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ISSUE 730 1 MAR 2022 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

Students call out Erase the Grey campaign for “triggering” and “unclear” messages

Bridie Adams and Cassia Grace Editor and Deputy Editor

Storm Eunice causes disruption in Exeter Page 3

Bioscience students let down by Uni Page 8

THIS PAGE CONTAINS CONTENT SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTRESSING

TUDENTS have expressed concern over the University of Exeter’s use of the Erase the Grey campaign, originally set up by Glasgow Caledonian University. Exeter students told Exeposé that the posters are “triggering” and “spread the wrong message,” accusing the campaign of “performative activism.” The campaign features a series of posters distributed around campus and social media. It encourages students to “Erase the grey” words printed on the posters to reveal statements about the realities of “intimate partner violence and abuse.” However, many students have stated that they found the messages and the design of the posters to be confusing and misleading. “For something someone only glances at, it’s not clear,” said one student, whilst another explained how they had misconstrued the posters to be

Image: Lucy Aylmer

about another topic entirely: “They’re a bit s***. Every time I read them, I didn’t understand them. Initially I thought they were pro-abuse; I also thought they were about drink-driving for a bit.” Some have also suggested that the campaign is not “useful,” with one student raising the question, “In reality, what are these posters actually doing?” In reference to a poster that, after ‘erasing the gray,’ reads “Groping is sexual

assault,” another student said, “we all know groping is sexual assault,” and described the posters as ineffective. This student went on to state, “I don’t like this narrative that sexual assault only comes from misinformation. People who grope girls know that groping is assault, and I f***ing know if I’ve been raped or assaulted. Telling me what’s happened isn’t going to stop it from happening.” However, a different student high-

lighted the necessity of “catching the attention of people who may assault or exhibit problematic behaviour and aren’t quite aware of how dangerous their behaviour is,” emphasising the importance of educating students about abuse. Several society Presidents have openly criticised the campaign for a lack of clear message. Continued on page 4.

Exeter Students For Life sparks controversy with speaker event Go Green Week: facts and figures Throughout Images (top to bottom): Chris Andrew, Geograph, Kawishka Chathurya

Supported by the:

Livvy Mason-Myhill News Editor

N Wednesday 23 February, Exeter Students for Life society hosted a talk by Peter Williams, a prominent speaker and campaigner for Right to Life. Williams discussed issues of abortion, Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide (EAS), before taking questions from students in attendance. Among the attendees was a group of pro-choice students, from societies including Pro-Choice society, Sit Down

N Shut Up and Period Poverty, whose aim was to “sit in the talk, be peaceful, be civil and ask intelligent questions.” Williams began the talk by suggesting the importance of morality, choice, and autonomy, as well as emphasising what he perceives as good and evil. He argued that “through our will we can choose to pursue certain goods,” that as humans we have natural faculties and should follow the ideas surrounding natural law. During his initial speech on his views on ethics, he mentioned that “if we have a duty to flourish, everyone has the duty not to harm us,” thus entailing the idea that a right to life is a “concrete fundamental right.” Williams established that he disagrees with EAS as it undermines his

views around autonomy. He chose to refer to Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act which allows for terminally ill people from Oregon to end their lives through voluntarily taking self-administered prescriptions of lethal medications. With this reference, Williams explained that EAS was not justifiable and that “feeling like a burden is not a reasonable reason for autonomy.”. He went on to say that he believes there is a correlation between assisted suicides and suicides, in his opinion adding to “suicide contagion.” The speaker also made claims about patient instrumentalization, stating that “vulnerable people being euthanised were being exploited and used for organ donation.” Regarding both EAS and aborti-

on, Williams stated that “both are contrary to the natural right to life and the Common Good” and that “broader human values should inform our laws, and our moral standards as a society.” Regarding abortion, he established that “unborn children are indeed human beings” and emphasised that he believes human life begins with conception, the making of “a genetically instinct being.” He quoted Baroness Warnock, “only a fool would deny that human life begins at the point of conception,” to support his argument. He presented his audience with diagrams of the different processes of abortion during different stages of pregnancy.

Continued on page 4.

EXEPOSÉ

Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ Editors Print: Bridie Adams & Oliver Leader de Saxe Online: Millie Betts & Anna Wilmot Deputies: Lucy Aylmer, Cassia Grace & Chloe Pumares editors@exepose.com Social Media Executive Emily Im News Editors Print: Megan Ballantyne & Livvy Mason-Myhill Online: Meg Allan & Orla Mackinnon news@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Joshua Hughes & Steffi Haselden Online: Issac Bettridge & Lucy Evans International: Ryan Gerrett & Elen Johnston features@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Evan Thomas & Kate Hall Online: Rachael Powell & Eirwen Abberley Watton comment@exepose.com Satire Editor Print: Cleo Gravett Lifestyle Editors Print: Danni Darrah & Zoe Sperry Online: Katie Edgar & Sophie Porteous lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Ella Minty & Ana Anajuba Online: Clemence Smith & Georgia Balmer artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Harry Hawkins & Charlotte Bend

Editorial

N a week after a monumental Varsity victory (coverage available on the back page from our Sport team), it feels fitting that Exeter will be swapping bleeding green with going green as Exeter’s sustainability drive kicks into gear. With plenty of University and Guild events this Go Green week, there has never been a better, and dare we say more important, time to get involved in the fight back against climate change. Whilst Go Green week symbolises an important initiative and admirable goal, one of the University's other campaigns, Erase the Grey, has sparked student outrage (front page). Meanwhile, we have on-theground News reporting into Exeter Students For Life controversial speaker event from last Wednesday. Outside of the University bubble, Features takes aim both at the recent and disturbing invasion of Ukraine (page 6) as well as Cressida Dick’s recent resignation from the Met (page 7). And with Guild elections on the horizon, it is only fitting that she’s setting her sights on the top dog position if the Satire section is to be believed (page 12). Plus, if we’re talking about leadership,

SPA AWARDS 2020 Best Publication 2021 Best Publication in the South West Comment has two very different student perspectives on whether Keir Starmer’s Labour is leaving students by the wayside (page 9). Elsewhere in the paper, Valentine's Day still seems to be lingering with Science addressing the biology of love (page 29), whilst Lifestyle is getting down with hook-up culture on page 15. And if we’re talking about subcultures that aren’t often looked at, we should mention Screen’s analysis of master documentarian Louis Theroux's most informative and entertaining work (page 23). If entertainment is what you seek, Music has got you with most danceable, funky grooves to get you moving on page 21. Talking of moving, crypto currency numbers are in a constant state of flux at the moment, and Tech has an article looking at the students braving this turbulent digital world (page 25). And whilst on the topic of technology, Art + Lit take a deep dive into the rise of AI in the arts (page 18). And, of course, as it's Go Green week, we have some facts and figures about the environment and sustainability on pages 5, 10, 16 and 26. Enjoy this issue!

NEWS

Storm Eunice causes disruption for students PAGE 3

LIFESTYLE Embracing hook-up culture PAGE 15

MUSIC Notes on nations PAGE 20

TECH Why have shares of Meta fallen so low? PAGE 24

Ollie and Bridie

Images (top to bottom): The Dutch Review, evrywheremedia, John Pannell, James Jin

Online: Tom Bosher & George Ward music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Archie Lockyer & Francesca Sylph Online: Adam Simcox screen@exepose.com Tech Editor Print: Bridie Adams and Oliver Leader de Saxe Science Editors Print: Ellen Rogers & Nancy Stitt Online: Daisy Scott & Imogen Poyntz-Wright sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Oscar Young & Rob Worthington Online: Floris de Bruin & Henry Hood sport@exepose.com Copy Editors Oliver Lamb and Clemence Smith Proofers Henry Hood, Pollyanna Roberts, Ana Anajuba, blood, sweet and tears

@exepose @exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exeposeexeter Advertising

editors@exepose.com The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.

University news home and abroad Female students return to campus in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover

IX months after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, several public universities have reopened their campuses to both male and female students again. Some women reported feeling afraid at first to return to campus, but regardless things “felt normal” again. Since coming into power, the Taliban have imposed strict regulations particularly targeted toward women, such as the enforced hijab, the disbandment of the ministry for women’s affairs and restricted time allocation on campus as the majority is given to male students. This brings a halt to the future of women’s education and career as roughly 229 lecturers and professors from the country’s major universities have fled from Afghanistan after the raid. This comes following international pressure to keep women in higher education in Afghanistan, largely from the West, after talks on improving women’s access to education and foreign aid in developing countries. Despite this, a majority of female students feel unsafe returning to university. Image: Magnus Hagdorn, Flickr

University and College Union to engage in 10 day strike action

N late February, the UCU is engaging in a 10-day strike demanding better pay and conditions as well as fair and secure pensions. This comes following the valuation of the pension scheme used by university staff. While tensions about the scheme have been gathering for a decade, the valuation, said to be lowering members’ guaranteed retirement fund by 35 per cent, sparks much of the current contentions. From their strike action, the UCU is demanding a £2,500 pay increase for members, an end to pay-inequalities and insecure contracts, and action to mitigate unmanageable workloads. “To avoid this period of industrial action all vice-chancellors had to do was accept the UCU’s viable pension proposals and take action over worsening pay and working conditions. That they didn’t is an abject failure of their leadership” says UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

Indian Students appeal for help to leave Ukraine

HERE are 76,500 foreign students currently residing in Ukraine, and tensions are high regarding their future following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 18,000 Indian students, a quarter of the international students in Ukraine, are expressing concerns over how to return to India, after India last week announced a ban on all flights between India and Ukraine. This was despite the Ukrainian airspace remaining open. India’s ministry of Civil Aviation has since lifted that ban under an ‘air bubble’ arrangement with Ukraine. While negotiations between the ministries of external affairs and civil aviation continue, students are concerned that the cost of these flights will be significantly inflated Up until Wednesday 23rd February, universities were operating normally, despite students reporting a tense atmosphere on campuses.

Wales launches new international education exchange scheme

AITH, a £65m Welsh government education exchange programme has recently launched, aiming to provide similiar opportunities to the EU Erasmus Scheme. Taith, which is Welsh for 'journey' will help Wales to build an internatrional profile. The aim for the programme over the next four years is for 15,500 students and staff from Wales to travel overseas as well as for 10,000 to work or study in Wales. The programme is pinned as offering life-changing opportunities for people from universities for people from schools, colleges, universities, youth groups and others involved in education. Taith was described as "a wide-ranging and inclusive scheme" by Kirsty Williams, the Taith advisory board chair, and a former Welsh education minister. Williams further suggested that there were hidden costs which meant some were put off taking part in the past. Applications for the new scheme are opening in March with exchanges due to start in September 2022. Dr Anglelo Silvestri, an Italian lecturer who oversees students' time abroad for Cardiff University, said students and staff in Wales would benefit from the scheme, suggesting it was "a good opportunity for Wales to expand its already existing global profile". By Mahnoor Imam, Jamie Speka, Megan Ballantyne, Livvy Mason-Myhill

1 MAR 2022 | EXEPOSÉ

3 NEWS

“As many people as possible should go vegan”: students Campaigners for Extinction express attitudes towards sustainaibility

Lucy Aylmer Deputy Editor

HE University of Exeter will be hosting a Go Green Week from 28 February to 4 March. The University has announced plans to team up with a range of student societies, academics and local community members. The purpose of the week will be to introduce students and academics to key environmental issues and provide guidance to those keen to act against climate change.

87.7 per cent of students stated that they regularly recyle Exeposé conducted a study to assess student attitudes towards the environment. The results were revealing with 86.7 per cent of students stating that they regularly recycle.

A further 53.3 per cent of students felt that the University does not do enough to address the problem of single-use plastics on campus. Some results were polarised with 20 per cent of students stating that they would not pay extra for environmentally friendly food alternatives on campus, whilst 40 per cent stated that they would be happy paying a premium price. The study also assessed student diets and whether participants had considered switching to a non-meat diet. An overwhelming 73.3 per cent of students stated that they had considered a non-meat diet. Participants cited varying motivations such as health, environment and cost. One participant suggested that documentaries were influential in informing their decision and made them consider the negative impacts that meat consumption has upon the environment. Whilst

others described the meat industry as “awful” and “really bad emissions-wise… especially with good plant-based alternatives nowadays”. Our survey reveals that 53.3 per cent of students at Exeter disagree with suggested motions to ban red meat on campus, whilst a further 20 per cent strongly disagree with this proposal. Recently, there have been

increasing calls to ban red meat on campus at universities. The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge have both banned red meat on campus and replaced them with plant-based alternatives. Oxford’s decision to ban red meat on campus was driven by ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent before 2030.

HE volunteer project Food Action is working to prevent food waste on campus by taking leftover food from on-campus outlets such as Pret, and delivering this food to homeless shelters around Exeter. Leftover food from Pret has been used to provide food to residents of Gabriel House. Since the start of this academic year, the society has recently entered into a collaboration with Howell Road, a residence of the Sanctuary Sup-

ported Living charity which, according to its website, provides, “accommodation and support for adults aged 18 and over, who have experienced or are at immediate threat of homelessness.” Octavia Hamilton, a Project Leader for the initiative alongside Chloe Pagliaro, talked to us about the work they do for the charities. “We have worked with Gabriel House since the beginning. It is a truly remarkable organisation which seeks to help homeless men and couples with complex needs, including drug and alcohol use, get back onto their feet. Yet provid-

Bridie Adams Editor

Image: Exeposé data collected using Google Forms

Exeter students at Food Action use leftover Pret food to feed homeless around Exeter Megan Ballantyne News Editor

Rebellion call for fewer roads to be built in Devon

ing consistent, nutritional meals can be a struggle, and thus Pret’s donations form that fundamental support base. “Crazily, some days there is so much food that it can’t all be eaten, and thus we set out to look for other shelters which could benefit from some evening donations. Howell Road Sanctuary Supported Living was the perfect candidate, and thus we aim to provide enough food from the donations for the 11 rooms offered.” The project does food collections most days. When Pret is closed, student volunteers collect the leftover food and bring

it to the Food Action centre in town. Exeter Food Action was founded in 2017 by Alex Kames and Ami Gibson. Their website states: “We exist as an organisation in order to challenge the wastefulness that exists in our society, and do what we can with whatever food we can save.” When asked what plans the volunteers has for the project, Octavia told us, “recently one volunteer alerted us to the large number of doughnuts thrown away daily by Krispy Kreme, so we are hoping to add this to our collection soon!”

GROUP of campaigners from North Devon have called for fewer roads to be built. The group gathered on a bridge over the A361 on 29 January to show “solidarity on this issue.” The campaigners are part of Extinction Rebellion, a global “nonviolent civil disobedience” political and ecological movement, which was established in the United Kingdom in May 2018. It says life on Earth is in crisis, and it wants the Government to announce a “climate and ecological emergency.” Extinction Rebellion demands that the UK should legally pledge to create less carbon-dioxide emissions, and that a citizens’ assembly has to be set up. According to YouGov, just 19 per cent of the public say they agree with the group, while another 19 per cent said they feel impartial. This is not the first time that climate crisis campaigners have taken action in North Devon. In November, Extinction Rebellion campaigners staged a protest outside of a Barclays branch, after which Barclays stated, “We are aligning our entire financing portfolio to support the goals of the Paris Agreement — significantly scaling up green financing.”

Storm Eunice causes disruption for students Megan Ballantyne News Editor

N Friday February 18 on campus teaching at Exeter was disrupted by Storm Eunice. Some lessons were moved online, while others remained in-person. One student commented, “the storm made it difficult to go to lectures. One of my teachers told us that our lecture would be in person as usual because campus didn’t seem that bad, but obviously this ignored [the fact] that we had to get to campus first which was a bit of a struggle.” Another student said that “my in-person seminar was moved to an online zoom call”. A Registrar email on Thursday 17 stated “We have reviewed our ‘Weather Contingency Plan’ and we

are taking appropriate precautionary action, which includes grounds staff on call throughout the night and on site from Friday morning to ensure thorough monitoring of the situation. We are advising students and staff to avoid unnecessary travel to and from our campuses. However, inperson teaching, on-campus research activity and the delivery of support for students will continue as planned, if students are able to safely travel.”

My in-person seminar was moved to an online zoom call Anonymous third year student

Another said “I understand why contact hours like labs needed to be kept in person, but it was a bit inconvenient to still have my discussion-

based seminar scheduled on campus — it meant that there was very limited attendance, and I think many more would have showed up if the lessons had been moved online.” The high winds also led to disruption around and across the city and in student accommodation. One student told us that, “a tree fell in our drive which landed on our neighbour’s car.” Others reported “bins flying around.” Travel plans were also disrupted, with those planning trips home or outside of Exeter prevented from doing so due to weather related train delays, which lasted across the weekend. “My journey home to Bristol normally takes one hour, but it took me three and a half hours each way this weekend” At the Penryn Campus, students were advised to not to head onto campus at all on Friday. Other campuses remained shut

Maria Aspinall, President of Debating Society stated they had no choice but to move their debate online “as all of GWR’s services closed and the speakers had no way of getting to Exeter...one of our speakers was stranded in Reading and had to use a relative’s house to access the debate! Once we got all the tech running, however, the event was a lot of fun and I’ve only heard good things from people who tuned in. “It also gave people who were ill or otherwise unable to access our usual venue the chance to tune in which was great to see, and we are working on making streaming or recording our in-person events possible to preserve this benefit into the future. Overall the storm was very stressful and I would rather it not have cancelled our event, but thankfully it turned out alright in the end.”

