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Boomerang December 2017

THE PRICE OF FREE JOURNALISM? by Laura Hoogenraad

o you praise yourself for reading the news - democracy is important and all of that - but at the same time avoid NRC’s paywall with your browser’s incognito mode? Do you read De Correspondent’s best pieces for free on Twitter or Facebook, and hop from one free trial subscription to the next? Yeah, you’re not the only one. The printed newspaper is dying, and so is its readership. According to SVDJ (Stimulation Fund for Journalism), almost 60% of newspaper readers in the Netherlands are 50 years or over, and the number of readers under the age of 35 declined to just 20%. The printed newspaper is now joining the out-of-fashion group of the Nokia 3310 and DVDs.

enue and profit determine the success of a medium, and essentially the content as well. Because print advertising is declining, newspapers are suffering from a big revenue loss. The Guardian, The New York Times and The Washington Post looked for ways to replace this source of income and put large amounts of their content online – on the house. B u t online adver-

Although we can replace the last two with an iPhone and Netflix, it is impossible to replace the paid subscription to a newspaper with free online articles. And a big part of the blame for journalism’s dire straits is on us and our unwillingness to pay for the work journalists produce.

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I don’t see why I have to pay to receive information about the world I live in.

In a survey conducted by the Boomerang, over 80% of the respondents said that they are not paying for the journalism they consume. 45.5% said that they were using the account their parents are paying for and 36.4% admitted that they only read free articles online. And then there was that one lonely respondent who said they listened to radio. Great. Journalism has become an industry where the number of clicks, the number of readers, ad-revCover Illustration © Amu Endo

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There is an invisible price tag on free journalism

tising doesn’t come close to providing what print advertising brought in before – especially in the age of AdBlock. Newspapers are the producers of the bulk of the reporting and journalism in a country. Television programs, B-quality news sites, and blogs often just repackage the information that newspaper journalism produces. But, the abundance of free articles draws people away from paid subscriptions. Because, why the hell would you pay for something that you can get for free? And apparently this sentiment is shared by many students at UCU. Survey answers as to why people are not paying for journalism included the well-argued “I’m too lazy” - fair enough. Others included: “There is so much available online, I don’t feel like I’m missing out by not subscribing to a newspaper”, “I don’t think it’s necessary - there are enough free news articles to read” and “I don’t see why I have (continues on next page)

in this edition… • BarCo’s Risky Gamble

• Bar Brawl – Who’s an Artist 6

• Your Writing is Terrible

• Zimbabwe: An update

• The Dark Side of Avocados

• Hierarchy of the Sciences

The Boomerang | December 2017

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to pay to receive information about the world I live in.”

people”. “I hate some of these people, I hate ‘em,” Trump said about reporters late last year, a month after he won the Good journalism takes a lot of time, presidency. “[but] I would never kill hard work and money. A medium them. I would never do that.” needs investigative journalists, factcheckers, editors and correspondents In a time when the President of the in order to produce articles which are United States has publicly declared a correct, reliable and include back- war on media, we have to realize how ground information. But the Scrooge- important it is to support independent like readership still has not realised news sources. Because it’s simply the that if journalism is under pressure, only gatekeeper of information from democracy is as well. the government to the people. Quality media outlets are painfully aware that they are the ones suffering. We’ve all encountered the humble appeal on newspapers’ websites: “since you’re here we have a small favour to ask”. It seems like the newspaper is a homeless person asking for a little contribution to survive the night. The leader of the free world labelled news reporters as “dishonest,” “scum” and the “enemy of the American

I pinky-promise that the Boomerang will remain free. But perhaps, next time the newspaper is on its bare knees asking you apologetically to please make a donation, consider doing so. Because there is an invisible price tag on free journalism; well-informed citizens, which form the basis of our democracy. We either have to start paying for quality journalism or pay for the consequences of not having it.

Support Quality Journalism. Good Journalism for Cheap! •

The Economist offers students a trial subscription for only €20 for 12 weeks (both online and in print!)

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Become a supporter of The Guardian for only €5 a month!

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Blendle allows you to upload credit to your account (easily via Ideal) and you can pay per article (on average 25 ct per article, and they have mediums like Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the biggest Dutch newspapers and magazines etc.)

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The New York Times offers a student subscription for $1 (!) a week for the duration of your university career which gives you full access to their online content.

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(Dutch only!) Volkskrant has a student subscription for only €4.50 a week; you will receive the physical newspaper daily (Mon-Sat) and have full access to their online content. Or, for €9.90 a month you can get online access.

Mijn liefste lekkere dingetjes, The weather outside is frightful and my bed is really, really delightful. It’s snowing outside and it’s starting to look a lot like the semester is over. I want to wish you a very merry Christmas. This phrase has become controversial in recent years. Exactly a year ago, an article in the Boomerang argued that it is exclusive, and the correct form would be ‘happy holiday’. So, I guess I should wish you a happy holiday instead. But wouldn’t that be terribly bland. In its contemporary use, holiday means an absence of work. This puts labour at the centre of our worldview. It defines us humans as beings whose prime objective is work. This time of the year however, is about so much more than just time off. “Merry Christmas” summons memories of cozy family dinners, candle-lit fir trees, snow-covered mountains, and mulled wine. It is a blissful time. Even if you have never celebrated this Christian tradition, by wishing you a merry Christmas, I hope to share some of this feeling with you. Equally, I expect that friends from the wealth of cultures in this world will wish happy Hanukah, merry Yule, or whatever else to whoever they meet. Societies don’t become inclusive by shielding traditions from each other, but by sharing them. Wishing a happy holiday means excluding people from other cultures from experiencing the beauty of your own. This is a loss for everyone, especially at an international campus. Instead, enjoy this beautiful time wherever you might find yourself. Be it back home with your family, with friends, or even on campus, think about those closest to you. I would also like to wholeheartedly thank our Art Director Nina Gribling. She is leaving the board to hopefully have the time of her life in California. Nina brought something different to our long board discussions, and always with a broad smile. We will miss her. Lotte Schuengel will replace her on the board. Welcome! On this note, please enjoy this special take-home edition.

