Honi Soit Week 9, Semester 1, 2020 / First printed 1929

Anarchism and the evolution of rave / p. 12

Reflections on student The beauty and history of On the urge to key a culture / p. 6 the piano / p. 9 luxury car / p. 17 LETTERS Acknowledgement of Country Letters

Honi Soit is published on the stolen land of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. For over 230 years, First Nations people in this country have suffered from “Uh oh, WoCo” the destructive effects of invasion. The editors of this paper recognise that, as a team of settlers occupying the lands of the Bidjigal, Darug, Gadigal, Wangal and Wallumedegal people, we are beneficiaries of these reverberations that followed European settlement. As we strive throughout the year to offer a platform to the voices Dear Honi, religious paradigm then there is a flaw really matter what lens you’re looking at to the equivocation of Judaism and mainstream media ignores, we cannot meet this goal without providing a space for First Nations people to share their experiences and perspectives. A student paper which I’m a fan of the WoCo, but some within that logic because dwelling on Christianity through. It still stands that Israel, that among other things allows does not acknowledge historical and ongoing colonisation and the white supremacy embedded within Australian society can never adequately represent the students aspects of WoCo Honi have really biblical semantics is unlikely to lead it already dominates and informs public Israel to be legitimised as a state. But of the institution in which it operates. We seek to resist colonial violence and the racist power structures that serve to oppress those who are Indigenous to this land. bothered me this year. to the meaningful, ‘radical’ change the discourse, and its advocation has no well done WOCO, you have killed two Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. There are around 3 or so articles author would like to see. place in a ‘radical’ student newspaper. birds with one stone. By having one about/that at least vaguely concern Beyond this pro-Christianity I will of course acknowledge that article about Palestine, you have ticked Christianity in the edition. While of take, there is a notable absence of there is an article on the Kabala system off the Muslim representation box as course it’s topical within the context of interrogation or advocacy for the other that is very interesting and timely, well as the pro-Palestine take box. George Pell etc, one of these articles in less hegemonic Abrahamic religions, the and there is an article on Palestine, This is no comment on the authors of Contents Editorial particular goes so far as to *advocate* for two little gems of Judaism and Islam. which is an ever-important issue any particular pieces or the people who With autonomous editions and Marchant explores the unstoppable Christianity within a left-wing context. I This is especially odd as there have been to be platformed. But this focus on put the edition together. I am just saying mid-sem break, it’s been a relatively dominance of TikTok (p.11) - must seriously ask: with however many shootings in synagogues and mosques Christianity at the expense of Jewish that there is a lot of scope to do better Who? Weekly / 3 Editor in Chief: Matthew quiet three weeks here at the something I myself am still trying pages there are to fill, does such a take within the last 12-18 months, but it is and Muslim students’ marginalised in this regard! It’s better than putting a Forbes metaphorical office of Honi Soit to wrap my head around without warrant an entire page? A whole page apparently more apt to instead prop up perspectives is odd. With regard to the suicide bomber on the cover like they (and an even quieter six weeks at losing the will to live. about how we can interpret Christianity Christianity. Christianity, the religion Palestine article especially, it just seems did 2 years ago! News / 4 Editors: Nina Dillon Britton, the regular office). But really, who’s We’ve also got some analysis as ethical in order to fold a few people which is already propped up by the state, like another iteration of the tendency Matthew Forbes, Zhiquan Gan, even able to keep track of time at of student culture from Roisin into left-wing politics? If the only inherently within the legal system, and of the current USyd left to equivocate - Anonymous Robbie Mason, Angad Roy, Lara this point? Murphy and Laura de Feyter to way you can convince someone to by literally everything everywhere in the Palestine and Islam as one singular Analysis / 6 Despite much of the world remind us that that concept is still Sonnenschein, Ranuka Tandan, seemingly on pause, there’s still relevant, no matter how much enter progressive politics is through a West. From this perspective, it doesn’t being. It is this same rhetoric that leads Chuyi Wang, Madeline Ward, so much to keep track of, it’s the opposite seems to be true at Perpsective / 8 Lei Yao hard to keep track of ourselves. the moment (p.6–7). Beyond that, So thankfully we’ll soon all be musical theatre-lovers like myself “2020 is a nutty year!” Contributors: Michael downloading an app that does that are treated to Blake Lovely’s Profile / 9 2020 IS THE YEAR OF THE COMMUNISM ,MELTDOWNS, ENOUGH TO LICK HIS BOOTS.HE evil; there will be a thousand remedies.” Albinowski, Alvin Chung, Laura for us! interview with the composer of a de Feyter, Marlow Hurst, Grace Closer to home, we’re diving new musical about the ginger fury INVISIBLE ENEMY TAKING OVER LOCK-DOWNS, WAS A TRUE CHAMPION ! 4. “Happy are those who dare Culture / 10 headfirst into the empty swimming herself, Pauline Hanson (p. 9), and THE WORLD. SHOWDOWNS, CRACKDOWNS, IN AN ABNORMAL YEAR SUCH courageously to defend what they love.” Johnson, Tasia Kuznichenko, pool that is the USU Board elections, Tasia Kuznichenko reminds us of LIKE “MARS ATTACKS”, COVID AND BANKRUPTCIES FILL THE AS THE YEAR 2020 ,IT IS THE 5. “Habits change into character.” Blake Lovely, Juliette Marchant, in which 10 candidates fight for the the blissful nostalgia of game shows 19 CORONA VIRUS ATTACKS THE WORLD. YEAR OF THE COVID OVID ! 6. “Courage conquers all things; it Feature / 12 Rhian Mordaunt, Roisin chance to be a part of the union like the untouchable Spicks and WORLD AND DOMINATES THE IN A NORMAL YEAR , APRIL HERE ARE JUST 8 EIGHT OF even gives strength to the body.” Murphy, Shania O’Brien, Pailey that’s ended day trade at one of its Specks (p.16). WORLD. COVID 19 IS THE STORY 23 IS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S OVID’S THOUSANDS OF QUOTES 7. “Either do not attempt at all or go Wang venues and laid off a bunch of staff A special shoutout goes to Robbie OF THE YEAR 2020 AD. BIRTHDAY ! 1. “Happy is the man who has broken through with it.” Opinion / 16 members in the last few months. Mason’s feature, which outlines FEARS, ANXIETIES, HE WAS THE GREATEST the chains which hurt the mind, and has 8. “A burden which is done well Artists: Nina Dillion Britton, It’s so easy to be snarky isn’t it? I an inspiring sense of collectivism find myself resorting to that attitude through music, as well as giving us PHOBIAS, TERRORS, ENGLISH WRITER OF ALL given up worrying once and for all.” becomes light.” Creative / 18 Alex Mcleay, Claire Ollivain, far too much at the moment. The a refreshing dose of some genuine SCARES, SCHIZOPHRENIA, TIME AND THE GREATEST 2. “Be patient and tough; someday your covid ovid, James Sherriff constant influx of celebrities gifting counterculture (p.12–13). IRRATIONALITY, IRRELEVANCE, PLAYWRIGHT OF ALL TIME. this pain will be useful to you.” jane wallace SRC / 20 us with their infinite wisdom about Many thanks to Emma Pham for ATHEISM , AGNOSTICISM , AS A WRITER, I AM NOT GOOD 3. “There are a thousand forms of Cover artist: Emma Pham “sticking together” and “getting the gorgeous cover art - never has a through this” surely didn’t help. Zoom call seemed so enticing - and Comedy / 23 Back cover artist: Perhaps writing my Culture piece to Ash Duncan for the fiery back Interested in reporting or Ash Duncan this week, which is mostly an cover art which depicts a situation I Write, excuse to vent my distaste for one would love to see happen. making art for Australia’s particular artist, didn’t help either. There’s plenty to be celebrated only remaining weekly Nudes, declarations of affection and hate It’s good to see then that there’s in this week’s Honi, so hopefully create and student newspaper? Email far less snide attitude to be found something here sparks whatever joy mail may be sent to: [email protected]. in other articles throughout this is able to be sparked inside of you. us at [email protected] week’s particularly culture-heavy or message us over on our edition. Grace Johnson provides Yours not-so-cynically, produce for Facebook, Twitter or Instagram an intimate history and celebration Matthew Forbes of the piano (p.14), while Juliette Honi Soit pages.

Disclaimer: Honi Soit is published by the Students’ Representative Council, University of Sydney, Level 1 Wentworth Building, City Road, University of Sydney NSW 2006. The SRC’s operation costs, space and administrative support are financed by the University of Sydney.Honi Soit is printed under the auspices of the SRC’s directors of student publications: Maia Edge, Peiqing Fan, Nina Mountford, Roisin Murphy, Mikaela Pappou and Maxim Vishney. All expressions are published on the basis that they are not to be regarded as the opinions of the SRC unless specifically stated. The Council accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions or information contained within this newspaper, nor does it endorse any of the advertisements and insertions. Please direct all advertising inquiries to [email protected]. Weekly Azealia Banks who? SIR! We’re All Friends Here

As is said in John:8, let she among us who has not We are tickled pink with the arrival of a new Is it really a preference deal if its not signed in the called someone a f*g on the internet cast the first and intriguing Colourful Campus Personality, by Anderson Stuart Courtyard? Formal arrangements stone. A certain Miss Ruby Lotz, of NLS and USU the name of Mr Amir Jabbari. Ambitious Amir, a won’t come to fruition for a little while, but we can Board candidate who-dom, has been revealed as surprise entrant in the USU race and avid enthusiast assume that Vigorous Vikki Qin and Jaunty Jiale the author of some extremely benign homophobia. of this ;) emoji, is the founder and managing director Wang will be hot property as candidates likely to Rogue Ruby is further alleged to have participated in of HiDigitals, a marketing agency with offices in break quota. Who independent candidates such as “problematic behaviour” online, of which we found Barangaroo. Amir joins the illustrious ranks of such Ardent Amir Jabbari and Eccentric Eitan Harris evidence of only the most minor of transgressions. feted student politician-professionals as Hengjie Sun are likely to attract the attentions of the Moderate (Air-Con CEO) and Jacky He (International TV Liberals and Unity, looking for losers to trigger a Show Guest). favourable preference flow.

