[Written by Gabriela Saldanha Blackwood]
‘Glasgow In Conversation’ is an online series seeking to profile socially, politically and/or culturally engaged figures and spaces within the Glasgow context. The premise is simple – 10 questions, which remain more or less the same, put forth to interesting people doing interesting things within our city.
[Written by Morgan Laing]
[Image by Morgan Laing]
Like many women who have obsessed over the seminal romantic dramedy Sex and the City, I have found myself – alone, on a Saturday night in front of the TV – pondering the similarities between the four fabulous protagonists and myself. Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, Miranda, me… our lives aren’t all that different. Just like them, I have a tight-knit group of friends. I also live in a city, and I attend blowout brunches that I can’t financially justify but still indulge in anyway because, hello, have you tried the pancakes in this place?
[Written by Annie Wakefield]
[Image by Kate Zápražná]
When an artist makes controversial statements or life choices that you neither support or condone, is it possible to find a separation between an artist and their art, or are they of one thing?
For many people, there is a dilemma in still appreciating an artist’s work, be it watching a film starring said actor, or listening to an artist’s music, after they’ve come under fire – whether it be for making provocative political statements or for unacceptable behaviour in their personal life.
[Written by Natalia Melenteva]
[Image by Anastasija Svarevska]
“I like them to talk nonsense. That’s man’s one privilege over all creation. Through error you come to the truth! I am a man because I err!”
“What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds?”
Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1866
[Written by Betty Henderson]
[Illustration by Betty Henderson]
Glasgow is a city that celebrates culture. A place that is buzzing with art, history, and the most incredible music scene. It’s a place that is loud, proud and oh so friendly – and although it may be home to some of the best art galleries and museums in Scotland, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is a city that thrives on art and eccentricity, and nowhere encapsulates this vibe more than the eclectic Trongate area. Here is my guide to the ideal way to spend an afternoon in the East End of the city, from vintage shopping to totally instagrammable cafes. There is something for the art lover in all of us.
[Written by Saamkyu Smart]
[Image by Sophie Thornton]
After generations of impossible female beauty standards, men are starting to feel the same pressure to conform to a very specific form of beauty. Actors and models of the same body type are being constantly pushed into the spotlight as the ideal form of male attractiveness– the lean yet ripped look. Although these body types give off the illusion of being healthy and natural, the process by which models and actors gain them is quite the opposite. It’s a job to be lean and muscular, and for the majority of the time, it’s a temporary one. Additionally, when the standards are set so high, it’s hard to not feel any social pressure when you’re not even close to muscular.
[Written by Stefanie Reynolds]
[Image by Aike Jansen – Online Photo Editor]
I love film. I love experiencing film at the cinema, at a friend’s house on a wide screen TV or just on my own, in my bedroom, through my laptop. I enjoy most genres; comedy or romantic being my favourite. I go weak in the knees for a beautifully, romantic love story! However, despite this, there is one (huge!) sacrifice I have to make whenever I give myself over to film for an hour or two – I probably won’t see myself. Under representation is a problem in film, but worse still is the token black character. My non-black friends have often been quick to remind me of many films with black actors, and have even eagerly pursued to put them on in my presence.
[Written by Niki Radman]
[Image Credit: Steve Jurvetson/flickr.com]
Whenever I sport my What-Would-Lin-Manuel-Miranda-Do-T-Shirt in public, people tend to give me puzzled looks and, occasionally, a hesitant “So, who is… errr –?”. It appears that there are still people in Scotland who don’t know the name Lin-Manuel Miranda. Curious. To be honest, answering their question is difficult for me. When you admire someone to the extent that I do Mr Miranda, drawing a sensitive sketch – both of perceived personality and various achievements – becomes extremely challenging. Chances of going on a disconnected ramble are high but then again how to pick from the plethora of information obtained on afternoons of compulsive googling? Nonetheless, here is my attempt at an overview.
[Written By Arianne Crainie – Editor-in-Chief]
Hello everyone! Hopefully you’ve had a chance to take a browse at the articles published over the past few days. If not then click back to the feed where you’ll find some pieces on the theme of ‘Tomorrow.’ This mini-theme was chosen to coincide with our Freshers zine-making workshop last Friday (what a great turnout – tysm to everyone who came!!). It also prompted us to reflect on what we wanted for the magazine.
Last week we ran some of our first workshops of the year including a wonderfully well-attended zine making workshop! To coincide with our Fresher Week mini-theme of ‘Tomorrow’ we collected pages together to create a zine on the theme and the result is absolutely fantastic!
This is just a taster of the kinds of workshops and events we’ll be running for the next year. Always with a goal to be inclusive, encourage collaboration and engage in creative pursuits, regardless of experience or ability!
[Written by Maisie Joanna and Ellen Grant – Events Managers]
Glasgow is never short of goingons, and this month is no exception. Whether you’re a fresh-faced first year ready to get to know the city, or you’ve been pacing these streets your whole life, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Tomorrow doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom…
[Written by Alice Hill-Woods – Creative Writing Editor]
The future has been analysed, fortified and deconstructed; met with elation, met with anxiety; always written about. Writing about tomorrow can be an act of rebellion, or a manifesto for the future, because it requires the intention for change. In this sense, it is a wonderful prompt for creative outlet, as it finds its place between dichotomies such as the known/the unknown, hope/fear and change/rigidity. It presents itself as an opportunity to reimagine and reconstruct our environment or ourselves on the premise that it is a fresh start.
[Written by Rafe Uddin – Politics Editor]
[Illustration by Julia Rosner]
The political discourse is one which is abound with hypothetical notions of what the world of tomorrow will look like. From daunting notions of rapture, as societies descend into conflict, to a belief that a political decision could stave off this outcome. From the impeachment of Trump to the reversal of Brexit – the leading assumption suggests that these will help society overcome an illiberal agenda. However, hypothetical arguments do little to outline what tomorrow will actually look like. I would go as far as to argue that they only amplify any echo chamber that you might be living in (Twitter now curating the voices in your head). However, I am not advocating playing host to all perspectives. Instead I am advocating – being pragmatic about the future – not altogether cynical.
[Written by Morgan Laing – Deputy Editor]
[Illustration by Julia Rosner]
Last week, during a spontaneous road trip with my best friends (HI, AM I IN AN AMERICAN COMING-OF-AGE FILM??), I experienced what can only be described as a “moment”. A “moment” is one of those occasions where the sky seems unbelievable and the music is right and you all of a sudden sense – in your heart and in your bones – that everything is going to turn out exactly as you dreamed it would, when you were a child building the perfect world in your mind.