Clemens Schally, Editor-in-Chief

THE BAR’S SPINNING WHEEL: A RISKY GAME?

by Clemens Schally and Aditya Agarwal

his academic year, our bar has tried to up its game by introducing a spinning wheel. Pay two euros so you can turn it, and take a stab at winning prizes ranging from beer to shots to even a kiss on the cheek by the chief on duty. If luck’s not on your side, you lose your money and win nothing. In other words, it’s a gamble, a wager, a game of chance, and also generally illegal under Dutch law. The UCSA bar’s spinning contraption stands on shaky legal ground.

opportunity to compete for prizes, whether cash or kind, where success depends on coincidence and cannot be influenced by the player, it falls into this category. Gambling licenses are required for businesses centred around such games which are only available to organisations such as the state lottery or larger casinos. Bars and restaurants can use state-regulated gambling machines, for which another permit is required. The UCSA Bar does not have such a permit.

These illegal games of chance under Dutch law are defined very broadly. If there is an

Games that are not accessible to the public are exempt from this prohibition, under the

condition that the organiser does not operate as a business. Here the UCSA bar is in a grey area – It is theoretically only accessible to the student association members. However, guests can always sign in, blurring the line between public and private. Regardless, the bar remains a business venture, even as a not-for-profit institution. Odds are thus that this exemption doesn’t apply. The BarCo board needs to pay attention. Fines for an infringement of this law can run up to €20.000, and a kiss on the cheek by the chief on duty. Is the risk worth the fun?

A University College Student Association Magazine

BUBBLE THUS, BEARING IN MIND THAT YOUR WRITING IS HIGHLY TERRIBLE by Lotte Schuengel

cademic writing is atrocious. Read Scope, read my essays, read your own. Every product of research at this university is a swamp of endless, tiring, redundant, incomprehensible rambling about absolutely nothing. Let me give you an example: “Additionally, what I think is another issue with the paper, is that it seems to appear to be a lot broader than it should necessarily be. The research question is thus very broad and highly unclear, and it is of little to no help that Vogeler uses more than one theoretical perspective in order to answer the research question that she asks.”

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noise from any paper and you end up with less than half the number of pages. Conciseness, apparently, is no condition for quality here. I got graded ‘A’ for that thing I showed you. I’ve never encountered a teacher who complained about bad writing that wasn’t grammar or spelling mistakes.

Ask a student to write a 4000 word paper, and they’ll write a 1000-word paper in 4000 words.

I wrote this in my first semester. The assignment was to fill four pages. After two pages I didn’t really have anything more to say, so half of the essay is horrific nonsense like that quote. I can’t remember any assignment demanding me to be as concise as possible. Instead, they all have a minimum word count. Progress is determined by the proximity to that minimum.

Ask a student to write a 4000 word paper, and they’ll write a 1000 word paper, but in 4000 words. ‘Most importantly, in order to make this comparison’, ‘it is highly significant to understand that’, ‘it must be noted’ et cetera. Scrape off all that white

And I’ve never heard anyone in RiC talk about redundant phrases. Word

counts shouldn’t be a minimum, they should be a limit. What’s a real skill? To stretch a small topic out to an incomprehensible mess of adjectives and useless sentences? Or to fit a complicated message in only one or two pages where every single sentence adds substance to the paper? The first one requires a lexicon, the second requires intellect.

Illustrations © Lotte Schuengel

DINING HALL PLANS LEAKED ON OPEN DAY by Jamie March

n hindsight, I was probably too enthusiastic about going undercover at the UCU open day. Realizing I was too late to sign up for an official spot, I managed to convince one of the student ambassadors to allow me to secretly tag along with their group. With great expectations I enter the classroom of Erwin van Sas, faculty head of economics and tutor. Luckily, he does not recognize me and introduces himself. The moment he starts his lecture I think I’ve hit the jackpot. He’s walking up to students and parents, moving his hands in animated ways, and using lingo such as ‘what’s hot, what’s happening?’ His lecture is on minimum prices for alcohol which, while interesting, was probably decided upon after rigorous testing on focus groups of 16-17 year olds.

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I was let down by how reasonable the rest of the day was.

Unfortunately, as I would learn afterwards, this exaggerated

manner of teaching is actually Erwin van Sas’ style. While wonderful, it would not help me write my story about how UCU pimps their school for open day. But then again, nothing did. I was let down by how reasonable the rest of the day was. Following the lecture we were given a tour of the campus by our two student ambassadors. They talked about how everyone is ambitious and studies together (but conveniently left out how Voltaire has the highest density of mental breakdowns per m2 come finals week), but ultimately nothing deceitful was said to promote UCU. The open day was disappointingly normal, the student ambassadors didn’t hide the fact that some units don’t have sinks (god help the outcasts), Erwin seems to be as eccentric in his normal classes and I have had to resort to blatant clickbait based on the fact that the tour guides were told to tell prospective students that optional dining hall meal plans were to be implemented next semester, which, while pre-emptive (they heard a week before we did) were not untrue.

The Boomerang | December 2017

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LADIES’ NIGHT IS NOT FEMINIST by Jorn Krijgsman and Saskia Vrensen

f you’ve never been to Ladies’ Night, you’ve probably seen Snapchat videos of it. And if no one ever Snapchats you, here’s what it looks like: You walk into the Bar. To the left, shirtless bartenders serving (tasty) cocktails to elegantly dressed ladies. To your right, a cake shaped like a penis perches on the table amongst other snacks. In your peripheral, you see a lady in 1920’s apparel licking one of the shirtless bartenders’ stomach instead of, you know, just

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how sexy they are? Ladies’ Night should be a night without any pressure to hook up or other sexual attention that may be undesirable. However, the sexual tension is even more present than usual bar nights. We may ask ourselves if Ladies’ Night really is what it could be. Would the night not be equally fun without the bare chests, phallic foods and a stripper shoving someone’s hand onto his genitalia? Shouldn’t Ladies’ Night be about, you know, the ladies?