Twink Fight! Clash of the Trotskyists

The more boring of the two USU board elections SAlt and Soli are fighting again, but with no posters is fast approaching, with Benny Shen and Nick Fitbit to aggressively sticker over, the feud has been largely in fierce competition for President. Mr Fitbit has the conducted through an SRC Council Zoom meeting support of Irene Ma (in exchange for VP) and the and a series of stroppy facebook statuses. What are two Senate appointed directors. How cool and left- they fighting over? Their differing approaches to These deeply boring allegations are rumoured to wing of him to seek the votes of the unelected and unionism, and other such intriguing matters. be the pawn of a longstanding battle between NLS elderly members of the Board! and Unity, whereby Unity routinely threatens to un- earth them in order to one up their bitter foes.

2 3 NEWS NEWS Oscar Bai censured by USU Board University of Sydney to move to ‘no-disadvantage’ Lara Sonnenschein reports. assessment system In a unanimous vote yesterday received multiple written and verbal a warning that his failure to attend noted that the motion was focused on afternoon, first year board director warnings regarding his behaviour and meetings could put his directorship supporting Oscar. Chuyi Wang reports. Oscar Bai has been censured by the potential consequences. on the line. Bai never replied to the Speaking to Honi Eswaran said, In an email sent to students by University has also offered to include grading and assessment for the past transcripts and “result incomplete” USU Board for failing to meet his On 21 August 2019, President email. “It is unacceptable for paid directors Vice-Chancellor Michael Spence a COVID-adjusted WAM in current few months. This announcement is alternatives). We will also continue attendance obligations. Connor Wherrett met with Bai to Bai apologised at yesterday’s elected by the student body to not this afternoon, the University has students’ final academic transcript undoubtedly a victory for the SRC, to work on improvements to special In a unanimous vote yesterday inform him that he was in breach meeting and described the motion satisfy the minimum requirements of announced that it will move to a ‘no- that excludes their Semester 1, 2020 and the entire student body, whose considerations, Discontinue without afternoon, first year board director of his fiduciary duties when it came as a “wake up call”, committing to their role. It’s important that board disadvantage’ assessment system for results from the calculation. extensive grassroots actions indicated failure (DC) deadlines and course Oscar Bai has been censured by the to trying to influence the decision improve his performance. He also directors know they will be held Semester 1, 2020 in response to the This decision comes as a result the magnitude of dissatisfaction refunds.” USU Board for failing to meet his making process of the New Club noted that being an international accountable, especially when a new COVID-19 health crisis. of pressure from the Students’ and urgent need for solutions,” Although the announcement may attendance obligations. Panel as he had undeclared conflicts. student during the COVID-19 crisis set of students will be joining the Measures implemented under this Representative Union (SRC) and commented SRC President Liam ease some pressure on the wider The Board also voted on suspending In response, Bai messaged has proven difficult. Bai himself is in Board in June. Having passionate and system include adjustments to special various student groups in recent Donohoe. student body, the University has yet Bai’s remuneration, privileges and afterwards saying “People you think China, and was unable to return to committed directors goes to the heart consideration requirements and the weeks for an alternative academic “There is still significant work to respond to the demands of research benefits, which carried with 11 votes are friends are attacking you on Australia as a result of the travel ban of our ability to remain an independent use of discontinued and other grades arrangement for those negatively to be done, however. We need to students who have been unable to for and 1 abstention from Bai himself. trumped-up charges. Do you know imposed by the Morrison government student-run organisation, which for those students who have been impacted by the current situation. clarify whether students can waive access the necessary resources or As a result, Bai will not receive his that feeling?” on 1 February this year. has the confidence of its staff and adversely affected by the epidemic. “We have been fighting hard for their original WAM, and establish undertake the appropriate fieldwork May or June stipends and his meal On 1 October 2019 Vice President However, with USU meetings members.” In addition to the existing Weighted this specific remedy for the past remedies for students who fail (for as a result of campus closure and card and director-only discounts are Lachlan Finch met with Bai saying continuing online, and his breaches This is the first censure against a Average Mark (WAM) system, the week, and for broader changes to instance, omission of fail results from social distancing. suspended until 20 July. “he needed to lift his game as a board dating well before the travel ban was board director in five years. The Special Resolution notes that director”, with Oscar accepting and instituted, it raises questions over the Honi reached out to Bai for this has been a repeated occurrence, pledging to do so. validity of his partial excuse. comment however he did not respond USU election information Zoom session invaded by anonymous trolls specifically listening 10 events where On 8 April 2020 the Executive Honorary Treasurer Maya Eswaran in time for publication. the Executive felt that Bai breached emailed Bai, concerned about his was the only director to speak to Lara Sonnenschein, Madeline Ward and Chuyi Wang report. his Board duties. Further, Bai has attendance record, where he was given the resolution yesterday, where she The University of Sydney Union’s and others remained unmasked. individuals trolling the call. They also popular on sites such as 4Chan and (USU) election information session A number of other anonymous disabled the chat, ability to annotate 8kun (previously 8Chan) in which held via the University’s Zoom account users also joined under fake names, on the screen share function, and trolls crash, spam and disrupt has been trolled this afternoon. In such as “ray pist”, and spammed the muted all participants that weren’t meetings with offensive material. The 2020 USU Board candidates announced what appears to be a coordinated Zoom chat with offensive material. hosts. All Honi Soit editors who subreddit r/Zoombombing, another Madeline Ward and Chuyi Wang report. effort, several individuals joined One user under the name of “Leonard attempted to join the meeting were forum dedicated to organising these the call and exposed participants Krog” exposed his buttocks using the removed from the call. Honi is not raids, was recently permanently The University of Sydney Union be managed by former Switchroots managed Tom Manousaridis’ (Unity) be conducted via a personalised link to pornographic material, images video chat function. aware of any other participants banned by Reddit administrators. (USU) have officially announced the campaigner and current Law Society unsuccessful campaign last year. Jiale sent to USU members’ university of swastikas, confederate flags, and USU Board Director Cady Brown removed in error. In a statement to Honi, the 12 candidates running for Board on Socials Director, Alex De Araujo. Wang, the 2019 SRC Global Solidarity email addresses at 9am on 18 May, nudity. told Honi she believes she was hacked The USU intends to raise this University said “we are deeply their website. Ada Choi, Eitan Harris, He will be supported by members of Officer who campaigned last year for concluding on the 22nd. In addition to sharing material, during the meeting. Brown lost incident with the University at today’s concerned by this disturbing Ben Hines (Liberal), Amir Jabbari, the Sydney University Liberal Club successful candidate Benny Shen, will As only USU members are eligible multiple individuals joined under the control of her cursor function and her meeting hosted by the Deputy Vice report, and do not condone any Teresa Li, Ruby Lotz (NLS), Vikki (SULC) of which he is Vice President also be trying his hand at getting on to vote, candidates will have until same display name and shared their Zoom shut down. However, she was Chancellor (Education) Philippa discriminatory behaviour. We will be Kailin Qin, Nick Rigby (Moderate (Policy). Hines is a member of the Board. However, Honi understands 5pm on the 15th of May to encourage video feeds throughout the meeting, later