re/ invention -Saul Revell

re/ invention

an essay exCerPt From saul revell

There are several questions which immediately arise when considering the notion of ‘reinvention’ in the context of artistry. First and foremost, we must ask whether there can be any such thing as true reinvention; is it possible for someone to become something other than what they are, or are we merely referring to a shift in their existing personality? If we proceed under the assumption that reinvention is possible, then the next thing we must ask ourselves is how to recognise it, and then what, if anything, it denotes. As with most things of this nature, verification is tricky - how can I know, for instance, whether David Bowie truly had an alter ego or whether it was merely an act? Despite its obvious importance, this question along with the first must be set aside, at least momentarily, in favour of its successor: “what, if anything, is denoted by reinvention?”.

Proceeding under the assumption that reinvention is possible and ignoring the issue of how to recognise the real thing, we can consider the question of what it means. Does an artist’s, or anyone else’s reinvention of

themselves, actually denote anything beyond the obvious facts? To answer this, it may be helpful to consider examples. Within musical lore, there are numerous examples of personal reinvention ranging from the dramatic to the mundane and from the obviously genuine to the blatantly facile. Someone like Paul Simon, for instance, was clearly doing little more than rebranding himself with the changes he made after the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel, in an attempt to distance himself from his previous act. On the other hand, performers like Bowie sometimes border on having split personalities; indeed Bowie himself claimed to be embodying an alter ego rather than simply taking on a persona for theatrical reasons. So, do cases such as these indicate something about the performer, in and of themselves? I think the obvious answer is no. The bare fact of an artist changing some element of their appearance or performance is not a symptom of anything, but rather something that has come to be associated with brilliant artists. Because of famous and influential examples such as Bowie and Bob Dylan who were noted, among other things, for their sudden and drastic changes of style, it is now assumed that this kind of artistic rebirth signifies some kind of artistic genius. But this is a confusion of necessary and sufficient conditions; while an artist being brilliant or inspired may be sufficient to cause them to reinvent themselves, it isn’t necessary and so we cannot, therefore, assume the former by the presence of the latter. This confusion on the part of consumers has naturally become something that artists and their management take advantage of. As with many other classic hallmarks of artistic brilliance, reinvention is now so rife among modern artists that even if it meant something in the first place it would still be impossible to determine which cases were legitimate and which were phoney. Another more interesting question arises, however, which is what we can conclude about artists’ reinvention of themselves in the classical cases. Is it a rebellious attempt to pull themselves out of a rut they’ve dug themselves into, is it an involuntary outburst of creative energy, or is it something else entirely? The answer probably lies somewhere in between the first two. Rather than being simply an outburst or an attempt to escape an old role, it’s likely that reinvention operates as a method by which artists can create an environment for themselves that is more conducive to further creativity. If correct, however, this theory suggests that even less is indicated by an artist’s reinvention of themselves than we have already said. Because if reinvention is indeed a tool that artists use to coax themselves into creativity, then it can mean nothing at all with regards to their own artistic merit, but rather indicates a present or former lack of inspiration.

Setting aside the issue of what genuine reinvention means, we can examine what is indicated by false reinvention. What does an artist pretending to reinvent themselves indicate? It seems that there are two possible answers to this: either the artist is trying to convince other people or they’re trying to convince themselves. The former is understandable; if they convince people that they’ve undergone some sort of enlightening...

Phoebe levin

We satisfy your travel urges by exploring political issues from around the globe!

PUPPYGATE - ExPLORE SOUTH kOREA!

Modern-day South Korea exists as a beacon of liberal democracy. Successfully integrating democratic principles and the rule of law, its vast economic and political development in the last 40 years is undeniable. This democratic context enabled one million citizens to protest in Gwanghwamun Square for the impeachment of South Korea’s first female Prime Minister, Park Geun-hye, on 12 November 2016. The success of these protests in bringing her down reaffirms that, despite her illiberal actions, democratic institutions have prevailed in South Korea.