Shouldn’t Ladies Night be about, you know, the ladies?

taking a body shot normally. At some point in the night, when you’re already too drunk to know what is happening, a stripper arrives and the entire party stops to form a screaming wall of eyes around him, many standing on barstools to catch a glimpse of his abs. Don’t get me wrong: Ladies’ Night is very fun. It’s fun to be in the Bar without guys, just enjoying fellow Ladies’ company. It’s fun to be served cocktails by bartenders who managed to find every part of their tux except the shirt. Hey, even strippers are fun I guess. But is it feminist? There are aspects of Ladies’ Night that create a sort of feminist paradox. Part of this paradox is the question: why should Ladies’ Night, a night for the ladies if you will, revolve around men and

On the other hand, women’s sexuality and, their desire to share it, is undeniably feminist. While one woman’s Ladies’ Night might be about the Ladies, another’s might be about the Men and that is ok too. But isn’t there ample opportunity on normal party nights for Ladies to focus on Men? Furthermore, if Ladies’ Night was just a way to share Ladies’ sexuality, the focus on Men as the object of this is rather excluding for the non-hetero Ladies out there. Does one really embrace their sexuality by way of a penis cake? (I’m not judging). All this being said, Ladies’ Night was fun, and while it might not have been fun in a totally feminist way, I am still planning on attending next year. Not all fun needs to be politically correct, as long as we acknowledge and understand the political incorrectness! And anyway, the penis cake tasted pretty damn good. Illustration © Iris ten Have

THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL. ALWAYS. by Luana Gavan

e were discussing social movements in class when our professor asked why there is no culture of protesting at UCU. Social movement theory mentions the need for a conducive environment and an organized representational body as essential for the emergence of a movement. Someone in the room emphasized the apolitical stance of the UCSA. We all know what it says, although three years later I still fail to understand why it insists on saying it. Looking at the wider cultural background might offer a viable explanation. Sure, the Dutch might get a bit angry every year around Sinterklaas, or a bit upset at the lack

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Why is our student association clinging so tightly to a tradition of apathy?

of female urinals in public spaces, but they do not like to “make a fuss”. Contrary to the massive movements of the 60s and 70s, this new trend is all about not inconveniencing oneself too much. Following the mantra of “doe normaal”, protests are contained within institutionally approved limits. Is Dutch society so well developed that there is no discontent? Between racist traditions and institutionalized sexism, that is hard to

believe. Yet people are numbed down for fear of appearing “asociaal” and under a complacent belief that “others have it worse anyway”. Under the guise of pre-established rules, the apathy has spread at university level as well: the UCSA cannot support anything political due to the Statutes. These Statutes are invoked as a centuries-old codified Constitution, and ascribed such power that we tend to forget they are merely a set of student-made regulations. They have been amended before, and can be amended again. All that is needed is a GA majority vote and a notarial deed, the cost of which should be negligible in the grand scheme of UCSA’s leftover funds. So why is our student association clinging so tightly onto a tradition of apathy? While there is currently no active discontent among students regarding Article 3.3, I would argue that the mere existence of that article and its symbolic mark on the students’ consciousness, is what’s causing the committee structure to fail. Attendance rates have dropped to the point where the

Sailing Trip was cancelled and the Hitchhiking Trip barely reached a quarter of its target members because students are bored and disengaged. We do not want to spend time on the same old events promising free drinks and snacks. We do not want another mindless distraction with fun as its only aim. Frankly put, we don’t care enough to get involved, because our limited options do not leave space for the kind of passion and anger that can spark real personal commitment. Student activism has been a powerful force in society in the past, yet our student association prohibits it. Though one could argue that political activism can be pursued by each of us individually, in our spare time, is that really the message our student representatives want to send to the community? That we are on our own? In the end, it is about the symbolic power that an institutionalized acceptance of our anger can have. There is no guarantee that it will work in revitalizing the committee system. Maybe the apathy has reached too deep for amends to make any difference.Illustration But why©not try? Idalina Lehtonen

A University College Student Association Magazine

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THE HIERARCHY OF THE SCIENCES by Florine Kist

ociologist Comte coined the term “hierarchy of the sciences” in 1854. In his hierarchy, astronomy is at the bottom, and - surprise - sociology is at the top.

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We live for hard data

The modern hierarchy tells a different story, in which physics rather than sociology is the most valued science. This opinion is not at all uncommon in our 21st century western society. We live for hard data, for measurable numbers that seem to present our world as it is objectively. It is pretty much exclusively through research in the sciences that we can obtain this kind of information, with perhaps certain domains of economics as the exception. Other social sciences and all humanities are not in a position to compete because of the different

nature of their research and data. Our society currently is obsessed with only those types of research and data that can be turned into profit and benefit the economy. Although some social sciences, like law and psychology, are granted a decent status because they offer insights into justice systems and mental health care, humanities are seen as unprofitable and often get ascribed the degrading status “not to be taken seriously”. It’s peculiar that this mindset takes place on campus, too. I would have expected UCU students to take interdisciplinarity - the key element of any liberal arts and sciences college - more seriously. Still we are guilty of having and spreading these thoughts. Ideally, UCU students would see all sciences as informative and useful. That is what interdisciplinarity, the combining of knowl-

edge of different subjects to obtain a more holistic and diversified worldview, requires. But we don’t live in an ideal world, and here too we seem to feel as if a science degree is worth more than any other degree. As if an A in humanities is equal to a B- in science. As if what we learn in sciences and social sciences will always be more profitable and useful than whatever it is one might learn in the humanities. I’m not blaming anyone for having this opinion, because it is practically inevitable not to let it seep into your own language and practice. It is just as omnipresent at campus as it is in the rest of our profit- driven society. Even I, a psychology and philosophy major, am guilty of thinking like this, even though deep down I know that our society needs critical philosophers just as much as it needs genius mathematicians.