able to rejoin the meeting. Pattinson on “the shift to online investigating as a matter of urgency.” Liberals), Belinda Thomas (Unity), ‘Alex Dore’ faction, which seized that Benny will be supporting Vikki students to sign up. USU membership occasionally making threatening Following the trolling, USU staff, learning and assessment.” Jiale Wang (Panda) and Prudence control of SULC in 2016. Kailin Qin. has been free for all students since gestures. Some obscured their including Board Secretary Dane This incident is part of a broader Wilkins Wheat (Switch) are in the SRC Environment Officer Surprise entrants include Amir 2019, but operates on an opt-in basis. appearance with masks and filters, Luo, took measures to remove the trend known as “Zoombombing” running. Prudence Wilkins Wheat will not Jabbari, a former President of the An online election presents new Nick Rigby and Ben Hines be assisted by a campaign manager Iranian Society, and Eitan Harris, the challenges for candidates and their (Privatise the SRC) will be running as as such, but rather a team of people current Leadership and Development factions. In the absence of a physical USU to close down most campus outlets, stand down staff ‘independents’, a tried and true Liberal from Grassroots and Switch. SRC Officer of the Australasian Union of campaign, classic tactics are now campaign technique. Rigby, the Sexual Harassment Officer and Jewish Students (AUJS). unavailable. There’s no knowing Chuyi Wang reports. president of the Sydney Arts Students SURG Marketing Coordinator Ruby This is the first time in the USU’s what such a campaign will bring — From Monday 6 April, the University The USU is intending to release this at this point whether or not the USU open from Monday are the Footbridge Society (SASS), will be campaign Lotz will be managed by NLS SRC history that elections have been Zoom lecture bashes? Tik Toks? Only of Sydney Union (USU) will close information to the media tomorrow, as will be eligible, or which employees Station in the Holme Building, Snack managed by SRC councillors Nicholas councillor Roisin Murphy, and conducted entirely online, with time will tell. down all but three of its outlets on well as conduct an exclusive interview will receive the payment. Express in the Wentworth Food Court Comino (Colleges for SRC) and Belinda Thomas by SRC General online campaigning beginning on 6 campus and, as a result, stand down with USU President Connor Wherret “Closing almost all USU outlets and the USYD Store in JFR, which Zach Pitkethley (Boost). Hines will Secretary Liam Thomas. Thomas also May at 12:01am. The election will a number of staff employed by these in Pulp magazine this afternoon. As on campus is not a decision the USU will operate on a takeaway basis only. outlets. of the writing of this article, however, has taken lightly. We are proud of our However, the USU is encouraging In a statement sent to USU this interview has not yet been long history of serving students and retail tenants in Manning and employees this afternoon, CEO published. the University community and we Wentworth buildings to stay open for Sydney University Village remove signs calling for rent suspension Alexis Roitman cited the stoppage Roitman further added that the look forward to resuming operations the benefit of those still remaining on Matthew Forbes reports. of work, lack of population on USU is currently looking into the just as soon as we can,” commented campus. campus and other related impacts of possibility of applying for the recently USU President Connor Wherrett, in Tensions have escalated between believe it was their tactic to scare The campaign has gained support made with no consultation from any the COVID-19 crisis as the primary announced JobKeeper Subsidy for the forthcoming press release. Sydney University Village’s (SUV) everyone, so that other residents do and participation from other student student body, and the accomodation’s causes. those stood down, though it is unclear The only three outlets to remain management and its residents not do the same things in SUV.” accommodations such as The management have not been following the forced removal of Kapoor’s letter called on Spence Regiment and Stucco. responding to emails from residents protest signs hanging in the windows to help in suspending or reducing Acts of protest such as these stem who are unable to afford rent. Misogynistic men’s Facebook group becomes platform for of units in the accommodation. rent for those living in university from a growing sense of anxiety “If I could afford to pay rent, I’d The signs, which read ‘SYDNEY accommodation, and ensure that regarding the security and financial still be in QMB,” another resident UNI STUDENTS SAY: NO students who are unable to pay rent stability of residents of campus/ told us, having been forced to move illegal revenge porn EVICTIONS - SUSPEND OR on time due to a job loss or wage cut student accommodation, especially back to their home in Melbourne REDUCE RENTS’, were taken down will not face evictions. international students, many of whom after losing their casual work and, Nina Dillon Britton reports. by staff yesterday, without wearing As of this article’s publication, have lost their job due to restrictions subsequently, their ability to pay rent. A Facebook group with almost 7000 feminist groups, calling for Facebook Other photos posted by a different “Girls really need to think, it’s your any protective equipment Kapoor and the other signees have not and closures that have been enacted in “I’ve spent the last 2 months of my members from across Australia has to close the group. member, appear to be of women on fault if your nudes are leaked,” one Aman Kapoor, an international heard back from the university, the response to the coronavirus outbreak. life building a life for myself here in been used to share videos and photos In a set of screenshots obtained balconies of neighbouring buildings, post states. student at USyd and resident of SUV unresponsiveness having prompted Queen Mary Building’s (QMB) Sydney… I feel like going home means of women without their consent, in by Honi, one member offered to post taken without their awareness or One member told Honi that since who recently sent and later shared them to display the posters from their accomodation is currently shrouded in I’ve failed and that when I return I’ll addition to other misogynistic posts. a video of himself having sex with consent. leaks have drawn criticism online, a letter to Vice Chancellor Michael windows. controversy. According to a resident, be back at square one.” Distributing intimate images his ex-partner for “200 likes”, and The group also contains a large the group has splintered into smaller Spence regarding rent amnesty, was “Personally, I cannot understand the building recently ‘shut down’ and Over 400 students have signed a without consent is a criminal offence then did so. The post has since been number of non-photographic posts. groups and group chats to avoid one of several students to display the why students can’t take such steps removed all tables and chairs from petition calling for the government in all Australian states and territories, removed. One posts states “Holocaust #2 but deletion by Facebook. sign. when [the] university is not responding common spaces such as study rooms. to lend its support and assistance except Tasmania. In another, a member posts and instead of targeting jews (sic) we As of publication, Facebook has “Me and my flatmates who to our requests.” With no access to the taps located to international students due to the In Victoria, where the group then deletes a similar video after 20 target women.” Another asks “anyone not deleted the group. also signed the letter for [the] Vice Following the banning of signs in these study rooms, residents have “period of intense uncertainty and appears to be based, the offence seconds. else fucking despise feminists?” The USyd Women’s Collective is Chancellor were the first to put the hanging from windows, students had to line up to use the remaining hardship” they currently face. carries a maximum sentence of two A separate post contains an image A number of posts refer to women currently developing an infographic posters on our window, but it got involved in organising these taps, of which there are only one on years where the victim is an adult. of a man receiving oral sex from a as “dishwashers.” series on intimate image abuse. removed by SUV management within demonstrations have begun a photo each floor. The group, called “Melb Guy Pals” woman. It is not clear from the post if Though some posts criticise the 12 hours,” Kapoor informed us. “I campaign based around these signs. These decisions were apparently has drawn criticism from women and the poster took the photograph. misogyny, many others celebrate it.