So, how did Park get here?

She grew up daughter of President Park Chung-hee, who was a driving force in the country’s industrialisation, but also a contentious figure in his own right due to his conservative militarism. Her mother’s assassination in 1974, by a North Korean sympathiser, captures the depth to which her early life was coloured by political instability. Paradoxically this was also the event which ushered her into the political spotlight, as Park resumed the duties of first lady following her death. Political tensions again wreaked havoc on Park’s personal life in 1979, when her father was assassinated, which, according to her, left her isolated and susceptible to manipulation.

Enter Choi Tae-min, the founder of the Church of Eternal Life, which operates much more like a cult than a religion. While numerous quasi-Christian cults exist in South Korea — including the infamous Shincheonji Church of Jesus Christ, which is currently being blamed for the country’s coronavirus outbreak — the Church of Eternal Life is still pretty obscure, and its following quite discrete. The cult, created by melding elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and traditional Korean Shamanism, validated Choi’s role as the “Future Buddha” of South Korea and legitimised his ability to talk to the dead. I mean, talk about circular reasoning.

But hey, whether it was because of her vulnerable state or Choi’s charisma, Park

was somehow convinced of Choi’s spiritual connection to her dead mother, which led her to become a pious member of his congregation following her death. So, Choi became Park’s spiritual advisor, a role he relished, dubbing himself “the Korean Rasputin.” Upon his death in 1994, his daughter Choi Soonsil took over as Park’s shaman and began to expand her influence into every facet of Park’s life.

Park’s election in 2013 gave Choi, an unelected citizen, an absurd amount of power over South Korea. She had sway over policy speeches and political appointments, and access to state documents. Choi used this advantageous relationship to manipulate megacompanies, including Samsung, into donating $70 million to her “not-for-profit” which (surprise surprise) she actually used to finance her extravagant lifestyle.

The weirdest part about this whole political scandal is what broke it open. Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, enjoyed spectacular advantage on the back of her mother’s coerced funds, which led many to question Choi and Park’s relationship. Amongst the many benefits Choi solicited for her daughter, she was primarily accused of influencing the prestigious Ewha Woman’s University into changing their admissions criteria so that Chung could get in. Once in, Choi also ensured Chung received top grades on all her exams, even those she never took. Once her fraud was unveiled, Choi was sentenced to three years in prison for her role in fabricating Chung’s educational successes. It wasn’t this overt abuse of power by Choi, however, which exposed her influence in the first place. ‘Puppygate’ was really the catalyst for revealing the unsavoury relationship between Choi and Park. This involved one of Choi’s trusted allies, Ko Young-tae, exposing her puppeteering. Ko and Choi’s relationship began when they met at his bag manufacturing company, where Choi was his best client and regularly spent tens of thousands of dollars. The apparent salacious nature of their relationship is what made this scandal so titillating. Despite no concrete evidence of their affair, the luxuries which Choi provided Ko were numerous. He turned on her over a fight, which stemmed from him playing golf instead of looking after her puppy as requested, seemingly indicating that they shared something closer than a business relationship.

Their fight altered their dynamic, as Choi became dismissive of Ko, which drove him to compile incriminating evidence of her control over Park. In 2015, when he had gathered a significant amount of information, Ko went to a South Korean news outlet and presented his findings, which led to an investigation into Choi and, ultimately, her and Park’s downfall. Although the threads of Choi’s manipulation were beginning to unravel, I wonder to what degree her life, and Park’s, may have been different if she didn’t turn on Ko, and whether over time their unchecked deception would have impacted South Korea’s vibrant democracy as it exists today.

Pop and Politics:

A So Fresh Look at AusPol

luke barber

Explaining the elections of this millennium through the songs that soundtracked them.