Image: Matt Hrkac, Flickr

4 NEWS

1 MAR 2022 | EXEPOSÉ

Man guilty of racially motivated attack seeking “revenge” Mary Stenson

WO men have been sentenced for a misguided ‘revenge’ attack on Bodrum Kebab shop worker Naveed Rahimi during the investigation of the murder of Lorraine Cox. On 2 October 2020 Brandon Burrows, 26, and Louis Mearns, 25, travelled to Dryden Lane in Wonford and began attacking Mr Rahimi in the street, repeatedly punching him, shouting “‘you’re a f*****g Turkish terrorist’ and threatening to kill him” according to the prosecutor. Burrows also used a knuckle duster during the attack while Mearns threatened the victim by suggesting that he was in possession of a knife. The two men had incorrectly assumed the victim’s connection to the murder of Ms. Cox after finding out that a number of other kebab shop workers had been arrested early in the investigation. Some of Ms. Cox’s remains were found in bin bags near the kebab shop. The comments about Mr Rahimi’s nationality were also assumed based on his job at Bodrum Kebab House, despite him actually being from Afghanistan, resulting in the conviction for racially aggravated assault. Burrows pleaded guilty whereas Mearns denied his charges and was only found guilty after a trial. Mearns admitted to taking part in the assault after it was launched by Burrows but denied having used racist language or knowing where the victim worked. Mearns said he was upset after hearing about the murder of Ms. Cox and was motivated by learning that some kebab shop workers had been arrested as part of the investigation, despite Mr Rahimi never having been a suspect. It was later discovered that the murder was perpetrated by Azam Mangori, 24, who dumped some of his victim’s remains near the kebab shop which was just below the flat where he lived. Both Burrows and Mearns are due to be sentenced for the attack on 11 March after the jury found Mearns guilty by a majority of ten to two.

“There are no grey areas when it comes to gender-based violence” Continued from the front page...

RESIDENT of Pole Fitness Society, Niamh Hutnell, added that she “misread them at a glance” and the “colours they chose were awful,” pointing out that “if you were visually impaired it wouldn’t have the same effect.” Meanwhile, Laura Lemos, President of Pro-Choice Society, discussed the danger of sexual assault and gender-based violence, as well as the impact that this has on the lives of female students: “the amount of sexual assault and rape cases I’ve heard is disgusting” and a “poster isn’t going to change that.” She also described the campaign as “fake activism.”

If you were visually impaired it wouldn’t have the same effect

President of Pole Fitness

Discussion of the posters as potentially harmful has been widespread, with one student stating that the campaign might “trigger traumatic memories and bring up past experiences.” Yasmin Gooch, one of the leaders of student activism movement Sit Down N Shut Up, also described the campaign as “triggering” and said that they “hate” the posters.

They added that, from the perspectives of those who have been through sexual assault, “it’s really harmful.” Eirwen Abberley Watton, a third year English student, had similar criticisms of the campaign, describing it as “jarring and disquieting,” stating that the University should be doing everything it can “to create a safe and educative environment on consent and sexual assault and to me the campaign does the opposite.” The campaign was originally set up by Glasgow Caledonian University to “challenge stereotypical attitudes and behaviours” and demonstrate that “there are no grey areas when it comes to gender-based violence.” Glasgow Caledonian University has been awarded for Erase the Grey with a PR industry Purpose Award for Best Equality & Inclusion Cause Campaign and was nominated for a Social Purpose award at the Drum Awards. The University of Exeter adopted the campaign in November 2021, stating that students can “expect to see these impactful messages displayed around campus” in the hope that they would “challenge prevailing myths.” A University spokesperson has stated that “The Erase the Grey campaign is designed to raise awareness and challenge attitudes about what is and isn’t acceptable behavi-

our. It may also help people to view past experiences in a different light. “These messages are hard-hitting, but necessary in order to cut through and affect real behaviour change. Whilst not wanting to cause any additional distress to those living with trauma, the campaign provides an opportunity for those needing support to find it. “The messages challenge stereotypical attitudes and behaviours and reiterate our zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based violence. We want members of our community to consider their current, future or past behaviour, and also to reinforce that they should not blame themselves for something that may have happened to them.

We understood that some people may find the content distressing

University of Exeter spokesperson

“The idea for the campaign came to the University’s Gender Safety Group via the Students’ Guild and we worked closely with the Wellbeing teams prior to launch. We understood that some people may find the content distressing and all our posters and digital materials include information on who you can talk to and where to seek support. All our online

materials also have a trigger warning. “We launched the campaign in University Updates prior to any posters or digital messages being put up. We were able to explain what the campaign was about, linking to a specific campaign page, talking about the campaign and providing details of University, Guild/Students Union and external sources of support. “We would strongly encourage anyone experiencing abuse, sexual harassment or bullying to report it, either to the Police or via the Exeter Speaks Out reporting tool. Alternatively, support can be found from our wellbeing services teams in Cornwall and Devon, the Students’ Guild Advice Service or Students’ Union Advice Service.

Exeter men

If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/speakout/staysafe Samaritans 116 123 Devon Rape Crisis 01392 208756 National Rape Crisis 0808 802 9999 Stop Abuse for Everyone (SAFE) 03030 300112

“Abortion is bad for women, led by coercion” Continued from the front page...

E especially wanted to highlight to his audience the process of dilation and evacuation abortion that occurs at 15 plus weeks of pregnancy, implying that this type of abortion “crushes and tears the foetus apart, piece by piece.” With regards to whether he thought abortions should be justified, he stated that “it is always wrong to kill innocent human beings. “The choice to procure an abortion always kills an innocent human being, violating the right to life.” He further highlighted that “it is not and never can be moral for a pregnant woman or indeed anyone else to choose abortion.” At the end of the talk, Williams opened the floor for questions. Prochoice students challenged his views, expressing doubts surrounding a scenario he mentioned in the talk, in which he said that if you were to eat “too many doughnuts,” you would make yourself ill and struggle to “flourish.” Students expressed their confusion in relation to this analogy and to how this comment was relevant to his views on abortion. He went on to say that “abortion is bad for women, led by coercion and it

is a misogynistic practice.” An audience member asked, “if someone doesn’t think something is wrong, is it wrong?” Williams replied with “if you know what abortion is then your intention is informed. “If you know it is the brutal taking of an innocent life, it is your intention that is there.”

It is not and never can be moral for a pregnant woman or indeed anyone else to choose abortion

Peter Williams, Right to Life campaigner

Another student asked about his opinions on the death penalty and just war, and he said that he agreed with the idea of the death penalty, suggesting that it was a “just penalty” for evil. This provoked more confusion from the audience, who criticised his support of the death penalty in contrast to his views on abortion. One pro-choice student argued that men should not have the same authority as women when discussing abortions, and Williams referred to the “ad hominem fallacy” in response, indicating how his opinions should not be undermined and quoting that “when you at-

tack arguments, you must do it logically.” A large proportion of the audience was made up of students who described themselves as “prominent feminists” who came from several societies, including Sit Down N Shut Up, Pro-Choice and Period Poverty. Before the event, the protestors expressed disapproval, drawing particular attention to the recent controversy surrounding Exeter Students for Life in October. The talk, entitled “Human Rights and Wrongs: Exploring ‘Choice’ Rhetoric”, was a ticketed event with limited tickets available. Campus security were also present. Many students who wished to attend, including students from Socialist Students Society, were not allowed into the seminar room to witness the talk. One student said that he is “appalled that the very same university that has allowed ESFL’s continued presence on campus has hindered my right to protest. Campus security looming at the entrance of the hallway made it feel inaccessible as did the constant supervision every time I entered the Forum.” The concern of Exeter students was initially sparked by a Facebook video entitled ‘The Moral Case Against Abortion,’ in which Williams said: “There are some actions that are, by their very nature, always wrong, regardless of

the intention and the circumstances — to sexually assault someone is always wrong.” In response to this particular remark, an anonymous student described the comment as a “comparison to rape” and said, “I’m literally shaking out of pure frustration. The fact that the Guild allowed [him to speak at Exeter] has made me even angrier.”

Security looming at the entrance of the hallway made it feel inaccessible as did the constant supervision

Peter Williams, Right to Life campaigner

In response to student outrage, Lily Margaroli, Guild President said, “The Exeter Students for Life Society hosted an event on 23 February, this event went through the joint Guild and University External Speaker Framework and was approved under the freedom of speech guidance and within the law. We provided safety support for students on the night who wanted to attend and counter protest as the Guild supports students’ right to protest in a safe way. For students who may have been impacted by the event, there are a number of support resources including the University’s Wellbeing team (exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing).”

Images: Canva Sources: Recycling Bins, Huffington Post, Plastic Oceans, University of Southern Indiana, The Mirror

Features

1 MARCH 2022| EXEPOSÉ

FEATURES EDITORS:

Joshua Hughes and Steffi Haselden

What could Russia’s invasion do to Ukrainian culture? Bridie Adams, Editor, reviews what Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could mean for its citizens

N spite of the popular narrative that the Russian threat to Ukraine is recent and emerging, the armed violence has in fact been tenacious for years. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have gone through periods of ties, strains and complete hostility after (and before) Ukraine regained its right to self-governance in 1991, one of the first well known cases being the Crimean Island of Tuzla Split, which became the subject of a considerable dispute in 2003. The Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014, and as of July 2021, there were more than a million internally displaced persons in Ukraine. In a recent interview with NBC, Biden told all American citizens in Ukraine to depart from the country right away. Just days after the US warned of a chance of Russian occupation of Ukraine, Putin has begun an invasion of Ukraine and declared war, warning Europe of “consequences” if

they try to intervene. However, in the midst of the international tension the situation has brought about, let us consider the potential impact of invasion on the lives of the Ukrainian people themselves. One potential concern is related to the Ukrainian language. Previously, Russia contributed to many Ukrainian dialect bans, and there is a worry that history could repeat itself, as some Ukrainian speakers may feel that their language is threatened. Most Ukrainians speak Russian fluently until you get to Ternopil, and, whilst the city of Kharkiv is very near to the Russian borderline, the neighbouring region is primarily populated by Ukrainians who use their native tongue as their first language. Both Ukrainian and Russian languages came into being as a consequence of Slavic tribes, meaning that they retained roots of the earliest Slavic language. However, there are notewor-

thy and sharply defined differences between the two languages that would cause difficulties for Ukrainians who do not speak Russian, if a potential invasion were to have an effect on language. The vast majority of individuals in Ukraine speak Ukrainian, but most music, radio shows and news media are already in Russian. This use of Russian in popular culture may therefore increase further in the event of an invasion, which would consequently exclude and alienate those who speak only their native Ukrainian. This links to another aspect which is important to consider: the impact on Ukraine’s distinctive arts and culture, as, like Belarus, Ukraine benefits from a rich cultural and creative heritage that goes back many centuries. If this culture were to be diluted, it would affect the lives of both adults and children, potentially interfering with exposure to and consumption

of Ukrainian culture on a large scale and disrupting education in schools.

Ukrainian culture deserves to continue to grow and it would most likely disrupt people’s lives if stifled After the USSR gained control over Ukraine, Ukrainian cultural achievements, as separate from Russian, hardly existed due to being so heavily watered down by the Soviet regime until 1991 — it is actually somewhat surprising that Ukrainian traditions have survived at all after so many years under Russian rule. However, after previously experiencing extreme upheaval of Ukrainian heritage, Ukrainian people may have concerns about history repeating itself and being separated from their own culture yet again.

Ukrainians are in closer cultural proximity to ethnic Russians than to the rest of Russia’s minority groups, as they make up 17 per cent of the population of Ukraine. Russian society has therefore fundamentally impacted the Ukrainian way of life already, regardless of the invasion. We can acknowledge the two cultures as coexisting to a limited extent, but to call them identical would be insulting to both nations, as it would discredit their uniqueness, as well as implying that Ukrainian culture would be nothing without Russia, which is simply not true. Ukrainian culture deserves to continue to grow and it would most likely disrupt people’s lives if stifled. The current tensions may pose international challenges, but it is important to remember the direct and tangible impact on individual Ukrainian people, their language and their culture.

COVID-19 protest convoy heads to Paris Ana Anajuba, Arts + Lit Editor, assesses the protests against France’s COVID-19 regulations in the country’s capital

ROTESTS against COVID-19 regulations have erupted in France as hundreds of vehicles trying to enter Paris were intercepted by the Gendarmerie. Styled after the selfnamed Canadian “Freedom Convoy” which has disrupted £1.2 billion ($1.7bn) worth of daily trade along the Canada-US border and occupied streets in Ottawa, inspiring similar demonstrations across the globe. Countries like Austria and Belgium have made the decision to ban identical convoys from being allowed to enter their capitals whilst indistinguishable displays have cropped up in New

Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands. Approximately, 10,000 demonstrators against vaccine mandates arrived at Parliament House in Canberra, the Australian capital whilst over 100 people blocking the city roads were arrested by police in New Zealand’s capital Wellington. The Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a statement that over 300 tickets had been given out and 54 people had been arrested. Authorities have also deployed over 7,000 officers over the next few days in an attempt to halt the demonstrators completely. The police have also revealed that two of the hun-

dreds of vehicles intercepted when heading into the city were allegedly carrying knives, hammers and petrol canisters and five were allegedly carrying slingshots. Video footage posted online by a French journalist and shared by the country’s police prefecture showed officers diverting camper vans and other vehicles away from the city’s ring road. Despite the continuous efforts by authorities, some vehicles were able to arrive at the Arc de Triomphe in the city and the police fired tear gas at protesters at the adjacent Champs-Élysées Avenue. France24’s Catherine Norris-Trent reported French authorities as stating that “demonstrations are one thing but blocking traffic in the capital is another”. French police are attempting to stop a Canadian-style scenario wherein the streets of the capital are frozen for weeks. As opposed to the Canadian demonstrations which were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border trucker but had now spread into general anger over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Paris protest reimage: Flickr, Michael Swan volves around France’s Covid

pass which requires people to show proof of vaccination before entering public venues. The protests have been organised through various social media platforms and encompass a variety of ideological and political beliefs, with discontent also centred around France’s rising price. Thus, with such an array of issues, it is difficult to predict the number of vehicles that will arrive in Paris day to day. The French Prime Minsiter Jean Castex has stated that whilst “the right to demonstrate and have an opinion are a constitutionally guaranteed right in our republic and our democracy, the right to block others or prevent coming and going is not”. The main differences between protests about the COVID-19 restrictions from earlier in the pandemic and now, are the method of demonstration and the single trigger for the protests. Increasingly, it appears that the goal of the protesters is to slowdown or halt the movement of large cities or points of trade in an attempt to force politicians to acquiesce to their terms. Furthermore, protests seem to no longer be about the physical lack of freedom associated with the early lockdowns which were enacted by many countries, but to a perceived lack of ideological freedom and medical autonomy. Ignoring the fact that for many

years before the various COVID-19 vaccines were created, countries would often require proof of certain vaccinations before entering their borders. Nevertheless, this remains a contentious and controversial issue with neither the authorities nor the protesters backing down. With France especially, it is a politically fraught time as there are only two months left until the presidential elections. Therefore, the current government wishes to circumvent scenes evocative of the too often brutal yellow-vest protests from three years ago. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, authorities are dealing with the demonstrators in a slightly more humorous manner. The Associated Press reported that when sprinklers were proved ineffective, Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard instead played Barry Manilow’s greatest hits to repel the protesters. Still, it is unclear whether a resolution agreeable to both parties will ever be reached. Whilst this only involves a small sector of society, this is not to say that more people do not agree with them, but rather that, in this case, politicians and authorities are trying to enact the most sensible policies that will help the majority of the population. Only time will tell how these protests will end and which side — if any — will emerge victorious.

1 MAR 2022 | EXEPOSÉ

7 FEATURES

Khan loses confidence in Dick Ana Anajuba, Arts and Lit Editor, reviews the exit of Dame Cressida Dick from the Metropolitan Police

N 11 February, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced that she will step down from her role, following several damaging controversies surrounding the police force. It has been reported that this was subsequent to London Mayor Sadiq Khan stating that he had lost confidence in her ability as a leader. As the first female head of the biggest UK police force, which is responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Greater London area, she had been left with “no choice” following the mayor’s statement and the findings of the police watchdog.

Khan stated that he had lost confidence in her ability as a leader The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) uncovered evidence of racism, misogyny, bullying and harassment involving current serving officers located at Charing Cross Police station in central London. Scotland Yard — the headquarters of the Met — has long denied allegations

of any bigotry but apologised after the findings of the investigation, which began in 2018, were released. In a recent statement the force stated it was “deeply sorry” to those who had been failed and disappointed by the “appalling conduct” of the officer’s and acknowledged how actions like this damage the overall public perception of the force.

Scotland Yard has long denied allegations of any bigotry However, for Cressida Dick, it was simply one incident in a line of many that led to Mayor Khan stating that he was unsatisfied with Dame Cressida’s response to the vast change required to tamper out racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying and misogyny in the Met as a whole. Although she had spoken to BBC London mere hours before her departure was confirmed, saying that she had “no intention” of leaving her post, the BBC reported that “on being informed” of the mayor’s words she will be “standing aside”. For some, it may be seen as a relief to have the chance to replace

Dame Cressida. Likely the most highprofile case and one of the direct causes of her resignation was the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police officer. The officer in question had a record of indecent exposure and had the nickname “the rapist” of which his colleague are reported to have been aware. The tragic murder led to protests and vigils which were reported to have been handled violently by the force as protesters were allegedly handcuffed and detained without cause.

One of the direct causes of her resignation was the murder of Sarah Everard Following this Dame Cressida remained, even amongst calls from the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey for her resignation, yet Home Secretary Priti Patel commissioned the police watchdog, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to “conduct a lessons learned review into the policing of the event”. Political reaction to Dame Cressida’s resignation has been mixed. Prime

Image (left): Wikimedia Commons, Katie Chan Image (right): Flickr, Centre for London

Minister Boris Johnson said she had “served her country with dedication and distinction over many decades” and she has been “protecting the public and making our streets safer”. Fellow Conservative Party Member Health Secretary Sajid Javid also commended her years of public service, calling the role “one of the most difficult jobs in the country”. Susan Hall, Leader of the Greater London Assembly Conservatives even criticised Khan’s handling of the situation and stated that Dick’s departure left Londoners less safe as there is now a “void” at the top of the Met, also telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that this should have been done “behind closed doors”. On the other hand, the majority of Labour Party Members supported Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in his decision. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper both believed that he had made the right decision and had demonstrated leadership in his demand for police reforms. Others were brusquer in their statement: Alex Davies-Jones tweeted, “It’s about time! Long overdue”, whilst Nadia Whittome said that her involvement in the events that led to the deadly shooting of Jean Charles da Silva e de Menezes, who

was wrongly identified as one of the suspects in the ‘05 attempted bombing when she was Gold Commander, should have prevented her from ever having the role in the first place.

