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Internet Escapism

2020 was one hell of a year. And all of us have been pushed to our limits. Some have lost jobs, some have had to study at home and most missed out on the things we usually look forward to. In retrospective I would say in particular this has affected the young, and those who were already going through difficult times. Therefore it is only natural that many have sought to find more ways of coping, and considering the circumstances, the internet has been rather appropriate. Of course it is a perfect way to distract ourselves, but is it really healthy, or would it be ignorant to claim that it is “better than nothing”?

What Is Escapism

According to Wikipedia, escapism refers to “mental diversion from unpleasant or boring aspects of daily life, typically through activities involving imagination or entertainment.” This has probably been apparent for hundreds of years, although recently I would imagine it has been on the rise. This can also happen in numerous forms, including gambling, heavy drug use or even persistently reading or watching TV to the point that it strongly gets in the way of what people are going through in other aspects of their life. Often this is related to mental illness, or addiction.

However in recent years there has been a new form of escapism, being on the internet. This is known to be a “very powerful variable that links all psychological problems to addiction induced by internet use.”

How this is a Problem?

I hope you’re all aware of how much of a issue heavy drug or alcohol use is, or substantial gambling. Basically because often it’s extremely addictive, and can ruin people physically and mentally. However other behaviors can manifest into escapism, such as excessive reading or film watching. Obviously only when this interferes with day to day errands. Usually this stems from the person facing severe hardship in their lives as it stands, however escaping to the point that you cannot bear to return is never going to help resolve the problem!

So how does internet escapism come into all of this? Well everywhere. For a start people can use many gambling sites on the internet, which could potentially exasperate the problem. As unlike before where shops would close and people would have no choice but to take a break, now the day doesn’t end. Making it that bit more addictive. However there are other ways people can engross in the online world, in order to get away from real life. Which include in virtual worlds where people can pretend to be someone who they aren’t.

Is This on the Rise?

The lonely and difficult world which many face has probably only been strongly exaggerated by the effects of the pandemic. Therefore many people are likely to have resorted to the internet in a way to get away from it all. This has included spending more time on social media, or within virtual worlds. So you may contest that we have all done so, therefore how is it a problem. Which is certainly true, but it becomes a problem when it gets to the point where it stops one from facing the realities of their lives.

Can This Ever be Good?

Everyone deserves to get help with what they are going through, but come on! This is the real world and nobody is going to get the help which they deserve overnight, or sadly at all… Meanwhile I’m sure most will agree that a distraction can be very helpful at the best of times. Yet I’m sorry, but you cannot “distract yourself” constantly forever, without confronting what you are going through and hopefully getting help. While escapist behaviors can exasperate problems already occurring on one’s life.

Of course escapism is something that has been around, probably forever, and escapism online is just it’s newest form, which is likely to become increasingly apparent. On a small scale, I would say that escapism can be a positive, but not when it gets to the point when someone cannot face their “real” life. It is important to be wary of escapism relating to the internet, because it can look different and the effects of it can potentially be stronger.

Zoom Fatigue and Burnout

Remember last spring. Terrible news, but nice weather and many thought we would be coming out of this lockdown for good! Little did we know how grim this winter would be, with no warm weather, no long walks and the news has been even worse. We are all exhausted. Many are wondering why they are experiencing burnout. Possibly due to the turbulent times we are in, but as well as this it may be down to the increased time we have been devoting to video conferencing. Also known as zoom fatigue…. As apart from anything else, it seems as if we are having to spend more time on it than ever, we are sick of looking on screens and for those who are studying, teachers have managed to make use of another tool on it, being the daunting “zoom rooms”.

Social Interaction

For a start social interaction on zoom and on other video websites are a lot different and I would say a lot harder than it when done face to face. The delays for a start make communicating in a friendly way much more difficult and confusing, not to mention the technological blips! And it is not just zoom, but on other social networking sites, whether video or not, social cues are harder to express and process. And when this issue comes about when we are trying to do work, it does become tiring.

More Intense Focusing

So in any kind of meeting, we are supposed to pay attention. But if we do miss something, then at least we can ask someone else what had just been said. So if we end up switching off for a minute or two, it is not that likely that anyone is going to notice, and you should easily be able to catch up. Nevertheless if we miss something on zoom, then asking questions becomes a lot more difficult. While we obviously have to keep looking into our camera, which can be really tiring.