“YES, I DID THE IB”: RESEARCH IN CONTEXT AS TOLD BY FIRST YEARS by Soomin Chung

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e get it, you did the IB.” The running joke among first years captures a rather broad generalization of first years into two groups: those who survived the IB, and those who did not suffer the pain of IB. International Baccalaureate, referred as the IB, is a high-level set of courses taught in English that mandates high school-level students to enroll in 6 courses in each discipline. Due to the rigor of the courses and the workload, those who have the IB diploma tend to take pride in their ‘2 year-long suffering’ and are not afraid to voice that feeling of accomplishment. If they are truly so different, what do IB and non-IB students think of Research in Context?

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So, congratulations; you took the IB.

Michele Li is a proud former IB student who studied at an international school in Beijing. He agreed with the course aim, that it is valuable in that we “learn how to write academically, give academic presentations, and cite sources”. However, he said “[the course] is not something you look forward to or get excited for”. Due to his lack of interest in pursuing a career as a researcher, he concluded that is simply is “not a part of the plan” regarding his future plans. However, he suggested that the quality of the course could depend on the lecturer, commending Dr. Canning’s diversity of activities that engages the students. But most importantly, he lamented the lack of new content for IB students stating that: “There’s nothing a b o u t this course that I haven’t learned from high school”. Victor Krol is a Dutch student grew up in the Netherlands for the majority of his life who followed the

who

traditional national educational system rather than taking the IB. Regarding the usefulness of Research in Context, he said: “I’ve never done anything like this before because I haven’t done the IB”. He commented that he is not used to writing academic papers in English, and has not had any course that is comparable to RiC in high school. Overall, due to the didactic approach of RiC to guide students to write academic papers, Victor commented: “It’s very helpful!”. Leonard van Lembergen, a Belgian first year who attended a boarding school had a different outlook on RiC: “It’s bullshit”. He mentioned that each high school course he has taken had a rigorous academic-writing component to it, with weekly 1,000 word essays for each subject, and a 100,000 word essay at the end of the year. Regarding the usefulness of RiC as an introduction to the English-speaking curriculum, Leonard commented that the English course he took in high school was sufficient for him to transition into UCU from a Dutch- speaking curriculum. The years into IB or not seems alising notion that does not sity of high school curricusystem. The first years’ course did not depend they took the IB or the rigor of their courses and what ually choose to from the course for the contronecessity of the congratulatook the IB.

categorization of first whether they took the like an awfully generaccount for the diverlums among the non-IB impression of RiC on whether not. Rather, high school they individtake away accounted versy of the course. So, tions; you

Illustration © Ida Lehtonen

The Boomerang | December 2017

BUBBLE In Bar Brawl, two students tackle a controversial issue each month. Want to fight? Email us at boomerang@ucsa.nl or join us at the next writers meeting.

DO NOT REWARD YOURSELF

BEING AN ARTIST by TJ Querio

or those of you who know me, it might surprise you to learn that I only started calling myself a writer about two months ago, when I arrived at UCU. Okay, yeah, for years I said that I wrote, and enjoyed writing. It has always been a part of my identity. So why make the distinction? For me, it’s about accountability. I went from someone who occasionally picks up a pen and words end up on the page, who went to an arts camp for Creative Writing three years running, to someone whose future prospects hopefully include words like “author,” “publisher,” and “editor.” Someone who writes for a living. Someone who, if they don’t write, erases a part of their self.

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Someone who, if they don’t write, erases a part of themselves.

Does this mean I write every day? Apart from challenges here and there, heavens no! So what makes me a writer when I haven’t written for four months? If asked, I’d probably answer “the fact that I want to write again.” But the truth is, I don’t know. Who am I to invalidate those who call themselves artists but don’t create? What makes a dry spell for me different from someone else’s? And yet it’s such a common descriptor these days. People call themselves artists with what seems like very little empirical evidence to back them up; no artwork, no ink-stained fingers, no beat-up notebook. It has become fashionable to be an artist. Inspiration - and the lack thereof - has been glorified and romanticized. The image of the tortured, starving artist is an underdog symbol for many. But if we are truly speaking about the sublime, about art and all its glorious abstract concepts, then it may not be right to rely on empirical evidence so strongly. Which brings us to the sticky question, “How does it feel to be an artist?” And, even stickier, “If you feel like an artist, is that enough?” I’m a big fan of self-identification, but opening up the title to anyone capable of creating something (whether or not they actually do being irrelevant) makes me uncomfortable. And maybe that’s just my stubborn and pretentious desire to have the artist’s mystique. But, as an artist, I feel like one - even when I’m not creating. What does that feel like, you ask? I’ll allow Hemingway to explain: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

by Charlotte Remarque

veryone is in such a rush to define themselves that they will stop at nothing to call themselves artists. High schools and college campuses are overrun with baby-faced “artists”, paraphernalia in hand. But a DLSR or Moleskine does not make an artist. I am not a fan of self-identification when it comes to artistry. An artist can come in many forms. However, the notion of self-identification is not used as a tool for inclusivity but rather for attention-seeking. All these people publicly insisting on being called artists do it only to give themselves a false legitimacy. I don’t understand the need to advertise your identity so constantly. If artistry is about being an artist for yourself and believing in your own identity as an artist (self-identification!), who is all that validation for? Surely not the self-expressed artist, who needs no-one else to legitimize them? Why is it important to have a title?

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What do I think is an artist? Someone who dedicates their professional life to art.

The dictionary definition of an artist allows for dabbling and hobbyism. I do not agree with this definition. In reality, the word “artist” carries with it a legitimacy that is in no way supported by this definition. It leads to blatant misuse of the title. That’s why Instagram poets can feel like Plath while churning out plagiarized drivel by the bucketful. No criticism allowed – they are, after all, artists. Without a degree of professionalism, anyone can call themselves an artist. What do I think is an artist? Someone who dedicates their professional life to art. There is no need to call yourself an artist until you are published, paid or trying everything to get there. The rest can say they would like to become an artist. Or that they enjoy making poems/photographs/plays. Or that they have made a lot of sculptures. Don’t call yourself an artist at this stage, student. Do not reward yourself with a title because you have dabbled in creativity. Calling yourself an artist leaves the word so meaningless. You are not an artist, you are a person with a hobby – and there is no shame in this. Follow us on Snapchat and keep up with campus happenings, and occassionally when we dare burst the bubble, happenings outside of campus too!