[Written by Perry Stewart – Online Editor]
I’m almost certain that a whole stack of people around the internet will have written about this already, but I’m entering my fourth and final year of university and I am filled with a dreadful sense of unease. It’s not that I’m not looking forward to returning and getting back into the groove of lectures. No, it’s the fact that I have to make proper adult choices soon and I’m in no way ready for that. I bought a giant plush shark from IKEA today with my own money, that is how much of an adult I am. So, when I was given the brief to talk about the concept of ‘tomorrow’, I decided I’d talk about how much I’m dreading it.
[Written by Annegret Maja Fiedler – Social Media Editor]
I spend a lot of time stressing about my future, and realising that in about 250 tomorrows I may have graduated. I have to seem employable by then, and I need to know what career path I must pursue.
[Written By: Rachel Shnapp]
So, we did it. In a few weeks we will officially have degrees, and can plaster that first, 2:1, 2:2 onto our bright and shiny CVs that we will (or already are) ramming down the email-shaped throat of anything, anywhere that is vaguely related to the kind of job we imagine ourselves doing. For me, it’s somewhere in the realm of film and arts, but I’ll also happily take a job in marketing/ journalism/a bar. Anything that will allow me to pay my rent, basically. And I know from talking to friends that it isn’t just me being massively melodramatic (although that has been known to happen on very, extremely rare occasions…). But everyone seems to have, what I call, The Fear.
[Written By: Emma Lees]
In the April of 2017, Caitlyn Jenner gave an interview with Diane Sawyer in which she discussed her transition from a male to a female. People all over the world seemed fixated upon the fact Bruce had once been a wealthy, successful, inspirational man, an Olympic athlete. Suddenly, it seemed the act of a gender reassignment surgery had stripped her of the right to be held in such high regard. The interview was memorable and one statement in particular still sticks with me: ‘I’m not stuck in anybody’s body, I hate that phrase. I’m just me.’ This is everything – everything that is wrong with our notions of gender identification.
By Reiss McInally
An interview with Gillian Campbell, VIP Chair of Alpha Delta Pi, UCLA
[ By: Emma Lees ]
Hannah Hill is a 22-year-old woman from London. What first drew and continues to draw me to Hannah’s’ social media presence is her power to use raw relation in a way most people can’t stomach: forthcoming with not only her position on social standards, mental health, immigration, drug use, politics, equality and body image (to name a few), but she also shares her perceived weaknesses and strengths. She lays herself bare and brave. This in turn cultivates a network of girls who genuinely care about her; girls who read her vulnerable musings like a diary, who notice when she seems happier or sadder, and like a private-public chat room communicate that concern or well-wishes for all to see. Scrolling through her Instagram is the mental equivalent of a girls’ sleepover, the admiration for yourself you wanted to have but didn’t know where or how to start, an uninhibited conversation in the girls’ bathroom with someone you immediately know has shared a slice of your life and love, victories and losses. To summarise – Hannah is singlehandedly the girl gang we all need. She is the human manifestation of those girls who dominate the likes of Laura Callaghan’s illustrations – sassy, sincere and unapologetically sexual. She puts the time in to be the person reinforcing feelings worth talking about and for someone with 43.3k followers on Instagram, that’s a socially significant mindset to have and a courageous life to live.
[Written By: Andrew S George]
[Photographer: Silvia Sani]
Column: A vertical beam
In compression
How could support
Elicit depression?
Here I sit, broken hearted
With dreams of Greeks
Gone, departed
Column: A vertical beam
In compression
Computers were built
To answer these questions
Now, paper and pen firm in hand,
I feel my brain buckle and turn to sand –
Verify general solution and constants;
It can’t just be me that thinks this is nonsense.
[Written By: Shamso Abdirahman]
For this year’s International Women’s Day, Mattel announced their Inspiring Women collection with a series of 17 dolls commemorating iconic women throughout history. One of the figures being the influential Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
[Written By: Hannah West]
The irony of me writing this article is that I have been putting it off, and off, and off – procrastinating entirely and finding something else to do the minute I sit down at my desk. But that’s not all – I’ve also had the exact same internal fight every single time this has happened. I end up beating myself up about the fact that I can’t seem to find it in myself to be productive, even when I know how much time I have to do something and what my other commitments are.
[Written By: Kritika Narula]
[Photographer: Erifili Gounari]
The narrative on mental health has strengthened over the years. Yet, a very small proportion of the people seek help. The reasons vary. The identification of mental health issues is hard because of their conspicuous absence from the mainstream medical narrative. Even if one identifies the issue, it is difficult to muster enough courage to acknowledge it in entirety and reach out for help. What complicates matters is that these experiences are extremely personal and explaining what one is going through is a daunting task in itself. To add to this, there’s unfathomable stigma about accepting such illnesses and disorders because they are seen as a character flaw.
[Written By: Hannah Lane]
‘Don’t talk much, do you?’ These were words uttered to me a matter of days ago, as I sat in the back of a car with my older sister and two others. We were undertaking an hour-long journey and, unsurprisingly, my sister had been talking non-stop the entire time whilst I had hardly spoken only one word beyond the necessary polite greetings and initial small talk. I then smiled at the person addressing me and mumbled something about a tendency to zone out during car journeys, and that I was more of a listener anyway.
[Written By: Florence Bridgman]
‘There was something gorgeous about him…an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness’ – F. Scott Fitzgerald
[Written By: John Hill]
The nineteenth-century American philosopher Ralph Emerson wrote that ‘the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it’. It is natural to focus on the needs or desires of ourselves above anybody else’s concerns as self-interest drives us all and impels us to fulfil our own individual wills. Freud himself was interested in the study of our innermost drive and concluded we have two primitive instincts: Eros and Thantos, our will to live and our death drive, the pursuance of personal fulfilment and preservation.
[Written By: Elsa Lindström]
The fashion weeks take over the press coverage every spring and autumn with magazines rushing to praise their latest collections and show off their best looks. These weeks are considered the most important part of the year, at least if you trust Vogue, and the industry basically revolves around them. But in the midst of the newest trends of capes and leather dresses, little attention is given to the ethical issues of fashion, such as designers environmental aspects or workers’ rights.
[Written By: Emma Harrison]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
There is a pretty strong consensus, when it comes to fiction, that there are “good” and “bad” books. In a less complicated world, this would simply mean that there are books that are well-written and enjoyable to read, and books that aren’t. Instead, the issue is far more convoluted – a good book must also be considered proper literature, of academic interest, of sound reputation, and as far from commercialised writing as possible. Whether it is actually enjoyable to read or not often seems to be less important than how far it can distance itself from its contemporaries.