“Too Much Pressure!”

So I know there is a lot of pressure in day to day life. But in comparison, zoom does seem to be worse. Because in “normal” day to day life, we simply just need to make sure we look decent and that we are organised, yet on zoom there is pressure to make a space in our homes or rooms which can be seen as a professional setting, while making sure that we look decent on camera. Which, as many know, can be down to things like lighting, position of the camera and a lot more. Also it doesn’t help that we can always see ourselves… Yes, I know this does sound a bit ridiculous, but it’s true.

“Other Things”

So whilst we can see that zoom is pretty tiring, I think that the fatigue from this is definitely enhanced by other things happening to us all. For instance, all of us are having to adapt to so much change constantly. Whether it is going from being furloughed to working again, going into school or uni or having to work from home or one minute being able to see friends and family then the next minute not. Having to change all the time is rather tiring. Not to mention the extra anxiety it is adding to all of our lives. From what is occurring in the wider world, to the worries of unemployment or even unfair exam results. None of it is good. Finally while being at home all day can sound pretty chill, for many it feels like the opposite as now our working and living space becomes one therefore it often feels as if there can always be more work to be done. Not to mention those who are working from home, often feeling they need to go the extra mile so their job can remain stable.

A Neuropsychological Exploration of Zoom Fatigue | Psychiatric Times

Why Zoom Fatigue is Real and What You Can Do About It | Psychology Today

How to Combat Zoom Fatigue (hbr.org)

The reason Zoom calls drain your energy – BBC Worklife

How to Combat Zoom Fatigue (hbr.org)

Bimbofication: What Would Cause a Woman to Become a Bimbo?

“Hello everybody! How is your day going? Well mine’s going amazing. Already today I’ve dyed my hair bleach blonde, and have trampled over another Trump supporting sugar daddy! You a little confused? Aww sweetheart, don’t worry! When I popped to the shop this morning to buy my lip filler, I couldn’t count to £4.50. But hey, that doesn’t matter, because not only am I a radical leftist but I am also super hot, and “if YOU are not hot then get hot!”

Um, but surely not too long ago, young intelligent women aspired to bee something a bit more than a bimbo? Better bet to go into stem or something… But the whole purpose of the so called “new aged bimbo” is thought to be about reclaiming the degrading term, and to instead utilize it in an empowering way.

Bimbo vs New Aged Bimbo

Believe it or not, the term “bimbo” was traditionally used to describe attractive men. But as time progressed, it came to be associated with attractive, but “unintelligent” and “frivolous” women. During the early 00s it was used to describe celebrities including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and even Amy Winehouse. Yet more recently still, it’s been used to describe a transformation, or “glow up” of someone, often as they become progressively more sexualised.

One of the many examples of Bimbofication transformation

Only really recently did the term “new aged Bimbo” come about. Whereby mainly young women on TikTok produced pink, glitzy videos empowering women, while voicing support for BLM, the LGBT+ community and sex work.

Feminist Empowerment

It is understandable that women are going to want to reclaim the term Bimbo for themselves, and allow it to enable them to embrace their femininity, as previously women dressing in this hyper feminine way were almost downgraded. And as you can guess, too much femininity was associated with traits including lack of intelligence. This may have led to women being afraid to express too much femininity. Yet as one “Bimbo” states, empowering feminist movements have been spun by misogyny into things like the “not like the other girls” saying, in aim to please the man. New aged Bimbos are all too aware of this, and instead it seems their aim is to encourage women to be more sexual for themselves, rather than for men. Ironically this resembles much of what men want, yet the political views they advocate in their videos are of which many of these men may be likely to oppose. While of course the movement does aim to be more inclusive, welcoming people of all ethnic backgrounds, genders, ages and size.

Political Message?