This should have been done “behind closed doors” Regardless, it seems apparent that Dame Cressida’s Dick departure will not be enough in reforming the police. It is the Home Secretary’s job in choosing her successor and at this point it is unclear who that will be. Yet, this appears to be an opportunity to change the culture of the Metropolitan Police force from the top down. Baroness Louise Casey’s independent investigation reviewing the Met’s culture and standards is still ongoing and is expected to conclude in April, with examinations into the force’s vetting, recruitment and training procedures and standards. Only time will tell if the recommendations, will be enacted, or if the resignation of the first female head of Britain’s biggest police force would have been for nothing.

Comment

1 MAR 2022| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT EDITORS

Kate Hall and Evan Thomas

Bioscience students have been left to fend for themselves Bioscience students express how they have been let down by the University during the COVID-19 pandemic

HE past two years have massively changed all our lives, especially for those at university. However, as final year Biosciences students, we feel that we have been disproportionately affected. We have spoken to students from all years and disciplines at the University, and have seen massive variation in the quantity (and quality) of teaching delivered to students over the last two years.

The synchronous Q&A sessions, our only contact time in the week, can vary dramatically in quality The primary difference that we have seen is the quantity of live and inperson contact time that we receive. As final year Biosciences students studying two modules, we have pre-recorded lectures and only two Q&A sessions each week. In comparison, a final year

Natural Science student has 12 hours. A final year Theology student has eight in person contact hours, including small-group teaching, each week. When we talked about the difference in the amount of in person time we have, they were visibly shocked. The University told us this year that it would be a “blended-approach” towards learning, but we have all seen how different colleges have approached this. The pre-recorded lectures that we are provided with each week are not always newly recorded each year, with some of them being recorded at the end of 2020 or early 2021. Sometimes this means that some more recent developments in biology are not included in the lectures (around COVID-19), and that topics covered are no longer covered in assessments. The synchronous Q&A sessions, our only contact time in the week, can vary dramatically in quality. Some weeks, lecturers answer any questions that they are given in the sessions, also presenting further information and

research around the topic. In others, the lecturer prepares answers to questions asked about the content and nothing else — resulting in scheduled one-hour sessions only lasting 15-20 minutes. During our second year (2020/21), the time we were meant to spend in the lab developing skills needed for placement years and future careers was severely cut short. Whilst noone in the Biosciences (or any other) faculty could have predicted the course of the pandemic or enforced attendance during this time, the way that laboratory time was allocated in term three was not well received. Whilst many second years due to embark on their dissertation research projects (the biggest and most significant assessment of our degree) in the following year, first year practicals were prioritised. Their learning is obviously important as well, but to provide second years with nine hours of training whilst first years receive a year’s worth of lab training in a term seems unfair. Furthermore,

many students could not attend these nine hours of training due to travel restrictions or already being at home with family. With many Biosciences students seeking careers in research or industry, the loss of practical training time is a disservice to students that has negatively affected our university studies and professional development.

The loss of practical training time is a disservice to students We wonder how the university and the College of Life and Environmental Sciences can warrant charging the same tuition fees to all students when it is obvious to us that there is such a difference in the amount of time that is spent face to face with the lecturers compared to the beginning of our degrees. We appreciate that lecturers have their own research to do and other students to teach (and that they have

also had to adapt to the extraordinary events of the past two years) — but they also had to do this prior to the pandemic. We also appreciate that as final year students there is a higher level of “independent study” expected of us, but this should extend to all the different colleges of the University, rather than leaving Bioscience students to fend for themselves — and definitely should not impact on the quality of the limited contact hours we do receive. This is not an attack on the Biosciences teaching staff, as we greatly appreciate their support and enthusiasm to teach throughout our three years here — if anything, it is a plea to the government to review the tuition fees they have imposed on COVID-19-era students. We will never forget having to pay £9,250 a year for no practical hours and endless stress, anxiety, and social isolation. We can only hope that future years receive a full practical and academic education justifying the tuition fees imposed by the government.

The University has ignored Be the Change’s demands

Lucy Stevenson & Beth Lewis expose the University’s lack of cooperation in tackling the climate crisis

E the Change Society is the biggest environmental campaigning group on campus who aim to make our University more active in fighting the climate crisis. So far this year, the society has achieved lots — attending COP26, up-cycling stash, hosting an Eco Town Hall for others to form connections, and teaching others around the world about Intersectional Environmentalism at the new Student’s Environmental Conference.

The University do not match our energy in fighting the climate crisis As committee members of Be the Change Society, we are angry with the leadership at this University, who do not match our energy in fighting the climate crisis. At the start of this year, we sent an email to top staff at the University containing details of BTC’s ‘5 Point Plan’ — a list of focused demands we feel they must take in order to combat the climate crisis we are all facing. We feel, and we know

many other students agree, that the University simply isn’t doing enough. It is not acting with the appropriate urgency, transparency and fairness required. Our five demands are: acceleration of Exeter’s Net Zero target to 2030, decolonisation of our education across the curriculum, promotion and investment in plant-based diets and sustainable food systems on campus in all outlets and catered accommodation, the ending of plastic, car, and waste pollution on campus by 2025 and to centre students in environmental decision making and create a permanent students union to foster grassroots campaigns and wellbeing. They are not complicated, and they are not unrealistic. We sent this email in January, and we have been informed by an anonymous member of University staff that the top positions in the Uni (aka

the Vice Chancellors, the Deans, the Provost and the Registrar), have received and read our email, and yet we have not, as of writing this, received a reply. This is ridiculous. Why tell us you have read

our efforts, praise them for their relevance and importance and not respond? This is disrespectful to students and

exposes the leadership’s priorities. For Sustainability week, the Guild and University are heavily advertising and promoting ‘going green’ with an overwhelming stress on student and society involvement. In light of this, we ask why they would take almost two months to reply to an email detailing exactly how students feel about their policies and actions regarding climate change and ‘going green’? It has been disappointing to us to not receive acknowledg ement, let alone a reply to our email, from a University who, on paper, appear to be so keen to hear their students’ voices and opinions. The University attended COP26 as a leading voice of the scientific community, and we would therefore expect to see it take more definite and immediate action across our campuses. We would suggest to the University that Go Green Week would be a perfect time to reply so

that we may work collaboratively in making our community more sustainable. The climate crisis concerns all of us and therefore should involve all of us. The aim of this action is to reduce the disconnect and discontent between University decisions and students, and to centre Be the Change’s core values of accessibility, studentled change, and serious action. If you would like to know more about our five demands, or have any questions or comments, please get in touch via @bethechange. exeter, or email bethechange@ g roups.exeterguild.com. Scan the QR Code to sign the full petition here!

Images: Be the Change society

1 MAR 2022| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT

Has the Labour Party left students behind? Exeposé Editors give their take on Starmer’s Labour Party and what it means for students

Archie Lockyer Screen Editor

OU could say it’s not so great to be a student supporter of the Labour party. Keir Starmer’s mad dash for the centre ground is so obviously an attempt to revive the New Labour energy that prevailed in 1997 and that John McDonnell’s comments about Labour being dangerously close to becoming a ‘Blair tribute band’ have come true. Having done extensive research on this, I can confirm we are no longer in the year 1997. We are in fact in 2022, where the political makeup of Britain and more specifically the makeup of the Labour Party are vastly different. In my perception, Starmer’s blatant dismissal of student voices, due to their alignment with progressive social progress is a pathetic attempt to appear more grown up for the benefit

of the conservative element of the Labour Party that he is either knowingly or unknowingly being puppeted by. I want to get this out of the way first. I’m going to try my best to mention Jeremy Corbyn as little as possible. Any refute of criticism of Keir Starmer’s leadership is always met with encyclopaedic length investigations into what Corbyn did wrong. However, even the staunchest critic of Corbyn cannot deny the fact that his leadership was the catalyst for the largest and most enthusiastic response by students in decades. Labour appeared to be a party for young people to attach themselves to, and many, myself included, wanted to participate. With around a 10-15 per cent per cent increase in young people going to the polls in 2017, nearly two thirds (62 per cent according to YouGov) of which voted Labour and despite dipping in 2019, participation still remained higher than under Miliband or Brown. Beyond voting, students became grassroot campaigners in both

elections, connecting Labour to local constituents. Starmer came into power, saw the student grassroot network that Corbyn built up, and promptly tore it apart. Starmer’s tenuous relationship with the youth wing of Labour, once referred to by Young Labour leader Jess Barnard as a communication that is “non-existent,” has sent ripple-waves throughout younger members. Other than the haemorrhaging of Labour membership on all ends (50,000 leaving by November 2020), it has left young people completely devoid of hope in Starmer. In my opinion, he has done for political campaigning what James Blunt did to songwriting: made everyone reconsider whether it’s worth their time in the first place. In terms of economic policy, Keir Starmer’s so called ‘Labour’ party receives such little support from trade unions and at best has an ambivalent position towards workers’ rights (the sneering at the threat of a strike from Coventry bin drivers didn’t help) which makes Starmer’s party seem more ‘Capital’ than Labour. Not only is this damaging for

any relationship between trade unions and government, but also shows Keir Starmer’s disregard or lack of thought for students too, a demographic who is often working exploitive zero-hour contract jobs for poor wages. Once again, Starmer disregards students to appeal more to demographics who have never had to work a zerohour contract job in their lives. On social issues, Starmer verges on Thick of It levels of incompetence. Angela Rayner recently suggested that Labour’s policy for law and order will be “shoot your terrorists and ask questions second”, a frankly bewildering position that is even more right wing than the Tories. You know you’ve messed up when David Davies is telling you to tone down the police state vibes. How can anyone seriously argue that Labour still represents students, when they come out with this drivel?

Images:

Oliver Leader De Saxe Senior Editor

O say that there has been a sea change on student sentiments towards the Labour Party under Keir Starmer would be an understatement. I can’t keep track of the number of times I’ve found myself in the heated round of pub politics facing claims that Starmerism is forged at best in long-extinguished candle neoliberal New Labour and at worst in the scalding flames of arch-conservatism. Neither of these things are remotely true; whilst not the immortal foretold anti-Blair to bring Britain kicking and screaming into a world of socialist bliss, Starmer is not the status quo figure that haunts many a self-avowed Marxist-Leninist’s dreams at night. Yet the mythical idea of Starmer paving the way for a resurgence in Blairism is one stuck in the heads of many within the student body, and it’s certainly one worth dissecting. Let’s start by debunking the notion that Starmer is in any way ideologically equal to Tony Blair, particularly when it comes to students. It was only a year after his first landslide victory that

Blair began tearing chunks out of a relatively marketinsulated higher education system, gutting the maintenance grant and implementing a £1000 tuition fee that has risen ever higher since. Starmer meanwhile is certainly more

than happy to pitch battle on the hills of higher education institutions when it comes to scrapping tuition fees. It may be expensive, but the highly justified flagship policy proposal from 2015 has yet to be chucked out if Starmer’s strong words about ending “the national scandal of spiralling student debt” and “tackle the injustice facing young people going to university” are anything to go by.

The question is not whether Labour has abandoned students, but why students are abandoning the Labour Party This isn’t to say Starmer and his allies aren’t taking a chapter or five out of the New Labour playbook; “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime” is a longstanding attack line that excites the socially conservative public just as well now as it did back then. But just because the party may not be absolutist in targeting the youth vote,

doesn’t mean that they’ve kicked the ladder away from truly transformative politics. The policy announcements made so far reveal everything from a £30 billion green investment strategy to a clear end goal to target tax evasive tech giants, none of which seem to be out of lockstep with student sentiments. The question then is not whether Labour has abandoned students, but why students are abandoning the Labour Party. Corbyn’s Labour, for all its institutional faults and failure to contain its own fiery rhetoric, at least burnt bright enough to give students hope. Many ardent Corbynites grew up watching welfare institutions stripped apart as prices soared and the vilest kinds of nationalism slinked all the way up to Westminster. Can you blame anyone for feeling shunned when they saw momentum die and hardleft figureheads cast to the wayside? Likewise, whether Labour with a brutalised minority of MPs could ever truly challenge this government is simply irrelevant to many students who can barely afford the grocery shop without working a lifeless customer service grift.

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I don’t blame anyone for this feeling of abandonment either. University politics are a training ground for ideas divorced from praxis; it is inherently built on idealism and hope. This article in many respects epitomises that hope, the belief we have finally found a leader who can bring it all home. But there is still a real concern here that we shield ourselves too much from pragmatism. When selfavowed socialists proclaim they would rather have a government in power responsible for inflicting poverty and harm on vast swathes of the population than vote for Labour again, it doesn’t reflect a healthy worldview. Winning the argument should never come before the lives of those who don’t have the luxury of being able to vote with their hearts. Whilst I agree that Labour has many miles to go to become the vehicle of change we want it to be, it would be a mistake to assume that one of Britain’s most progressive parties would ever considering leaving students in the dust. ImImage: Pixabay

Images: Canva Sources: National Geographic, Earth Day Trees Atlanta, New York Times

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Satire The first rule of Fight Club... AU offering self-defence classes against the crushing weight of post-graduate expectations

ITH increasing reports of unwarranted questions about post-uni plans, the AU has decided to take action by offering free self-defence classes. This comes after rising numbers of students shared terrifying experiences of being forced to confront the impounding weight of their own future. Third-year Drama student Anita Hug g, who recently sur vived one such encounter, told Exeposé: ‘I panicked so much I went home and applied for a Masters degree.’ An organiser of the classes and master of deflection told us: ‘It’s very easy to freeze up in those situations. Just knowing basic moves such as the hammerfist punch can make all the difference.’ Kate Hall, Comment Editor

Thank You, Next-fess... University confession pages near end of their winter hibernation

NNAMED sources have confir med that both the Exefess and Confexeter Instagram pages have gone into hibernation in preparation for their final for m. Not content with the mundane messiness about hook-ups and break-ups that readers had become used to, both parties reached a unanimous decision to evolve into one page capable of destroying more than just casual friendships. The new page, said to be called ‘Conexefess’ — though that is yet to be trademarked — will aim to inundate all Exeter students with constant updates about only the most salacious drama around campus. Students are already said to be gathering the juiciest gossip they can find in preparation. Ana Anajuba, Arts + Lit Editor

SATIRE EDITOR: Cleo Gravett

“Dick’s in The Guild”: Cressida Dick announced as surprise candidate in Guild President elections

Alexander Prins

ONTROVERSY surrounds the election of the new President of the Student Guild as former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, stormed the ballot on a fiercely pro-house party/work event ticket. Despite stiff opposition, Dick was seen as a hard candidate to handle, once voters were made aware of a proposed “4PM Happy Hour” at the Ram, and of plans for the Marketplace to stock discounted suitcases of wine. Dame Cressida is understood to have qualified for election after enrolling for an Animal Behaviour MSc during a particularly boozy evening in spring 2020, and completing her asynchronous studies with a thesis on reproductive science. After resigning from the Met Police to spend more time with her partner Helen Ball, the pair were expected to enjoy a sizeable package, as the ex-Commissioner received a payoff of £230,000 upon leaving the job. Yet despite being so financially well-endowed, Dick made the mistake of relocating from Central London to a Student Cribs property on Pinhoe Road, and

it is believed that money was soon so tight that a full-time position in the Student Guild was the only way to make ends meet. Many thought that Dick had blown it by standing for office so soon after her policing career reached its premature climax, but How do you do, the Dame was seen as the spunkiest candidate fellow kids? by far, and her slogan ‘Dick Won’t Be Beaten’ proved memorable in the run up to polling. Exeposé requested an interview with the newly elected President, however this was declined pending an investigation by Sue Gray into celebratory drinks held in Devonshire House. Her new colleague in the Guild, Richard Trickle (VP Opportunities), has defended Dick as “an upstanding member of the student body”.

Her slogan ‘Dick Won’t Be Beaten’ proved memorable in the run up to polling Upon hearing the news, however, one student simply told our reporter, “She’s a complete cock”.

Image credits: Wikimedia Commons, pikpng.com

Archaeological dig unearths tremendous trove of stuff lost on nights out Henry Hood Online Sports Editor

RECENT archaeological dig on the university campus, under the lost and found cupboard, has uncovered a hoard of ancient treasure. It has offered a fascinating insight into our past. Some items in the collection have been dated by experts to be from as far back as the late 1990s. A collection of lost clothes were uncovered, but many were reportedly seized by savvy students and sold for exponential profit on Depop as ‘vintage’ wear. The team has refused to comment on the whereabouts of these missing items, but were keen to stress their involvement in an upcoming vintage kilo sale they are host-

ing to raise awareness for the thefts. Other items include long-lost handwritten essays. Exeposé reached out to an alumnus whose essay was found at the site, and they had the following to say: “I’m delighted this masterpiece has been found. I spent a whole day on this and was distraught when I lost it. I thought my dog had eaten it, but then I remembered I don’t even have a dog!”

A number of lost dignities have also been recovered Despite initial excitement, the dig team were disappointed to find that what was first believed to be a vintage bottle of green VK turned out instead to be incredibly mouldy water. Speaking to one student on the team who

tasted the substance, he said “I had half a bottle and had to go to hospital – it’s exactly what happens when I have a VK too. The resemblance is uncanny”.

Countless ID cards were also uncovered although many were lost again A number of lost dignities have also been recovered, including some from current students. If you or a friend have recently lost your dignity on a night out, we urge you to get in contact with the archaeological team. Countless lost ID cards were also uncovered, although many of them were lost again almost instantly. One card in particular has attracted wide-

spread attention: a Pret subscription card from over 10 years ago. It is currently uncertain whether it still works, but people have queued round the block waiting to look at this specific antiquity, sparking widespread complaints about the length of yet another Pret queue.

