spoiled nation 2018 2019
With an increasing number of creatives leaving the UK for better paid careers abroad, is it time we ask ourselves;
IS THE CAPITAL KILLING OUR CREATIVITY? 1 Spoiled Nation 2018 / 2019
BY BETHANIE RYDER
WHAT DIFFICULTIES DO YOUNG CREATIVES FACE LIVING IN ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN THE WORLD? CALLUM MORRIS, 21, KINGS COLLEGE UNIVERSITY FILM GRADUATE, GIVES US AN INSIGHT.
“As rent keeps rising, and wages remain stagnant, I find it harder than ever to be creative in London. It is deemed as one of the creative capitals of the world, but in my opinion that statement is only true if your parents are paying your rent. Constantly working for a wage that is yes, comparably higher than most of the UK but in respect to living costs of the city is absolutely nothing, takes your mind away from your creative endeavours. I find myself asking “where is my next rent coming from?” “How am I gonna pay fucking council tax?” “Will I ever be able to comfortably live here?” Rather than “okay, what is inspiring me right now”, and “how can I manifest this into my work”. I can’t express how difficult it is to remain creatively focused whilst working full time hours at a dead end job, just for over half of your wage to go on rent for a sub-par property.” As a growing number of our creatives choose to leave the city for cheaper alternatives abroad, the UK is at threat of losing a vital part of its identity and culture, as well as the authenticity, personality and uniqueness that makes us distinctive worldwide. If the government fails to take the capital’s economic crisis seriously, it is possible that we could see our next generation’s imagination being diminished, or living internationally (subject to a Brexit deal on an EU citizenship of course.)
“The thing that complicates matters is the looming cloud that is Brexit, so I really hope to escape before anything concrete really settles in.” 2 Spoiled Nation 2018 / 2019
"BROKE + BUSY" SOURCE: INSTAGRAM (calmorris)
“One of the benefits of London is meeting and creating friendships with people from all over the planet. I hear of cities that give credit to young creatives; for example, in India, you can obtain discounts on things like travel for being an artist or musician. In France, you can be granted something similar to a “living fund” by the government if you are an artist, which helps you find studio space, and pays you just enough to get by inbetween work. In Berlin, you have the rent cap, so rent is relatively affordable for everyone, opening up new opportunities for creative people from lesser financial backgrounds such as myself, giving these people the opportunity to move to the city and work on their craft. The thing that complicates matters is the looming cloud that is Brexit, so I really hope to escape before anything concrete really settles in.” In August this year, The Press Association reported that the number of high school students opting to study a creative subject had noticeably fallen, with many blaming the decline on the prioritisation of considerably more ‘academic’ courses. Once widely valued extra-curricular creative arts programmes have been left to be funded by parents of students, whilst relying on a voluntarily unpaid collective to run the groups. “I don’t think they [educational institutions] are given enough funding during the formative education years, meaning that young people are less inspired to take up something they really want to do, and are more inclined to do a subject that is “more respected” (a term that sickens me). If you can null a child’s creativity through the suffocation of grants and funding for creative departments in schools, you have more labour potential, or that’s what they like to think. They do just enough so that these departments keep their head above water, thank god. The thing is, there are really great arts initiatives happening in this country; for example, Barbican
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London; once known to many as the city of opportunity. So what’s caused such a change in attitude towards our country’s beloved metropolis? In past years, hundreds of hopefuls have moved to the Capital with big dreams, and left with only their plummeting bank balances and a catalogue of rejected job applications to show. With the average annual rent in London hitting an eye-watering £23,000, according to Landbay Rental Index figures in 2018, increasing amounts of young professionals are being forced into finding a stable source of income fast. The result; large proportions of graduates resorting to graft in unfavourable, mundane trades. With unattainable living costs, low-wage employment positions and inadequate government support, many of these gifted individuals are remaining too exhausted and too desolate to reach their full creative capacities.
SOURCE: INSTAGRAM (calmorris)
in London is a renowned creative institution that gives discounts to young people and holds creative workshops. Royal Exchange in Manchester has a young performers programme to help nurture young talent and Roundhouse in Camden has a similar programme. It really pleases me to see these kind of initiatives, but we need more. Especially in areas where school funding is low. London is a creative magnet, and most of the opportunities are here, but I feel most are for the privileged.” So what can we do about this? If Banksy’s latest stunt is anything to go by, it is that our talent and imagination doesn’t belong to only the rich, regardless of how much money they attempt to throw into the institution. Artistry is not a bourgeois prerogative, and London’s creative skill-set deserves to be recognised and celebrated, without class demographic and financial background being considered a disadvantage. By coming together to support and commemorate the Capitals diversity, let’s hope that London can regain its once notable reputation.