SPRING 2001

In 2001, an unpopular John Howard begged Australia to give him Another Chance (Roger Sanchez) at the polling booths. While looking back it might seem Howard had the election In My His Pocket (Mandy Moore) and that Australia would be re-electing him With Arms Wide Open (Creed), this was actually not the case. There was another contender who, at the time, seemed So Damn Fine (Joanne) – Kim Beazley, current Governor of Western Australia and, according to my high school Politics and Law teacher, The Greatest Prime Minister That Australia Never Had™. However, following 9/11, Howard’s Weapon of Choice (Fatboy Slim) became declaring a tough stance against terrorism – which ultimately brought him over the line.

SPRING 2004

This election was boring, unlike the corresponding So Fresh album, which featured a song called All Day Long I Dream About Sex (JC Chasez). Although you might have expected that after 8 years Australia would be Sick and Tired (Anastacia) of him, Howard became the third Prime Minister ever elected for a fourth term in government. Some argue that The Reason (Hoobastank) for this was his rival – future New South Wales One Nation leader and known destroyer of charisma, Mark Latham. Were Howard and his Angel Eyes Eyebrows (Paulini) really that popular? Or was it Latham’s incompetence that led to Howard being able to Push Up (Freestylers) his numbers to gain a majority in the Senate?

SPRING 2007

By 2007 some would say Howard had become over-confident, and despite calls for him to Slow Down Baby (Christina Aguilera), he implemented a suite of policies known under the Umbrella (Rihanna) of WorkChoices, which proved extremely controversial. In came a new figure for the people of Australia to Love Today (Mika), in the form of Kevin07 who made a lot of very ambitious promises around fixing the environment, improving

our internet, and being able to speak fluent Mandarin. The people of Australia waved to John Howard as he finally left office, saying Thnks fr th Mmrs (Fall Out Boy).

WINTER 2010

After a tumultuous period under the reign of Kevin07, Julia Gillard finally took her rightful place as leader of the party, the nation, and my heart, declaring that the Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine) and giving Australians the Closure (Scarlett Belle) they deserved. Hastily calling an election for political reasons, Australia collectively gasped an OMG (Usher) when the result came back uncertain. The two major parties were forced to Fight For This Love Majority (Cheryl Cole) and attempt to court the crossbench. Ultimately, Gillard came out on top, which left sore-loser Tony Abbott to spend the next three years behaving like a massive Baby (Justin Bieber).

SPRING 2013

As the world began to Burn (Ellie Goulding) Rudd was On Top Of The World (Imagine Dragons), remaining egotistically convinced he was the True Love (Pink) of the people of Australia and that they would re-elect him if given the opportunity. Unfortunately for Mr. 07, Tony Abbott and his hatred of boats managed to create a political message that Australians were ready to follow To The End Of The Earth (Jessica Mauboy). I get it Tony – nobody should be rich enough to own a boat! Riding this Riptide (Vance Joy) of antirefugee sentiment, Abbott was able to take government with a landslide majority.

WINTER 2016

After a few years of Messin’ Around (Pitbull ft. Enrique Iglesias) with general incompetence, casual sexism/racism/homophobia etc., and aggressive anti-boat policies, Australia finally said No (Meghan Trainor). Or, perhaps more accurately, the federal Liberal party-room finally listened and decided they had to replace Abbott before hitting Rock Bottom (Hailee Steinfeld). In came Turnbull, Just Like Fire (Pink), and Australia collectively lost their horny minds due to years of being starved of anything remotely resembling leadership. While the man quickly backflipped on every moral position he had ever held, most notably abandoning the LGBTQI+ community on the issue of same-sex marriage, the promise of Jobs, Growth, and Sex (Cheat Codes and Kris Kross Amsterdam) Appeal ultimately led to another Liberal victory.

