Sasha’s obsession and attachment to the Science Week 2023 chicks.
Sasha and the Chicks
24th March 2023
The Patriarchy of Consumerism
24th March 2023
This year, for International Women’s Day, the fast fashion giant Pretty Little Thing released an entire ‘shop-by’ category in celebration. There seems to be nothing particularly feminist about the clothes, other than a few girlboss-slogan-type tote bags. PLT are manipulating and commodifying a global day of recognition and activism for women into a marketing ploy to maximise profit. But the deepest irony of this entire campaign is that fast fashion companies are actually responsible for supporting and entrenching patriarchy in their own production lines.
End of Term Bingo
24th March 2023
It’s that time of year again – the countdown to the end of term is ticking to an eventual close, and there’s a feeling of expectation in the air (either due to an exciting Easter break, or quaking fear that exam season is once again approaching). Whichever one you may be, or perhaps both, there is no denying that that the lie-ins will be more frequent, and you won’t have to sit in a classroom for at least two weeks. And of course, this expectation comes with the End-of-Term Events; so, to entertain you during the next week, here is a comprehensive Bingo checklist of things to look forward to.
Polari and the History of Secret Languages
24th March 2023
You’ve probably heard of Pig Latin before – it’s a secret language (or cant) popularised on school playgrounds and children’s TV. The initial consonant is moved to the end and an extra syllable, usually ei, is added (Pig Latin would therefore be igpay atinlay), making a sentence sound like gibberish. Or maybe you made up a secret language when you were young to talk to your siblings or friends with in front of your parents. Secret languages exist everywhere, driven by the need to communicate without wanting surrounding people to know what you’re saying. This is, of course, even more important when your message could make you a target of hate or violence.
Are We Trying to Buy an Aesthetic?
24th March 2023
I enjoy observing (and participating in) the modern culture of consumerism. I also enjoy writing about these observations – previously tackling the topic from the perspectives of sustainability and the culture surrounding it. Today, we will be contemplating whether we have subconsciously taken to ‘building our own brand’, by trying to neatly fit into designated aesthetics, whether these categories guide our choices more than they should and whether we are trying to buy our idea of a product, rather than the product itself.