You are not going to need to spend much time on bimbo TikTok to realise there is some kind of political message at hand, but then you may ask yourself, why are they all still pretending to be dumb? Perhaps irony, but that’s not all! Because like it or not, someone with the appearance of a classical bimbo tends to be perceived as less intelligent, compared to their counterparts who perhaps embrace a less feminine style. But now, women have had enough. Health student Syerena, one of the popular new aged bimbos off TikTok ironically asks “why can’t we just print more money”. She points out that it is “not a protest against intelligence, it’s kind of a protest against academia and how elitist and classist it is.” But in my view, it is certainly an attempt to challenge some off the (incorrect) assumptions regarding beauty and intelligence, because although bimbo TikTok is filled with women possibly pretending to be dumb for show, it soon becomes clear they are all bright women. Furthermore of course the videos are filled with rather explicit political statements😃

Thembos and Himbos

As it aims to be inclusive, of course it should openly welcome trans and non binary people. But what I found especially interesting, was the idea of the “himbo”, considering the term’s recent associations. A “himbo” has been described as “a very attractive male, (who is) sometimes a bit dim, is very sweet and always respects women.” But this begins to make sense considering A) the fact men are often shamed for dressing in a certain feminine way and B) that it is harder for men to be vulnerable due to the stigma attached ; which is a reflection of the extent of the negativity associated with more feminine traits or behaviors.

Its Limits

While the movement is supposed to be inclusive, I have noticed that there are disproportionately fewer people of colour featuring, meaning they are less likely to feel as included. Furthermore the typical appearance of the new aged bimbo is still a strong reflection of western beauty standards possibly suggesting that being thin, blonde and white are still important. Meanwhile why should such an “empowering” movement be so heavily focused on the outer appearance.

Conclusion

A true new aged bimbo should believe that regardless of how you look, you are attractive, and personality is more important. Yet we know how much society focuses on outer appearance. But there still are good intentions and perhaps it is a good stepping stone in the right direction.

Sources:

What is the meaning of ‘bimbofication’? Six best Twitter memes! (hitc.com)

Bimbos are good, actually (mashable.com)

New Age Bimbos and Bimbofication TikTok Trend (refinery29.com)

What is Bimbofication? Meaning and Meme Explained – Stanford Arts Review

What is the meaning of ‘bimbofication’? Six best Twitter memes! (hitc.com)

Calling All Hot Idiots: Why 2021 Is The Year Of The Bimbo Renaissance (pedestrian.tv)

What’s a Himbo? And Why Is the Internet Obsessed With Them? – InsideHook

Urban Dictionary: Himbo

Toxic Positivity

Happy Monday, and Yes this is a very happy Monday! We shall all have an incredibly productive day, followed by a nice, well deserved rest. Just as long as we make sure that we stay healthy, you know by eating the right greens and going for a nice long afternoon jog, then everything else will fall in place. See, we have a choice. Oh? You’re saying things are difficult at the moment? Oh don’t worry! It could be far worse, and you are all such amazing people. Let’s just brush it off, and look on the bright side!

Heard enough? Well I imagine that it is not the first time you have heard/read words similar to these. Maybe you have been told these things by other people, and you feel that it is the right thing to do as they do seem wiser and smarter than you. And apparently happier. However perhaps you even hear these words occurring in your own mind.

But let’s be real… Have any off you actually thrived off having this kind of mindset? Or is it just a load of “toxic” blabber?

Sounding Superficial

Right, so there are a good number of sources I would say on the internet, probably in books, and off other people, which tell us how we need to think in order to simply feel better and basically thrive in life. Such as “Positive vibes only”, “don’t worry, be happy” or “Failure is not an option.” Now what do you think? Sound’s great doesn’t it? But if things were really that simple, everyone could be a lot happier.

Of course this can manifest in relationships between people, because as an example people who let themselves be dominated by toxic positivity are then perceived to be the sort of person whom others feel they cannot express anything but “good vibes” around them. Meaning others are less likely to feel as if they can “be themselves” when they are around them. Subsequently this is going to weaken the relationship, because neither person is being truly open. But what does this look like on a larger scale? Well generally it means people are reluctant to be as open about more negative aspects in their lives, and more negative feelings they may be experiencing. Furthermore this is definitely true on social media, as after spending about a minute on it, it becomes obvious that most people are only really posting about the most positive parts of their lives, and are hiding everything else.

Won’t work

Rather than toxic positivity enabling us to go on and feel better about ourselves, this is unlikely to work as instead it only causes us to sideline our problems. This means that we don’t confront our issues, meaning they are only intensified as time progresses. Therefore, sometimes “looking on the bright side” isn’t only ineffective, but it can be very unhealthy.