I had half a bottle and had to go to hospital One groundbreaking find was a group of friends who had been missing for over half an hour on a night out. A confidential source close to these people confirmed that they were delighted to re-find their friends, having lost them in TP after they went to the toilets. The source declined to comment how much alcohol had been consumed that night.

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LIFESTYLE EDITOR Danni Darrah

ARTS + LIT EDITOR Ana Anajuba Ella Minty

MUSIC EDITORS Charlotte Bend Harry Hawkins

SCREEN EDITORS Archie Lockyer Francesca Sylph

TECH EDITORS Bridie Adams Oliver Leader de Saxe

STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew and George

lifestyle Relationships: Behind closed doors Danni Darrah, Lifestyle Editor, explores privacy within romantic relationships

T comes as no secret to anyone that I am a nosy person. So the sheer amount of people that I didn’t realise were in a relationship came as a surprise to me on Valentine’s Day. When absolutely and whole-heartedly head over heels for a partner it is only natural to want to display this part of life on social media and inevitably, this significant slice of the heart will be something to be discussed. So as I scrolled through my Instagram stories on the love-filled day, seeing the youthful and aged relationships swipe across my screen, I stopped to consider the privacy of that aspect of people’s lives. I realised that I actually hold a tremendous amount of respect for those that decide to keep this part of life a little more out of the limelight. Arguably, this may be a dated view to hold in the twenty-first century, and rightly so. Many jobs and brand image rely heavily on insight into this part of an individual’s private life to be considered personable and relatable. It is this that justifies the continuous rise in ‘boyfriend tags’ on YouTube or Heat magazine’s unrelenting interest in a celebrity’s love life. After all, who doesn’t want to hear why the heartstopping #Brangelina decided to part ways?

a relationship, be it discussing an argument that happened with a parent or sharing the intricacies of a relationship online, invites

with it an opinion, warranted or unwanted, into a delicate situation that should be kept between two (or in cases of polyamory, more) people. In my opinion the intimacy of a relationship is one that simply cannot be replicated. And even if a friend knows every discussion and argument had between partners, they will still know no more than two per cent of the relationship in its entirety. Many will be familiar with the unnecessarily public argument that continues to prevail in the trending hashtags on Twitter, between none other than Kim and Kanye. Despite this potentially being a publicity stunt (who doesn’t know that using capitals is the equivalent to shouting?), it works. It works because others enjoy public displays of Kimye’s relationship and the opportunity presented to be involved with a private aspect of someone’s life is one that people are drawn to like a moth to a flame; something reality shows, influencers and marketing moguls cleverly take advantage of.

MAKES WAY FOR SEEDS OF DOUBT AND CHANGES OPINIONS

THE INTIMACY OF A RELATIONSHIP SIMPLY CANNOT BE REPLICATED Image: Carlos ZGZ, Life Labs

However, the decision to be public about

My boyfriend and I have spoken a lot about our shared thoughts on keeping our own arguments to ourselves and keeping discussions of disagreements behind closed doors. Not because either of us are ashamed

that we have disagreements or because we are bottling this up, but simply because we are a team and have each other’s backs. As a result, we find this necessary to share our concerns when the day is over and we can air this out alone. A previous relationship of mine was the polar opposite. I shared every detail of arguments in an attempt to hear if my reaction was rational or to boast about how great he was to me and it eventually tore me apart.

WHO DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR WHY #BRANGELINA PARTED As soon as someone else gives their two cents on a romantic relationship (especially when it is in a volatile place), it makes way for seeds of doubt and changes opinions on that person, potentially creating a riff between family or friends and a partner. This tension is a stressful one to harbour. Image: mprietou, pixabay Ultimately, only one person can decide how public they want to be about their relationship online or in person, and that is you. There are great advantages that come with displaying a relationship publicly, for the reason that many people will undoubtedly become interested in the ideas, pictures or disagreements that you have. But this comes with the cost of needing to withstand the opinions of others because, in reality, everyone is as nosy as me.

What's in a name? Bridie Adams, Editor, discusses the designer names of the 21st century

AMES like Thomas, George and Elizabeth likely to feel isolated later in life, whilst another have been some of the most frequently investigation found that psychiatric patients with unusual names tended to be more used baby names in England for centutroubled. But how much does your ries, and although some classic names Image: PandaBearPhotographyWales, Pixabay name really reveal about you? are still fashionable (like Noah, After all, as names are a matter which has been steadily rising in of choice, surely they reveal popularity for some years), the more about the people doamount of babies with less common names is growing. ing the choosing then they There is much debate do about the baby. A recent around whether unusual example of an unusual baby names are favourable over traname is Kylie Jenner’s second baby, Wolf. Despite all it has ditional names due to their sense going for it, as it’s actually quite of uniqueness, or whether they’re cute, Wolf is relatively rare; the name going too far, especially in the domain of celebrity baby names. Early studies even found was given to 24 baby boys in 2012, with the that males with unusual forenames were more alternative spelling Wolfe being given to 17.

Despite its rarity, it’s probably likely to increase in popularity following Jenner’s choice, which has made headlines. Other unusual, and widely talked-about celebrity baby names have also sparked controversy, inducing eye-rolls from some whilst encouraging others to also get creative when it comes to picking a name. Examples include Apple, which made global headlines when Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow picked out this wholesome fruit name with many branding it laughable, and Moon Unit, which was the appropriately weird choice of the deceased rock star Frank Zappa for his oldest daughter. Normally, famous people want to be talked about, and, in all likelihood, they also want their kids to stand out — both of which may explain the wacky choices they often go for.

But the trend of more distinctive baby names extends further than the sphere of VIPs, as experts say it is driven by contemporary society’s focus on individuality and creativity, and, to a certain extent, is the effect of parental exposure to a wider span of naming choices than ever before. Either way, whether the parent in question is a celebrity or a nextdoor neighbour, who are we to judge the personal decisions of others, like choosing a unique baby name? Where do you draw the line between cutely quirky and obnoxious? Truthfully, a lot of people are just desperate for something to be angry about, and if the worst of your worries is the names of children you have nothing, or very little, to do with, you probably need to reevaluate your priorities.

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lifestyle

EDITOR: Danni Darrah

1 MARCH 2022 | 15

Can you actually multitask? Ana Anajuba, Arts+Lit Editor, discusses the truth behind the concept of multitasking

ULTITASKING is a skill that is often touted as a positive trait to have. From the old adage that women are natural multitaskers to the current expectations of university students to juggle coursework, societies, internships and work experience, a social life, and maintain their wellbeing at the same time. There does reach a point where multitasking begins to feel like overloading time and can lead to burnout.

HIGH MULTITASKERS HAD LESS BRAIN DENSITY A study conducted by Stanford University found that contrary to popular belief, multitasking is not just less productive than doing a simple task, it can also kill braincells. According to Forbes, the researchers found that those who undertook multiple tasks simultaneously on a regular basis were not as attentive, could not recollect information, or change from task to task as well as those who complete one at a time. The question then may be asked: what if you regularly multitask? Does it mean you get better at it? Well, sadly no. Heavy multitaskers

(those who multitask a lot and feel that it boosts their performance) — were found to actually perform worse than those who preferred doing one thing at a time. This was because they had more trouble organising their thoughts and were slower at changing from task to task. Unfortunately for students (and the public in general), the human brain is only capable of focusing on one thing at a time. The key word here is focusing, if you try and do more than one thing, both tasks will not be performed successfully as the brain, sadly, lacks the capacity. There was also research done on multitasking’s effect on IQ — but as a strict believer that any measure of intelligence is pseudoscientific (especially this one), its effect on learning were of less interest to me. It can negatively impact processing speed and decrease the quality of work. If you have ever

been sat in a lecture or seminar and struggled with taking notes and listening to the lecturer (especially when they do not have an accompanying PowerPoint) this is likely the reason. Multitasking in the world of work can also indicate low emotional intelligence as it could indicate low self and social-awareness. Additionally, researchers at the University of Sussex found that high multitaskers studied had less brain density in the part of the brain responsible for empathy, cognitive control and emotional control, indicating that cognitive impairment from multitasking could be permanent. The study’s lead author, neuroscientist Kep Kee

Loh, explained the implications: "I feel that it is important to create an awareness that the way we are interacting with the devices might be changing the way we think, and these changes might be occurring at the level of brain structure.” We are left to wonder what this suggests we should change going forward. As someone who takes on a lot of different tasks and sometimes must either complete them in a short amount of time or all at the same time, this is not a study that I was particularly happy to read. Yet, it does incline me to adjust my behaviour going forward. One thing is to better structure my time (we all have the same 24 hours a day, after all) and to sometimes say no to doing things if I do not have the time. I definitely would not want to cause myself permanent brain damage. Instead, prioritisation should be a valued skill — knowing what to tackle first and how to tackle it. Especially as the second term goes into full swing, it can often feel stressful and like you are being forced to juggle multiple things at once. If you do find yourself struggling to manage your obligations, speak to tutors or seminar conveners who may be able to help you, or go to Wellbeing.

Image: mohamed_hassan, Pixabay

Embracing the hook-up culture Pollyanna Roberts discusses the pressures of hook-up culture at university

T is a truth universally acknowledged that if you are going to university, you must participate in hook-up culture... isn’t it? For those that live away from home, university is synonymous with independence: you live away from home, buy and cook your own food, and find your feet in a world completely

new to you. You must leave your ‘old’ home behind, wholly, and completely, in order to fully take advantage of the university experience. But what does ‘fully taking advantage of the university experience’ really mean? In a time of raging hormones, overwhelming stress, sexual frustration and fantasy. Sex is

a completely natural part of growing up. With approximately 22,000 students at the University of Exeter, there is an abundance of opportunity to explore and have fun with an array of people. Hook-up culture seems to be a key part of university life and it appears to be an unspoken rule that people explore their sexuality or experience new things in their time here. You must admit, there is something incredibly exciting about locking eyes with someone across the dance floor or noticing a flirtatious grin on the other side of the room. It is simultaneously exhilarating and nerve-wracking, one night can be full of mystery; no sense of commitment, no worry about any awkwardness the next day, just a night of consensual, sensual fun.

PEOPLE REGRET THESE 'RUSHED' DECISIONS BY JUMPING IN TOO DEEP

Image: James Jin, Flickr

However, as fun as hook-up culture can be, we have to remember to be careful too. Exeter nightlife is no stranger to spiking and, in a world of #metoo, consent is a big dose of reality in the hook-up fantasy, and therefore you must never pressure or be pressured, commitment-free sex can be messy too and rightly so. While we must respect each other, we also need to respect ourselves and our own bodies. Sex is an intimate act, that should be en-

joyed by all parties, but it can result in serious consequences in some unfortunate circumstances.

AN UNSPOKEN RULE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD EXPLORE THEIR SEXUALITY The inevitability of hook-ups at university can be daunting and you may feel this overwhelming pressure to ‘fully embrace’ the university lifestyle by taking part in this culture. Yet, in reality, I am sure more people than you think are feeling the exact same way. While it is comforting to know you’re not alone, it is saddening to think that people regret these ‘rushed’ decisions by jumping in too deep, too soon, when they really should’ve paddled. There is nothing wrong with taking it slow. And if you are looking for something enduring, that’s cool too. University is the place for self-discovery, whether that be casual hook-ups, a more serious commitment or none of the above. While arguably hooking up is inevitable at university, there is nothing wrong with taking a step back. Your reinvention or indeed ‘revelation’ (as your independence emerges) can take many forms. Do what you feel is right and never be ashamed of who you are and what you choose to do. If you’re staying safe, having fun and being true to yourself, you will be fully embracing YOUR ‘university experience.’

Images: Canva Sources: Carbon Brief, Colombus State, USGS

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arts + lit Art-ificial Intelligence

Kate Hall, Comment Editor, explores the significance of arts and humanities degrees in a changing world

F you are studying towards an arts or humanities degree, you will be aware of the joke that we are utterly unemployable or destined to become washed up and begrudged secondary school teachers. In my opinion, within the current system, artistic engagement is not deemed productive compared with the hardskills gained in STEM. Having a knack for writing code is undoubtedly seen as more valuable than writing a good essay.

WITHIN THE CURRENT SYSTEM, ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENT IS NOT DEEMED PRODUCTIVE The last thing a capitalist world wants is more morally and critically engaged individuals. The ideal consumer doesn’t ask questions; they slot nicely into the cycle of production and consumption. The pursuit of capital leaves very little time for lengthy debates about ethics, moral implications or the innermost subconsciousness of the human condition. As such, the two worlds have been thrust apart, and as we continue to emphasise the so-called ‘Great Divide’ between the arts and STEM, the more the two become antagonistic towards one another in an academic setting. And yet, it is becoming evident that the soft-skills developed in an arts degree are becoming increasingly sought after by employers. In 2019, research by

LinkedIn found that the most sought after soft-skills by employers were creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability and time management. Some of these of course, the last particularly, are essential in any degree and indeed any job. These qualities also certainly don’t require an arts degree — even being an artist absolutely does not require one. But what an arts degree can help with is developing these existing skills, which undoubtedly come more easily to some than others. Empathy plays a key role in soft-skills such as these. An arts degree will often involve identifying subtleties, rather than simply interpreting meaning at face-value. Arts students delve into texts in order to better understand and appreciate the world outside of them. Art is created by people for people, and as such can help us to understand one another better in group settings. The arts are concerned with the acknowledgement of private feelings felt in collective spaces, the truth beneath the surface. Recognising that the surface doesn’t always tell the story is essential in problem solving and team settings. The need for soft-skills and an interdisciplinary approach is especially clear in the development of Artificial Intelligence. People are banking a lot of money on AI as the next big industry. Globally, the value of venture capital investments in AI firms has continued to rise dramatically in the last ten years, growing from less than three billion dollars in 2012 to nearly 76 billion dollars in 2020. In 2018, tech giant

Microsoft published a book called The Future Computed which imagined a notso-distant-future where AI is an essential aspect of daily life. In its introduction, Brad Smith, Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer, and Harry Shum, Executive Vice President of Artificial Intelligence and Research, stated that in order to achieve this imagined future, “every engineer will need to learn more about the liberal arts and every liberal arts major will need to learn more about engineering.’” The need for an interdisciplinary approach is becoming more and more apparent as technology advances. With this call, the employment market will continue to open up to those with the soft-skills developed in an arts degree.

THE LAST THING A CAPITALIST WORLD WANTS IS MORE MORALLY AND CRITICALLY ENGAGED INDIVIDUALS.

an interest in what they’re doing, they’re going to struggle to thrive in any fulfilling way and productivity is inevitably going to suffer for it on both an economic and a social level. The concepts of a degree for interest and a degree for practicality are often pitted against each other. But the reality is, to achieve practicality there must always be interest. Essential aspects of a developing market, like AI, require innovative minds that are ambitious, engaged and interested. Arts degrees create analytical and inquisitive minds with the ability to offer creative solutions. If anything is clear right now, it’s that the world needs a more creative and analytical approach to the various crises we are witnessing. There is clearly an increasing need to implement a more socially conscious approach to running offices, companies, even countries. The demand for interdisciplinary processes in the development of new technology is becoming unavoidable. Whichever way you look at it, the argument that an arts degree is useless is losing momentum just as quickly as AI is embedding itself into our homes.

Let’s return to the academic world for a moment, with perhaps the foremost point in the argument for taking any degree: interest. We’ve all likely experienced a module or topic within our degree which we are not particularly interested in, and as a result struggle to motivate ourselves to engage with. Pushing people to do entire degrees in these circumstances on the basis of better employability outcomes is a dangerous path to go down as a society. If people don’t have

Image: Wikimedia Commons

The casting calls for who?

Charlie Nadin discusses the importance of casting disabled actors

ISABLED casting has recently become a talking point in media and theatre, and for good reason too. In light of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s recent decision to cast disabled actor, Arthur Hughes in the new adaptation of Richard III, it now seems pertinent to explain why casting disabled actors is such an important thing — especially in the face of potential Shakespeare purists who may take issue with the shift away from the traditional casting of able-bodied, often male, actors. Representation is, of course, important in any industry. It is no secret that a role often feels much more attainable if someone who has a similar circumstance to you is already in that role. But acting has long been exclusionary to those who do not fit a very narrow purview. At the upper echelon, blockbuster movies and the likes of Hollywood demand not only incredible acting credentials, but also an aesthetic: young, often white, individuals with well-proportioned

features — and generally they are able-bodied. Even on local stages, where acclaim and money are not so prominent, existing roles often demand a level of movement that sometimes simply isn’t possible for disabled actors. Then there is the issue of how to approach such representation. The recent controversy surrounding Disney’s new Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a perfect example: Peter Dinklage, a very well established actor, who also happens to be a dwarf, spoke out about what he considered to be a “backward story of seven dwarves living in the cave”. Disney have since responded that they will re-evaluate the roles of the seven dwarfs, though this came with its own criticism. Some dwarf actors, who have played said roles in pantomimes, have called Dinklage ‘hypocritical’ and suggest that dwarf actor’s livelihoods may come under threat if the entertainment industry becomes too scared to cast them for fear of perpetuating stereotypes.