4 5 ANALYSIS Beyond nostalgia: Reflections on student culture Screen spirituality: How are USyd’s biggest religious Roisin Murphy on the culture of nostalgia on campus, and why we should do more than just mourn what we’ve lost. Inescapable in the triumphant stories noticed Comrades by Dominic brim with the creative fruit of time Gadigal land, and one of the suburbs clubs adapting? we hear of Prime Ministers, actors Knight (for the uninitiated - a novel not spent on degrees. Their wealth it sits on, Redfern, has one of the Laura de Feyter on campus spirituality during COVID-19. and great poets of Australia forming about student politics at USyd) sitting meant they had the money to create most strong and vibrant Aboriginal the beginnings of their journey on our nestled amongst the clutter. My sneer a culture of leisure appealing enough communities in the country. In the Religious clubs are some of the largest God awaiting us, where there will be virus. been “a unique process, to say the campus, is the colonialism which un- was not just because it is a shocking for students to turn a blind eye to wake of students taking up cheap rent societies at the University of Sydney. no more crying, hurt, sickness, pain “If you are ever feeling isolated, least,” said Executive member Alifa. derpins it all. excuse for a book, but more because study; there was something there around the university (which enabled Yet with COVID-19 restrictions or death.” make sure you reach out,” he SUMSA has provided online spaces From the moment I started first year, I realised that from the moment I that seemed more valuable than any them to spend so much of their time disrupting most social interactions, The President encouraged students encouraged. ‘We are all in this for adherents to come together during my goal was to beat the system of the stepped foot on Eastern Avenue, for lecture hall. at, and build a culture on campus), it they’ve been forced to come together to seek out answers to their longings together.” the crisis through WhatsApp threads, university in every way I could, to pay all my denying it, I had been engaging In 2005, the Howard government was the local Aboriginal community behind screens to practice their faith. during the virus. “We’d love to Zoom events, and sharing reflections them back for stealing my ancestors’ in the fixation so many have on the legislated Voluntary Student and low-income earners that were left Rituals like prayer, sacred welcome you into our community, no Sydney University Catholic on Facebook. land. I detested the seemingly stupid past culture of our campus. I’d spent Unionism (VSU), meaning this in the property dust. ceremonies, and large communal matter your background or the beliefs Society (CathSoc) Alifa still saw the positive side obsession the people around me had my time trying desperately to live money had been stripped away by However, now that the second gatherings hold deep significance for you may have - we think Jesus is for President Teressa spoke to the of the pandemic’s effect, as it has with a culture that didn’t appear to out an experience that doesn’t exist the nightmare of SSAF. The dream wave of gentrification is taking place, religious groups. For many believers, everybody!” emotional difficulty her society felt in forced the club to “think outside of be there anymore. Something about anymore. So desperately that I was was over. Live music on campus with the uni students of the 90s these practices are intricately tied to cancelling weekly events. Rituals such the box” in their engagement with social and cultural identity. ßSo in a Australasian University Jewish as praying together, attending mass, students. He expressed excitement this has been troubling me lately - in reading about it in a novel. More disappeared seemingly overnight, grown-up and ready to buy million time when the very fibre of our lives is Society (AUJS) and practicing acts of charity have about collaborations with the Muslim wanting to beat the system, like many, upsettingly, I realised that there was Footbridge was sold and left to dollar terraces, most current students shifting, it is particularly difficult for For Jews, communal prayers and been interrupted by social distancing community both locally and abroad I got swept into the nostalgia of it and something deeper I was missing out become a ghost of what it once was can’t afford to live anywhere close to religious adherents to adjust. holidays have been particularly rules. that could be facilitated in the online had became one of the obsessors too. on by doing this. and could have been, and Manning campus. This has been a major factor How are the biggest faith groups on hard to practice. For example, “Though we have been running space. Being a shamefully full circle became a victim of countless half- in the loss of campus life. No one campus helping members through the recently Jewish students celebrated our regular events on Zoom, it’s just Significantly, last Friday marked Sydney Uni student — stupol hack, *** hearted makeovers. is going to want to hang around at pandemic? Passover (or Pesach), one of the not the same as being in the presence the first day of Ramadan, one of performing arts wanker, slave to the More than anything, Howard Manning until midnight on a weekday most important events in the Jewish of other people,” Teressa said. “We the five pillars of the Islamic faith. Honi archives — I should probably Growing up, many of us hear stories detested leisure. He hated the thought if there’s no safe route home back to Evangelical Union (EU) calendar. As a festival which revolves really had to trust that this was not the Typically the month is marked by live in a dingy share-house in Glebe. from our educators that if we go to of any student having copious the suburbs. With community or “fellowship” a around spending time with family and end, but only the beginning of a new believers coming together to break Fit with a broken gate and a mouldy university, the years spent there will amounts of time in which to not be fundamental part of Christian beliefs, sharing meals, this year has proven mission for the Catholic Society.” their fast and pray at the local mosque. cast-iron ceiling that I stare at each be the best of our lives. 9am lectures: productive. He couldn’t stand that Manning, we miss you (we think) many of the EU’s practices rely particularly difficult. This new “mission” has largely This year, Ramadan celebrations are night before dreaming of dirty bongs optional, midday beers: compulsory. they were putting his hard budgeted The closure of Manning Bar earlier largely on interpersonal relationships. “A large part of the Jewish faith is taken place over Zoom, where the looking very different. and dodgy SRC preference deals. But Unfortunately, decades of neoliberal dole money into buying six packs in the year was devastating for many. “We seek to regularly gather community,” said AUJS Education club has been running prayers, Bible Alifa said while isolation will made I don’t. Because not many people do governments and subtle, but consistent to entertain themselves. What he The response of the student body, together in order to encourage Officer Timothy. “Keeping those studies, and social events. Executives it hard to feel like a community during anymore. I live with my parents in the jabs by University management have missed, however, is that some of the however, seems peculiar. So many one another… and worship God connections strong has been a have released daily Bible quotes and the fast, Islam is unique in allowing bedroom across the hall from theirs. meant that this reality is nothing but most important takeaways from the of us spoke about how we’d miss it, together,” President Jacob shared. challenge when you are at times only spiritual reflections over social media worship to extend beyond the mosque And, like most people, when I get nostalgia. intellect we develop at university, are but so few of us spoke of our own “This communal aspect has been a voice at the other end of the phone to provide hope and encouragement and into the home. home from the Flodge on a Monday born out of leisure. It seems Howard experiences, deferring instead to those particularly difficult to replicate in or an image on a screen.” for members. The society has also “For many, the mosque is ‘home (usually just after they close the beer VSU never pondered these ideas during his of generations past. online formats.” However, Timothy also noted started making food packs for away from home.’ But as we stay garden well before midnight, early Every student politician’s favourite university years. Manning, in reality, hasn’t been For many members, staying part of that adherents had been “getting homeless and elderly people. indoors this Ramadan, our homes enough to adhere to the Uni’s 90% buzzword. cared for by many since they banned this community has been an essential creative” within the restrictions to Teressa was optimistic about the have become our ‘mosque away from attendance policy the next day), I have Until 2005, students had to pay a Gentrification smoking on the balcony in 2012, and part of coping with the crisis. With uphold these important rituals. He role CathSoc has played in supporting the mosque.’” to be careful not to wake my family. fee directly to their student unions, While gentrification has certainly there seems to be more middle-aged activities such as Bible studies, one- felt that religious clubs may have members during the virus. It was a few weeks ago when I under what was known as Compulsory contributed to the subtle killing of heavy metal bands playing there than to-ones, prayer meetings, and public an easier time transitioning online, “We have faith in knowing that * * * realised what I was doing. Late one Student Unionism (CSU). The unions student culture, I hesitate to paint student beers bought. talks continuing on Zoom, the EU being identity and community-based [God] is transforming our lives and night I glanced at my side table and were rich, their parties were plenty students as the sole victim of it. It makes sense then, that when has sought to provide avenues for rather than activity-based. AUJS the world, to bring light, restoration Practicing beliefs has never been let out an embarrassed sneer when I and their theatresports jams full to the Sydney Uni and its surrounds are on Manning died, we felt a grief that believers to express themselves and has been keeping in touch with and hope,” she explained. “Our more difficult for religious clubs. But wasn’t ours; it was a grief for what receive emotional support. members through social media and community is a much-needed source clearly for many members, it has also we never got, for what we wanted Jacob also spoke of the hope and video conferencing platforms, and of strength and accountability during never been more important. so desperately. For what those who certainty Christians can hold onto creating video messages to encourage these difficult times.” From behind screens, between come after us will never have. For during the pandemic. The society has solidarity in believers. walls, and across spatial divides, what we will only ever read about in been reminding members that “we Timothy similarly felt that our Sydney University Muslim believers are still living out their faith. the archives. know our sins have been forgiven, and relationships with others are most Student Association (SUMSA) we have a glorious eternal future with important to cultivate during the Adapting to virus restrictions has ***