What we are missing out on

To start with, toxic positivity is preventing us from really growing as people, because in reality we are not really addressing our problems in order to overcome them. Plus there has also been research to show that accepting negative emotions, rather than avoiding them, is beneficial for psychological health and well-being. This is referred to as “emotional acceptance.”

Am I Taking this a bit too far?

Although I am opposed to toxic positivity, I do strongly believe in the importance of remaining positive, especially while we are in the middle of a pandemic. But there’s an enormous difference between trying to incorporate positive activities and hopefully thoughts into our daily lives, and trying to brush off, ignore or refuse to talk about any kind of negative feeling we may be experiencing.

What to say instead

So I admit that I have engaged in toxic positivity in the past. Not intentionally, but often there is the feeling of the need to provide some optimistic and seemingly helpful advise to someone. However often what is most important is knowing that someone cares. Therefore rather than saying something along the lines of “just don’t worry”, acknowledge that it is ok for them to feel anxious and let them know that you are there for them. Meanwhile, this may be slightly controversial, but I would say that sometimes acknowledging that it is a difficult situation they are going through, can be very important.

Whilst if you feel that toxic positivity is being put up upon you, then don’t be afraid to speak up, because often people genuinely do not realise that what they are trying to say isn’t helpful, so otherwise they would listen.

Sources: Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes (thepsychologygroup.com)

Toxic positivity: What is it and why is it ruining all of our lives? (thetab.com)

‘Toxic Positivity’ Is Real — and It’s a Problem During the Pandemic (healthline.com)

What Is Toxic Positivity? How To Spot It (And Avoid Spreading It) | British Vogue

7 signs your can-do attitude is actually ‘toxic positivity’ | Well+Good (wellandgood.com)

What Is Toxic Positivity & Why Do We Do It? (refinery29.com)

The “Anti-Vaccers”

Well, we are getting toward the end of February, and nearly a quarter of our population have now been vaccinated. It’s great isn’t it! Hopefully it may finally mean we will be able to safely see others again. Sounds a bit too optimistic? Well yeah, because after all, it does depend on a range of factors; one being whether enough people choose to take the dam thing or not… Yeah, after all the research, effort and expertise which has gone into producing the vaccine, people still don’t trust it.

History of Anti-Vaccers

Without boring you to death, there has been some resentment concerning vaccines for some time… Beginning in the 18th century in the US, where religious leaders would describe them as the “devil’s work.” The campaign grew in the 19th and 20th centuries as a matter of human rights. Then let’s skip to 1997, where we can thank to the works of Andrew Wakefield, a former medical doctor, Who suggested a possible link between the MMR vaccination and autism in children.  Following on, The Lancet, a respected scientific journal, initially published his research. Of course this led to many parents being reluctant to get their children vaccinated. There had also been other concerns expressed online against the vaccine.

Anti Covid Vaccers

In “normal” circumstances, it would have been unlikely for me to want a post about something like this, yet unfortunately covid has certainly exasperated the “anti vax” movement. Many of the people who have actively campaigned against the covid vaccine, have been the same people who have also campaigned against lockdowns, mask wearing and the actual existence of corona. Conspiracy theorists have included David Icke, Pierce Corbyn and Gary Matthews, who later died of corona. And because corona has dominated our world, of course more attention is going to be drawn on it. While due to unsurprising increases of anger and upset among the public, as well as thanks to the increased time spent in front of a screen, it is unsurprising many may become drawn in. Plus concerning the vaccine (well vaccines), due to it being developed much faster than most as well as that it is so new, it’s unsurprising that there is that little extra concern.

The Internet’s role

In the past, the majority of people would resort to newspapers or more recently the TV to find out what’s going on in the world. Yet now, for many, the internet has become a favorite source. And while there’s bound to be many excellent and informative articles online, concerning the vaccine, there is also a lot of rubbish. Which really, anyone can easily put out.