[Written By: Charlotte Dean]
We all have a past. Some people ignore it. Some people delve too deeply into theirs, and some never learn from it. With age we need to accept our past for its heavenly highs and for its painful pitfalls. There are moments and times I am not particularly proud of, whether it was going on a trampoline blind-drunk in wedge heels (and thankfully only breaking a small bone in my foot) to giving too much too soon to someone who wasn’t worth it. We need to consider our own ideals and opinions far more and this can begin with accepting our faults. When in toxic relationships we all have done things we regret, but as long as we ask for forgiveness and know we’ve done wrong only then will we be able to move on.
[Written By: Morgan Laing]
Who, between the years 1998-2004, could we identify as the owner of the shiniest hair, the best wardrobe, and the most hopefully romantic outlook in the whole of Manhattan? Charlotte York Goldenblatt, that’s who. For as long as Sex and the City graced our screens, Charlotte York Goldenblatt (formerly known as Charlotte MacDougal, though we don’t talk about that now. Her first husband was fine in some respects, but the way he allowed his mother to interfere in every aspect of his life was hella weird) trotted around NYC in some of the chicest ensembles you’ve ever seen – and yet Carrie was supposed to be the unequivocal style icon? Let’s discuss this for a second.
[Written By: Katie Fannin]
‘Dream Wife’ is the eagerly awaited self-titled first album from the Icelandic-Brightonian pop punk three-piece. Formed during art school in Brighton, the band have already made a name for themselves supporting a cavalcade of big names on tour and securing a slot at the infamous SXSW last year.
[Writer and photographer: Silvia Sani]
Currently, Instagram is one of the most-used applications. Its purpose is rooted in letting people share moments in their life through pictures: a photo with friends on a night out, a beautiful sunset, the university viewed from the library (I have done that), an image of summer holidays in a sunny country, and so on. When scrolling down on Instagram, all one sees is memories of other people’s lives.
[Written By: Shamso Abdirahman]
My last Instagram post was a selfie. I thought I looked cute in the picture and, more importantly, I remember feeling carefree and happy at the time. It had made the cut from the dozen others I’d taken, and – after seeking the counsel of various WhatsApp group chats (it absolutely was not a spontaneous post) – I posted the selfie. So came the post-upload wave of validation from friends and followers, and it’s fair and honest to say that my two hours of social media traffic was validating but soon enough – over. The many love heart emojis and messages with the words ‘glow-up season’ were all appreciated, but it never dawned on me that I had glowed up.
[Interviewed by Hannah West]
South London rapper Deacon is an up-and-coming performer on the British hip-hop scene who has already generated incredible hype with his first single, ‘No Evil’ – a hugely political piece inspired by the shape that today’s world takes, and by recent events that he has witnessed around him. Deacon certainly keeps his writing up to speed with the world, and his candid voice will undoubtedly influence many.
As humans, we like to have opinions. We value and trust our own opinions. But things change, and we often find ourselves realising that the opinions we once held no longer stand. Sometimes, our view on something – on a film, or a song, or a book – starts to alter, or dwindle, or degenerate. We grow out of things. We start to think differently. We realise that the thing in question may never have been particularly good to begin with (hi, low-rise jeans). Three writers talk about how their appreciation for particular pieces of media has changed – or, in some cases, declined – over time.
[Written By: Hannah Lane]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
In a world slowly being torn apart by environmental destruction, and with people consistently adopting a ‘disposable’ attitude towards everyday life, a personal effort to live more sustainably can often feel futile. We’re constantly aware of the impact our every move has on the environment, yet it can be difficult to distance ourselves from our plastic-infused bubbles and properly examine what exactly our everyday actions, habits and lifestyles do to the world we live in. Nevertheless, it seems that more and more of us are becoming aware of the benefits of sustainable living and making a conscious effort, big or small, to live more mindfully and be more environmentally aware. Recently, I’ve come to realise that we can make an effort to live more sustainably in so many areas – from our food and drink habits and everyday commutes, to our fashion and beauty addictions.
[By: Elena Roselli]
RISING FROM ASHES
In front of the building site of the building that recently burned in Glasgow city centre, the man coordinating the site is the only splash of colours in an otherwise grey landscape, representing to me the potential of creation that a single human being represents in front of a symbol of destruction.
[Written By: Charlotte Dean]
All girls on the dating scene sometimes require a pocket guidebook for knowing their way around men (or just the rules of dating). Sometimes you may think men are simple creatures – they either like you or don’t – but you have to remember nobody is a one-way street, really. So, for the times when and if none of your girlfriends, mothers, or even brothers are able to reply in an instant and fill you with guidance with what to do in a certain situation, or what the perfect reply might be, I’ve decided to write this article on things to absolutely avoid doing when you’ve just starting to see someone. Just because you’ve nabbed a guy, ended up having extremely hot and steamy sex, it doesn’t mean he’s going to be yours for the keep.
[Written By: Annegret Maja Fiedler]
[Illustration: Lara Delmage]
It is 8:00 am. I am hunched in front of my mirror, concealing acne scars and the bags under my eyes. I then fill in my brows, apply blush on the apples of my cheeks, and swipe mascara on to my lashes. I dab some highlighter under the brow bone and inner corners of my eyes, and instantly look more awake. This routine takes less than 10 minutes of my morning and allows me to feel put together for a day of lectures, labs, and then work in the afternoon.
“You don’t need makeup to feel good” – I do not care, because I feel good.
[Written By: Gabriel Rutherford]
[Photographer: Elena Roselli]
The importance of arts funding cannot be overstated. For culture, funding is crucial for survival especially in an age where inflation means that artists have to charge more for their art, thereby limiting audience sizes – already a problem in the echelons of “higher” art. After all, when was the last time you went to the opera?
[Written By: Emma Reilly]
[Photographer: Gabriela Saldanha Blackwood]
While the mantra “all you need is love” has become something of a cliché, the vitality of our relationships with others cannot be denied. How we connect with others influences how we connect with ourselves, and thus how we experience life. We rely on our relationships for support and reassurance, and we naturally crave substantial connections to others. This is likely why we feel the sting so prominently when our relationships end, especially if one was not the instigator of the breakup. However, while the media often focuses on romantic breakups, the end of a friendship can be equally as painful and affecting and is arguably a more frequent, even universal, experience. So why are the impacts of lost platonic loves so overlooked and underplayed?