While it’s important to critique the reasons behind a great cultural shift in Australian campus life, it’s equally important not to over-grieve it. Because in doing so, we miss what’s right in front of us. We miss the opportunity to build a culture we’ll be proud to tell stories of. We can’t sit around pretending Sydney Uni’s still great — we need to rally for better funded student unions so that it actually can be. Manning closing doesn’t mean we can’t get drunk anymore. Rooms in shithole share-houses costing $300 a week doesn’t mean we can’t have coming of age crises. All these things are still happening to us. They are just happening differently. And we’re missing the opportunity to experience them by waiting for them to arrive. There is something incredibly endearing about living through a new and unique period in student culture - don’t let it slip by you.

Art by Nina Dillon Britton.

6 7 PERSPECTIVE PROFILE Getting over it In conversation with Oliver Cameron, composer of Anonymous shares some insights on healing, hurting and forgetting. The Colour Orange THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE Blake Lovely chats Pauline Hanson with the composer of a musical about her. Just when you’d thought there was run at the Sydney Fringe Festival in Pauline’s outspoken nature into the a stance on the minor party as a A few months ago, minutes into of activists speaking about their piece I made about sexual violence for believe that some support mechanisms nothing left to do during isolation, Alexandria? musical? racist enterprise set about a change a conversation about MeToo, I experiences of sexual violence may be the HSC (a rip off, somehow, of both are important, and useful, but their along comes the saving grace. An OC: The last few weeks before we OC: We were well aware of our for politics where nationalism and remembered that I, too, had been raped. empowering, but it is also, for many, Emma Sulkowicz’s Mattress Performance effect shouldn’t be overstated. The idea entire musical devoted to the life of the opened were so frantic to get the show position of privilege in making fun xenophobia once again became Much is written about the initial trauma re-traumatising. Healing requires, in piece and Tracey Emin). Trauma, no that you are suffering because those infamous Pauline Hanson: The Colour ready that by the time an audience was of someone like Pauline Hanson. valid political fronts. This is part of of sexual violence, the ongoing pain, some sense, selfishness. It takes time doubt, teaches many things. But the around don’t understand and support Orange. I was lucky enough to sit down in front of us we kept telling ourselves Sophia and I wanted to avoid speaking the reason we called the production but outside academia, little about what and energy to come to term with those romanticisation of my own pain, the you enough is an alluring mirage: it with the musical’s composer, Oliver it was just a dress run! We weren’t on behalf of the groups who have company ‘Flaming Howard’ as a healing looks like. Healing from trauma memories, and begin to forget. Perhaps self-involvement with my own identity explains away your pain by reference to John Cameron, to discuss the recent quite sure what to expect and whether been targeted by Pauline’s rhetoric, softened version of ‘Blaming Howard’. has changed me in ways that I have only survivors leading these battles sacrifice as a survivor, closed me off to others’ others, giving you a narrative you can release of the original cast recording. we had backed ourselves into a ‘too- nor did we want to redo the damage The band is featured throughout the recently begun to understand. Beginning more than we, or they, realise. pain. call on in any situation. Of course there Blakey Lovely: What drew you to niche’ corner, but we were so glad to of her stunts, racism and jingoism. show and stays on stage after being to forget the pain that defined my life for I remember too, that sexual violence I remember, too, the constant feeling are things that can make you feel a little creating an original musical about, of have a warm audience response and We also didn’t want to laugh off the introduced one by one as John Howard years has offered me some insight into also became the horizon of my that no one took sexual violence better or worse, but most of it won’t all people, Pauline Hanson? laughter from the get-go. The show serious implications of her political at the opening, with Aussie green and what I think healing looks like. empathy. Seeing myself as a survivor seriously in the spaces in which I was make you any feel different at all. It’s its Oliver Cameron: It started out as a doesn’t start with Pauline, she actually ascension. By taking the words of the gold tracksuits to match their bushy My experience of sexual violence, bonded me to others who’d experienced involved. In the clubs and leftist political own kind of trauma to realise that there bit of a joke with my co-writer, Sophia, doesn’t make an appearance until 15 real-life Pauline and giving them to stick-on eyebrows. I liked the idea of initially, was radicalising. It was central, similar things. But I remember openly groups I was part of, like-minded is nothing except time, in the end, that posting a Facebook status at the end minutes in, and I think that was a good other characters or underscoring them all the action happening right under in ways I didn’t realise at the time, to laughing in a conversation at the idea friends and I engaged in a noble but heals you — and even time isn’t always of 2016. I thought it was a funny idea call because it allowed the audience to with contrary music, we found ways John’s nose, and the indecisive multi- my emergent feminist politics. It felt enough. and we met up to chat about it, and the warm up to the style of comedy and to disempower the words by revealing manned John Howard band leads to constitutive of the person I was: I In the couple of years following my more we researched her life and career, slightly absurd elements. We were their ludicrousness. A lot of the irony some great comic moments. remember reading and rereading an There is a tension between beginning to heal assault, my identity as a survivor was the more it lent itself to the farce of asked back for an encore performance is communicated through the actors’ The show is set in the years leading article in a (now defunct) teen magazine from trauma — to believe that you can be safe, at the core of my self understanding. musical theatre. It also provided an which was thrilling and encouraged us performance. Having multiple people up to 2016 with Pauline’s re-election, proclaiming I was a “survivor, [not a Feminists for decades have objected to interesting challenge of representing but we did draw on anachronistic and victim,] because you’re still here.” It that you are not constantly under attack, the use of the term “victim” to describe this quite infamous person in a way more recent references to politics, provided me with a first-person anger and that there is so much in life beyond people who’ve experienced sexual that wasn’t overly condescending or particularly regarding Tony Abbott’s that was uniquely powerful in pushing violence — and activism, which calls on you violence. In her 1988 book, Surviving defamatory. infamous ‘speechless nodding’ me towards activism, allowing me to to constantly recognise the massive scale of Sexual Violence, Liz Kelly argues, “it BL: Was it a difficult process for you incident. I agree that a lot of young skip over the difficulties of empathising sexual violence, and that you and all other draws attention to the strength women to bring Pauline to life on stage, and people are disenfranchised by the state with others or abstracted struggles. And display despite their experiences of what was the creative process like for of politics around the world, but I it was consuming. I remember, vaguely, women are constantly, hypothetically, at risk. victimisation through shifting the you from the conception of the idea to also think we all have the potential to telling a friend a year after my assault emphasis from viewing women as the performance. make an impact on policy making by OC: We were definitely struck by a remaining engaged, communicating that there was not a day that I didn’t passive victims of sexual violence to few roadblocks along the way regarding with our MP and voting with purpose. think about what had happened to of hikikomori, the phenomenon where Sisyphean task: totally supporting and seeing them as active survivors.” A the ethics of portraying Pauline on I hope that a show like this works me. It’s difficult to imagine now, but I young Japanese men live as social accommodating survivors of trauma. I victim is someone something happened stage, but the constant checking or somewhat to encourage engagement assume I was telling the truth. recluses, because it was some perverse regarded any person who saw our goals to; a survivor is someone who overcomes our motivations, asking ‘why are we with politics, as frustrating as it is. But struggling for change is karma for the abuse of women. I had as unrealistic or not helpful as at best, something. doing this?’ proved to be what made Within a democratic system we all something you need to do for the good little time for social causes that didn’t deeply ignorant. But in my third year of uni a friend the show work. We would meet quite have the capacity to make an impact. of the community, not because it helps involve ending some type of ongoing But gradually I realised that pain is a who’d been sexually assaulted as a child regularly after we’d committed to the That’s probably the one good thing we heal you. There is a tension between mass violence. bottomless pit. No amount of support or objected to the term. “I don’t think of fringe festival slot and share what can learn from Pauline. beginning to heal from trauma — to I’m embarrassed admitting this. But gentle handling is ever enough. When I myself that way,” he said. “Why does we had researched in the prior week. BL: A longstanding social figure believe that you can be safe, that you are it reminds me that one of the effects was assaulted, “trigger warnings” were something that happened to me more There wasn’t one clear process, just Pauline Pantsdown is notoriously not constantly under attack, and that of trauma is selfishness. When your at the centre of the culture war debates. than a decade ago make me a different the generation of lots and lots of ideas known for impersonating Hanson. Did there is so much in life beyond violence own pain is at the centre of your own Opponents argued that they allowed kind of person?” In ways, I think, he was (good and bad) and often over a glass this inspire your own construction of — and activism, which calls on you to universe, it’s dwarfs everything around survivors to avoid exposure and thereby right. There is a passivity to the term of wine. Then all of a sudden, we were The Colour Orange? constantly recognise the massive scale it. I found it difficult to empathise hindered long-term healing. Proponents “victim”, but it is also fixed in time. A five weeks out from opening and we OC: Initially, I only had a vague of sexual violence, that you and all other with anything in my friends’ lives that argued that they granted greater agency victim is someone something happened had to make decisions and tie all of knowledge of Pauline Pantsdown from women are constantly, hypothetically, were anything less than traumatic. In to survivors, allowing them to choose to once; a survivor is someone who is still these loose ideas together. The original when I was a lot younger, and it was at risk. A feminist theory that views a diary entry from year 12, I write that when and how to engage with relevant overcoming something. Identifying as a team of Zara Stanton, Gavin Brown, only when I began researching that sexual violence, correctly, as supported survivor meant I constantly conceived Liam Ferguson, Kirralee Hillier and I knew the extent of their activism. by a broader rape culture also means of myself as doing the hardest thing I’ve Gabi Kelland were instrumental to We were conscious of not re-treading that smaller actions are constantly re- ever done, surviving an act of traumatic making the material work and bringing Simon Hunt’s comic stylings, although traumatising. At one point, no sexist Activists will often celebrate anger and pain sexual violence. It was an enormous the comedy to life. to schedule performances at Adelaide play Pauline throughout her career there is some element of drag in the slight was too small to be integrated moving us to action, but they also eat away source of strength. But it also tied me, BL: What is it about Pauline Fringe and Sydney Comedy Festival. was another way of curtailing her exaggerated characterisations within into that worldview for me. I remember at you. I often wonder whether I would unavoidably, to that event. Hanson that compels audiences? Why BL: What kind of a response have presence as an empathetic character. the show that aren’t tied to a particular barely anything about spending time have healed at all if I was as deeply But now, at feminist marches and is it that we love to hate her? you been getting from the show? Is it A lot of people commented that they gender. We invited Simon to the with my friends at the parties I went to involved in feminist activism as I was reading MeToo stories, I’ve begun to OC: She’s such a divisive figure, but what you expected or wanted? had forgotten parts of her story, like Sydney Comedy Festival show and I in my first years at uni. But I remember remove my own pain from the centre of that ‘love to hate’ mentality became OC: We’ve had an overwhelmingly the fact she went to prison or was on got to meet him after which was lovely. clearly older men leering at me, or being in the two years after I was raped my worldview, empathising with others’ one of the central interrogations positive response from our audiences, Dancing with the Stars. I also think that He really enjoyed the show and gave left with bruises after sex with strangers, stories on their own terms rather than within the show. At the end of the and quite a few people who missed out showing these events in one 75-minute it his tick of approval for historical or being kissed on the cheek by men their similarities to my own. I’m inspired day, Pauline could be any number of asking when it will be on again! I think show creates a greater impact. It helps accuracy, which was a big thumbs up rather than having my hand shaken. by the survivors who’ve found strength ‘ordinary Australians’ who fit the bill there’s something in there for everyone, reveal the devious side of her political for us! for a populist politician. Australians with a mixture of political, music climb, and the forces that helped make Activists often celebrate anger and I’m not sure if I can support a friend texts. But the evidence that has since in speaking about their experiences. are drawn to genuine people who say theatre and pop culture all wrapped it possible. The Colour Orange is written by Sophia pain moving us to action, but they also experiencing anxiety. “How can I take emerged, to the dismay of both sides, But the true healing, I think, comes what they think, and I think that’s up in an Australiana bow. I’ve also BL: Many other Liberal political Roberts and Oliver John Cameron with eat away at you. I often wonder whether exam stress seriously when she doesn’t is that such warnings have negiglible from a place down the road, when you certainly where Pauline started. As been glad to hear people humming the figures make an appearance in The original music composed by Oliver John I would have healed at all if I was as know what it’s like to feel like this? It’s a effects. sometimes forget what happened to you time has gone on, her stance on tunes after seeing the performances – it Colour Orange. Why do you feel like Cameron. deeply involved in feminist activism joke.” There was something noble about Much of my life at uni has revolved at all. Only then does he lose his hold issues has changed so frequently that means a lot! so many people, especially young The Colour Orange is available now as I was in the two years after I dealing with trauma, as if it gave me an around spaces seeking to accommodate over you. Only then have you really it’s clearly more about attention and BL: Pauline has been a hugely people, feel disenfranchised from the on iTunes, Spotify and all streaming was raped. If Post Traumatic Stress insight to some transcendent truth. I and support survivors. But at work, in survived. popularity these days. A click is a click, controversial figure over the past current government? How does The platforms. Disorder is rooted in over-accessing remember feeling frustrated that no one class, with my family and my partner whether it’s good or bad in the eyes of few years, and somehow continues Colour Orange touch on this issue? traumatic memories, as emerging appreciated the meaningful insight into — in short, most of my life — these her politics or the media. to garner power and control in the OC: One Nation wouldn’t have evidence indicates, then the practice trauma I presented in the conceptual art accommodations did not exist. I still BL: What was it like performing parliament despite her outlandish been so successful in the 1996 election to sold out crowds during the shows claims. How did you go about weaving without John Howard. His lack of