This is exactly where the casting process needs to be rectified. Productions, big and small, need to account for what is appropriate, contemporary representation for ‘dwarves’ and disabled identities and consider roles what might be suitable for people who are less able-bodied. This does not necessarily require more roles that are explicitly ‘disabled’, but rather a more open mind at the casting and directing stage. Yes, things are improving. The mere fact that Arthur Hughes has been cast as Richard III is testament to that. Though some may be critical of the role as it stands without seeing how the production treats it, for the perceived disability of Richard III is the basis for his villainy. The hope must be that in working with individuals like Richard Hughes, larger companies such as the RSC can begin to work progressively on their productions and the roles they cast to remove such prejudicial representation. Perhaps, as some might advocate, it is time to do

away with plays such as Richard III and King Lear, which too has a “mad” King and the perceptibly mentally handicapped Poor Tom. Maybe more of the focus should be put into making new plays, or emphasising those that already exist, which make room for disabled actors.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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arts + lit

EDITORS: Ana Anajuba & Ella Minty

1 MAR 2022 | 19

There’s something about rom-coms

Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor, discusses why people both hate (and love) rom-com novels

WILL be the first to admit that I love a good rom-com (especially the ones with illustrated covers; they just hit different). However, this has not always been the case. In fact, I used to hold some rather negative and snobbish opinions on rom-coms, opinions that were undoubtedly twisted by internalised misogyny. After a brief limbo period in which I would only admit to reading rom-coms as a ‘guilty pleasure’, I finally gave in and embraced my love of the genre. Turns out, life is way more fun when you allow yourself to enjoy things without shame. Who knew? Now, I will shamelessly devour an Ali Hazelwood steamy STEMinist rom-com in one sitting and openly reward it with five stars on Goodreads. If you hate cliché tropes and predictable plotlines, I can completely understand why you would not be a fan of contemporary romcom novels. Personally, I am of the (unpopular) opinion that the more tropes the better. Fake dating? Superb. Enemies to lovers? Sensational. The classic “there’s only one bed”? Stunning. I know how each and every trope will play out but does that stop me from enjoying the ride? No! My heart will still burst out of my chest every time the grumpy one falls for the sunshine one.

THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY’S USE OF THE TERM ‘CHICK-LIT’ PROBABLY DOESN’T HELP MATTERS EITHER That being said, there are still some tropes that I absolutely despise. Love triangles can get in the bin. I think I had to suffer through one too many as a 12-year-old (think Twilight, The Hunger Games and every other YA fantasy/dystopia published in the late 2000s/early 2010s) that I am now deathly allergic to them. If there is even the slightest hint of a love triangle, I am DNF-ing that book so fast. I do not care if it is going to stop me from reaching my Goodreads goal, I will not put myself through that kind of torture again. I have also discovered a laughable (but potentially worrying) trope in heterosexual romcoms recently. Almost every single time Joshua is mentioned in The Hating Game, there is some mention of his height and how he literally makes Lucy look like a Smurf. It is the same with The

Editors’ Picks

IKELY the antitheis of a romcom — at least at its beginning — Sarah Hogle’s You Deserve Each Other is a fun read I found myself enjoying during one of my stretches of insomnia. Perhaps not the most inventive or eloquent novel, it is a fun and gratifying read that subverts the standard enemies to lovers trope. The protagonist, Naomi Westfield, goes head to head with her fiancé Nicholas Rose as both try and get the other to call off their impending wedding. Although appearing to be merely a surface level plot, it engages with

Spanish Love Deception. Aaron Blackford basically has three personality traits: he is big, mean and has “ocean eyes” (a phrase which gives me 2012 Wattpad flashbacks). While the big, strong man and tiny, soft woman may seem, on the surface, to be a harmless, albeit ridiculous, trope, it is disguising a reinforcement of heteronormative gender roles. This is made pretty explicit in The Hating Game with Joshua’s blue post-it notes versus Lucy’s pink ones. (Side note: what was going on with Joshua painting his bedroom walls the colour of Lucy’s eyes? Girl, get a restraining order.) My hate for The Hating Game aside, I will continue to defend rom-coms like it is my full-time job. I think a big reason for people’s patronising opinions on the genre is romance’s largely female fanbase. It is an issue that pops up time and time again. Whether it is rom-coms, boybands or the colour pink, if something is aimed at or attracts young women, then it is not taken seriously. It’s frivolous, or basic, or “not real art.” I think the book publishing industry’s use of the term ‘chick-lit’ probably does not help matters either. In Anne Browning Walker’s article on ‘Why Smart Women Read Romance Novels,’ she writes that “most romances today feature strong, smart,

savvy women. And smart romance characters attract smart romance readers.” This is true. Think Chloe, Dani and Eve from Talia Hibbert’s Brown sisters series, or Ali Hazelwood’s female characters in STEM. Walker also acknowledges how romance novels are “a safe space to explore your fantasies and figure out what turns you on. Nothing dumb about that.” So, if you’re really into rom-coms but still a little embarrassed, then grab yourself a Kindle so you can download one of those spicy romances with a shirtless man on the cover without shame. Remember, smart women read rom-coms. Do not let the sexists tear you down.

Image credit: Stockvault

The Arts+Lit Editors recommend their favourite romantic novels

HE novel Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton is a funny, sometimes heartbreaking memoir about growing up and navigating relationships in the 21st century. With wit and insight, she weaves personal stories with lessons learnt about life. Being made into a BBC One drama, Alderton’s memoir deals with everything, from booze-fuelled taxi journeys up the M1 to more serious issues such as eating disorders and depression. We may spot Exeter university in the new series, as she regularly talks about her experiences as a student here. She gives an unflinching account of bad dates and flat shares, retold in humourous anecdotes oozing with wit. Alderton, through her memoir, will

the complexities of the fickleness and fidelity of love, the wide range of human emotions and sonder (the realisation that other people exist outside yourself). I felt myself loving both characters and truly wishing the best for them, which is what any good writer would hope to achieve. This may be a cat and mouse game but the audience is left wondering who is the cat and who is the mouse. If you are a fan of novels like Red, White, and Royal Blue, then this is definitely one for you.

Images top to bottom: Piatkus, Penguin

reassure many of us who are approaching and beginning our twenties — although it is an autobiography, the writing style is talkative and colloquial, like you’re being given valuable advice from a big sister. Her discussion about many of the worries that pervade the twenties for women — such as dating, dealing with close friends in relationships, job security — are both humourous and serious, of a didactic nature. Although perhaps not the typical romantic book recommendation, Alderton’s refreshing take on the societal pressure that comes with your twenties ultimately reassures us — it will turn out okay in the end.

Ella Minty, Arts+Lit Editor

Hygge

Lauren Jones, writes a creative piece on the Danish and Norwegian concept of Hygge

HE sun delicately kisses my skin through the glass as I stand at the window in my quaint, one-room apartment. Old books, as well as used mugs and a jar of wilted flowers clutter the windowsill just beneath my gaze. The kettle gently and reassuringly rumbles away in the background before excitedly whistling to signal its readiness. I wander towards it leisurely while appreciating the jumble of my belongings, little pieces of me, that scatter the floor of the room. I stare at my array of tea bags before selecting one and the subtle scent of camomile diffuses through the air and in through my nostrils. I breathe it back into my stomach and the scent hugs me from the inside. I wander back to the condensation-coated window, holding the warm cup close to my chest. As I peer out onto the frosty street I see a dashing couple, well-dressed as though

they are about to attend a sophisticated and overpriced dinner. The woman elegantly strides by wearing incredibly tall heels; she swings an extravagant bouquet of flowers in one hand and tentatively clutches the hand of the man in the other. I can sense nervous energy between the pair, it is easy to tell they were only recently aquatinted. I daydream about their potential interactions involving nervous glances, subtle hand touches and small conversations, in which they both carefully select which pieces of themselves to reveal and which to hide. I turn my back to the window now, turning away from the couple and the chill of the outside. I appreciate my imperfect, yet charming little room and contentment diffuses into every cell in my body. I am grateful for my solitude as love flows into every unhidden piece of me.

Images credit clockwise: Bob Ashworth via Flickr (edited), MaxPixal, Jacob Surland via Flickr, Pixabay Collage creator: Ana Anajuba, Arts + Lit Editor

MUSIC

Elements of music: pianos and keys Samuel Morley analyses Bill Evans' contributions to Miles Davis' 'Blue in Green'

ILES Davis. The colossal band leader stands tall in the music world as a constant innovator, while Kind of Blue remains his great cathedral, a monument of modal and cool jazz that encapsulates the achy feeling of sorrow and beauty at the heart of jazz and blues. Nowhere is this intense feeling more tastefully cultivated than on the heart-achy ballad 'Blue in Green'. The unusual cyclical pattern of chords holds in it an immensely articulate, yet relatively simple harmonic structure which swirls and falls around a melody of long, drawn out notes, riding over different scales and modes to guide the ear through the layers of harmony. Still, as gracious as the sounds from Davis’s trumpet or Coltrane’s saxophone are, the inimitable sound of Bill Evans’ solos and accompaniment on the track are the key to understanding its melancholia. Listen to the track carefully, even just to the introduction, and you will come across the sonic imprint of the impressionist New Jersey pianist’s delicate fingers peppered all over the recording. Evans’ masterful use of space lets the melody breathe as he paints a spectrum of colours with the notes in between chords and harmonies. Take careful note of how he layers passing chords at around the one-minute mark, while the trumpet melody reaches to a sin-

gle note, giving that sense of graceful movement as the next note swoons in and the harmony resolves. When Bill takes his own solo, it is as if the rest of the studio stands silent and empty, absorbing the piano’s vibrations. Around two minutes in, his solo is a masterclass in tension and release as he flurries over dissonant chord voicings in and out of modes (that is, different groups of notes offering varying sonic qualities such as elatedness or numbness), and his final solo at the end makes you wonder how many different chord voicings one man can improvise. It is this incredible attention to harmony and the carrying of melody that makes it such a colourful song, tapping into the lush green composition, with achy dissonance at the heart of the blueness. Of course, the track itself owes its beauty to everyone in the studio present for the many months it took to record Kind of Blue in 1958/9. However, the credit to the song has often been fought over, with Miles taking the royalties after allegedly only giving Evans the opening minor chord, leaving his pianist to do the rest. In any case, if you want to revel in swampy tones of keys and hammers from a Steinway, look no further than Bill Evans. And to fall in love with the man, listen further, further, and further into his catalogue. But start with 'Blue in Green'.

Notes on nations

ONGS have been used for millennia as a method of fostering community. There is a reason that the music made and listened to by the vast majority of people before the advent of recording is known as ‘folk music’. It was made by and for the common person, often existing without notation and passed through practice. Older songs of these nature can be some of the most awe inspiring with their meanings shifted over time through this passing — real people distorting to myth, old words becoming residual and archaic. But what turns a well-liked and known song into a national song? Could ‘Come on Eileen’ become a country’s anthem? The answer is unfortunately very fuzzy, it seems — about as hard to define as the idea of nationhood itself. Nations as conceived in the Western world arrived in upheaval and changes experienced by different peoples — the ravages of colonialism, the promises of revolutions — meant that different states were in, well, different states of governing. Take Britain’s national anthem, ‘God Save The Queen’. I would not call this an an-

Image: Wikimedia Commons (above), Flickr John Pannell (below)

Harry Hawkins. Music Editor, looks at music's relation to the nation state them of the people at all. The piece was actually used across western Europe by royalty, and wasn't created in Britain.

COULD 'COME ON EILEEN' BECOME A NATIONAL ANTHEM? Compare this to Haiti's national anthem, which has lyrics in both English and Creole and was made to celebrate the country’s revolt and subsequent government. I am sure both would have their naysayers in their country, but surely Haiti’s anthem, which celebrates freedom from the grip of French rule, has more resonance to the average Haitian than ‘God Save The Queen’ does to UK citizens — particularly if you aren’t white or English. More than any other type of song, national anthems can also feel like tools when wielded by governments in different ways. Germany still uses the national anthem that was used during the Weimar Republic and Nazi years, for example. Naturally, they have removed two of the three verses, as the offending regimes used them to foster hatred and encourage racial ex-

ceptionalism. I personally dislike reciting national anthems unless celebrating sports events with the country, and the idea of celebrating the royals carries a lot of empirical baggage if you pursue the question of 'where is all this hope and glory from?' Nevertheless, there are some great pieces of nationalistic music. Bedrich Smetana’s ‘Ma Vlast’ is a suite by the Czech composer which celebrates Czech history and was written in the advent of its recognition as an entity apart from Austro-Hungaria. Whilst not strictly a national anthem, it was

written to celebrate many major landmarks and stories in the countries' history. During Czech's partial and complete occupations during World War II and the Cold War, the poem's tone gained more meaning, and was celebrated with powerful performance in 1990 when the Czech Republic was emancipated from the Soviet bloc. Ultimately, I feel that any debate about nationalism in song is to be judged in the case of each nation. What is celebrated and who decides to sing it are more important than the tunes themselves.

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EDITORS: Charlotte Bend and Harold Hawkins

music

1 MAR 2022 | 21

How to write one song Harry Hawkins, Music Editor, discusses tips from Jeff Tweedy on writing a song

ONGWRITING is one form of artistic creation that seems incredibly daunting. Unlike most painting or books, a song can take teams of engineers, orchestras and much more besides. With other art-forms, we are also often shown the seeds of how to make them from an early age — whether it’s drawing animals in crayons or telling a story about your schoolfriends. How can we get on our way to making a song? Jeff Tweedy seems to me one of the musicians best qualified to write about getting started at songwriting, in spite of his sprawling discography and work with two fantastic cult bands (Uncle Tupelo and Wilco). Even if you aren’t a fan of the specific genres or quirks that Tweedy often operates in, his songs always rise from strong emotional foundations. And in spite of its snappy title, none of How To Write One Song ever approaches selfhelp or hit-song formula, just little insights into mindsets and approaches that work for Tweedy. Here are some of the insights that I found most helpful from Tweedy’s writings: 1. Don’t sweat it! One of the most reccurring themes Tweedy wants us to heed in the book is that ego can be the greatest creative killer. If you want to start out in a new creative avenue, it can help to approach it the same way many of us approached writing or drawing as a child — with playfulness and a lack of judgement. By not trying to second guess ourselves or bring comparison to people who have far more experience, expression of what is most ‘us’ can become far easier. Spontaneous ways of cre-

ating, like free writing or improvisation, are some excellent ways to sidestep your brain’s urge to criticize or be self-conscious and require very little time in the day. 2. What do you have? Enough to write a song To foster the process of song writing, it is certainly true that instruments, and being able to play them, can help communicate certain ideas more clearly. But Tweedy is keen to stress that as long as you can make a sound, you can make a song. As someone who has more musical gizmos than

braincells, I found his ideas on workshopping lyrics very interesting as it is something I rarely focus on, but also as it only requires something to write or record the words on and so can be done almost any time (maybe not during your seminars though!) Going back to the first point, don’t worry if you aren’t immediately making three minute wonders, as a song could be in any form and any length it needs to be. You can never truly finish a piece, only leave it in an interesting place. The same goes for

Image: MaxPixel

time. We may not be able to write lead singles on plane flights like Tweedy just yet, but using periods of ‘dead time’ as a catalyst for creating can be a deceptively productive way of coming up with ideas. 3. Word play The sections of the book which most approach an exercise are all to do with language and how it works — though this isn’t going to leave you making terrible couplets of ‘fire’ and ‘desire’. Tweedy shows a few methods he finds useful to break out of repetitive phrases, such as trying to reconcile two seemingly unrelated nouns. I have to admit this concept has sporadic outcomes (‘the sunlight writes" probably has more application than "I water the telephone") but if you want to inspire lateral thinking in your word choices, it’s a handy idea. The cut up words technique — originally used by artists like Brian Eno and David Bowie, not Tweedy — is also mentioned, in how much effect shifting the order of prose has in opening up options. 4. The process is fun! One thing that may not be entirely clear from some of the other tips is that trying to fashion a song yourself can be incredibly rewarding, and the process can really provide a kind of flow if you allow it. If any of these ideas sound intriguing, I highly suggest trying one or two of them out. If playing with melodies or words becomes something you enjoy, the book has plenty more brilliant insights and ideas. I leave you with one of Tweedy's quotes: "If you’ve heard a song and responded to it, you know music!"

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Moves with a purpose

Charlotte Bend, Music Editor, provides a selection of tunes that should get everyone moving 'Waterloo' — ABBA Of course this Swedish pop hit had to be the first on the playlist. Ever since 'Waterloo' was sung at the Eurovision Song Contest, ABBA have become legends and it is understandable why. 'Sweet Caroline' — Neil Diamond If you do not know all of the words to this song then you must have been living under a rock. Whether you’re entering karaoke in the pub or hoping to hit the dancefloor, this is the song that will get everyone singing.

'Just a Dream' — Nelly 'Just a Dream' has it all: it's upbeat, has a great tempo worked through the lyrics and is an all round banger. It would have been impossible to not put this hit on this playlist. 'Party in the USA' — Miley Cyrus From the ultimate party girl herself, this is a party staple that is guaranteed to get everyone grooving and feeling nostalgic.

'Best Song Ever' — One Direction You can love them or hate them but when it comes to the 'Best Song Ever', you would have to try hard to not dance to this. 'Uptown Funk' — Bruno Mars This song is pure ecstasy, it's catchy, and with its 115 beats per minute, this song will definitely see everyone on the dance floor.

'New Rules' — Dua Lipa This one is for anyone who has ever had a break up, not only can the lyrics be screamed at the top of your lungs but there is also a funky rhythm too. 'Don’t Stop Believin’' — Journey This song made a come back in 2007 when it was used in the final episode of The Sopranos. Perhaps you’ve even heard the version sung on Glee — either way this song is a masterpiece and no one can convince me otherwise. Images (L to R): The Hit Factory Studios and Playland Playhouse, Columbia Records, Syco Music and Sony Music

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screen

Oscar nominations roundup Matthew Bowden discusses the 2022 Academy Awards and offers his opinions and predictions

ETH Rogen caused a bit of a stir last week when he questioned whether people outside the film industry should be invested in the Oscars, saying “no other industry expects everyone to care about what awards they shower upon themselves”. Logically, Rogen is right; the Oscars are ultimately an elitist, closed-off Hollywood ego-massager, whose opinion doesn’t decree what the pinnacle of cinema is (Parasite’s clean sweep being an exception). Yet, despite how outdated they have historically proven to be, film buffs cannot prevent themselves from being hooked on the Oscar buzz, nominations and the glamorous awards ceremony itself.