[By: Aike Jansen with thanks to Jo Reid]
If you were a queer student at Glasgow Uni before the 1970s, the only way to meet up with fellow LGBTQ students was having lunch together on a specific day in the Fraser Building. Then in the 70s, while homosexuality was still criminalised in Scotland, a lecturer set up the Glasgow University Gay Society, Gay Soc for short. One week, the society would meet in a QMU committee room to listen to a talk or chat, the next week they would socialize in a bar, ensuring that both closeted and out LGBTQ students could join. Now, GULGBTQ+ is among one of the biggest societies on campus, still ensuring there’s a great variety of things happening – from weekly coffee-meetups where one can hang out with others of a specific orientation or gender-identity, big Wednesday-night events, knitting groups, campaigns and ceilidhs. ‘The LGBTQ+ community is so big, you’ve got to make sure you’re trying to cater to as many people as possible’ says Jo Reid, current president of GULGBTQ+. ‘It can be challenging, taking care of all these different needs. You’ve got to balance being informative, and offering welfare, and campaigning while being a social society. At the end of the day, this is a volunteer society, people come here because they want to have fun! But if there’s something missing, we very much welcome our members to tell us what they’d like to see and we can try to make it happen.’
[Written By: Valeria Levi]
[Photographer: Adriana Iuliano]
I generally keep an eye on Italian politics and follow the latest news from Glasgow but, of course, when last week I spent a couple of days in Italy, the chance to speak to people directly affected by the electoral campaign there has made me reflect upon it more profoundly.
[Written By: Andrew Trower]
When Americans use the expression ‘only in America’, they mean to convey the impression that something wonderful or unexpected has occurred; here we say ‘only in Britain’ when something risible or stupid or predictable has taken place. Oscar Wilde said that we are separated by a common language but really what distinguishes us from U.S. is our national pessimism: we are more cynical, more mordant, more derisive, and none of these qualities is really worth having—except in politics.
[Written By: Niki Radman]
[Illustration: Perry Stewart]
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every self-respecting film nerd on the face of this earth must have seen Blade Runner at some point or another. Although less than successful during its initial release, the film has developed a cult following that few others can claim. It has been praised for stunning visuals, thought-provoking themes and an eerily beautiful score by Vangelis. I will not try to counter any of these claims and I don’t aim to push the masterpiece off its pedestal. I won’t try to argue that ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is poor either. When I saw both movies at a double-feature over the holidays, the experience was very enjoyable. Upon further reflection, I realised something wasn’t quite right. My stomach started churning and eventually I identified the feeling which was tormenting me as anger. Something about these movies had made me profoundly angry. Initially I was too emotional to form my thoughts into a coherent argument however, distance and time have made it easier to untangle the threads and lay out before you now exactly what I believe went wrong.
Applications for the GUM team 2018/19 are now open! There are many exciting roles to apply for. Applications will close at midnight on the 12th April; don’t miss out on the chance to be part of one of the best media teams at Glasgow University!
[Written By: Amelia Oakley]
[Photographer: Elena Roselli]
In Early Modern England the colour, fabric and material of clothes denoted the wearer’s rank, status, and position, and was enforced by English law. While this is not a legal obligation in Britain, many countries and religions still enforce clothing by law. In France, fierce debate surrounded the banning of niqabs and burqas. Under a decree by the French Prime Minister, François Fillon, women are banned from wearing the niqab in any public place. Veils covering the face are illegal virtually anywhere outside women’s homes, except when worshipping or travelling as a passenger in a car. Likewise, in North Korea, citizens must adhere to strict fashion laws. They must style themselves with officially endorsed haircuts and clothing with zero affiliation with the West – especially when it comes to brands and logos. In the UK, however, we have an extraordinary amount of freedom when it comes to choosing our style and how we wish to present ourselves. In some ways, it is a privilege to have a personal style, and it reveals a lot about our identity.
[Written by Jasmine Urquhart]
The evening of the 21st of November saw the final instalment of the Rector Round Table discussions in the QMU. Aamer Anwar started the session by outlining the primary issues occurring on campus.
[Written By: Jennifer Constable]
[Photographer: Gabriela Saldanha Blackwood]
How accomplished are we, to possess the
means to loop a leash on Mother Nature herself.
No more “accidental leaking” and goodbye to
those days spent doubled over our duvets.
At last! We have outsmarted our own bodies,
no longer to be enslaved to the sullen waves of
hormonal tides and currents of cramps that toss us side to side
in a monthly cycle of aches and pains to be braved in silence.
We are now prescribed our silver foiled sachets of
twenty-eight pink hued pearls, popped
into the innermost pockets of our purses;
discreet and dainty like the pamphlets had promised.
We have scheduled each bodily function to
be timed to our exact convenience.
How naive were we, to believe that leash would be
looped on Mother Nature so easily.
Those peals that once held so much wonder
now sit weighted in ever-younger wombs of
calcified cysts and infantile tubes blocked with
clots from the bleeds we’d thought we’d managed to staunch.
The aches and pains we endured still exist now
paired with the constant panic of something which
burns just below the surface. The hormonal tides still turn
ever more turbulent as we struggle to keep our heads above water.
Blindly, we ingest those pink orbs like polymer prayers to
swell our stomachs and bloat our breasts
until every inch of our skin has been
stretched over limbs made puffy by our own pride;
the artificial regulation of our own menstrual system,
that we thought was ours to command.
[Written By: Anna Lumaca]
[Illustration: Sophie Bryer]
The Glasgow Guardian recently published an interesting article on United Glasgow: a unique football team that promotes inclusion and anti-discrimination policies. Their message stresses the importance of representing a broad variety of cultural groups in sport. But why should we aspire to diversity? And how much does it impact our University activities? I spoke about these issues with three Glasgow University students, all of whom have very different experiences but similar concerns.
[Written By: Charlotte Dean]
Another Valentine’s Day has swirled past us; couples have fluttered the streets with roses and chocolates. It is a day that is the equivalent of hell for a commitment-phobe. Spring, however, is here (with a little more frosting than we expected). After emerging from our coves, wrapped in duvets and multiple blankets, we can finally stop using hot water bottles for extra heat in our beds. I sometimes find the transitioning between seasons to be akin to shedding skin – the temperature increases (or should, at least), and we get more light with each passing day, making me feel like I really should get out of the house and become that active version of myself that the summer sees far more of.
[Written By: Hannah West]
[Photographer: Erifili Gounari]
When it comes to live music, the size of the venue is undoubtedly important in contributing to the general vibe of a particular gig or live music event, and of course expectations will differ between those going to see the likes of Taylor Swift and those going to see smaller indie performers like Lewis Capaldi or Gabrielle Aplin. Luckily, living in Glasgow, we have no shortage of options for all kinds of live music experiences, ranging from the SSE Hydro (holding up to 13,000 people) to cosy King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut with its capacity of just 300. Personally, I am a frequenter of small gigs at small venues. Aside from the obvious upside that they are more affordable, they feel easy-going and casual – like I could go to one every night of the week and still not be tired out. However, when I saw Coldplay last summer at Hampden Park I was utterly taken aback by the show that I was witnessing before my eyes, and by the sheer magnitude and spectacle that these huge shows provide. This shook up what I thought I already knew about live music, and made me think about the positives of both types of concert.