But how can these websites provoke so much attention? When one website states that a popular anti depressant is turning guppies into zombies, then of course there is that thing concerning Bill Gates and the microchip… Well the most basic reason would be because websites like these tend to be filled with attention gripping headlines, glossy images and dazzling info-graphics, which may appear more exciting to the average person scrolling through the internet, in comparison to a black and white scientific guide. Furthermore because content on groups is shared by people on Facebook whom people feel they have a lot in common with, I would say they would be more likely to be drawn into the content rather than otherwise. So while social media outlets are estimated to be making $1 billion a year off anti vax content, more people are being persuaded against taking certain vaccinations, which of course could cost lives…

Actually “understanding it”

But another reason as to why many are suspicious of vaccines and science in general could be down to a breakdown of trust in the establishments. This could be down to feelings of being let down, or lied to in the past. Hence why certain groups on social media and websites are getting rather popular. However there is another force at play, being entrepreneurs who reach around half of the anti-vaccine following, exposing them to advertisements for products purporting to have health benefits.

Can YOU do Anything About it?

So it may seem pointless in trying to take action against a movement which is fueled by so much passion and angst (I’m not too sure if these are the correct words). However there has been an extinction made between two main groups of people, those who are passionately anti vax and who are fueling the movement, and those who have more suspicions about certain vaccines (especially the covid vaccine considering that it is new). While as we know the internet is rather good at persuading people one way or another. But in this respect, all of us who are persuaded to take the vaccine have a voice and a role to play in persuading others who are unsure of the vaccine, that it is completely safe. However (unfortunately) trying to “cancel” those groups who are certain about not taking any vaccine, would be extremely unlikely to be of any help. Because these are very deep rooted beliefs, which will need to be tackled, in the long run.

Sources:

Rage against Science, why we oppose Anti-Vaxxers – Kaleidoscope Project

Anti-vaxxer: Definition, beliefs, risks, and more (medicalnewstoday.com)

~ Disclaimer, this IS an antivax wwebsite: The top 10 bombshell VACCINE stories of 2019 – NaturalNews.com

The online anti-vaccine movement in the age of COVID-19 – The Lancet Digital Health

Little Update

“Oh wow, she is doing another of these annoying update posts, even though there is literally nothing to say!”

Yeah, probably true. But if you know the school timetable then you will know that this week is half term, meaning that I have more time to spend focusing on this blog (especially considering that because of lockdown there isn’t really much else to do, apart from do schoolwork which I am not to keen on atm).

But let’s start off with what’s going on in this world. Firstly I am so happy that Trump has been banned from twitter, just because ew Trump! But covid has been even worse than I had expected it to be so fat. I mean of course it is good that people are getting vaccinated now etc, but hearing about all of these variants is really concerning. I am guessing they will just have to keep on changing up the vaccine, a bit like the flu one.

Now I am ok in myself, although motivation for 6th form is at a bit of a low (please tell me I am not the only one🤣). The next step would be to confirm the university I want to go to, and I think I know which one I’d like to go to. But confirming it, especially having not been to any open days, is actually really scary! Also I have found this lockdown harder, just because last year (although the situation was bad), A) This time it has actually been worse and B) last year it was throughout spring mainly, not winter.

Now with blogging, I have decided to upgrade my blog to “personal”, which is really cheap but I am not sure how effective it would be. Because it is a really hard decision, because in some respects I was tempted to go for the £7 a month option instead, but then I thought against it. Anyway, do you guys pay at all for your blog/get anything back, or do you just go for the free one. And if you do pay, how effective would you say it is.

Also I have now got a youtube channel, as well as a podcast thingy. However I am not too sure how often I will post there, because while at the moment I probably do have the time to do so, it is likely I will have more school work in the next few weeks (and I am hoping that the covid situation will improve as well).

Oh and I have just dyed my hair (again), and it actually looks terrible🤡

Anyways thank you for reading, I know this has been a rather uneventful update.

Recent Posts:

Are 9-5 Jobs Coming to an End?

What They Don’t Tell You About Sustainable Fashion

Pretty Privilege

Internet Escapism

Can You be Gay if you Look Straight?

“Chavs and Roadmen”- Really?

Are 9-5 Jobs Coming to an End?