“London is a creative magnet, and most of the opportunities are here, but I feel most are for the privileged.” Spoiled Nation 2018 / 2019 3
WHY YOUR FAKE GUCCI MIGHT BE FUNDING TERRORISM The reality behind our counterfeit goods BY BETHANIE RYDER On the surface, the buying and selling of fake luxury goods seems like a harmless, petty crime to many. But what happens when the truth behind these counterfeit organisations is far more sinister than we originally anticipated? In 2016, the International Trademark Association estimated that $460 billion worth of counterfeit goods were bought and sold, with the industry set to eventually become a $2.3 trillion underground company. With hardly any risks of penalties compared to other criminal offences, the buying and selling of fake products is a steadfast method to making a huge profit, with little consequences. Despite this, in November 2017, Tommy Hilfiger’s Brand Protection Manager and Counterfeit Crime Fighter, Alastair Gray conducted a TED Talk explaining the link between the purchasing of fake goods and terrorist organisations. As he discussed within the presentation – “Terrorists are selling fakes to fund attacks, attacks in our cities that try to make victims of us all. Would you still buy a fake handbag if you knew the profits would enable someone to buy bullets that would kill you and other innocent people six months later?” With many of us unaware of this alarming relationship, it’s unlikely that we are conscious of the previous terror attacks that were funded through this process. In June 2014, the French Security Services discontinued the monitoring of brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi after three years of being on the terror watch list. The reason behind the discontinuation was down to Cherif ’s behaviour of only buying fake trainers from China showing no signs, or links, to any form of extremism. Seven months later, the two brothers walked into the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine and opened fire, killing 12 people with guns bought from the proceeds of the counterfeit goods. This problem doesn’t just apply to the selling of fake designer goods either; the bombing of a commuter train in Madrid, in which 191 people lost their lives, is said to have been partly funded by the sales of pirated music CD’s in the USA. All counterfeit products ranging from fake car parts, pirate copies and replica of popular cosmetics are key supplies in funding the larger organisations that profit from these fabricated companies. Spoiled Nation 2018 / 2019
For most of us, its highly likely that we ourselves have purchased a counterfeit product, or at least know someone who has. It’s difficult to have visited a country abroad and not witnessed the buying and selling of fake fragrances, cosmetics or fake designer merchandises on market stalls and other public areas - “What the tourist on holiday doesn’t see about those handbags is they may well have been stitched together by a child who was trafficked away from her family.” However, this process of selling counterfeit products isn’t just exclusive to foreign countries. In 2016 the town of Cheetham Hill, situated in Greater Manchester, claimed its title as the ‘Counterfeit Capital’ of the UK, with its forged companies regularly raking in over £3 million in profit. Whilst police organisations attempt to tackle the problem through procedures such as raids and undercover investigations, the public’s demand for these cheaper alternatives continues to expand and continues to fund these counterfeit businesses. Is our growing demand for these fake goods stemming from pure ignorance, or simply a lack of awareness around the problem? If we continue to invest our money into these forged establishments, we have to consider the extent of the damage that can be done with their vast profits – the funding of trips to training camps, the purchasing of weapons and elements of explosives and the ability to professionally advertise their companies as legitimate to a vast audience - “They’re business professionals tricking legitimate businesses with convincing paperwork.”
“They’re business professionals tricking legitimate businesses with convincing paperwork.”
PHOTO CREDIT: https://theamericangenius.com/businessnews/ebay-fighting-counterfeit-products/
James*, 24, is an avid buyer of counterfeit products. Based in Manchester as a student, he has a marketplace packed with lowpriced, fake produce right on his doorstep.
legitimate online sites such as Ebay and Depop offer consumers the opportunity to buy these branded items second-hand for a notably lower cost.
“I usually buy fake stuff because there’s no way I could ever afford the real thing. Some of my friends are able to buy themselves the proper branded items like Gucci trainers but I just can’t justify spending that amount of money on them, but I like them, so I get the cheaper versions. Nowadays you can hardly tell the real thing from the fake ones anyway so it’s not that big of a deal, I have a Louis Vuitton belt with the ‘LV’ branded on the front and only if you do your research would you be able to tell it’s not legit.”
The motivations behind these counterfeit businesses are unjustifiable and dangerous. If more information surrounding the reality behind these goods was available to the public, we could stand a better chance of stopping these organisations from causing further damage. By being more mindful with our choices and where the profits from our sales are being invested, we can begin to tackle the wider problem and hopefully, in return, abolish these radicalised underground systems for good.
Would you continue to buy these counterfeit products if you knew they were funding organisations that have been linked to terror attacks and trafficking?
Alastair Gray’s TED Talk is available to watch online via the TED. com official website - “How Fake Handbags Fund Terrorism and Organised Crime.”
When it comes to terror-related attacks, the uncertainty regarding another incident leaves many of us feeling helpless and unable to aid in preventing the events. However, by cutting the demand for these counterfeit products we can cut the funding towards vital segments of terrorist strategies and schemes. Similar alternatives to designer goods can be found on the high-street for a fraction of the price, whilst
*Name changed for anonymity.
Spoiled Nation 2018 / 2019
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“Not a chance, I wouldn’t have ever thought twice about them two things being linked. It just seems like they’re on a complete different scale and would have nothing to do with each other. It’s not something I’ve ever been aware of to be honest. I don’t think I’d buy from these places ever again if that’s what they were doing with the profits.”