Get paid to write for us! The Boomerang has a budget to cover, partially or in whole, your costs for reviewing events, movies, music, games – anything you feel would be interesting for the campus community. Come by the open writers’ meetings each month to discuss your ideas, or email us at boomerang@ucsa.nl. Other articles are also of course very welcome, as are illustrations. We need (and want) you!

A University College Student Association Magazine

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PUT YOUR BODY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS by Nina Gribling

is appears to be? What if we can break the walls and deconstruct reality more easily than assumed? The Women’s Peace Camp of Greenham Common was not just about the promotion of ‘peace’, or fighting nuclear weapons. The effect of particular protest actions on the status quo is of minor importance here. What it was about was the creation of an alternative discourse through empowerment. The Peace Camp played a role in shifting the traditional narrative fighting for your ideals should of women and mothers as housewives, to become part of everyday life, agents of change.

y grandmother tied herself to the fences of Greenham Common as part of the Women’s Peace Camp. Together with hundreds of other women, she dared to leave her husband and children at home and travel to England, to protest the use of nuclear weapons. From 1980 onwards, over 70,000 women joined the camp because they believed in a better world. Was it naïve idealism?

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through small acts of dissent

Unlike the zeitgeist of the 80s, our generation grew up with the ability to voice our concerns over social media. Although we are opinionated, the prevalent belief in capitalism and our dependence on commodities and resources is something we would rather not challenge. Besides, the overall pessimism in the possibility of change leaves most people in dismay. Postmodernist thought has sadly discouraged us from seeing ourselves as agents of our own lives. Our reality is a social construct, formed by the impermeable structure of the world. It’s a room with just one exit, and everything around us directs us toward it. This paradigm makes it almost impossible to create a different world that is not based on capitalism and is depended on commodities and individual success. What if the structure is more porous than

You don’t have to be an anarchist to be an activist. Civil disobedience plays a crucial part in the nonviolent actions that can create new paradigms of thought. My grandparents were ordinary citizens who lived an agreeable life in the suburbs. Still, at some point they refused to pay taxes because they did not want to support nuclear power with their money. All over the world, ‘powerless’ people resist the status quo, whether it is through poetry or music, or even through the symbolic meaning of humour. It shows how fighting for your ideals should become part of everyday life, through small acts of dissent. Of course, top-down approaches will have to change policies and regulations. But it will not happen without pressure from the people. While the political actors behind COP23 in Bonn were talking about the reduction of fossil fuels a few weeks ago, the contracts of coalmines and gas fields all over Europe are still being extended.

Thus, in the weekend of COP23 I found myself together with over 2,000 others occupying the open-pit of Hambach. It lasted for 12 hours, in which the monstrous machines stopped working. We all had the same goal: to uncover the inertia of contemporary politics concerning environmental issues, and to take grassroots action. But the protest was more than the occupation of the mine. Ende Gelände, as the movement is called, builds a resistance community that campaigns for a better and more just future, including a ‘People’s Climate Summit’ that challenges prevailing discourses. The camp of Ende Gelände and Greenham Common’s peace camp were both liminal spaces where norms and values that otherwise are marginalized or even illegal, had become legitimate. What matters is not to know the world, but to change it, was Fanon’s critique of his time. I would argue the same for the generation growing up today. In the light of what we know, the revolution will not be organized for us. It requires the integrity to put your body where your mouth is.

UNDERSTANDING ANGER by A Very Opinionated Girl

e’re all pissed off about something. With Christmas coming up, the political discussions over the dinner table are looming. Everyone has at least one political problem they feel isn’t being addressed. We all have complaints. We all want social change. So why isn’t anything happening?

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The Hambacher mine, which burns the ground only 50 kilometres away from the climate summit, is one of the largest and most polluting brown coal mines in Europe, emitting as much CO2 into the air every 10 seconds as much as the average Dutchman in a year. During the past months, squatters have been trying to stop its expansion by inhabiting what’s left of the nearby forests.

It’s easy to be angry. It’s easy to complain.

Everyone who is slightly politically aware can identify with this. We want to change things, ranging from race to gender to sustainability. But we feel like we can’t. A conclusion that could come from simply scrolling through any comment section under a Vice post on Facebook: no one can compromise. No one only can come to the conclusion that they, possibly, are wrong. That is why nothing is changing. All parties are exclusionary. All parties show intolerance to those who do not share their opinions. All groups hate and create the inand the out-groups. We are all guilty of exclusionary, discriminatory practices. But it is so much easier not to reflect, not to see these practices in ourselves. Everyone condemning those who voted for Trump is essentially condemning those who condemn; which, upon a second examination, seems relatively hypocritical. We need to stop condemning. We need to stop excluding. We need to give everyone a voice, no matter how little we want to hear of what they have to say.

Understanding does not mean accepting, understanding does not mean excusing. But we must remember that only through understanding will we create a discourse that is useful, a conversation that will change the world around us. The power of listening is often underestimated. Just that simple act can break down a barrier between you. Understanding that they are simply also fighting for what they believe, is a huge show of tolerance. People are a product of the culture they exist in. We believe we are doing the right thing; can we extend that to those we don’t agree with? Even if we disagree so strongly with the opposition, we should allow them to speak. Only from a place of understanding of their reasoning will we ever be able to change anything about it. And perhaps realize that we aren’t so different after all. So, we need to overcome the major differences and find one thing that we need to fight for. Essentially, this is reflective of the concept of social fermentation. There is no focus on the revolution. No way for us to get somewhere. It’s one side against the other and within those sides, there are also huge discrepancies. And if we can’t agree on what we want to change, how will we ever manage to change anything at all? It’s easy to be angry. It’s easy to complain. What’s more difficult is compromising. And yes, this means overcoming your pride, getting rid of the conception that your way is the only way. Which is a hard thing to do. But we will have to realize that it’s the only way to unite and to start a movement that may actually accomplish something.