THE OSCARS ARE AN ELITIST, CLOSED-OFF HOLLYWOOD EGOMASSAGER This year’s nominations constitute an eclectic mix of traditional Oscar-bait crowdpleasers and films that don’t usually appear on the Academy’s radar. Jane Campion’s Netflix-backed neo-Western The Power of the Dog leads the way with 12 norms, including Best Picture, Director and Actor

(Benedict Cumberbatch). Second is Dune, with 10, although it seems more likely to gain success in lesser-known categories such as Best Score and Cinematography, with Denis Villeneuve missing out on a Best Director nomination. Pleasingly, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s masterpiece Drive My Car managed to penetrate the Hollywood saturation by receiving a Best Director and Picture nomination, implying that foreign language films are slowly starting to become more palatable to the Academy’s highly Westernised tastebuds. I was both surprised and happy about the runaway success of The Power of the Dog. Campion’s first film in over a decade is an understated, deeply affecting drama that breaks down the conceited toxic masculinity of its time period. Its greatest strength is its ambiguity, something not often rewarded during Oscar season, and like all the best films, it becomes much more gratifying upon repeated viewings. For now, it has the most momentum off the back of its Golden Globes success, with wins for Campion as Best Director and young Kodi Smit-McPhee as Best Supporting Actor. However, the old adage is that the BAFTAs are the real precursor to which way the Oscar pendulum will swing, and due to the delayed nature of the

Awards season this year (the Oscars take place at the end of March as opposed to its usual slot around the beginning), it still seems slightly too early to judge whether anything is a certainty for Awards glory.

LOOKING THROUGH NOMINATED ACTORS IT FEELS LIKE A CASE OF HERE WE GO AGAIN The Oscars wouldn’t be the Oscars without a few egregious snubs, and this year they seemed to save most of these for the Best Actress category. Rachel Zegler and Alana Haim both delivered outstanding performances in West Side Story and Licorice Pizza respectively. The fact that these both mark their feature film debut is even more impressive. Zegler in particular really carries the emotional soul of Spielberg’s remake whilst having to support a dour Ansel Elgort as her romantic opposite. Looking through nominated actors such as Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Jessica Chastain, it feels very much like a case of here we go again, with the Academy seemingly not willing to take a chance on the next generation of fe-

male talent. Other questionable omissions included Titane for Best International Feature, one of my favourite films of last year, but clearly too weird and edgy for the Oscars to handle. In terms of predictions, as I’ve already alluded to, it is quite a slippery slope at this stage. Hopefully The Power of the Dog will edge out more conventional Oscar fare such as Belfast and West Side Story for Best Picture, and I would more be confident about proposing that Campion will come away with the Best Director gong, considering how exquisitely the film is constructed. Best Actor and Actress are definitely hard to call; Andrew Garfield and Will Smith picked up the individual awards in musical/comedy and drama at the Golden Globes. For my money, Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance is the most layered and deserving, though a childish part of me would love to see Garfield win just for his reaction alone. Despite saying she “didn’t give a shit” about the Oscars, Kristen Stewart did get nominated for Spencer, and the fact that the film was blindsided in every other category (even Jonny Greenwood’s haunting score) might be an indicator that her performance is distinctive in its high acclaim. It would definitely make for an interesting acceptance speech.

Upcoming adaptations

Screen writers share their most anticipated book-to-screen adaptations

CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS

HE TV adaptation of Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney has been anticipated ever since Rooney’s second novel, Normal People, made waves as a 12-episode BBC Three series. The adaptation of Normal People received such acclaim that many viewers cited the TV show as ‘better’ than the beloved book, a rare accolade which is testament to the understated, intimate atmosphere that Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald created in their production, and to their preservation of much of the rich dialogue in the original novel. BBC Three is likely hoping to reproduce this effect with Conversations with Friends, which is also to be adapted into a 12-episode TV series by Lenny Abrahamson. Starring trusted actors such as Joe Alwyn, Jemima Kirke, Alison Oliver and Sasha Lane, the adaptation appears in good hands — which is lucky, because expectations are certainly high. The new element for Abrahamson to deal with will be the ensemble cast, since Conversations has four central characters, who each have unique, distinct relationships with one another. As long as this ensemble is managed with the same attention to detail as Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal were in Normal People, this series will hopefully be just as excellent an exploration of human relationships as its predecessor. Megan Ballantyne, News Editor Images (L-R): Conversations with Friends, Faber & Faber. My Policeman, Chatto & Windus.

MY POLICEMAN

HILE a release date has yet to be announced, the feature film adaptation of Bethan Robert’s novel My Policeman is expected to be released on Prime Video sometime in 2022, most likely during the summer season. Set in 1950s Brighton, the story follows a policeman, his wife and his male lover. At a time when homosexuality was illegal, policeman Tom marries schoolteacher Marion while in a secret relationship with museum curator Patrick. The two lovers have to share their beloved policeman until one of them breaks. It’s a tragic tale of love, loss and regret. Harry Styles is set to star as the titular policeman Tom, his first lead role since we have only seen him as supporting characters so far: Alex in Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk, smooth-talking Eros in Marvel’s Eternals and of course, let’s not forget his breakout role in the iCarly episode ‘iGo One Direction’ back in 2012 (it makes me chuckle that he probably had to list that on his CV when auditioning for Dunkirk). The delightful Emma Corrin, also known as the superior onscreen Princess Di (sorry Kristen Stewart, I still love you) will be starring alongside Styles as Marion, which leaves Patrick who will be played by David Dawson (Luther, Peaky Blinders). We still have a while to wait before the film’s release so why not give the book a read if you haven’t yet? Just remember to keep tissues within an arm’s reach and try not to smudge the letters with your tears. Francesca Sylph, Screen Editor

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EDITORS: Archie Lockyer and Francesca Sylph

1 MARCH 2022

Theroux the looking glass

Exeposé editors discuss the best of documentarian icon Louis Theroux My Scientology Movie Oliver Leader De Saxe, Editor

Extreme and Online Archie Lockyer, Screen Editor

OUIS Theroux’s Extreme and Online is part of his newest series, Forbidden America. It seems like a spiritual successor to Louis and The Nazis. Looking back, that documentary seems entirely antiquated for our time. The white supremacists of that documentary were not widely popular, did not pretend that they were not racist and were solely platformed by other white supremacist on the fringes. Extreme and Online paints an entirely different picture. We open with the following of Nick Fuentas as he arrives at a gigantic convention center for the America First Political Action Convention. He discusses how he believes women shouldn’t have the vote but “that isn’t likely to change any time soon” and that the “white man is done being bullied”. Unlike the older guard of the white supremacist movement, Fuentes hides behind semantics to make his toxic message more palatable. Too far right even for Trump’s Republican Party, Fuentes created his own event to espouse his horrid views. Yet, his crowds are full of awe-inspired fans. Then you see that the internet has brought them all together. Unlike the days of old, white supremacist messaging is right

there in the open and ready to take in hordes of impressionable teenagers. What makes Extreme and Online truly terrifying is that it is a stark reminder of reality. This is not the fringe anymore. Nazis and white supremacists, although their content has a selfimposed veneer of acceptability, hides such xenophobic and racist content that not even Louis Theroux can take it. You can see him strugImage: IMDb gle to deal with these trolls and demagogues with his tone sometimes switching away from polite Englishman to contemptuous. As a zeitgeist for our political time, Extreme and Online is a terrifying reminder of what lays behind the alt-right.

OUIS Theroux’s deftness as a documentarian able to walk the line between seriousness and surrealism has itself been well-documented at this point. Combining reasonable maturity with a bumbling awkwardness and sincerity often missing in modern documentary making, the polite, well-spoken Englishman has become a staple of British television, with his specials and series continuously revealing worlds and subcultures shockingly alien to our own. In many respects then, it may feel weird to see me lavishing Theroux’s first foray into feature filmmaking given its relative lack of depth or clarity. Whilst many parts are certainly an illuminating look into the terrifying cult-like power of a very public and prominent pseudo-religious organisation, the film is initially a strange, Kafkaesque beast where Theroux and co are forced into increasingly unconventional ways to explore their subject matter with mixed results. There is certainly a lot to admire in its inherent oddity, with the team setting out to recreate and cast scenes from former scientologist Mark Rathbun’s past

due to a lack of real access to key figures and officials in the hopes of better understanding abuse and manipulation within the Church. Whilst all this is interesting, it all serves the film’s true strength: knowing how to poke the bear in the most effective way possible. It is a film that in many respects lets the Church of Scientology illustrate the points being made themselves. It is here that the movie gives insight into often-bizarre manner the Church seeks to harass and intimidate its critics, with its brazen aggressiveness simply becoming farcical at points. From supposedly closed-off road to an increasingly meta interaction with two alleged ‘documentary’ filmmakers with cameras, its difficult to imagine a more Theroux-ly entertaining look into such an unsettling and unsavoury group. Combined with the captivating screen relationship between Theroux and Rathbun that at times teeters towards the tense side of awkwardness, and you’ve got a feature that, whilst perhaps not the most in-depth analysis of Scientology, is engaging, thoughtprovoking and more than a tad bit worrying.

Two underated films by two famous directors Archie Lockyer, Screen Editorm, discusses hidden gems from well-known directors

Stanley Kubrick: Barry Lyndon

James Gunn: Super

AMES Gunn is essentially the torchbearer for the entire superhero genre. Not only did he bring a colorful vision to the MCU with the justified love for the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Poppy, fun and most importantly genuinely absurd, all elements that were lacking from MCU films at that point. But, he also arguably single handedly brought back the DC comic book universe from the brink of extinction. The Suicide Squad and his newest hit Peacemaker bringing a gloriously gory take worthy for the two projects. Yet, his work before working for the sprawling comic universes should be equally as praised. Super is an essential part of Gunn canon and one which would debatably inspire a whole host of superhero revisionism such as The Boys in the years to come. Following Frank played sensationally by Rainn Wilson, we see this down and out loser have his wife ‘stolen’ from him by Kevin Bacon. The result of which leads Frank to draw the obvious conclusion. Inspired by a bizarre

Christian superhero television, Frank dons a suit to become The Crimson Bolt and begin a crusade against crime. Now initially this may seem like your traditional superhero story. However, Gunn adds one level of spice to season the film. Everything is set in everyday, normal reality. Does Frank arm himself with batarangs or iron suits? No, he uses a large wrench. Does Frank take on a cadre of supervillains? At one point, he severely beats someone for jumping a queue. The genius of this twist, challenges the audience even more so now as we look at MCU films with their often clear moral standpoints. Is what Frank is doing as morally clear as say Captain America? Obviously not. These kinds of questions are passed over into future work, particularly in the character of Peacemaker. But with the difference being Super having this unaltered zaniness that makes it a constant love of mine to rewatch.

WAS watching The Young Pope the other day and Jude Law was having a discussion about how the most influential figures in an industry remain hidden. He suggests that Kubrick rather than Spielberg is why we have the film industry. So what is to be made of Kubrick’s lesser known work? There were plenty of picks. However, my favorite — Barry Lyndon — stands out due to its sheer excellence on all levels, and is generally plopped in the middle of any ranking of Kubrick’s work. Based on the William Thackeray novel of the same name, Kubrick superbly adapts the novel, bringing the sleazy, deceptive nature of the book to the screen that it never bores or slogs in its three and half hour run time. The addition of an interlude (a feature that would be welcome in other features of this length) also reminds of how Barry Lyndon and really any Kubrick film is a truly cinematic experience. Watching it at the cinema would honestly be a joy. Aesthetically, Kubrick has always been a forerunner. In every genre he took on, he redefined the visuals for every future film in that

genre. The beautiful, natural lighting of every frame in Barry Lyndon can be seen to have been followed by Yorgos Lanthimos’ (kind-of ) historical-comedy The Favorite as well as Paul Schrader’s ecological thriller First Reformed. It brings me back to that question of hidden influence. Barry Lyndon acts as one of the ‘forgotten’ films, maybe because it’s tucked between Kubrick’s big hitters of A Clockwork Orange and The Shining, maybe because it’s Kubrick at his most subtle, with less of his conventional techniques used to let the tone of the novel to speak for itself. Nevertheless Barry Lyndon still has had such an influence, no matter how quietly on historical dramas throughout the decades since its making.

Images: IMDb

TECH

Why have shares of Meta fallen so low? Bridie Adams, Editor, discusses the drop in Meta Platforms Inc.’s value

ISTORICALLY, Meta has recorded secure income growth, having reported $0.596 million in revenue in Q1 2021.

META HAS RECORDED SECURE INCOME GROWTH To some extent, on account of its value, analysts who cover Meta stock still endorse investing in it, as reported by Bloomberg. But shares of Facebook parent Meta Plat-

forms Inc. tanked subsequent to the social platforms firm falling short with its new quarterly outlook and wiping out more than $200 billion in market capitalisation after disappointing net earnings. Meta gave a list of business pressures — from the rise of privacy changes made by Apple, as Meta said that iPhone advertising changes could cost Facebook $10 billion, to finance constraints on commercial pay outs. But there are more reasons why Meta’s selling price is lower which don’t involve blaming Apple. Meta’s most recent earnings call with in-

vestors saw the business report a drop of approximately a million Facebook users in the US everyday, as the number of users dropped from 1.93 billion everyday to 1.92 billion in Q4 2021. Whilst other tech giants also presently facing greater rivalry and threats to their domination, Meta’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg made it clear that TikTok and the advances of opponent social platform companies is leading to a drop down in Facebook’s adolescent users. Therefore, although Meta is keen to pin the blame on Apple, a large

part of the matter is its most significant platform’s decrease in utilisation. This reflects some very distinct concerns with regard to investors, especially young investors; young buyers are inclined to purchase the riskiest monetary products, so their lack of experience can cause staggering losses. However, despite the issues that Meta’s falling share prices brings about, Meta is still the eleventh most valuable enterprise in the world. Although it was formerly in sixth place and has lost value, it still clearly possesses significant financial authority.

Switching it up for 2022 Tech writers share the Nintendo Switch games they’re most excited for this year Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

ARIO + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is the upcoming follow-up to one of the stranger crossovers in gaming history, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which was released to critical acclaim in 2017. Speaking to Multiplayer.it, Soliani revealed that the studio for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was developed with a primary team size of just over 100 individuals. However, with a team reportedly three times the size, Mario + Rabbids is due to make a comeback this year in the new game Sparks of Hope.

The game is presently ready for pre-order on Amazon and contains nine playable characters with a group of three allies; meet Rabbid Peach, Luigi, Rabbid Mario, Princess Peach and friends for a brand new exploit in space. The game’s tale revolves around the cast venturing through space and moving to different planets. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is currently set to launch sometime in 2022. Bridie Adams, Editor

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

HAVE a very fond nostalgia for Kirby. Having first encountered the little pink blob all the way back in 2009 playing Super Smash Bros Brawl, I became quite enamoured with the likes of Kirby’s Epic Yarn and Kirby’s Adventure Wii. So it is with childish delight that I relished the announcement of a Kirby game in a semi open-world environment. Seemingly following the Mario 3D land formula, the game doesn’t look like it’s going to offer much in the way of innovation

Nintendo Switch Sports

HAVE many fond memories of playing Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort on Saturday mornings when I was younger. Nothing could come close to the fear of facing one of the pro Miis like Matt. Even though the controls were dodgy, these games were Nintendo at its best: fun and accessible, albeit excruciatingly frustrating at times. Unsurprisingly, I was ecstatic when Nintendo revealed Nintendo Switch Sports, coming out on 29 April. The trailer alone is enough to get me excited. The initial version features tennis, bowling, badminton, football, volleyball, and chambira. A free summer update will add golf to this list. Much to many people’s disappointment, however, Nintendo Switch Sports is not available on the Switch Lite. There is nothing quite like Nintendo Sports to get your blood pumping. Although the previous games supported multiplayer gaming, I would ar-

gue that single-player is where they really shone. What made Wii Sports Resort so great was exploring Wuhu Island. This added great depth to the universe, as players discovered new things every time they switched on their console. I hope, then, that Nintendo Switch Sports will be more than just its minigames. Nevertheless, I eagerly await to see what tricks Nintendo has up its sleeve. Clemence Smith, Online Arts + Lit Editor

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Bayonetta 3

ADMIT, only a little shamefully, I am quite invested in the Bayonetta series. Speaking on the second instalment, The Escapists’ Ben ‘Yahtzee’ Croshaw called it “sheer

or challenge, but it does have a rather fun dodge mechanic by the looks of things. And of course, it seems we can expect the same colour and bright visuals that we’ve come to expect from the franchise, as well as some quirky new copy abilities. In the same vein as Mario Odyssey, you can also take on the form of different objects as opposed to just gaining an ability. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t immensely looking forward to waddling around as a massive pink vending machine or trundling around as a pink car. The game seems to promise a trip down memory lane, and I’m feeling nostalgic. Charlie Nadin joyous energy,” which I feel is a good summary of the series as a whole. I love the combat system which provides challenge without alienating novice players. I have in recent years however struggled to reconcile my love for the gameplay with the eponymous Bayonetta, who I actually do like as a character, but whose sexuality has often been framed as a reward for a largely male player base. Perhaps Bayonetta 3 marks a necessary shift in perspective. While there is nothing inherently wrong with female sexuality being expressed in a strong heroine, it was always questionable that summoning demons should somehow make all the protagonists clothes fly off — this appears to have been done away with. Otherwise, the rest seems par for the course. The over-the-top cut scenes, the bombastic, colourful battling is still present, and most importantly, that air of camp still runs thick in the comic British accent of Bayonetta. With the promise of innovation in the new summoning abilities, I think this is a promising release that can also take a progressive step in terms of the game’s gender politics. Charlie Nadin

| TECH

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EDITORS: Bridie Adams and Oliver Leader de Saxe

1 mar 2022 | 25

Crypto on campus Oliver Leader de Saxe, Editor, looks into the rise of blockchain technologies amongst students

HE rise of crypto-currencies, NFTs and other blockchain technology within the consciousness of mainstream society is in equal parts staggering and unsurprising. What was once a niche anti-establishment response to a crooked financial system that inflated a volatile housing bubble to the point of bursting in 2008 has now morphed into something further reaching than its staunchest critics could have ever imagined. Catalysed in part by a pandemic which exposed the inherent flaws in a free market built on exploitative zero-hour contracts, demoralising service industry work and wage stagnation, the blockchain’s supposedly deregulated, democratised economy carries an intrinsic appeal for those ostracized by the weight of late-stage capitalism. Factor in an extended period of stringent lockdown measures that created a wave of unprecedented digital literacy with major drive within the tech sector for a monetizable metaverse, and the mainstream appeal of these disruptive technologies is not just lacking in shock value, but in respects an anticipated consequence. With such stratospheric growth, it's important to look into the rise of crypto on campus. Over the last couple days, I have found myself talking to students from all walks of life about this emerging virtual phenomenon, collecting data not only to find the key area of concern, but also to ask an important question that is often overlooked: why? Whilst it is important to break down the many risks associated with any new technology, there is a tendency for crypto-sceptics to be patronising rather than compassionate when it comes to exploring the issue at hand. It is never a bad

Image: xresch, pixabay

thing to have a clear understanding of exactly what drives inpouring crypto investment, not just in terms of wider internet pariahs, but in terms of ordinary, everyday young people. Their voices on this should be heard, not with sneering condemnation, but understanding. According to my own survey data, 66 per cent of students who responded know at least one person involved in crypto-currencies, and this hasn’t even touched on NFTs. There is obviously a groundswell in appetite here in higher education and in young people in general, and that doesn’t come from nowhere.