[Written By: Flora Spencer Grant]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
I love film. I study film. I one day hope to work in film, but I hate awards season. The nominees and winners never seem to reflect the films that I love – and yet somehow I still find myself watching every year. It’s generally the same story across all creative industries. Seeing Beyoncé nearly cry when Lemonade was snubbed for best album (she is the artist of my life and Adele’s life) pretty much solidified my hatred of the Grammys, and yet I still pay attention to the whole thing. Even though I’m aware of the fact that awards are not the be all and end all (I’m pretty sure Beyoncé isn’t losing any sleep) I can’t help but feel that they are still significant.
[Written by: Natalia Melenteva]
I will have to confess something straight away: I am one of these annoying people who starts sentences with “when I lived in…”
It is not that I always choose to do so. It is just that, as a Third Culture Kid, it is often difficult to avoid saying these things. There is no straight answer to the inevitable question of “where are you from?” Or, “where did you go to school?” For us, questions like these mean either telling the white lie of naming one country to avoid explaining your entire life story, or to go into lengthy explanations about how, why, when…
[Written By: Rachel Shnapp]
[Picture taken by: Erin Robinson]
Throughout British history, it was believed that some women were witches – and for this ‘crime’, they were killed.
Now we know that this claim was made up by various political and religious powers who felt threatened by women (Thomas Lolis asserts this, among many other historians). Even though I know for certain that women aren’t witches, I do believe they are magic, in a way.
Social media can help hone aspects of our real-life selves and enable us to express ourselves more honestly
[Written By: Katy Scott]
Finding My Identity in a Post-Brexit Society
[Article and Illustration By: Gabriela Saldanha Blackwood]
[Written By: Leora Mansoor]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
A ‘Where’s Waldo’ of Good Conversation
I remember once telling a guy I really liked that I didn’t listen to music. It may have even been worse than that though, because I’m pretty sure I actually told him I didn’t like music at all. Obviously it had been a lie, one of the kinds that fall out of your mouth when you’re flustered in someone’s presence. There was also this somewhat innate fear of admitting that I really didn’t know what I liked, or couldn’t remember. It was also pretty hard to admit at the time that I had three double sided Billy Joel CDs on my iPod accompanied by, what I only realised upon returning home this Christmas, an ‘ABBA Gold’ tribute CD. I was sixteen; of course I didn’t want to say the wrong things. I was young and still afraid that my identity could be the wrong one.
[Written By: Megan Willis]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
Take a moment to picture a soldier in the British Army. What do you see?
It’s more than likely that what you see is a stereotype, a set identity of what and who a soldier is, an identity that has been produced and reinforced through our culture and history.
[Written By: Elspeth Macintosh]
[Illustration: Julia Rosner]
As many of us know, the European Union currently has lots of influence on the characteristics of the food that we import and export. But what we are less commonly aware of is that the upcoming Brexit will change British policy concerning the food products we consume in our daily lives. This article aims to summarise an issue that too many of us lack awareness of and capture a snapshot of Britain’s attitude towards food standards and trade in 2018.
[Written by: Anna Shams Ili]
[Art work by: Seirin Hyung (@seirinhyung90), Glasgow School of Art]
[Seirin’s site: https://seirinhyung90.wixsite.com/seirin/stilllife]
[Interview with: Awni Hannun, PhD student in Computer Science, Stanford University, previous: Baidu Silicon Valley AI Lab.]
[Paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1707.01836.pdf]
Man or machine? The question has become a steady part of almost every work of science fiction and is now slowly creeping into our everyday lives. For example, take the above artwork. With Artificial Intelligence evolving, the line between human and machine-made work is constantly blurring in every profession, and while these paintings are made by human, Seirin Hyung (@seirinhyung90), there are abundant examples of machine-made work that is almost functioning just as well, or better, than that of humans. Even in creative fields, AI has recently been used to write screenplays and even a chapter of Harry Potter. But while artists may be less delighted by a machine take over, fields like medicine see great benefit in the integration of AI into routine tasks if it has the potential to improve patient care.
Artificial Intelligence generally refers to machines that are able to replicate human intelligence in some form. This is usually concentrated on the areas of learning, reasoning, problem solving, perception, and understanding of language. AI has posed one of the most debated philosophical questions in the 21st Century, as many attempt to extrapolate the extent to which it is possible to replicate human intelligence. There are many fields in the realm of AI, with machine learning gaining the most attention in mainstream media – this is the science of getting computers to learn without being explicitly programmed. It is about feeding machines information that they then use to create predictive algorithms. It might then seem as if the machine is learning by itself in a way that may even feel sentient, although it is a process through detecting and analysing patterns. One method in this is deep learning, which uses layers of artificial neural networks and thereby simulating the way the human brain works. This method is especially used in fields of biology and medicine and has proven especially useful for one device.
GUM had the exclusive pleasure to speak with Awni Hannun, a PhD student in Computer Science at Stanford University, advised by Andrew Ng who is well known in the field of AI. Ng sees great opportunity at the intersection of healthcare and AI and believes that AI has the potential to disrupt many industries for the better, medicine being no exception. In order to make the field more accessible, he has launched free courses in machine learning and deep learning that are available online.
Hannun decided to pursue a career in machine learning after attending a university class on it. This particular project, produced in collaboration with iRhythm, combines machine learning with the commonly used electrocardiogram (ECG) device and has been shown to outperform cardiologists in arrhythmia detection using a new deep learning algorithm. Electrocardiograms are used to check the rhythm of the heart and its electrical activity. While traditionally done by attaching sensors to the skin, wearable ECG devices are recently new on the scene. They are used to detect heart arrhythmias by recording the heart and then being processed afterwards. With artificial intelligence, the process is refined and can detect more arrhythmias than the average cardiologist would. As the medical field already involves automatization in many processes, Hannun is optimistic about further usage. Automatization can sometimes create problems, but its normalisation in the medical industry will make it easier to introduce and implement new successful innovations in the future. If you ask Hannun, it won’t be long until this device hits the market – and not long until AI has become a standard component of the medical industry.