Imagine working incredibly hard at school, only to get to a decent uni. Only to find a job, not your dream job, but good enough for it to be considered a career. A couple of years later, you find the love of your life, and settle down in a nice commuter town. Soon after you have children, and if you are the female in the household, the you’re at least grateful you can afford childcare, so you can soon return to work. Yet you find yourself stuck in the same old position at work, because balancing life as it is, is simply draining. Although it is nice at weekends, when you are able to spend some quality time with your children, however you do notice that your husband is becoming increasingly distant. Five years on, you two finally divorce, and while your husband says he is willing to take equal care of the children, you soon learn that by that he means have them round say once a month ffor a sleepover…

So I am guessing this may not be the life you want, but least it offers some kind of stability. But come on, we all know it is far away from the dream.

Some Background info

For a start, the 9-5 job can absorb so much of our time and energy. Nevertheless the 8 hour day was actually a reform made by the US government, which was regulated under the Fair Labor Standards Act which still stands today. Only after years of campaigning for, while the idea initially stemmed from British socialist, Robert Owen, who argued about the importance of protecting the worker’s well being.

Yet we have moved on from this time period. Perhaps it would be nice if every worker actually felt valued as an important member of a team. But sadly this is rare. So instead the only real thing you can do to acquire more freedom would be to start from scratch on your own. Maybe as a freelancer, or as a creator of something bigger. Thinking you would be better off as you no longer have to work pointlessly long hours. But in reality, most entrepreneurs have to put in far more hours, just to keep the business ticking along.

Feminism and Entrepreneurship

Is working super hard, acquiring success and balancing 101 things at once the strongest force of feminism out there? One of this year’s Superbowl commercials featured uninspired people at an uninspiring office job, but then just as the clock turned 5pm, all came to life. The glum offices, turned into a rush of colour, movement and glam. Yet while I may be reading too much into this, it does suggest too much of the focus on mainstream feminism is on output.

“But it’s Boring”

Most would agree that working hard on repetitive tasks, in a stuffy office for the largest chunk of our lives, is pretty boring. Because then what happens to any kinds of dreams of travelling, creating, or just having a little bit of freedom to actually find or create yourself. This way, the only way to enable us to potentially have these dreams is by working in a job that we really want to be doing, and if this means creating it yourself, then so be it. But from reading comments from forums (again), I got the impression that those knocking the 9-5 job, didn’t necessarily realise the obstacles which come with this.

But What’s the Alternative?

I also noticed a common pattern in that while those who did work a 9-5 job wished they didn’t, those who didn’t work 9-5 jobs, wish they did. And it is not surprising, considering the funny hours which come with other jobs. Once again, when someone runs their own business, they would usually have to be putting 9-5 hours anyway, not to mention any other hours they may be having to do.

So is it Worth it

There are always going to be creatives out there, while the classic office hours are likely to become less common place, partly thanks to technology and partly thanks to covid… But it is important to be more resistant to the pressure out there that encourages people to be entrepreneurs for the sake of it, not to mention that workers, in what ever industry, really ought to be valued more than what they are currently.

Sources:

Is it the end of the 9 to 5 working day? – BBC News

20 Reasons Why a 9 to 5 Job Sucks | Lane Goodwin

Why do people hate 9 to 5 jobs? – Quora

Why Working 9 to 5 Is Not Ideal to Make a Living Today (lifehack.org)

5 Reasons Why the 9-5 Job No Longer Makes Sense (2021) | Wealthy Gorilla

4 Signs a 9-to-5 Job Isn’t Right for You | The Muse

The 9-to-5 workday isn’t just hated—it’s obsolete — Quartz at Work (qz.com)

7 Ways Millennials Are Preparing to Quit the 9-to-5 to Be Their Own Boss | Inc.com

What They Don’t Tell You About Sustainable Fashion!

Anyone else here filled with the good intention of purchasing more sustainable clothing. Yet mostly it is out of your price range, and not really your style. So instead you resort to something like Depop expecting that it will be at least as affordable as the “fast fashion” you loved in the pas, considering the significantly lower prices in charity shops. Yet as you go onto the website, you cannot help noticing that some of these garments are pretty pricey. But eventually you do find something within your price range and as a bonus it’s never been worn. Yet once it arrives you notice “boohoo” printed on its label, and you think it would have probably been cheaper if you had brought it off the website in the first place…

How do we Know What’s Sustainable?