AUTUMN 2019

After the Liberal party finally imploded and we said our sad Bye Bye (Gryffin ft. Ivy Adara) to Turnbull we were faced with an election race like no other – two extremely unlikeable white men begging Australia for votes . Bill Shorten, somehow full of Hope (The Chainsmokers ft Winona Oak) after years of polls telling him the people aren’t into it, told the nation he had a plan for “A Fair Go For Australia” in his television ads – in a manner reminiscent of a Year 7 debater reading their team theme off a palm card. Meanwhile, it seemed like Nobody’s Home (Mallrat & Basenji) over at the Liberal camp, as all the Ministers disappeared for weeks while Scomo ran the campaign solo. After Waiting (Kian) patiently for a change in government, I ultimately found out that polls can Lie To Me (5 Seconds of Summer) and the Liberals were re-elected in a surprising twist. And there you have it, a journey through both musical and political history which was not at all contrived and offered an insightful and nuanced look into the soul of our nation. References available upon request.

A Gaming Convert

One man’s journey from gaming hater to video game lover.

luke mCPherson

I never thought I would be a ‘gamer’. I was an active kid growing up and video games never really fitted with my ideals about life. I thought people who played video games would sit in their parents’ house all day, covered in Dorito crumbs, only leaving for toilet breaks or more snacks. My friends throughout school would play online with each other but, frankly, I couldn’t think of anything worse.

Recently I started to get a restless feeling that I had been missing out on something. Lots of people my age play video games and love it, maybe I should give it a go? I thought PlayStation 4s wouldn’t break the bank considering the recent release of the PlayStation 5, and I was right. I managed to get a second-hand PlayStation 4, two controllers and half a dozen games for just under $300.

The video game market in the United States was worth $60.4 billion in 2020 according to Statista. Sony says 113.5 million PlayStations 4s have been sold since the console was released in 2013, ranking it fourth behind the PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and Game Boy consoles for most units sold in history. I had become a part of a multibillion-dollar industry when I bought the second-hand PS4.

The video game market in the United States was worth $60.4 billion in 2020 according to Statista.

I’m not a binge watcher, nor a big Netflix fan, but my PS4 has become my own version of what many people get from streaming. The games I play have stories, twists and turns, and truly enthralling narratives - and every so often I get to beat up a bad guy. I’ve learnt video games aren’t just about hitting buttons and getting XP; they are about stories.

I have been a closet nerd for a while now. I’m a big movie fan and love comic book films, Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, and with my PS4 I became the characters I loved from those films. In Spider-Man, I can swing through New York and fight bad guys; in Star Wars: Battlefront, I was Luke Skywalker trying to take down Darth Vader, and in Middle Earth: Shadow of War I journeyed across Middle Earth to Mordor.

I’m not the stereotypical gamer that I thought I would turn into. It’s not like I am wasting lots of time either; I play roughly 30 minutes a day to scratch my itch. I’m still working, eating well, and getting outside and exercising. The time most would spending watching TV or on social media, I now spend playing video games.

If you’ve never tried gaming, why not give it a go? I did, and I’m now a gaming convert.

Recreational Sleep Deprivation

And Other Fun Activities with Science Editors Paris and Jack

meet sCienCe editor Paris Paris is no stranger to recreational sleep deprivation, which she often does in lieu of getting her shit together or admitting that she is terrible at sleeping, amongst other things. She regularly goes days at a time without going to sleep, fuelled only by caffeine (etc.) and sheer luck – not because she’s busy or doing anything of value with that extra time, but mainly because she’s an idiot. Her favourite sleep-deprived hallucination was the time she was convinced a bean bag was wiggling its voluptuous bottom at her. Paris knows all about sleep hygiene and thinks it a lovely concept. Jack is, at best, a chronic sleep avoider and, at worst, an insomniac in denial. In true healthy fashion, he tends to lay the blame for such problems at the feet of his parents and their sleep-deprived genes. He is the pioneer of the revolutionary ‘intermittent sleeping’ technique, whereby one alternates between sleeping most of the day and not sleeping at all. Such self-help recommendations will no doubt make him plenty of enemies and obliterate what remains of his sleep hygiene.

meet sCienCe editor JaCk

Abandoned by their writers and with a rapidly looming deadline, Pelican Science Editors Paris and Jack decide to follow in the footsteps of UWA alumnus and local legend Barry J. Marshall, by putting sleep deprivation to the test in a series of fun but ethically ambiguous and potentially problematic-to-publish self-experiments that would rival the likes of the Stanford sleep experiments, or whatever it is that the UWA sleep science department does. Welcome to the Science section of Pelican – we hope you enjoy your stay.