You almost can’t mention AI without conveying imagery of the robot, Sophia, and the Blade Runner-esque ethical questions that follow. But AI might have a bright, and much less dramatic, future in medicine, as Hannun thinks it will free up time for healthcare professionals and make medical care both cheaper and more accessible. It is important to see the benefit of AI in fields where it has the potential to save lives. No matter the stance, there is no doubt that this technology will become more integrated into our everyday lives. Being knowledgeable of AI and the progress in the field is therefore an important step. And while technology isn’t always an easy field to dive into, right now is a good time to start with many free resources made for beginners. Alongside Andrew Ng’s free online courses, the book “Life 3.0” by MIT Professor Max Tegmark covers the many areas of AI in an understandable way.
[Written By: Hannah West]
[Photograph: Adriana Iuliano]
In this strange new world of internet fan bases and online communities, it seems that now more than ever there is a set aesthetic that is expected of fans of absolutely anything. From bands to sports to art, there is a “look” that is expected of people who identify or associate themselves with [X]. This can, of course, be a good thing: dressing according to interests is a way for people to code and identify themselves as a certified fan of a particular thing. It creates a certain group identity that can be very unifying; something that helps to find people around you with similar interests. However, this can also be incredibly problematic in some situations – it can lead to the assumption that someone can only like something if they choose to present themselves in this one specific way.
Since their establishment late last year, there has been an onslaught of outrage and online abuse directed at the university’s new pro-life society (then known as GUPUPS). Most of these angry comments seemed to only consist of hot air, of exaggeration and assumption. There is nothing more frustrating than those, whether conservative or liberal, that are politically charged but remain stubbornly, and unabashedly, ignorant. So, in the spirit of free speech, and with an impatience for informed debate, I contacted the society to see if they would be willing to shed any more light about who they are: what do they stand for? what are they here to say?
This was their reply.
[Written by: Hannah West]
Hannah West writes about the how the rainbow flag came to be an international symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.
‘’Gay pride was not born of a need to celebrate being gay, but our right to exist without persecution. So instead of wondering why there isn’t a Straight Pride movement, be thankful you don’t need one’’ – stop-homophobia.com
[Written By: Elspeth Macintosh]
[Illustration: Skye Galloway]
Many TV shows portray the lives of adolescents. Teen dramas are churned out seemingly on a production line by television networks, but it’s only the best ones that are remembered. This is often because of the relatability of storylines and characters (or sometimes it’s just because of the addictive drama!) In my opinion, the most important feature of this genre is that there is usually a genuine focus on young people’s issues and experiences, and for this reason it has created some of the best content and characters out there. I’ve picked a few favourites to discuss. But because this is such an expansive category, it’s impossible to cover everything – so apologies if this selection isn’t for you!
[Written by: Morgan Laing]
[Photographer: Kati Brunk]
Thursday 8 February. Qudos, QMU.
On Thursday night, the TEDxUniversityofGlasgow Launch Party excels in the following arenas: it gets me drinking (your gal has NEVER turned down a free beverage), and it gets me thinking. It gets me thinking carefully and thoroughly, about a plethora of different topics. It gets me thinking quietly and out loud. I imagine everyone else in attendance is doing something similar.
[Written By: Rachel Shnapp]
My relationship with glasses isn’t ground-breaking, or even slightly irregular. I started getting headaches in class when I was about 14, so my mum took me to the opticians and, low and behold, I had a very slight amount of short-sightedness in both eyes. As I’ve gotten older my eyes have gotten progressively worse, to the point where most of my classmates won’t have seen me without glasses on. Seven years later, however, and I still don’t think of myself as a glasses wearer.
For the first few years, I would avoid my glasses unless I was in class or watching T.V. – leaving me walking around in a slightly blurred-out world. This habit kept up into university, the only change being that I donned contacts for nights out so as to see a little bit better in dark, disorienting clubs. After my first month or so here I realised not being able to see people in the street wasn’t something that was actually helping me much, and so glasses became a daily situation. For the past few years it felt like I had given in – as my prescription worsened I became, to my dismay, a full-time glasses wearer. And this felt like a defeat. My dreams of being clear faced and carefree fell away overnight.
But why did this feel like a defeat? Why did I feel like I had given in to something when I started wearing my glasses everyday – which I needed to do? The fact that I am able to see an optician and acquire glasses so easily is something I should feel lucky about – there’s ‘1.1 billion people worldwide who can’t see properly simply because they need glasses.’ (Vision Aid Overseas). That’s 1/7 of the world’s population who don’t have that privilege, and on top of that, ‘two-thirds of those affected are women’. So why, if I’m so lucky on a global scale, did I feel so unlucky on a personal one?
I think this issue is bigger than just me. It comes down to the pressure put on young women to be appealing to men, an idea that is sold to them again and again through advertisement, media, and the people around them. It’s a well-documented issue that women are often told to be pretty, whereas men are told to be strong, independent, clever. And so, glasses, which enabled me to see better in class and learn more by allowing me to read the board, as well as getting rid of my headaches - quite literally allowing me to learn more - were to me something to dread.
So, when I knew my eyes had gotten worse and I would have to go and get new glasses, (which for me consists of going into my opticians about four times before finally choosing the least terrible pair), I decided to reflect on the feelings I had towards my glasses. Without them I wouldn’t really be able to study at university. Without them I would be plagued with migraines. Without them I wouldn’t be able to enjoy films or art or plays as much as I do. These are all wonderful things. And I’m so deep now that when I look in the mirror, my face makes much more sense with glasses on than without.
What I realised is the hatred I felt towards my glasses was based on things that no longer matter to me, and all the things I gain from having them are entirely positive. It’s simple logic that something that produces all good outcomes is, the majority of the time, good in itself. My hatred of glasses should have been left behind with the other childish fads I’ve shaken off throughout my life, such as believing I should wear make-up every-day, and my dislike of wearing baggy clothes. The idea that my glasses aren’t a positive make no sense to my life now, and, besides, I look pretty cute with my glasses on.
All glasses pictured were kindly lent from Specsavers Byres Road, which offers 2 for 1 on glasses or 25% for studentsand free eye tests every 2 years in Scotland.
[Written by Valeria Levi]
I have never written articles. Well, that’s not completely true – I’ve written some samples in school on a writing course but I would not consider them real articles. When you write for real, your work addresses people who are genuinely intrigued by what you may say, not teachers who have to deal with your writing regardless their sincere interest. The impact is very different – where teachers tend to criticise or encourage you in order to help you make some improvements, readers don’t care about your work-in-progress style and its derived imperfections. You must be good from the beginning because readers are looking for feeling a sort of appeal to your writing, a sensuous appeal to how you can put words together. Along with that, they are seeking for a new angle on things, something that will lead them to a different perspective from their general point of view.