Many sustainable brands seem to have emerged in recent years, as a result of the increased awareness of it, especially among younger generations. But what exactly do they mean by this, and how do we know they are telling the truth? Sustainable, defined by Cambridge dictionary, is “using methods that do not harm the environment so that natural resources are still available in the future.” Ironically the example they provide is, “the ethical brand donates 10% of profits to support sustainable development.” Because in that case, how can we know whether a brand is actually “sustainable” itself? As an example, brand “denim”, describes itself as a “radically transparent” company, but provides very little evidence on how they carry out their practices… Here is a link if you’d like to find out more.

Furthermore there tends to be very high prices and little variety in style (tends to be minimalism). Brands like Pangaia certainly adopt this kind of style, and while we can applaud different brands on their efforts to be more sustainable, unless you happen to like that style, and have £100 at hand to spend on a plain pair of trackies, then these brands aren’t really for you. Instead it is those from wealthier backgrounds, and while I am sure that most do it because they do truly care, there certainly is a “feel good factor” also at hand. While some off the criticism surrounding the issue of fast fashion can lead toward the consumers rather than the producers, leading to those who purchase it being blamed for the ill practices of the industry, even though they don’t have any other choice.

Second Hand Clothing

So a much cheaper alternative, still effective in hindering the effects of the fast fashion industry, is buying second hand, from charity shops or second hand online “stores” like Depop or Vinted. In recent years, this has even turned into a bit of a trend! And with more sellers and buyers than ever before, this surely has to be a good thing for sustainability…

But before we continue, originally sites like depop were there to enable people on lower incomes to have access to a good range of affordable and stylish clothing. However recently, as a large number of people from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds have been drawn in, it has meant more people willing to pay more. Which eventually drags the prices up. Meanwhile this has led to a greater demand for sellers, yet many now are not just using depop to rid of their old products. Instead for many it has become a part, or even full time job. Involving hours of work of taking good photos, advertising and of course redeeming the clothing. Usually from charity bins, yet there are some sellers who instead go to the likes of boohoo.

What to Take From this

While it is important not to give up on sustainable fashion, as it is still something that is very new. Yet it is super important to understand that the industry itself is responsible for the exploitative nature of the practice, NOT the consumers. And if you do choose to buy from second hand fashion stores, as well as being wary; I would urge you to leave “essential” items, like warm jumpers, because there may be someone who really does have no other option.

Sources:

Charity shops, Depop and the gentrification of second-hand clothes – That’s What She Said (twssmagazine.com)

Pretty Privilege

Ever looked at someone and thought to yourself why on earth do they seem to get by so easily? Perhaps others people are always gravitating towards them, they always find it easy to get a job or maybe from a young age other adults have always seemed rather impressed, for no particular reason. Alright so maybe no particular person pops into your head, but I am sure we can all think of certain situations… Of course this can be down to a number of reasons, but let’s face it, being attractive certainly helps. And if this sounds like a load of crap, just keep on reading…

The Bimbo Effect and Halo Effect

The Bimbo affect refers to how someone who is perceived as attractive is more likely to be thought of as being more productive and having the relevant skills when it comes to getting a job. This means they are more likely to be hired.

Similar to the Bimbo affect, the halo effect refers to how people’s perceptions of people can differ depending on the looks. Therefore someone who is “attractive” is more likely to be viewed as more trustworthy, intelligent and hard working, just as some examples. Which can really make a significant difference to someone’s life. Concerning education, it could lead to teachers having more confidence in them and possibly predicting them higher grades, leading them to have more confidence in themselves. Therefore they may be more likely to accomplish higher grades at the end. Furthermore it can influence many other aspects of life such as being selected for a certain sports team, being asked to lead something or simply being spoken to in a certain way. While this could also be why celebrities who are deemed “pretty” tend to have a higher following than those not as known for their looks.

Why Is This?

Of course beauty is subjective, but it would be silly to ignore the “beauty standards” which are in place, which let’s face it, at one point or another most of us have been effected by.