8 9 CULTURE Only this, cottagecore Online dating in the time of corona Alvin Chung on how dating apps like OkZoomer are focuing on more meaningful connections. Shania O’Brien discusses the relationship between cottagecore and capitalism. Writers and artists have always be- healthy community built on a system capism in the present political climate about a life that does not result in an COVID-19 has wrought unprecedented more difficult. random”, but with the implementation by providing very little information lieved that nature offers meaningful that prioritises things other than the of the world has struck a match on ouroboros of burnout and no land to harm on millennials’ love lives, with I spoke with OkZoomer co-founder, of more open-ended questions and about your match and the lack of insight into the human condition. demands of the market. women’s repressed rage. Cottagecore cultivate but the self. quarantine complicating the use of Yale undergraduate, Ileana Valdez, user feedback, it is increasingly better swiping functions, may sometimes From Hesiod’s didactic poetry to Cottagecore came to me at a time is a fantasy that largely excludes men But maybe one’s longing for less many dating apps. It’s not clear how about the dating platform. “It started at matching users. For Australian users prompt people to connect with others’ John Keats’ odes and Thomas Cole’s where I found myself thinking that from its aesthetics, their existence can be connected to their need to be to use an app designed for short-term off as a meme meant to cheer our finding love on the same continent personalities, other than with their The Course of Empire; nature has things had gotten as bad as they could; an afterthought in the face of its re- closer to nature. I have seen a prevail- hook-ups when you can’t see the person friends up but has since then expanded might prove difficult: during the last appearances. been described over and over again, after which, of course, they only got claimed domesticity. I have seen peo- ing interior design trend of bringing you’ve matched with for the next few to a growing platform,” Valdez says. three weeks, I have matched with Digital communication has changed given form in the rising sun, the mov- worse. I was sitting on my floor, my ple compare cottagecore to The Virgin the outdoors indoors to create an il- months. Since the pandemic began, new “We were inspired by our own sadness two Americans and one Australian. rapidly since the pandemic. Since we ing cloud, the rogue wildflower. Percy thumb twitching to refresh an Insta- Suicides (1999), to the regency era, lusion of more space. Traditional In- quarantine-inspired dating sites such as about lost dating prospects when school The platform was initially American- must rely on social media for most Bysshe Shelley appealed to the fields, gram feed that had barely finished to the 1950s; but the movement has dian and Spanish architecture calls for OkZoomer and Quarantine Together shut down.” based, though its users are becoming interpersonal interactions due to physical the mountains, the waters to heal his loading in the first place. It was then never been about going back to a time houses to have open spaces—aangan have been launched, seeking to provide distancing, more humane dating apps soul in Ode to the West Wind. All that I saw a little house thatched with where women were arguably more op- and patios interior—in the middle of alternatives to mainstream apps like need to emerge as well: technology of them believed that somewhere, be wisteria, old books with brown pages pressed just for the aesthetic and lack them. There exists houses with trees Tinder. Emblematic of the times, they must meet the times’ demands. So, it overlooking a valley or in the mid- peeking out from the windowsill. I of technology. The rise of the tradwife and gardens and marble water foun- focus instead on match-making rather with people becoming more alone, dle of a forest, there was a world that began to imagine my life through the trend—the traditional wife who pre- tains in the middle of them, houses than short term flings — a mode of when society communicates primarily made them happy, that satisfied their prism of that image; a life that wasn’t fers to adopt a submissive role in the rendered to depict the natural world. online dating which, until now, has through the internet — we long to wants. spent worrying about political prob- marriage and advocates for a return This disenchantment with modernity largely been Boomers’ realm. build meaningful human connections A cultural manifestation of a pas- lems I had no hope of solving, a life to regressive gender roles, called the can be linked to the Arts and Crafts Unlike maintream dating apps, more desperately than ever before. The toral, cottagecore is becoming an in- that wasn’t spent in extensive periods “virulent strain of white nationalism” Movement in the United Kingdom, OkZoomer does not include pictures rise of new quarantine platforms such creasingly common preoccupation of self-delusion because it was better by New York Times journalist Annie which arose in a critique of the In- or physical descriptions. Instead, as OkZoomer, then, is a step towards in the modern world. This budding than the alternative. That little picture Kelly—could be tied to cottagecore. dustrial Revolution in the nineteenth users answer questions about their a more genuine way to connect with aesthetic movement paints the pic- with lilac flowers had so much power However, cottagecore offers domestic century and called for economic and style, favourite quarantine activity, others online. ture of an idyllic landscape and pri- over me in that moment. bliss without the strict gender roles social reform. It was further associ- and themselves. They also disclose During these isolated times — when oritises the simple pleasures in one’s But yet, I was restricted. I could and patriarchal oppression inherent ated with arguably trivial crusades what university they attend and have metres separate bodies, screens confine life. Cottagecore turns its nose up at not afford to uproot my life and live it in it. The intrinsic anti-capitalist sen- like dress reform, ruralism, the garden the option to only match with people beloved faces and human touch seems sixteen-hour workdays, at the fast- another way. The movement is escap- timents of the movement are a nec- city movement, and folk-song revival. from their uni. Then, every weekend, like an ancient ritual — we might paced anxieties of late-stage capital- ist, but not in the fantastical way fa- essary alternative to a quasi-fascist British artist and socialist William OkZoomer sends a match, rather wonder if our yearnings would ever ism, at toxic masculinity. It rejects eriecore is. Modern escapist fantasies return to traditional hierarchies and Morris, a founder of the aesthetic quaintly, via email. “There are a lot of dating apps more geographically-diverse. “We have be numbed by time’s passing, if our the connections we make under these take the form of voluntary simplicity; an unsustainable neoliberalist way of movement, advocated for a return to That first email to the week’s match like Tinder and Bumble that work on expanded internationally and now have loneliness would one day disappear. But systems, labelling them inauthentic they manifest in tiny homes, tripar- life. artistic labour and connection with can be daunting for some. For me, the college campuses but don’t fulfill the a fair number of international students,” don’t these times also provide us with facsimiles of genuine relationships. tite glass windows that let daylight It is about bringing that ethereal the natural world. epistolary exchange feels a lot more need for meaningful connection. These Valdez says. an opportunity to really get to know The aim is not to be disconnected, in, screen-free lives where constant sense of serenity to the present mo- But can such a hypocritical pur- formal than the casual message. But apps allow people to swipe based off OkZoomer’s pared-back design is someone, if only through a voice from or isolated, but to find new forms stress isn’t the default state. This is ment, about our innate desire for a suit ever be inclusionary? The people perhaps that’s the point: the search for of extremely superficial biases such as more humane than most commercial a speaker or a smile from a screen? of authentic connections that arise a time of perpetually escalating con- system other than capitalism, about who can afford to bring nature into connection is a serious affair. Also, the height,” Valdez explains. “The goal is apps. Tinder, by comparison, gives you We might not be able to walk through from shifted priorities. The cottage in flict, of an increase in domestic and achieving a sense of fulfilment out- their homes, who pursue pastoralism only information users get about their to help college students break out of the feeling of flicking through an online flickering neon streets or talk over the the woods is not alone, but part of a sexual violence. The need for this es- side of responding to work emails and through an escape into the country- matches is their email and name — the echo chambers they isolate into on store. On mainstream dating platforms, buzzing restaurant chatters — but our side, are significantly wealthy and without a self-description or hobbies college campuses.” users swipe people away and accept heartbeats will rush on still the same. therefore privileged. The change is or any other details. Thus, the mystery Due to OkZoomer’s origin as a others into their lives based on some merely aesthetic; there is no alteration might make starting a conversation meme, the initial algorithm was “a bit pictures and a caption. OkZoomer, to their ways of living or to the nature of capitalism. It will always be unsat- isfactory because true cottagecore re- quires radically restructuring society to form an inherently classless com- TikTok: Hitting the woe in isolation? munity. Juliette Marchant attempts to explain the astronomical popularity of the latest viral video app. Cottagecore leaves a lot of room for magic, for the otherworldly, for It’s hard to deny that our social presence grow at an unprecedented rate, bringing As a platform that is largely centred and patterns of interests to ByteDance fae folk with pointed ears and golden online has become increasingly with it an obscene level of publicity. around music, dance and other forms for an average of 58 minutes a day, has skin. But within that yearning for intermingled with our offline selves. Although the majority of users hail of non-linguistic expression, TikTok is led to significant questions concerning more exist very real opportunities to But in a period where we are stuck from Generation Z, people of all ages, one of the only truly universal social data security. American soldiers have embrace the movement: you can wear indoors and physically isolated from from newborn to nonagenarians, have media platforms, as it doesn’t require even been banned from using the cotton dresses with puffy sleeves to others, the online has become more embraced the app in the lonely hour of proficiency in any single language platform by the US Government out Broadway, you can bake in your tiny than just an extension of the self; it has social distancing. But what is it about to engage with much of the content. of fear of a counter-intelligence threat. city apartment, you can nurture in- become our everything. Further still, this short-form video platform that has Furthermore, with little focus on the But with the platform’s popularity so door plants, you can AusPost your with more people looking to waste time us all hitting the woah in isolation? news, much of what is popular on the heavily engrained in the otherworldly friends letters with flowers grown on than usual, there is no better substitute If YouTube in a main meal, then platform evades becoming dated, and receptivity of its artificial intelligence your windowsill. You can aestheti- than social media: the mostly free TikTok is a canape; masterfully crafted trends continue for months at a time; to the specific wants of the viewer, cally participate in cottagecore, but and easily accessible platforms that to just catch your attention, and make with some even being regentrified and has entertainment and temporary more importantly, you can also incor- brought time-wasting into vogue long you hover behind the waiter of the added to as they start to tire. Even satisfaction become more valuable to us porate its sentiment into your praxis before Corona decided to exacerbate rest of the event in search of more. A the few that are related to the news than privacy? Or will we wake up from by engaging in mutual aid, in environ- the trend. But towering above the direct response to the dwindling human have managed to take on a sort of this period of isolation with the stark mental politics, in feminist activism. It general noise of Instagram throwback attention span, the one-minute limit timeless zing; with excerpts from Julia realisation that TikTok has come to is pointless to dream about wildflow- shots, ‘Twitticisms’ about freedom and and fifteen second average length of Gillard’s 2012 misogyny speech being know us better than we know ourselves? ers and serenity when you are doing Facebook’s inspirational sermons about the videos on the platform has become superimposed over house music to I do not, and probably never will nothing to bring that world closer. It how we will ‘get through this’ if we one of its primary appeals, making it become a new feminist banger for the understand why the world is obsessed is hard to picture a better world with start our days with yoga and end with easier for the audience to consume large isolation age. And our Prime Minister’s with what is essentially the estranged, smoke from the bushfires still coating home-made sourdough, is the apparent amounts of radically varied content in a friendly reminder that Andrew younger cousin of Vine. Yet despite a our lungs, with the weight of the pan- oligarch of the kingdom of isolation: short space of time. For instance, from Probyn in fact, does not run the press TikTok scroll possessing the legibility demic on our shoulders, with climate TikTok. a one minute scroll through TikTok’s conference, sure to become a staple in and atmosphere of a chaotic fever grief casting long shadows in front The brainchild of Chinese artificial discovery page, I came across a man the Australian clubs following the crisis. dream, I too have found myself in the of us. And though all of that gave intelligence company ByteDance, in an animal print shirt claiming that But good content is only the duck trance of scrolling. Overcome by the birth to the movement, at heart it isn’t TikTok is an Instagram challenge on Carol Baskin killed her husband, a girl above the water, as beneath the surface paradoxically freeing and disturbing about running away and hiding; it is steroids, where good content is that doing the ‘Savage’ dance to Mariah lives one of the most powerful algorithms feeling of being on the internet for about coming together and imagining which can be shared, replicated and built Carey’s ‘Obsessed’, a man painting a in the world, manically paddling away absolutely no reason, I welcome the what the future can be. upon by anyone and their dog (literally). gap between his teeth with eyeliner to as it serves you your favourite food distraction from the unsettling present Having been downloaded over 1.5 give himself ‘the London look’, and a from simply watching you read the and rest well with the knowledge that billion times, with over 800 million woman pretending to be various shop menu. This unparalleled software, in Katherine finally got to ask her question. Art by Claire Ollivain active users worldwide, its three-and-a- assistants in popular Australian retail partnership with hundreds of millions of half-year existence has seen the platform stores. willing volunteers providing their faces