A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES EARLY ON WILL PAY DIVIDENDS IN THE FUTURE Despite this apparent surge in crypto support, first-hand familiarity with Bitcoin and its contemporaries is surprisingly low, with just 40 per cent of students stating their familiarity with crypto-currencies. Likewise, a majority of 66.7 per cent are either unfamiliar or very unfamiliar when it comes to how this all works. When asked about where the information on all of this is coming from, friends, family, influencers and YouTube videos are mentioned almost as often as Financial Times and Bloomberg. What this says to me is that, despite an increasing awareness of these technologies, the core understanding of their flaws and benefits are not actually being

properly conveyed through necessarily reliable sources, which raises a host of problems. Day trading in normal stock is risky enough; 80% per cent of eToro daytraders lose money playing a rigged system they don’t have all the information on, according to Business Insider. Arguably the GameStop short shot this craze of domestic, amateur investors and armchair experts to the moon back in 2020, and the desire to win big against big money hasn’t died down. With the expansion of these currencies, the potential for misinformation has only grown even more astronomically since, and the lack of advice within the student body is actually quite concerning to say the least. That said, there seems to be an inherent risk-aversion and suspicion towards these technologies which I wasn’t necessarily anticipating when I started working on this article. The vast majority of those I spoke to were at the minimum cautious about these technologies, with 79 per cent of respondents believing crypto isn’t a safe investment and over half being aware of the risks posed by investing. Even those I spoke to who have gained money from investment in cryptos have acknowledged that they did so through a diverse portfolio and in spite of very real problems surrounding scams and deregulation. Whilst one respondent expressed their belief in crypto’s safety despite their unfamiliarity with its intricacies, it’s clear that for the majority the lack of information is a turn-off towards the blockchain. Likewise, those investing did so whilst emphasising that they had the surplus capital to do so, stressing that crypto has a similar appeal to gambling and isn’t the “get rich quick

scheme” it is often marketed as. Same as stocks, there has to be an acceptance that losses can be inevitable. But with the University of Exeter having a large proportion of privately educated and wealthy students in comparison to other higher education institutions, there is definitely a risk that those from less privileged backgrounds may end up hopping on a trend that could leave them holding the bag on worthless assets or worse if it catches on.

THE POTENTIAL FOR MISINFORMATION HAS ONLY GROWN EVEN MORE ASTRONOMICALLY SINCE With that in mind, it's unsurprising that almost everyone I spoke to thinks there should be some sort of increased advice and awareness from the Guild and University on this issue. As one student told me, “education and awareness is never a bad thing.” In a world of increasing complexity and the arrival of a potentially game-changing metaverse, university institutions need to become aware that this will only become a bigger issue over time. Getting to grips with and formulating a clear understanding of these technologies early on will pay dividends in the future. Whilst the jury is out on whether on the groundswell will peter out or whether blockchain technology will supplant the mainstream, one thing remains certain: students should have the right to make informed decisions, and should have all the support in place to make the right one.

Images: Canva Sources: NOAA, Climate Central, University of Edinburgh, NASA

study break | 15 FEB 2022

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STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Across 1 Kind (4) 3 Media boo (anagram) - like an amoeba (8) 9 Representation of the UK - Iran ban it (anagram) (9) 10/20/22 Sweet roll traditionally eaten on 1 Across 15 (or any time around 17?) (3,5,3) 11 Condescend - e.g. din (anagram) (5) 12 Severe (7) 14 The 24 hours before 4? (6) 15 The 24 hours before Saturday? (6) 18 Aerial (7) 20 See 10 22 See 10 23 Expression of approval (9) 24 Female wartime farm worker (4,4) 25 Unkind (4)

Down: 1 Go bad, 2 Opinion, 4 Monday, 5 Era, 6 Ochre, 7 Dithery, 8 Maintain, 13 Strictly, 14 Spag bol, 16 Diocese, 17 Easter, 19 Tenon, 21 Satin, 23 Egg. Across: 1 Good, 3 Amoeboid, 9 Britannia, 10/20/22 Hot cross bun, 11 Deign, 12 Austere, 14 Sunday, 15 Friday, 18 Antenna, 23 Extolment, 24 Land girl, 25 Mean. Trivia: 1. The Daily Courant 2. Spencer Perceval 3. 2 inches 4. SW1A 0AA 5. Five 6. 88

ANSWERS

Down 1 Rot (2,3) 2 View (7) Trivia corner 4 The 24 hours before Tuesday? (6) 5 Age (3) 6 Moderate yellow-orange colour (5) 7 Her tidy (anagram) - wavering (7) 8 Keep (8) 13 Absolutely (forbidden, say) (8) 1. WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE UK’S FIRST EVER NEWSPAPER? 14 Italian pasta and meat dish (informal) (4,3) 16 Ice dose (anagram) - bishop’s jurisdic- 2. WHO IS THE ONLY PRIME MINISTER TO EVER HAVE BEEN ASSASSINATED? tion (7) 17 Religious festival running from 1 3. HOW MANY INCHES HAVE OCEANS RISEN IN THE PAST 20 YEARS? Across 15 (through 17 14 Across) to 17 4 (6) 19 Wood projection (5) 4. WHAT IS THE FULL POSTCODE OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT? 21 Smooth and silky fabric (5) 23 Ovum (of chocolate at 17?) (3) 5. HOW MANY PERMANENT MEMBERS ARE THERE ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL? 6. HOW MANY KEYS ARE ON A PIANO?

Science

1 MARCH 2022 | EXEPOSÉ

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Ellen Rogers and Nancy Stitt

Scientists create artificial enamel stronger than our teeth Harry Hawkins, Music Editor, describes recent research into artificial enamel

OOTH enamel is a crucial part of our biology that contends with chemical and mechanical stress throughout our lives and has consequently adapted to be the hardest of all biomaterials in the human body.

Enamel is the hardest of all biomaterials in the human body However, all the enamel we have throughout our life is built by

cells in the teeth, called ameloblasts, which begin building the crystal rod structure before we are even born. Whilst bones contain stem cells which can adapt and heal clean fractures, all the enamel-forming cells die off once our teeth erupt, with only the super strong mineral structure left. The proteins that direct and shape the internal structure of enamel, made of wires and rods of crystal hydroxyapatite, create a complex multi-layered structure which includes wrapping of magnesium-coated wires and has yet to be successfully replicated through bio-

logical analogues such as peptide chains.

Proteins that direct and shape the internal structure of enamel, made of wires A recent paper published on 3 February 2022 by Zhao et al has managed to create an artificial analogue of enamel that is the most similar material to tooth enamel that has ever been made. The synthetic enamel has been synthesised using directional freez-

ing to align hydroxyapatite wires along with polyvinyl alcohol. The resulting composite has a greater strength and elasticity than that exhibited in our teeth and can be produced at multiple scales of size. Elasticity may sound strange in the context of our teeth, but the ability to compress even a little without shattering is what allows our teeth to chomp throughout our lifetimes. However, this new composite material is not yet ready to be used as replacement teeth or for fillings. The 3D structure of enamel is still

not fully replicable with current methods, and its ability to bond with existing enamel is not confirmed as of yet. Its strength may lead to application in fields not yet considered. Scientists not involved with the study, who were asked about this development in science, suggested possible uses included earthquakeresistant building materials or providing protection to electronic chips. This discovery is still a major achievement considering the long duration of development and immense complexity that natural enamel requires.

Doctors find the antibody signiture of Long COVID-19

Daisy Scott, Online Science Editor, details new research into the antibody signature of patients at risk of Long COVID-19

ESEARCHERS have identified immunoglobulin signatures present at low levels in patients who are more likely to go on to develop postacute COVID syndrome (PACS), also known as Long COVID-19. PACS is a condition where debilitating symptoms of the disease, COVID-19, can persist for many months past the initial illness. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that PACS “occurs usually three months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms that last at least two months.’ According to an estimate from the Office for Image: Pixabay

National Statistics (ONS) an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK reported PACS symptoms in the four weeks up to 2 October 2021.

1.2m people in the UK reported PACS symptoms in the four weeks up to 2 October Unfortunately, there is currently no single test to diagnose PACS. PACS is not fully understood and there are a variety of symptoms that are said to go with it. According to the NHS, the

symptoms of Long COVID-19 include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations or tightness, problems with memory and concentration — known as “Brain Fog” — and changes to taste and smell. However, these may only be a few symptoms as patient surveys have identified hundreds of other symptoms including hearing and vision changes and language changes. Research by the COVID-19 Symptom study app has found two main categories of ongoing symptoms: one group mainly with respiratory symptoms but including fatigue and headaches, and a second group with symptoms

affecting many parts of the body, including the heart, brain and gut. Researchers at University Hospital Zurich analysed blood from COVID-19 patients and found that low levels of certain antibodies were more common in patients who developed PACS than people who recovered quickly from the illness. When combined with age and details of their symptoms, the antibody signature allowed doctors to predict their risk level for developing the long-term illness. The researchers studied 175 people who tested positive for COVID-19 and 40 healthy volunteers as a control group. Immediately after patients

contract COVID-19, IgM antibody levels spike, whilst IgG3 antibody levels rise later and provide longerterm protection. Blood tests on the patients with PACS showed lower levels of IgM and IgG3, suggesting people with PACS have less longterm protection from their immune system. This test, however, cannot predict a person’s risk of developing PACS before they are infected since details of their symptoms are needed. Although more research is needed and there is a need to scale up research urgently, researchers say that a PACS score, or Long Covid risk calculator, would be available soon.

Single sex litters of mice produced through gene-editing

Nancy Stitt, Science Editor, discusses new gene-editing techniques used to create single sex litters of mice

CIENTISTS at the Francis Crick Institute, in collaboration with the University of Kent, have used gene-editing technology to create litters of mice of only one gender, in a recent study published in Nature Communications. This study has potential to solve animal welfare issues in a variety of fields, including scientific research and agriculture. While laboratory research aims to minimise the use of animals as model organisms, it is still a very prevalent threat to animal welfare. According to Home Office statistics, in the UK in 2017, 5.53 million animals were used in sci-

ence, with over 1.8 million being bred for scientific procedures but being killed because they didn’t meet specific requirements, commonly having the wrong sex. Many areas of science specify the use of only one sex, including placental biology, oogenesis, spermatogenesis and breast and prostate cancer research. This is also a pressing issue in agriculture, with the dairy industry only requiring the milk-producing abilities of female cows. In the UK, each year around 95,000 male calves are culled. Therefore, a method to genetically control the sex of off-

spring could drastically reduce the need for this culling of animals. CRISPR-Cas9 technology is currently the most simple and effective method of genetic manipulation, allowing scientists to edit genomes by removing, adding, or changing sections of DNA. This study was enabled by the two separate elements of CRISPR-Cas9 technology: the Cas9 enzyme, which cuts the DNA and allows scientists to alter specific regions, and the guide RNA, which directs this Cas9 enzyme to the area of the genome being targeted. The study targeted the Top1 gene, which is essential for DNA replication and repair, and is

widely conserved across mammals. One element of the CRISPRCas9 system was placed on either the male mouse’s X or Y chromosome. If it was placed on the X chromosome, it would only be inherited by female embryos, whereas if it was placed on the Y chromosome, it would only be inherited by male embryos. The other element of the CRISPR system was placed on either of the mother’s X chromosomes, which are inherited by all embryos. When an embryo was formed from an egg and a sperm that both contained one element of this CRISPR-Cas9 system, genetic modification of the Top1 gene was triggered and the embryo was un-

Image: Pixabay

able to develop beyond a very early stage. This method allowed researchers to control with 100 per cent accuracy the sex of all the mice in the litter, and no harmful effects were found in the surviving mice. James Turner, the group leader of this project at the Francis Crick Institute says: “This work could have immediate and valuable impact in scientific laboratories.” However, Peter Ellis, another author of this study and Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent, stresses the need for further discussions around the ethical impacts of this study, stating that the work needs to be “considered at ethical and regulatory levels.”

EXEPOSÉ | 1 MAR 2022

SCIENCE

Total eclipse of the brain Ellen Rogers, Science Editor, discusses the biology of love

HREE basic brain circuits are responsible for human love, according to Dr Helen Fisher: lust, which drives dating and mating behaviours; romantic love, responsible for the honeymoon phase at the beginning of a relationship; and the attachment phase that helps us sustain long-term relationships, such as those with our families. Each type of love is characterised by different hormones, produced by the brain.

Each type of love is characterised and defined by different hormones Lust is primarily driven by the sex hormones, testosterone and oestrogen, and is “simply the craving for sexual gratification.” We are biologically hard-wired to reproduce, pass on our genes, and produce offspring, and this is encouraged physiologically by the release of these hormones from the testes or ovaries respectively. Although testosterone and oestrogen have been stereotypically classified as ‘male’ and ‘female’ by society, testosterone is produced by — and can induce lust in — almost anyone. Attraction, or romantic love, is responsible for the ‘head-over-heels’ feeling you might experience when you first meet someone. Whilst attraction is very similar to lust (and can occur simultaneously), the two phenomena are distinct and can occur independent of each other. Attraction is associated with the release of the catecholamines, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, and has likely evolved to help humans choose and focus on a preferred mate. It is also known to involve the

brain’s ‘reward’ pathways and can trigger euphoria and giddiness — but also decrease appetite and cause insomnia, leading to the old trope of being so in love that you can’t eat or sleep. On a darker note, attraction has been linked to decreases in serotonin often seen in OCD sufferers — providing a potential explanation for the overpowering infatuation and obsession often seen in individuals falling in love. Whilst not primarily involved in romantic relationships, attachment is crucial for the success of long-term relationships, as well as the development of friendships, familial relations and positive social behaviours. Attachment is characterised by the release of the peptides oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin is known as the ‘cuddle hormone’ and is released in large amounts during events that promote bonding between individuals — such as sex, nursing and giving birth (pretty varied events!) Throughout our lives, oxytocin reminds us of why we like our family and friends, promoting affection and attachment. Over evolutionary history, these three emotion systems have become increasingly independent of each other, and are crucial for the development of healthy relationships — with the mechanisms and strategies used being increasingly flexible in the modern day. Despite this, the old saying is true — you can have too much of a good thing.

Throughout our lives, oxytocin helps maintain relationships, promoting affection and attachment Either through personal experi-

Image: Unsplash

ence or observation, we all know that love can be accompanied by jealousy, irrationality and other less positive emotions. Dopamine production surges in response to both good and bad stimuli and stimulates the same region of the brain as cocaine. The ‘high’ associated with cocaine use is literally the result of extended-duration dopamine signalling, and scientists believe that emotional dependency on a partner is not too different to drug addictions.Similarly, according to the study “From ultrasocial to antisocial” in the British Journal of Pharmacolog y on the party drugs MDMA and GHB has shown that oxytocin may be responsible for the feel-good, socia-

ble effects that result from their use.

Emotional dependency on a partner is not too different to drug addictions In extreme cases such as drug use, oxytocin can cause us to dissociate from our environments and act recklessly, putting ourselves, and sometimes the people close to us, in danger of physical or emotional harm. Combined with the knowledge that lust can turn off regions of the brain responsible for regulating criti-

cal thinking and rationality, it’s easy to say that love can make us dumb. Even though the scientific community has defined a rough formula for love, a lot of the biochemistry behind this phenomenon is still unknown. The biology of love intrigues all disciplines of science, from anthropology to neuroscience, and will likely inspire research for years to come. As science explains more about what love is and why we feel the way we do, it is important to remember that science can only provide a nonspecific description of human emotion — and that, in the end, it is up to us as indivudals to decide what love means to us in our own lives.

Diamond-like structures strengthen starfish Bridie Adams, Editor, discusses unique structures found within the most famous Echnioderms

Image: Unsplash

TARFISH, or sea stars, have developed shells which shield and protect them. Starfish are famous for several of their characteristic behaviours: their movement is based on hydraulic systems; they regenerate lost limbs; they have evolved structures to effortlessly pry open their prey; and they have distinctive digestive organs — and these are just a few of their helpful adaptations. However, brand new research has shown that the hole-riddled ossicles of the knobbly starfish are made stronger by an unusual diamond like inner construction. Researchers state that this structure is not the only one giving starfish their strength and explain another adaptation within their recent research. They found that, within the

composition of starfish, atoms resemble a chain of stacked hexagons. The primary focus of the research was the skeleton beneath starfish’s skin, which they found to consist of a complex web of solid skeletal plates that can shift like flexible joints. This is different to other marine organisms like sea urchins and sand dollars, which have fused skeletal plates. Starfish are symmetrical when they are born, with smooth, grainy or jagged surfaces covered with overlapping plates. They are some of the most unusual living things in the animal kingdom because, in spite of their name, they are not fish. Belonging to the phylum Echinodermata, they are related to (and physiologically similar) to sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers (as stated by WHOI).