[Written by Jack Pedersen]
Over the past months, the Western world has seen allegations of sexual assault surface at an alarming rate. But will our newfound awareness of this systemic problem prove too behindhand when seeking justice against some of America’s most powerful figures?
[Written By: Isabel Thomas]
[Photograph: Ruarí MacManus]
Like many others, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. It obviously has many pros; it fosters discussion, you can meet like-minded people, and it provides a network of support if necessary. However, after obsessively opening and closing apps for hours it also becomes very exhausting. When going through hard times, it can be hard to open up Instagram or Facebook only to see that everyone other than yourself seems to be having fun all the time and making the most of their lives. It’s difficult to remember that what you are seeing on your screen is just what people choose to upload, and that social media is such a tiny glimpse into someone’s life. At the end of the day, everybody has problems.
[Written By: Gustav Jönsson]
Call it vivisection, amputation or partition; last year it is seven decades since the Subcontinent was carved up and Independence was achieved.
The Partition was disastrous not just because it dismembered India, but also because it created Pakistan. Just a few years before 1947, Pakistan was simply an academic idea. The acronym “Pakistan” was termed by a scholar at Cambridge in the 1930s. It stands for Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir, Indus, Sind and Baluchistan. In Urdu it means “land of the pure.” Thus, Pakistan is not just a territorial claim but also a confessional statement; one that its founder, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, thought would be welcomed by the areas that made up his new country. He was wrong. Today, Kashmir is largely part of India, Baluchistan fights a secessionist struggle and much of the Punjab lies in India.
[Written By: Georgia Britton]
[Photographs: Adriana Iuliano]
It’s a typically cold and rainy day in Glasgow as I write this, and all I want is to be back lying in the sun in Puglia. Over three weeks during the summer, I travelled around the heel of southern Italy, and I saw some of the most beautiful scenery, beaches, and weather that I ever have in my life. Now all I want to do is go back and fall in love all over again.
[Written by: Charlotte Dean]
*Trigger warning: abuse, sexual harassment, assault*
During a time where sexual harassment and abuse is becoming more public than ever, and the inequality of men and women is being tackled, I felt it was only appropriate to discuss what students might have to deal with at university. I know I haven’t discussed sexual tales yet, but before I do that I feel that the realities of what students and people alike can face these days needs to be spoken about. Without realising, one can be mentally abused in a relationship, and this can be just as soul-destroying as being physically abused. I recently read an article by The Independent online listing the main points of what occurs when in an abusive relationship.
The glitz. The glam. The fashion. Fashion shoots are what keep us turning the pages of magazines. But while they may look glamorous, there is a lot more that goes into the production of a photo shoot than you might imagine.
[Written By: Isabelle Hunt-Deol]
[Illustration By: Sofia Lopes]
“I am always late on principle, my principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.”
– Oscar Wilde
It’s highly likely that I’m submitting this article late… sorry, GUM.
I’m not sure whether it’s the struggle of parting from my cushy covers in the morning or the thrill and excitement I get from racing around my flat five minutes before I’m meant to be somewhere, but I never like to arrive places on time.
[Written By: Joanna Ashby]
Research into Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology is one of the most exciting and rapidly-advancing frontiers in Bioengineering – ranging from efforts to reverse blindness, deafness, and paralysis, to detecting consciousness in patients suffering from ‘locked-in’ syndrome, where they are unable to move or communicate in any normal way. The brain will always capture the attention of the scientific community – and it is in Silicon Valley, a centre of innovation, entrepreneurship and technology, where Matt Angle is conducting his research in the field.
[Written By: Anna Shams Ili]
[Photographer: Rowan Allen]
“I’m going to count down – eins, zwei, drei, and then we scream.” Andreya Casablanca shouts out to the audience, leaning slightly back as to not scream directly into the microphone. Her scream is joined by the audiences’ and the one of fellow frontwoman Laura Lee. They jump and dance on stage while playing their punk-inspired tunes, trying to make this average Wednesday stand out. That’s the main difference between playing at a festival and outside one, they tell me later. You can feel that people aren’t really always letting loose the same way having been weighed down by the workday. This is all happening at Broadcast, where they are guesting as part of their Europe tour. While the band hails from Berlin they are no strangers to the UK, not even Glasgow. Last time they played support, at Broadcast as well, for Stag & Dagger – this time they’re headlining. When asked about their favourite spot so far, Andreya naturally answers Glasgow. And yet, “London is like Berlin times three. And we’ve played there a lot, especially some of our first shows, so we feel like we have a fanbase.”
[Written By: Corah Gritton]
The majority of us can agree that, no matter our stance on Hillary Rodham Clinton, we would have preferred her to who currently resides in the White House.
[Written By: Emma Harrison]
[Photograph: Annegret Maja Fiedler]
When sitting down to begin writing this article, fresh from the clutches of an essay, I was faced with an unhappy irony. My attempt to write about writer’s block had been stopped in its tracks by the very thing I was trying to discuss.
[Written By: Joanna Ashby]
[Photograph: Dr Catherine Juillard]
Glasgow is blessed with a rich history of science discovery, innovation and progress, led by some of the greatest scientific pioneers on record – both old and new. It is less a question of finding work to feature, and more a case of seeing how much we can proudly present within the constraints of the time available. One exciting thing to look forward to is an inaugural year-long series special on Global Surgery. Five billion people, more than two-thirds of the world’s population, do not have access to safe and affordable life-saving surgery; whether that’s for a difficult childbirth, a road traffic accident or for cancer. This theme was selected not only because of its nature as a global humanitarian imperative, but also because it spans every area of science and will require organised interdisciplinary and international effort to tackle… and most importantly – by us. Without further ado, thank you to our first global surgeon – Dr Catherine Juillard from San Francisco, California.
[Written By: Emma Lees]
DIY slacker rock hero Mac Demarco played his hotly anticipated date on the last Friday of November at The Barrowlands Ballroom in Glasgow as part of his This Old Dog tour. Set to be eclectic mix of psychedelic garage music sloped with jazzy overtones and heinous onstage antics – it did not disappoint. Well known for the stream of trippy slow paced romantic records he releases which lie in stark contrast to the boyish and downright vulgar behaviour in his videos and in front of the crowd. With a goofy Lloyd Christmas Canadian charm, endearingly softly spoken voice and low maintenance modus operandi, he’s become a hero for anyone who’s ever felt weird and liked it.
[Written By: Isabelle Hunt-Deol]
[Illustration By: Lara Delmage]
Man of the house
Señor of Cecil Street
Look at his paws
So tiny and sweet
Rustling his whiskers
Scurrying around in his ball
‘He’s in the kitchen!’