The Boomerang | December 2017

GLOBAL

A POST-COLONIAL BACKDROP TO THE RECENT POLITICAL TRANSITION IN ZIMBABWE by Maya Homsy King

“T

housands Celebrate Zimbabwe’s New President”, “Zimbabwe After Mugabe”, “Reporter Witnesses the Birth of a New Zimbabwe”; As news headlines have proclaimed during the past few weeks, history is being made in The Republic of Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe, president since independence in 1980, has finally stepped down. In his place, former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa is taking his chair. On November 14th, the army took control of the state after Mugabe sacked Mnangagwa and on the 21st of November, Robert Mugabe formally resigned as President to the joy and surprise of many Zimbabweans, after thousands had taken to the street in protest of his Rule. But what led to the bloodless coup of two weeks ago? Zimbabwe’s turbulent history gives context to the current political situation. Zimbabwe, then known as Southern Rhodesia, was a British colony dating from the late 1800s, and was under Rhodes’ British South Africa C o m p a n y . Starting in 1890,

white settlers arrived in what is now the capital, Harare, and occupied most of the fertile land. This was amplified by the Land Apportionment Act of 1930, which legally limited black Zimbabweans’ access to land. As a result, by 1979, white settlers owned 80% of arable land in the country, while only composing 3% of the population. This provided the foundation for the land reform that took place once Mugabe’s ZANU-PF took power after the Rhodesian Civil War. A critical aspect of this was the controversial Fast Track Land Reform Program, an initiative by Mugabe’s party, to return whiteowned land to native Zimbabweans. Unfortunately, there was no clear plan on what reforms would take place after the land was returned to the people. As a result, the former breadbasket of

Africa was struck by famine because the new owners did not farm the land effectively. Due to a combination of factors, hyperinflation a n d Illustration © Esther Chavannes

economic downfall of the state followed. A well-known symbol of Zimbabwe’s failing economy was the printing of a 100 trillion-dollar banknote, which at one point would not even cover a bus fare. Ashley Chizema, a Zimbabwean student at UCU, also points out that Mugabe had good ideas, such as his emphasis on education, but that he overstayed his time. Western media predominantly places the blame for Zimbabwe’s state on poor governance, but sanctions by global financial institutions and Britain’s misconduct regarding the treatment of their former colony also played a role. Britain had pledged funding for land reform after the war, but when the government changed in 1997, the U.K. rescinded on its promise, claiming it was unconcerned in maintaining connections with “former colonial interests”. This was a main grievance in Mugabe’s subsequent political discourse, and led to strained relations with the U.K. and other Western nations after more land reform negotiations went awry. Although other factors played roles in shaping the current Zimbabwe, land reform was, and still is, a hotly debated issue that has never been resolved. Rumours speculate that the new President has given approval for white farmers to return and has offered them compensation for the land they lost so they can help rebuild the agricultural sector, in order to reform the economy. For now Zimbabwe’s future is uncertain, but what is certain, is that change is imminent.

ASKING ISNT THE HARDEST PART by TJ Querio

and while their rational mind may be telling them that reaching out will help them, either they cannot do so, or, worse, they believe they are not worthy of this help.

Up until fairly recently, campaigns that focused on how people with depression could be heard and understood were as lacking as much as they were vital. Now, the (first) world is rife with them. So what’s my issue, you ask? If depressed people are presented with a veritable buffet of people to talk to, help to receive, and resources to use, then why write this article? Well, for one thing, a hallmark of depression (and anxiety, as well as other mental illnesses) is believing that no one cares, even if they say they’re listening. For another, asking for help can often be as hard as other things that a depressed person must deal with, such as an inability to get out of bed or take a shower. The resistance to self-help is often very strong,

Where does this leave us, then? Even on a closely knit campus such as UCU, depression, loneliness, and anxiety are still prevalent, even if they are not so visible. And even if there are plenty of opportunities for those suffering, this doesn’t mean those who need assistance are able to take advantage of them. What I’d say is that the best way to help people with depression is to instruct those without it on how best to help a friend. Because sometimes even when the hurdle of asking is jumped successfully - that brave message has been sent, read, and responded to - sometimes the person being asked for help doesn’t know it. Because of the romanticization and general misinformation about what depression looks like, it is generally misunderstood what a “cry for help” looks like. In fact, it’s almost impossible, because every person who has depression experiences, deals with, and speaks about it in different ways. What would help me during a depressive episode may not help someone else, and vice

e’ve all heard it. “Ask for help.” “Tell someone.” “Speak up.” It’s easy for institutions, groups, and companies to say these things and introduce campaigns to spread awareness and help people with mental illnesses. And while these systems and campaigns are incredibly important, especially when it comes to visibility of signs, symptoms, and triggers, I would argue that it’s only the first step. Because asking isn’t the hardest part of getting help.

A University College Student Association Magazine

GLOBAL versa. So what I’d recommend is (and keep in mind, please, that this is just me speaking from experience), when your friend tells you, verbally or not, they’re struggling with mental illness, let them

know that you are there to help them how they need it. Ask them. Even if they don’t know for sure what they need, they’re still the most informed on the subject. Being depressed is a full-time job, you can’t help but learn a little about how it works.

BLOOD AVOCADOS: NOT ANOTHER HORROR MOVIE STARRING AN EVIL VEGGIE by Ivan Rzonzew

uring one of your brief visits to Jumbo or Albert Heijn –widely considered UCU students’ favourite (and only) destinations-, you probably ended up deciding for avocados when you got to the veggies section. Let’s face it: they are tastier than other vegetables. Plus, from time to time you find them on sale, an indicator of the high supply of avocado in Dutch superm a r k e t s , which is due to the fact that the Netherlands is t h e second biggest importer of avocados after the US. But as you eat your avocado, did you ever think you were funding violent cartels at the other end of the world? Probably not. Yet, the avocado in your salad has a dark side you probably didn’t know about: much of its production is controlled by violent cartels in Mexico. Mexico is currently the leading avocado producer in the world, supplying 45% of the world’s demand. Within the region of Mexico, we have to thank Michoacán for this: a beautiful, hilly province in South East Mexico that provides 92% of Mexico’s total avocado production. But the conditions under which avocado producers work in this area are not even close to adequate. T h e area is

controlled by Mexico’s major drug cartels, including the ‘Knights Templar’

and more recently the ‘H3.’ They have infiltrated the avocado market, requesting large percentages of the income of avocado producers and threatening to harm their crops and even families if

million in his best years in the 80’s and 90’s to $15 000 in 2012, a year before the publication of the interview. When referring to his financial situation, Jesus stated, “the Templarios have ruined my business,” only speaking again to add, “I don’t know how much

longer I have until I go bankrupt.” they fail to do so. In an interview that Camilo Olarte, Mexican journalist, had with Vogue, he talked about the actions of the H3 cartel: “It is using extraordinary violence. Homicides are as high now as they were in 2012. H3 is a breakaway militia: it once defended agriculture in the region and is now criminalized.” The