In getting to this point, we had to ask ourselves a very important question: how long can you stay awake with the help of stimulant substances? While Jack’s record is 36 hours and Paris’s is somewhere in the muddied brain-waters between 3 and 4 days, the world record is just over 11 days.

AbOUTTHISExPERIMENT:

• Hypothesis / core concept = if sleep deprivation bad, why fun? • Method = ‘They Say Sleep is the Great

Refresher, so I Decided to Test This by

Intermittently Violently Waking my

Co-Editor Throughout the Night’ • ‘Little did my violently unethical coeditor know, that is just how I usually sleep’ • Duration= <24 hrs

• n = 1 subject • Ethics committee approval = pending • Credibility = trust me bro • Outcome: N/A Unfortunately for the purposes of this article, given that the experimental method involved using Messenger calls as a way to keep Paris awake, and given the fact that Paris has skilfully built an immunity to any and all sounds resembling an alarm, things did not go to plan and Paris slept blissfully through the night. So in lieu of any useful experiment data, we give you…a lit review.

With this being the Science section, you’d think we’d be able to explain a bit about why we sleep and how sleep works. But to tell you the truth, no one knows for sure – least of all two deeply unqualified idiots who edit for a student publication. There are many theories, none certain.

However, one thing that has been tested before is the ongoing effect of sleep deprivation.

We had our suspicion (or, in Paris’s case, experience) that going without sleep would be the kind of miserable experience that only gets worse as time goes on, and science agreed with us. Symptoms of sleep deprivation, hypothetically speaking, unfold in several stages: 1. After 24 hours, one begins to feel an impaired alertness roughly equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1

2. After 36 hours, one has an overwhelming urge to sleep, and will experience brief blackouts known as microsleeps 3. After 48 hours, one begins to experience hallucinations, which become more complex after 72 hours 4. After 96 hours, one’s perception of reality becomes distorted, eventually proceeding to a level of detachment diagnosed as sleep deprivation psychosis.

Sleep deprivation has long been a favoured method of every torturer from Siberia to Guantanamo Bay. Sleep scientist Dr Kelly Bulkeley affirmed that it was a more insidious form of torture than inflicting physical harm, as it “attacks the deep biological functions at the core of a person’s mental and physical health.” Fun! Given subjects become more delirious and less likely to give up actionable intelligence, it’s hardly the most effective means of interrogation, but as a subject of recreational scientific investigation, it suited us just fine; by depriving herself of sleep, Paris would not only be increasing her irritability and cognitive impairment, but her risk of heart disease, immune system dysfunction, and growth suppression too!

That concludes our little foray into investigative science journalism. As much as we’d like it to be true, sleep is a nonnegotiable part of life (for now). For legal reasons, we cannot endorse recreational sleep deprivation, and we’re not even sure why we were allowed to publish this in the first place. While our results were less than stellar and we contributed absolutely nothing of value to the scientific discipline, I hope you enjoyed our silly little article. Or better yet, think it was so abhorrently written that you can do a better job, so please message us or email us at pelicanscience@guild.uwa.edu.au to get involved – no risky self-experimentation necessary.

For a companion piece on recreational caffeine use , go online! Pelicanmagazine.com.au

INSIDE THIS EDITION:

Refresh! At The Disco - Ellie Fisher Five Things I’m Leaving in 2020 - Megan Rundle The Stars that Guide Me - Izabela Barakovska Whatsapp’s Signal: A Fresh Frontier in the Privacy Wars - Ahmed Suliman