Whilst fish have spinal bones making them vertebrates, starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers do not, making them members of the marine invertebrates. Even though they lack vertebrae, starfish have a central disc and between five and 50 arms, depending on their species. Meanwhile, the microscopic diamond-like structure found within their bodies compensate for the frailty of the calcite throughout their bodies. The discovery of this distinctive anatomy and structure is a great starting point, and the scientists are now shifting their focus to finding out how starfish make this unique lattice. Scientists hope that increased understanding of echinoderm skeletons will help them understand the evolution of primitive organisms into the species we know today.

SPORT

Formula 1: a new season is upon us

Alexander Prins previews the upcoming 2022 Formula One campaign

ORMULA 1 is about to enter a brand-new era, right off the back of one of the most closely fought seasons in its history, which ended in controversial circumstances that reverberated through the sport for the entirety of the off-season. What does this mean for the new year? Will the 108 plus million that tuned in to watch the title slip (or be ripped?) from Sir Lewis Hamilton’s grasp, be rewarded with an equally exciting 2022/23 season? Will the “Netflix Effect,” that brought so much renewed interest in the sport, continue to impact the handling of contentious events on and off track? In all honesty, there will continue to be rumours and speculation throughout pre-season testing, as each team assesses who has built the fastest car within the new regulations.

The renewed vigour of the Mercedes team with a point to prove will be too much for any team to rival. First announced by the FIA in 2019, the newly prescriptive technical guidelines include simplified aerodynamics and low profile 18-inch wheelrim Pirelli tyres; in theory this will reduce the “dirty air” behind the cars to provide closer racing and reduce tyre drop-off, which should allow drivers to push harder throughout stints. With every new car that is revealed it is clear that each team has interpreted the regulations differently, and as Mercedes’ Chief Technical Officer warned in January, some will have got the new rules "badly wrong." The reality is that, having introduced new rules to level a playing field dominated by Mercedes just as Red Bull was able to rival them, it is possible that we will see a repeat of the new hybrid engine regulations of 2014, which saw the German marque steal a march on the whole grid and triggered an unbroken eight-year run at the top of the constructors’ standings. We won’t truly know which team has tackled the new regulations best until racing commences in Bahrain in March; even then, it may still take several races to truly shake out the order before we find out who has come out on top. There has also been a raft of changes within the FIA, the sport’s governing body, following Race Director Michael Masi’s handling of the closing laps of the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi. Masi will be replaced by Niels Wittich and Equardo Freitas, both of whom have a great deal of experience across other racing series, and who will share the role on a rotational basis.

The safety car and unlapping procedure that was seen as clinching the title for Max Verstappen on the final lap, are also being "reassessed" and will likely be overhauled before lights out in Bahrain. It is hardly surprising that these sweeping changes were announced the day before the new Mercedes W13 was revealed, and Sir Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media in depth for the first time since being denied a record-breaking eighth World Championship, in what he described as a "manipulated" showdown. Having felt disillusioned in the immediate aftermath, Hamilton has since been defiant in warning his rivals: "If you thought what you saw at the end of last year was my best, wait until you see this year." Given his imperious form in the latter half of last season, including a dominant win in Brazil from the back of the grid, there is no doubt that Hamilton intends to take the title this year and cement his status as the sport’s Greatest Of All Time. It is also the case that in every season that Hamilton has been in contention for the title, but lost out in the final race, he has gone on to win the following season; it would be foolish to bet against him coming back even stronger this year, in what may yet prove to be his swansong season. Who would dare face such a challenge? Hamilton’s rivals this season could come from anywhere – including from within Mercedes itself. His new teammate this

year will be George Russell, the man tipped to be the next British champion. Russell has been biding his time at the struggling Williams team, with his Mercedes sponsorship and manager Toto Wolf (of Mercedes F1 Team Principal fame) all but guaranteeing his transition eventually. Russell has consistently impressed for three seasons and proven more than a match for Valtteri Bottas when standing in for Hamilton in 2020, the 23-year-old will finally have the opportunity to drive for a title-contending team on a permanent basis, and many hope he will live up to the challenge. However, it would be naïve to expect Russell to fight for the Driver’s Championship this year; he has proven to be a wily and patient competitor, having spent three years outperforming a woeful car, while his colleagues from the lower formulas scored podiums for the likes of McLaren and Red Bull. I would expect that Russell will perform much the same “number 2” role for Hamilton this year as Bottas did, though the Brit has proven to be feistier when given the chance to fight for meaningful positions, and it is likely that he will be a more useful driver to have alongside when taking the fight to title rivals than the mediocre Finn. Ferrari will also seek to return to past glory following a few years in the wilder-

Credit: Artes Max, Wikimedia Commons

ness of the midfield. After getting caught "circumventing" fuel flow regulations in 2019 and reaching a secret settlement with the FIA, the erstwhile title-contenders were suddenly out of the fight. When the new regulation changes were delayed for a year by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian team was forced to settle for third behind Red Bull in the constructors, while their focus shifted to the new 2022 car. Charles Leclerc has long been expected to take up the mantle as Ferrari’s lead competitor since arriving at the team in 2019. However, he was narrowly beaten by his teammate Carlos Sainz in the latter’s first year in Fiorano.

Verstappen may have taken the title last year, but as he could yet learn: if you shoot for the king, you better not miss Sainz has spoken publicly of his hope to fight for race wins and championships with Ferrari, so this interteam rivalry may yet prove to be the fiercest on the grid. Whether this compromises the team’s season remains to be seen, and will no doubt worry the loyal Tifosi; my bold prediction is that in a three-team battle for the title, Ferrari will narrowly finish third, and Sainz will outscore Leclerc over a season. If Mercedes is to be

beaten by anyone, history suggests that the greatest threat will come from Red Bull. The signs are good for another strong season for the team from Milton Keynes: despite Honda withdrawing from the sport as engine suppliers, Red Bull’s Powertrains division has taken over development of the power unit using many of the existing personnel, and key hires from rival teams could prove significant. There is further promise thanks to Sergio Perez, the “Mexican Minister for Defence,” who had really found his feet at the team by the end of last season, and who will be crucial this year up against Russell in any battles between the wingmen. Perhaps the most significant recent development is the cash injection that the team has been able to attract: tech giant Oracle signed one of the biggest sponsorship deals in the sport’s history with a five-year contract worth $500 million, and cryptocurrency platform, Bybit, were later added with a further $150 million committed for three years. This means that despite now running their own engine factory, the energy drinks company will not have to spend any of its own capital for at least the next three years, within the new cost cap rules regulating the sport. My expectation is that the renewed vigour of a Mercedes team, with a point to prove, will be too much for any team to rival. I predict that it will be a close-run between Ferrari and Red Bull for the next position, and I believe the latter, with their reigning champion, will be determined to prove that it was no fluke. In the midfield there remains hope for McLaren, whose drivers have proven that with the right car beneath them they can steal a win or podium given any opportunity, and their trajectory since CEO Zak Brown joined the team would give some hope that they may yet crack into a very competitive top three. I expect that the other key developments to watch will be Pierre Gasly’s ongoing renaissance at Alpha Tauri; whether or not Fernando Alonso will continue to prop up an otherwise stagnant Alpine; Guanyu Zhou’s rookie year as China’s first full-time F1 driver alongside Bottas at Alfa Romeo; and lastly, how far behind will his teammate Nikita Mazepin finish? Most of all, everyone will be hoping that the new cars prove to enhance the on-track action, rather than resetting the status quo and damning us to another period of Mercedes domination. That being said, the headlines will naturally focus on Sir Lewis Hamilton, and his campaign to further rewrite the sport’s history books and break new ground, all while continuing to promote equality and respect internationality. Verstappen may have taken the title last year, but as he could yet learn: if you shoot for the king, you better not miss…

1 MAR 2022 | EXEPOSÉ

Winter Olympics roundup

Bridie Adams, Editor, recaps a memorable couple of weeks in Beijing

N the day of the IOC Session ballot to award hosting rights for the 2022 Winter Games, there were only two prospective host cities left: Beijing and Almaty, then the capital of Kazakhstan. Of course, Beijing was victorious in its bid - fast-forward almost seven years and the Games have concluded. Despite the international feeling around these Beijing 2022 Games initially being ice cold, Beijing 2022 has been full of amazing master strokes of speed,

bold trickery and skilfulness. Some athletes have even set world records. If you’re after Olympic records specifically, you need look no further than the ice rink where speed skaters have been rewriting history. In particular, a skilled German speed skater named Claudia Pechstein smiled wide, as she made her way across the finishing line of the women’s 3000 meter race on 5 February, becoming the oldest female Winter Olympian of all time at 49.

Germany also performed well in bobsleigh, with an all-German podium for the men’s two-man bobsleigh, and German sprinter Alexandra Burghardt winning silver, an incredible achievement after featuring at last year’s Tokyo 2020. Also worth a mention is the short track speed skating contest at the Winter Olympics, which was full of firsts and numerous history makers from the Olympic short track. It was in the short track that China won its earliest medal of the Beijing Win-

ter Olympics, which was also the first gold medal in a newly founded Olympic event: the short track team relay. Athletes including Choi Min-Jeong and Arianna Fontana also stood on the podium to be given short track medals. In regards to cross-country skiing at the Kuyangshu Nordic Center and Biathlon Centre in Zhangijakou, China, a total of 12 events were contested, six each for men and women. Cross-country and biathlon are the Winter Olympic sports with perhaps

the highest barriers to entry, making a medal in the sport an especially great accomplishment — this year’s medal-winning athletes include Alexander Bolshunov, Denis Spitsov and Iivo Niskanen.

Beijing 2022 has been full of amazing masterstrokes of speed, bold trickery and skillfullness And, of course, Team GB only took home two medals, one gold and one silver, in women’s curling and men’s curling respectively. Following 15 disciplines across seven competitive sports, 16 days and 109 events, ranging from bobsledding to curling, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are now officially over after an emotional, traditional Closing Ceremony at 8PM on 20 February 2022 in Beijing. Norway finished at the top of the Beijing Winter Olympics medal table, just as it did four years ago — it stands alone atop the chart with the most total medals (37) and the most gold medals (16). Image: Wikimedia Commons

Six Nations: the story so far

James Webb looks at the recent results, and where they leave the tournament favourites moving forward

FTER two rounds of scintillating rugby, it seems as though the 2022 installment of the Six Nations is going to live up to the age-old cliché of the closest tournament in the competition's history. Only France has managed two wins from two, with the rest of the pack hot on their heels and ready for any opportunity to snatch the Championship away from the French grasp. With three more weekends of thrilling Six Nations rugby left and it all to play for, here is a rundown of the Championship so far, as well as what the rest of the tournament may hold for the six teams in the competition. Round one kicked off with Ireland against Wales, usually one of the tournament's closest games. However, a severely weakened Wales side never looked at the races and Ireland ran away comfortable winners in the end with the game finishing 29 to 7. The following game took us up to Murrayfield where Scotland created history beating England back to back for the first time since the 1983 and 1984 Championships. A final 20 minute Finn Russell masterclass in game management saw Scotland edge out England 20-17, a game that was almost certainly built on the gutsy defence of the Scottish team.

Finally, whilst France’s victory over Italy in the opening round was almost guaranteed before they had stepped on the pitch at the Stade de France, Italy pushed them slightly harder than they expected. However, a Gabin Villière hat trick proved too much for the Azzurri in the end as France left comfortable victors. Scotland, with significant momentum after their round one heroics, then went to Cardiff looking for a first win there against Wales since 2002. However, as the old saying goes, you can "never write off Wales" as they produced a performance akin to Scotland’s the week before to derail Scottish hopes of a first grand slam in the Six Nations, beating them 20 points to 17. Another nation's hopes of a grand slam were slashed as France maintained course in pole position, after edging a spectacular game against Ireland at the Stade de France 30 points to 24. England finished up round two by travelling to Rome, looking to get their Six Nations title hopes back on track. England secured the try bonus point early on in the second half and went on to beat the Azzurri to nil scoring 33 points, taking them to second in the table. As the only unbeaten team in the

competition so far this year, France have justified their pre-tournament label as favourites to take the crown in this year's competition. Having played some exceptional rugby at home they now have to go away from home twice in a row to face Scotland, the same fixture that they lost in last year's Championship, and to Cardiff. Win those and France will be in a fantastic place come the final weekend to take on England at home.After Wales picked up a win over Scotland in round two, both teams will now be searching for consistency in the rest of the Champion-

ship. Scotland will have to bring their biggest performance yet if they want an unlikely shot at beating France in the gusty winds of Murrayfield. Meanwhile, Wales have recalled some big names to come in to face England at Twickenham. England have also been bolstered by the return of captain Courtney Lawes and rampaging centre Manu Tualagi, making Saturday’s game an exciting prospect. Ireland should walk over Italy in round three and will then take on England at Twickenham before returning to the Aviva Stadium to host Scotland on the final day. Anyone

out of Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland still have a chance to win the tournament if France falters in any of the remaining rounds and round three will be crucial in determining where the bragging rights end up. However, it seems unlikely that France will come up short and they still look set to win this year's Championship. Following them is difficult to predict but the winner out of Ireland and England in round four should edge ahead of the pack of four with Wales and then Scotland taking fourth and fifth leaving Italy at the bottom.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

1 MAR 2022| EXEPOSÉ

Sport

SPORTS EDITORS:

Oscar Young Rob Worthington

Exeter victorious again at Sandy Park

Image: Alex Prins/Exeter Photography Society

Rob Worthington Sports Editor

XETER University Rugby Football Club hosted yet another phenomenal Varsity at Sandy Park producing a night that will live long in the memory for many Exeter students. The club’s First XV pleased a raucous Sandy Park crowd delivering a 26-21 win over Loughborough Students RFC. It really was a clash of the titans in this one. Coming into this fixture, Loughborough sat in 3rd place in the BUCS Super Rugby table, with Exeter sitting justabove them in 2nd just behind Durham. It was a game Exeter needed to win if they were to add some breathing space between themselves and their visitors. And for large sectors of the game, Exeter played like the better side. After an early swarm of pressure from their opponents, which Exeter defended solidly, Exeter broke forward and won an important penalty. Flyhalf Alec Lloyd-Seed kicked for touch. After winning this line-out, the men in green and white moved the ball swiftly through their backline, with winger Jordan Bond taking full advantage of in

bundling the ball over the line. LloydSeed then converted from a tight angle. Exeter were able to build on the momentum that they were creating by piling further pressure onto a Loughborough defence which looked particularly vulnerable on their right side at this point in the game.

Bliss offloaded the ball enabling some quick hands to send Jordan Bond through... Try of the night Once again targeting this flank, fullback Max Bliss broke through the lines expertly with an explosive centre to left run. After being finally halted, Bliss offloaded the ball enabling some quick hands to send Jordan Bond through. it was truly excellent rugby, and was the try of the night. Unfortunately, however, Lloyd-Seed failed to convert on this occasion, which many feared could have been damaging later in the encounter. Thus, halfway through the first-half, Exeter seemed in control. The hosts were soaking up Loughborough’s pres-

sure well and taking their opportunities offensively as and when they arrived. A party atmosphere enveloped the soldout West Stand of a raucous Sandy Park. Nevertheless, this game wasn’t going to be the smooth ride it felt it could be for Exeter for the remainder of the match. Loughborough fought back. They grabbed a try before half-time via a maul from a line-out which certainly made things interesting heading into the second half. For large parts of the second 40, they looked like they could well still capture victory. Before a period of Loughborough dominance, though, Exeter no. 8 Tom Addison had his star moment. After an excellent performance from Exeter University’s cheer team during the interval, EUFRC’s 1st XV appeared to be a team ready to put the game to bed. They relentlessly pressurised their opponents, forced a ball to be held up on the try line, and scored from the resulting scrum thereafter. After a Lloyd-Seed conversion, spirits were high, Exeter led 19-7 – but the story was far from over. After all, Loughborough were only two converted tries away from a lead in this match. They sensed Exeter may be rest-

ing on their laurels, and they fought back. Following Exeter’s extension of their lead after the break, Loughborough held onto the ball impressively, threatening in their possession. They were successful in breaking Exeter down, first scoring in the 51st minute after some industrious combination play in the middle of the park, then taking the lead as they carved through the heart of Exeter’s defence again. Both tries were converted. Halfway through the second-half, Exeter was staring down the barrel of defeat.

A party atmosphere enveloped the West Stand of a raucous Sandy Park As expected though, Exeter kept their cool. Substitutes Josh Barton and Charlie McCaig added some flair to an already impressive Exeter offensive performance, and the home side’s indomitable spirit was of use once again. Shortly after falling behind, Exeter won a scrum just beyond the 22-yard line. This scrum collapsed, gifting Exeter

a penalty within striking range of goal. However, the hosts bravely chose to kick for touch. In front of us in the press seats, Chiefs Head Coach Rob Baxter looked bemused. However, from this line-out, Exeter formed a maul which troubled the Loughborough defence, and eventually led to the awarding of a penalty try. 26-21 – Exeter had a lead to hang on to. More of that indomitable spirit was on show as Exeter’s defence tightened with their gruelling work preventing Loughborough from scoring again. The relief was tangible as Sweet Caroline boomed around Sandy Park upon the final whistle. It was a win which appeared in doubt at certain points of the encounter, but that made it even more rewarding for the players involved. The night was a credit to both the university and the rugby club. Granted, there was some crowd unrest, but this was nothing malicious. On the contrary, it showed the thousands of students in attendance’ desire to support the university’s rugby club. Credit must be attributed to them also for creating such a brilliant atmosphere to help carry Exeter over the line. A brilliant night, a brilliant victory and an excellent night for Exeter University.

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