“

fear

faced

avocado

the avocado in your salad has a dark side

producers in this area has led them to continue working, even when they are not making the necessary revenue. Vocativ.com interviewed Jesus, a ‘mocha’ farmer who has been in the avocado business for years, and he said his income went down from $1.5

Such circumstances have put farmers in Michoacán in a critical situation, as they are stuck in a cycle of senseless, unproductive work and have no choice but to finance the criminals of the drug cartels in the area. As a consumer, this makes me wonder about the responsibilities one has with these producers at the other side of the world. In the US, boycotts against these so-called “blood avocados” have already taken place. Nonetheless, they have not been enough to defeat the cruel, unfair system, ruling the world’s major spot of avocado production. Looking at the Netherlands, it comes as relieving news that avocado importations come primarily from Chile, Peru, and South Africa. Yet, an important portion of them also come from Mexico, one that has been quantified to be worth no less than 38 Million Euros. So, next time you are trying to be healthy, check twice to see where your avocados are coming from. Or perhaps just stick to the carrots?

The Boomerang | December 2017

ARTS&CULTURE

MILLIONS OF UNEXAMINED LIVES HAVE PLATO ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE by Aja Krystall-Parker

just a few. The meat industry, in my opinion, is one of the sickest, most vile atrocities man has committed, and future generations will look back upon us with disappointment, and laugh at the irony of our widespread ignorance dominating our self-proclaimed advanced, civil society.

his is a paradoxical time we live in.

Advances in science, technology and other many academic have given us access to unprecedented amounts of knowledge. The additional global force of the world wide web has brought that knowledge to our fingertips – just a click away.

Even though the jaw-dropping facts and figures are just a click away, the consumption of red meat has actually increased steadily to this day, even though it’s a well-known fact that fruits, vegetables and grains are good for you, while red meat can cause disease. We know that after keeping them in inhumane conditions, the meat industry slaughters 50 billion animals per year, not before pumping them full of all sorts of bizarre hormones. And yet, we still willingly participate by picking packets from the supermarket

In the year 2017, using obliviousness as an excuse is a weak argument. But we are not living in some omniscient utopia – far from it. Instead of using this plethora of data to become aware and informed citizens, we have instead retreated into our social circles of like-minded people who reaffirm our worldviews and lifestyles. And whenever we are confronted with something that challenges our beliefs, it shakes our little life-boats causing us to hold on for dear life, scared to fall into the ocean of knowledge that, god forbid, may cause us to look at our lives through a critical lens.

An argument pedalled by meat-eaters is that humans are in fact carnivores. Well, my friend, give a 10-year-old a pig and a carrot and see which one it eats and which one it strokes – our insatiable appetite for meat is culturally conditioned and fuelled by the advertising industry that turns citizens into brain-washed, coronary-bypass patients.

What really grinds my gears is when this ‘ignorance is bliss’ trend occurs in the realm of food. Unlike politics, where we only need to be really well-informed when elections come around, food choices are something every single person makes multiple times per day, causing ripple-effects in the realms of physical and mental health, environmental issues, exploitative working conditions and animal welfare, to name

We have the science to show that we get all our essential nutrients from other sources and we have the land and climate to produce enough fruits and veggies. There’s no NEED to kill; we have done the tests to show that cows and pigs are very smart animals with emotions and family structures; and we have the consciousness, that what separates us from all the other carnivores, to know that what we are doing is ethically and morally wrong. And yet we say, “but bacon, dude!” Leading an unexamined life is far easier than the alternative because to be able to analyse your life is confronting and making the ensuing lifestyle changes can be tough. But in my eyes, it’s worth doing to avoid living a life unaware of the impact your lifestyle has on the world. Wake up, people!

BABY DRIVER WILL RUIN THE FAST AND FURIOUS FRANCHISE FOR YOU by Kyle Gardiner

ne of the most energizing blockbusters of the year is a unicorn in the contemporary film industry. Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver is unique as a movie because, well, that’s all it is. It isn’t a remake or adaptation, nor is it part of a repetitive ‘extended universe’. It’s simply an original story stylized and told in a way that could only be done visually.

“

a beautiful, exciting movie that revels in being a film for film’s sake

Baby Driver is a movie about an orphaned young adult named Baby played by Ansel Elgort whose tinnitus causes a loud ringing in his ears, which he drowns out by constantly playing music on iPod Classics. He’s been

blackmailed for years by a criminal mastermind to be a getaway driver for bank heists, a job which he has become extremely adept at. The film is lovingly focused on music, all of which is sourced within the world of the story. Each scene plays out with incredible attention to detail, with all the visual elements being crafted around synchronicity with the song Wright had preselected. The chewing of bubble gum matches the drums, the speed of police sirens changes between shots to match the tempo, and the narrative tension is controlled by the song structure. In a three-minute-long take of Baby walking down the street to get coffee, the use of background details continues to impress by matching the lyrics of Harlem Shuffle by Bob & Earl to the graffiti our protagonist passes. Every shot fired in a gunfight is on time with

Tequila. While the story forces itself into a predictable ending, you still feel for the characters, and the expert depiction of Baby’s introversion is as much due to good character writing as it is Elgort’s execution of the role. Although the secondary characters in the film tend to be tropes of the genre, instead of coming across as cardboard cut-outs, the script and the cast keep you invested. Baby Driver’s use of song has led some to call for it to be classified a musical. It is both a love letter to the car chase movies that inspired Wright and a worthy addition to their pantheon. A beautiful, exciting movie that revels in being a film for film’s sake. Everyone should watch it, if only to see how much genuine appreciation for the medium went into it.