10 11 FEATURE

“I never want to see this event held in and environmental sustainability into Sydney or New South Wales again. a headwind of preprogrammed techno ULTRAVIRUS vs the world? The evolution of rave We will do everything we can to shut and trance beats, NBP pinpointed the Robbie Mason untangles the links between punk, rave and anarchism. this down”, says NSW Premier Gladys dancefloor as the target of their sonic, Berijiklian, just before Thorsten throws political cyclone. According to Kol down a thumping, pitched-down Dimond, a member of the anarcho- ULTRAVIRUS is a many-headed Hydra. Obviously we know that that idea of beaches encourage music production almost anti-intellectual, music, we seem Frenchcore kick by FKY. pop punk band the Fred Nihilists and Thorsten Hertog (aka Thick Owens), co- the internet has failed. But people just centred on tranquillity and relaxation. to struggle to take pride in them. This later NBP, this was live “finger looped founder alongside Ella Parkes-Talbot, downloaded and uploaded music in Insightful and optimistic, but limited perhaps helps explain why pioneering * * * mayhem”. Besides the lofi psychedelics describes ULTRAVIRUS as “a content bulk for free. The artworks were super in scope, the RA documentary Real Australian hardcore artists including emanating from the chill zones at aggregator, net label, ongoing party tacky and it was very DIY.” Scenes: Sydney shows just how easy it is Geoff Da Chef (Blown Records) and ULTRAVIRUS is an eclectic entity and Vibe Tribe parties, the music was series and fashion brand”. Another Second in the firing line is the type for outsiders to misinterpret alternative Hedonist (Bloody Fist Records) still DJ it is possible to go back even further in “very techno and very acid... generally way of explaining ULTRAVIRUS of music Thorsten sees over-represented clubbing cultures. To a vast cross- and tour in Europe but fly under the time than Thorsten does when searching anywhere between 140 and 160 bpm.” is that it is a representation – or an at clubs and some warehouse parties. section of Sydney ravers, house and radar at home. Industrial connoisseur for influences. The techno-hardcore NBP represented the “same politics, exaggeration – of cybercultures. It Like the album artworks – chaotic ambient do not represent the totality Tymon cut his teeth in the Sydney rave spectrum has deeper roots in punk than same passion for systemic social change, feeds off soul-sucking consumerism, collages of colour and competing of the DIY rave scene. If Sydney has scene in the late 90s before migrating quite possibly any other musical scene. just a different soundtrack.” the vapid irony of contemporary youth images – the music ULTRAVIRUS a distinctive sound, it is diversity, and to Berlin and releasing music through Hardcore punk was a volatile critique When 40 riot police turned up at culture, exemplified in meme culture, platforms is “intentionally offensive ULTRAVIRUS is a testament. iconic labels such as Industrial Strength of the stardom of 70s rock’n’roll, defined the Vibe Tribe party Free-quency in and the non-linear consumption of and abrasive”. Almost all tracks are Thorsten describes the resurgence of Records. He too rarely rates a mention by dissonant melodies, shouted vocals, Sydney Park in April 1995 due to noise music and narratives in an internet fast and jarring. There is breakcore, hard dance and the burgeoning IDM as a cultural export. disruption, excess, irony, disdain for complaints, the crowd – anywhere era of information overload to present NeuroTrap, noise, deconstucted club, and glitch scenes, while still niche, as “a ULTRAVIRUS is therefore a public and private property and outsider between 500 and 2000, depending on kitsch music aligned to our ravaged memecore and more. Tracks like retaliation and protest against the huge continuation of what was already there. status in a capitalist system. In the face who you ask – repelled the police. With attention spans. Think hyperlink Bouti’s DJ Snake and SPLITROACH/ saturation of nu-disco and house sounds As Thorsten says: “There is a perception of commodification, political activism organisers rallying the crowd over the wormholes, internet-induced psychosis TERRORSLIDE/2049-2NX’s and vanilla-boom-clap club music that that the warehouse scene post-lockout and direct action became essential for mic, they formed a circle around the and cybermedieval avatars. If you’re a HAKKEN PHOENIX go anywhere and dominates Australia.” was ground zero for Sydney dance authenticity and ownership over the speakers and decks, preventing the little disorientated and a little confused, everywhere, leaving themes, coherence Sydney’s hard dance revival is also music. But what people forget is that +“punk” label. police, initially anyway, from cutting you’re in the right place. and genre classification strewn by the due to “our proximity to Newcastle and there was a huge scene that existed Dance music culture celebrates off the music. This was not a case of While not grounded in any one wayside like a yardsale. So nothing like the Bloody Fist [Records] scene that before all that happened.” collectivism and, like punk, intoxicated revellers misbehaving. Kol location, ULTRAVIRUS skirts the Spotify-core then. disintegrates the passive spectator/ asserts that it was a coordinated effort edges of Sydney’s DIY rave scene. “I A bunch of Sydney producers genius performer dichotomy embedded in an already highly politicised space started the net label last year because I provide the mesh for this enclosure in rock. Long associated with direct – just one of many plans inscribed in felt like there weren’t labels in Australia of unhinged, avant-garde madness, action via ‘protestivals’, raves are the Vibe Tribe manifesto to “deal with representing the sounds I was really reflecting the myriad ways in inclusive, democratic and participatory. skinheads or thugs or coppers.” Non- interested in – these kind of breakcore, which alternative clubbing spaces By bringing together musicians, violent resistance was the goal but gabber and hard tek sounds that I was encourage and breed innovation. performance artists, visual artists scuffles broke out. According to one hearing in warehouse spaces and that I Thrax, crack_lips, DJ BEVERLEY and lighting specialists, raves create account, police “couldn’t deal with the The Vibe Tribe zine Sporadical. Image courtesy of Dan Conway. saw a lot of bedroom producers making HILL$ and duo SPLITROACH/ a multi-sensory overload designed to concept of ‘everyone being in charge’”. rave culture. musicians transitioning from guitars and uploading to Soundcloud… I TERRORSLIDE/2049-2NX are all stimulate in attendees altered forms of At 2am, having regrouped, police think labels are hugely important in hidden gems of the warehouse scene. Murray Bookchin in his polemical and drum kits to drum machines, decks consciousness and new, healing ways of charged the dancefloor in a wedge essay Social Anarchism or Lifestyle and mixers is startlingly common. But functioning as an incubator for ideas but As a founder of group projects being. formation with batons, shields and also as a platform for a scene.” including Okra, Haus of the Rising Sün, Anarchism: An Unbridgeable Chasm rave did not replace punk with the Recognising a particular contiguity dogs and carried off the generator. Two argued that Hakim Bey’s concept of proliferation of acid house parties from This homage to Sydney’s warehouse Soft Centre and ULTRAVIRUS, which between the harder ends of the punk punters were hospitalised, countless and bunker rave scene is a sharp have utilised warehouses and reclaimed a “TAZ” – temporary autonomous the late 80s, as some like to believe. In and techno spectrums, Graham St John, injured. The crowd remained in defiant zone – and temporary ferality recent years Sydney labels Burning departure from outsider perceptions spaces, Thorsten’s imprint on the music a cultural anthropologist now at the assertion of their civil rights and a mob of the scene and a powerful statement of Sydney’s underground is significant. exemplifies the “lifestyle anarchism”, Rose Records and Deep Seeded University of Fribourg, has traced the of bongo