financial predicament. To watch the Gallagher Premiership (BT), European Champions Cup (BT), United Rugby Championship (Premier), Autumn Internationals (Amazon), Summer Series (Sky), World Cup and Six Nations (BBC/ ITV), a fan must fork out almost £100 per month as well as have access to terrestrial television. This categorically cannot go on. Pre-Covid, it was reported that the 12 clubs In doing this, the fanbase of English rugby in England's top tier had collectively lost £89 are becoming further and further removed million in the previous two years: a figure from the game, with excessive subscription caused by the simple fact that, in its current costs alienating viewers who simply and state, rugby is not profitable or sustainable. The understandably cannot afford to ship such cost of player salaries, stadium ownership, and a huge sum of money on services which simple matchday resources greatly outweigh they only want a tiny part of. This means the amount of money coming into each club. that fans must pick which competition Naturally then, when the pandemic started and to watch and subsequently miss out on halted the 2019/20 season, the situation began to being able to follow their club universally. worsen. Income for Premiership clubs stopped One good thing which came out of the altogether, with the cancellation of games and subsequent empty stadiums causing ticket sales Covid-19 pandemic in rugby terms was that every Gallagher Premiership game to cease. The strain this put clubs under was was broadcast live on BT Sport at no extra enormous and something which they are yet to cost to the paying customer. Viewing recover from. To stay afloat during this period, figures skyrocketed and the venture saw the majority of clubs enforced a 75% pay cut across all players and staff for the simple reason overwhelmingly positive feedback as fans were able to watch all Premiership games at will that they couldn't afford to pay them while no and support their club every single weekend. money was being made. t's no secret that the landscape of rugby in England is under immense threat. With Premiership clubs having recently suffered massive financial losses from the Covid-19 fallout, it has left the domestic game in an inherently precarious position. Alongside the consequences of the pandemic, clubs have still had to take the weight of expected expenditure, meanwhile a continued lack of mainstream viewership in comparison to other major sports has exponentially hampered the growth of rugby across the country.
Now that restrictions have lifted and stadiums can fill up once again, it is vitally important to maximise the number of fans regularly watching and attending fixtures. The only feasible way to maintain the survival of rugby union in England is to expand its viewership and therefore broadcasting rights are fundamental. Unlike football, the scale of funding in rugby is comparatively minute. TV deals are valued at a fraction of the cost of competitions like the Premier League, but for this exact reason it is paramount to utilise what money is being generated to help expand the game. Where issues arise is the ongoing sale of broadcasting rights to a huge range of television providers at one time, all of which require a subscription.
Similarly, another positive sign has been the extension of the free-to-air TV deal between the Six Nations and the BBC and ITV until at least 2025, ultimately meaning that Europe's flagship international tournament will remain in the public domain for four more years and hopefully beyond. Initiatives like these are essential in maintaining the sport, as viewer retention is kept at a maximum and fans are not deterred by being segregated into groups of those who can and can't afford to watch everything.
Subscription services in the current era are unfortunately inevitable, with platforms like Amazon recently staking its own claim in the world of sports broadcasting and others sure to follow suit soon. However, the issue lies elsewhere. Paying for sport is acceptable to an extent, but with the increasing number of platforms in possession of exclusive rights, it's becoming impossible for fans to keep up as there are simply too many to realistically afford. If Rugby Union continues down this path of selling rights to the highest bidder and dividing leagues and competitions between numerous broadcasters, we will end up with an extremely certain future, one which we really don't want. Viewership will fall, fans will become disenfranchised, and clubs will collapse. The growth of the game is already in the process of being damaged, so why is virtually nobody talking about it?
The authorities in every union desperately need to step in and regulate broadcasting rights. Without any intervention, it is only a matter of time before we see the fanbase of the English game becoming separated altogether from their clubs as the financial burden of their various subscriptions will outweigh their desire to follow the sport.
Source: Amazon Prime Video
THE FOUNDER November 2021