‘Running straight for the wall!’
3 short lived months
In a cold student flat
Should’ve got a tortoise
Or maybe a rat ..
Six spoons in the garden
Resting peacefully, under the leaves
Lies dearest little Cecil
In the crisp, autumnal breeze
[Written By: Ruarí MacManus]
So just over a month ago Complex released what they thought would be just another episode of their popular YouTube series, “Sneaker Shopping with Complex”. Little did they know that this show would spawn the most quotable meme in recent memory. The premise of the show is simple; the aptly named Joe La Puma shows celebrities around high-end trainer stores, discusses their fame, strokes their ego a bit and then they flex their wallets on exclusive kicks. This episode features model and socialite Bella Hadid, in New York’s KITH — owned by sneaker savant Ronnie Fieg. So far nothing out of the ordinary — but then she opened her mouth.
[Written By: Jen Hughes]
The Menagerie is a hip-hop trio from Brighton consisting of rappers Professor Elemental and Dr Syntax, as well as producer Tom Caruana. The group made their debut in 2005 with their album Wild Kingdom, which is also worth a listen. After their second album, they took a long break for their own solo projects and collaborations – until they released Odd Beasts this September.
4/12/17-6/12/17- 7pm- £8.80 general admission/ £7.50 students.
Adapted from Bram Stoker’s hugely influential 1897 novel, Liz Lochhead’s stage version of Dracula marries Stoker’s fantastic imagery with modern questions about the battle between faith and reason, sanity and madness, gender roles and women’s sexuality. Examining the relationship of women to the vampire legend, and what this means in terms of women’s relationship with men in general is certainly still relevant in 2017.
https://www.facebook.com/events/168009527132750/
9/12/17- 10am-5pm- £2.56 online ( £3 at the door)- Free for under 16’s
Promising a delicious blend of carol singing, mulled wine and Yuletide spirit, Vegan Connections invites you to shake off those winter coats and enjoy the festivities with a vegan twist.
https://billetto.co.uk/e/glasgow-vegan-christmas-festival-tickets-211312/select
9/12/17- 7pm- £31-£54
The Irish quartet, Kodaline come bearing fresh material – the first since their UK gold album, Coming Up For Air in the form of their latest single, ‘Brother’ as they perform a string of dates this December.
https://www.getmein.com/tickets/kodaline-tickets/glasgow-313000.html
[Written By: Amy Shimmin]
Long gone are the days of never using your real name or image online. Our lives come with a lengthy virtual footprint, and for the generation emerging their lives from the womb can be traced. With our relationship with the Internet deeper than ever, it’s not just our faces that are visible – it’s our personalities and interests, too. Making friends online seems like a natural progression – but why is this still, in 2017, frowned upon?
[Written by: Lucia Marquez-Leaman]
I am a second generation Spice Girls fan, a sacred obsession carefully passed on by familial elders. Having come 20 years late to the party I have been deprived the luxuries of the super- fans back in their heyday alas, I will never be able to throw my balled up pants at Geri or whatever crazed fans used to do before twitter. So when The Grosvenor cinema advertised a special 20th anniversary screening of ‘Spice World’ I ditched my very real plans that were definitely happening at the altar of the Spice Girls and their great work.
[Written By: Florence Bridgman]
[Photographer: Annegret Maja Fiedler]
Are new methods of music promotion ‘sardonically manipulative or profoundly enriching’? Florence Bridgman discusses.
[Written By: Rachel Gillett]
[Photographer: Annegret Maja Fiedler]
What happened to youth subculture? In 2017, the defining characteristics of dress and music – which made subcultures easily identifiable – are largely missing. Clothing and music taste has become a lot more homogenous in recent years. This has largely eradicated the distinct groups that were present in the 70s and 80s. Films like This is England (2006) highlight the significance of subcultures, with the film exploring early and later skinhead culture in the 1980s, and the creation of identities through being a part of these particular groups. Personally, I do not think in 2017 we have the same level of subcultures – however, have they completely disappeared all together?
[Written By: Lynsay Holmes]
[Art: Aike Jansen]
Veganism. We’ve all heard of it, you’ve probably got a friend or a neighbour who identifies themselves as this “strange” creature. But in this article I aim to debunk the myths surrounding veganism; that it’s an “extremist ideology” or an expensive and elitist lifestyle for health conscious, 40-year-old yoga mums. Instead, I will reiterate its real roots and true core as a socio-political movement. Lesson one: Veganism is not about food, it’s about politics. The aim of the vegan movement is to make a permanent, ethical change that filters into all facets of our daily lives. It is everything you consume: food, clothes, beauty products, furniture; the thing we all consume most is food and thus why the image of veganism is food centred.
By Anna Shams Ili
Most of us remember audiobooks from our childhood. Depending on your age, it was either CDs or cassettes back then – but most of us let them go once we passed into adolescence. In a sense, these were rather similar to the podcasts we enjoy now. So too are radio segments such as ‘Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review’. In recent times, however, the podcast has grown as a medium in itself. Published in episode format, it’s a type of entertainment that’s speedily increasing its popularity.
By Gustav Jönsson
Henry Louis Mencken once wrote, “The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.”
How right he was. It is hard to find a pithier summation of the difficulty defending free speech. How easy it would be to stand up for freedom if it only meant supporting people of Salman Rushdie’s ilk. Often, you will find yourself supporting unlikable scoundrels, but you must, nevertheless, fight against the abridgement of their civil liberties. For Mencken, this led him to defend Henry Ford’s right to print antisemitic nonsense.
By Diana Wei Dai
We didn’t believe the nice things we said to each other
at the same time, we took it too personally when we were being mean.
We always focused on what we want
but ignored what the other person wants.
We love them the way we want to be loved
but we never ask how they want to be loved.
The love is always there, and valid.
We put our eyes in the perfect faraway future
and the beautiful image blurred our eyes of seeing the true meaning of each other.
Of living in the moment.
We tried so hard to let the other person understand us,
but we never saw what the other person wants to express
We were hard on ourselves.
We were also being too hard on each other.
We use excuses and personal histories,
projecting the unsatisfying part of ourselves on to each other,
and then we ask;
Why it wouldn’t work?
Written By: Elspeth Macintosh
Illustration: Lara Delmage
From hysterical Oscar winners to out-of-touch politicians, many people on this planet are given a large-scale platform on which to run their mouths. It’s only natural that a few of them will really, really miss the mark from time to time.
Written By: Morgan Laing
Photo: TEDxUniversityofGlasgow
Event rundown from Tuesday 10 October. Kelvin Building, Lecture Theatre 257.