But how did this all come about? Well for a start, as we know, beauty standards have been evolving and will continue to do so. And part of the reason for this is because there is an industry out there that wants to sell us stuff. Which turns anything that we may possibly feel insecure about as a way to make profit. This can translate into us being told that we are at fault if we don’t have perfectly clear skin for instance, then we can and ought to do something about it. People will want to be slimmer in certain areas, because most models have that body shape, so there are a million and one diet pills that probably don’t work circulating around on the internet. Alright, I have gone off on a bit of a tangent, but this is partly how beauty standards evolve. And thinking about it this way is pretty ridiculous…

Furthermore during imperialism, Western Beauty standards at the time encouraged the false belief that light skinned people are more attractive than dark skinned people. Which has sadly left an effect to this day. But you may counter this by stating that there are many POC models, who are deemed to be very attractive. However these tend to be toward the lighter skin range, while they tend to share aspects of western beauty standards. This is where having dark skin and being deemed “unattractive” according to these standards intersect.

Can this Sometimes be a Bad Thing?

From reading about the Bimbo effect, why would anyone not want to be attractive? However Bimbo, by definition, relates to “an attractive but unintelligent or frivolous young woman.” Unfortunately women who do match these standards, can be perceived as less intelligent. This means they may struggle getting a job in a more male dominated industry, and even if they did get one, they’d be likely to receive grief from their male counterparts. From this there will be some who’ll question if it’s really a privilege, and I’d still say it is, however it is important its negative implications.

What you Need to Remember

So it is important to recognise pretty privilege, and the beauty standards which forms it, to enable us to challenge our assumptions. While in spite of this, I will repeat that beauty is subjective, and what you may hate about yourself, someone else will love.

Were They Right to Cancel Exams?

Sigh, Sixth form and school. The subject that anyone who would have been due to take A levels or GCSEs this summer would want to back away from. However this is pretty hard to avoid as exams have been cancelled for the second time in a row, just a couple of weeks after they were given the go ahead, and once again we are having to resort to online learning… Which I hope you realise that circumstances can make this hard for a large number of people, therefore surely cancelling exams is the only option which makes sense…

Advantages of cancelling exams

So a few days before Boris vaguely implied that exams wouldn’t be going ahead, I noticed a petition to cancel exams circulating around my social media. This is understandable due to the extent to which home learning has been a huge disruption, therefore having to do exams as normal would cause huge and unnecessary amounts of stress… Furthermore this is going to affect people’s mental health, and in some cases badly. Especially considering the influence covid has already had.

But I’m, aware there will be some people who may still dismiss this argument, arguing instead that the only reason why we want exams cancelled is because we cannot be bothered to do them. Nevertheless as an A level student, I can say for a fact that none of us are lazy! However there will be people at home who have the burden of additional responsibilities, who may be facing difficult/toxic family situations or maybe just have shit WiFi. But this still can make all the difference. Meaning that some students wouldn’t be able to perform as well in exams as they would have done without the disruptions, therefore it is probably best to leave it to the teacher’s discretion.

Disadvantages of Cancelling exams

So we would hope that teachers would have a rough idea on the student’s capacities, however it is impossible that a teacher is always going to predict students correctly. And especially concerning A levels, the difference between one grade can be really important! Yet it has been proven that on average those from BAME groups and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds are most likely to have their grades under-predicted, due to internal bias, therefore they are most likely to do better in exams in comparison.

Furthermore often making sense of exam technique can be just as much of, if not more of a task than actually learning and understanding the content. Although some people tend to grasp it faster than others. Therefore people who would usually improve in the last few months leading up to exam season, are likely to feel let down. Not to mention that many people who will revise for the real exam are less likely to revise for mocks, especially if these were taken back in year 12 or 10!

So Should Exams Be cancelled?

There is obviously no “perfect” solution to what is happening, and I know that there will be students who will lose out regardless of what happens. Although I would say the best option would be to cancel exams, just to take off some of the stress and so there are fewer people who receive really inaccurate grades, due to not being in school. But if you are a worrried student reading this, itt is important to realise that all of this is beyond your control, and to not beat yourself up if you do get lower grades than what you were hoping for. Also if you feel it would be best to do something like retaking a year, then there shouldn’t be any shame in doing so.

Finally I think this has highlighted some of the issues with the education system in “normal circumstances”. Because surely grades given based on what happened in the first year of the course, shouldn’t determine what university anyone should go to.

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