A University College Student Association Magazine

ARTS&CULTURE

PERSONALITY AND POLITICAL PREFERENCE: WHY YOUR FRIEND ISN’T A NAZI by Sven Bosma

iven that we live in times where everyone who leans left politically is labelled a communist, and everyone who leans right is a Nazi, it might be important to understand what makes someone more disposed to holding certain political positions. Now before you get angry that I’m generalising or labelling, let me say: This is a predictor, not Holy Gospel. Of course, nurture is also a factor, so your environment (*cough* UCU & liberalism *cough*) will have an impact too. All predictors here do have an over 50%-correct rate.

“

Orderliness is the dimension responsible for you not tolerating dirty pans in the sink, while your unitmate wallows in their cave of a room with an unshowered buttcrack.

In the Five Factor Model, better known as the Big Five personality traits, psychologists look at 5 dimensions: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness & Neuroticism (OCEAN). Let’s get the fringe-case Agreeableness out of the way. It can be subdivided into the dimensions Compassion and Politeness. Compassion predicts liberal values, while Politeness predicts conservative values. However, since being high in Agreeableness usually entails being high in both Politeness and Compassion, these two cancel each other out. That’s why it’s a fringe-case. Openness to Experience can be subdivided into Openness (read: creativity) and Intellect. Intellect is not intelligence. It’s best

described as an interest in ideas and abstract concepts. Now, high Openness to Experience tilts people more towards liberal values. Historically, these liberals were the hippies in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, and nowadays are those who are rather lenient with their in-group/ out-group recognition; think open borders etc. These would be the people to first communicate with neighbouring tribes or civilisations and initiate trade. Conscientiousness, in turn, can be split into Industriousness and Orderliness. Orderliness is the dimension responsible for you not tolerating dirty pans in the sink, while your unitmate wallows in their cave of a room with an unshowered buttcrack. Industriousness is the extent to which you can tolerate ‘not doing anything productive’ for a while. It’s also thought to be the underlying trait of the Disgust emotion, which protects us, evolutionarily speaking, from poison and disease. An interesting historical correlation is that societies that have recently suffered at the hand of whatever disease was the new fad, become overwhelmingly conservative in the years to come, most likely due to a sharpening of their disgust sensitivity. So, assuming you know your friends’ personality even just a tiny bit, this might help you understand why you disagree on certain topics. Now, that’s also the important part. It’s highly unlikely that one single side of a debate is completely right, so listen to each other, and try to learn something. If you take anything from this, make sure it’s the fact that dialogue will bring us infinitely further than other silly business like ‘no-platforming’ or other counterproductive movements. Peace.

“KEEP GOING FORWARD, GIRLS!”

AN INTERVIEW WITH KINDA HAMWI by Annick van Rinsum

upposed to be silent, Hamwi proved to be opinionated. Supposed to care for her husband, she pursued her dream of being an internationally oriented business woman. And supposed to be either a nurse or teacher, she became an account executive for Instagram.

“

I’m a strong female living in this very patriarchal world struggling her way up

Kinda Hamwi (30) spoke with Annick van Rinsum about her career in advertising, trance music, her youth in Syria, the war and feminism. “I am a strong female living in this very patriarchal world struggling her way up. Proving to the whole world that I’m okay with being a woman.” Hamwi understood that she lived in a “very backward” country and knew she would need to travel and catch up with the world. So she took online courses in business

and studied her brother’s books. Joining an NGO, she met a community of likeminded individuals. She stayed until deep into the night to watch videos on marketing at the Syrian branch of the BBDO ad agency, working with Sony, Monoprix and Pepsi. But then, a bloody war started. She felt desensitised and withdrew into herself. Trance music became her therapist, it blocked out the terrible sounds of the jets and the missile launcher behind her house. “If twelve jets came a day, I only heard three, maybe.” Because her name was in the records, Hamwi had to get to Libanon through mountain roads before boarding a plane to Turkey. After her arrival in the Netherlands, she connected with a guy called Maarten on LinkedIn to ask him for tips on the Dutch market. They’ve never lost contact since. In Syria she was judged when meeting up with guys on her own, but even then she continued to do so. “I don’t have barriers that will stop me connecting with anyone in life. That’s why I was hired in communication.” She chooses her friends irrespective of nationality, race or gender.

She says there were sometimes difficulties when the guys expected more from her than friendship. Their loss. “I choose very carefully who I want and do not want in my life.” This is also her biggest advice for young girls in Syria; “Never care and listen to anyone who tells you ‘no’. They can’t control you if you don’t give them that power. Set yourself free. Create your own society that embraces your personality and who you are. Not per se your ideas or what you create, but your character, as is, and that not tries to control and change it.” Although she sometimes has to laugh about what people in Netherlands complain about, she thinks it’s healthy for people to get angry and frustrated about the small things in life; “These are feelings. I really hate it if people think that because I’ve passed war in my life I completed the level of the game. It’s not like that guys!” Now, Kinda is the manager of the Instagram account of the internationally renowned advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam and soon, she will be opening her own web shop. Oh, and she’s writing a book.

The Boomerang | December 2017

QUAD QUERIES “What is your New Years’ Resolution?”

t a seagull?”

“I guess figh

– Didizis

ing the “Start readra e Boom ng” – Clara

“Embezzle all the money” – Julian

“Kiss Clem

ens 100 ti

– Elannah

mes”

“Hand in my articles on time”

an”

“Find me a m – Harlee

– Jamie (he didn’t)

“Increas statisticalle UCU’s diversity y by kil – Alexandling myself ” er

“Eh, trovare u –Nina

n lavoro”

“Only get kicked out of UCU after graduation” – Hannah

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