drummers turned up to make “social indifference”, “egotism” and Records have championed hard techno addressed – albeit indirectly – to the Sitting in front of the camera, in front continuation of anarcho-punk politics more ruckus. global music hierarchy. of a future audience – I am interviewing disinterest in revolution of young, alongside punk, darkwave and industrial in Sydney with the emergence of what If there is a vague ideology behind urban professionals. While the “TAZ” projects, fostering tracks that mix anti- Thortsen fires off a whole barrel of Thorsten as part of a documentary on he labels “techno terra-ists” in the early rave organisation, it hovers closer to pot shots when I interview him. The first Sydney’s DIY rave scene – Thorsten has become a byword for the Freetekno establishment lyrics and thrashing 90s. anarchism than a neo-conservative movement, Bookchin suggests “a TAZ is electric guitars with techno beats. target is streaming platforms. “The issue appears comfortable. He is ambitious A Sydney warehouse warehouse rave, 2018. Photo courtesy of Chris McClymont. As the 80s waned and the 90s took appreciation of small government. As a passing event, a momentary orgasm, a The RA documentary Real Scenes: with Spotify is that there is an economic yet grounded, and extremely well- over, there was a sharing of equipment football hooligans and bomber-jacket imperative to keep people listening as spoken. He cares. You sense that he existed there in the 90s, and the huge It is precisely Thorsten’s style of fleeting expression of the ‘will to power’ Sydney sparked furious debate about and personnel between the anarcho- wearing skinheads with fascist and that is, in fact, conspicuously powerless what represents Sydney’s rave scene. By long as possible to boost advertising really means every word he says. This breakcore scene that exists in the Blue DJing, which he labels as “irreverent punk scene, centred around Newtown misogynistic inklings populated gabber, revenue. That has bred a culture of capacity to talk with conviction without Mountains. These two cities pioneered and rude”, which encapsulates, if not in its capacity to leave any imprint on focusing on house and ambient, the film and Redfern, and early techno artists and techno became less revolutionary, the individual’s personality, subjectivity, bypassed 30 years of history. Sydney, music that is very playlistable – you speaking loudly has undoubtedly helped these hard dance sounds. That has Australia’s natural landscapes, the and collectives such as Non Bossy in the early 2000s breakcore – then know, the hang-out-at-home playlist or people buy into what he envisions. But totally filtered back into Sydney.” zeitgeist of a young nation forever unsure and even self-formation, still less on and New South Wales more broadly, Posse (NBP) and Vibe Tribe. At the in a darker form than the cartoonish shaping events and reality.” has long been a hub for extreme music the Valentine’s-Day-romance playlist.” he has not done it all alone. Sydney and its satellite cities have of itself. Self-mockery, tongue-in-cheek communally-owned Jellyheads venue popmash-breakcore that dominates New York Times journalist Jon In the last two years, a new wave of produced a long line of DJs and probes at authorities, unapologetic Unlike Bookchin, I believe that certain and radical politics. Thorsten claims near Central Station, punk bands, DJs today – became a haven for decibel- raves (“TAZs”) at an abstract level Sydney is “the capital of hard dance” in Caramanica has disparagingly labelled promoters have emerged in Sydney and producers unafraid to mock the nation’s nods to Australia’s cultural cringe, and live electronic acts shared the stage addled ferals with alternative lifestyles this sound, with both pop and EDM laid down a bridge between experimental cultural cringe with their confronting larrikinism and a tinge of political encourage alternative ways of living and Australia. until electronic music stole the limelight and a masochistic passion for fast, provoke critique of dominant systems ULTRAVIRUS could be viewed as variants, “Spotify-core”. Defined by electronic sounds and hard dance, styles of hard dance music. In 1994 in commentary pulsate throughout local altogether and Vibe Tribe was born. abrasive sounds. It became synonymous, emo lyrics, slow, chill beats, hip-hop perhaps none more successfully than Newcastle (Australia), Mark Newlands techno, hardcore and breakcore. DJs and constructs. Prior to the COVID-19 a jaded postmodernist sigh – utterly Around the same time, Bloody Fist albeit briefly, with anarchist politics. lockdown, Sydney’s underground rave obtuse and irrelevant – rather than influenced production and an early drop the team behind Soft Centre. founded the label Bloody Fist Records like Thick Owens bounce seemingly Records emerged, which was a lot less Some claim it was a direct response to and chorus to satiate ever-shortening Thorsten, alongside a network of with two fortnightly dole payments. carelessly between silliness and serious scene certainly seemed on the precipice an anarcho-punk battlecry. Indeed, political. But the label shared the same Neo-Nazism (see the documentary Notes of commercialisation. With warehouse ULTRAVIRUS probably won’t change concentration spans – think Spotify- like-minded artists and event organisers, Cornered by smoke stacks, barbed wire, critique. anti-authoritarian, anti-commercial on Breakcore). In Sydney, the collective sponsored artists like Drake, Billie has helped transplant the ethos of steelworks operations and concrete, In September 2018 at the warehouse tickets costing between $20 and $60, the world. But its emergence not just ethos. and record label System Corrupt, occasionally even more, questions as a one-off event, a TAZ, but as a net Eilish, Charlotte Lawrence and R3hab warehouse raves into a new, legal home the label became a production line rave Grip: Interstellar Funk, Thorsten At warehouse parties and Vibe Tribe containing within its ranks ex-Bloody – this music is specifically made to be – the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre of its own for a pinball machine of (as Thick Owens) began his set with must be asked about the durability of label is an attempt, consciously or not, doofs, NBP sampled advertisements and Fist artists and ex-Vibe Tribe members, anarcho-punk politics. to solidify a punk legacy. The ways in innocuous, little more than background – for the experimental music and art eclectic hardcore beats. The music was a breakcore Metallica riff, dressing radio segments. Tossing commentary threw free raves in abandoned places. music. festival Soft Centre. With support from nihilistic and cynical. Records such as the discordant sounds in a patchwork High ticket prices can translate which ULTRAVIRUS nostalgically on Indigenous land rights, social justice Shockingly subversive, event promotion into a night of drug-fuelled revelry, harkens back to optimistic visions of the You don’t need to pay a membership Liverpool City Council and funding Straight Outta Compton were ripped off, shirt of news reports about pill-testing. included pornographic collages. fee to listen to ULTRAVIRUS releases. from Create NSW, Soft Centre is a far rejigged and regurgitated with a blatant connection and muddy shoes before the internet as a decentralised, democratic Spaces marginal to the functioning of crowd returns to reality, re-energised space cannot be ignored. The label’s They are not available on Spotify. Both more legal adventure. disregard for copyright laws (in this case society – wartime bunkers, abandoned ULTRAVIRUS releases – a five track Boundary-pushing, Soft Centre puts as the thoroughly distasteful EP Straight and ready to ascend the corporate hybrid, “edutainment” events, which buildings, disused warehouses, ladder. As public acceptance of dance incorporate panel discussions and art EP, fetid in wingdings, and a ten track local artists, sometimes with only a Outta Newcastle). This DIY, cut and motorway underpasses and marshland album, Plunderzone™, released last few performances under their belts, paste mentality shaped the production music grows, increased prices of entry within raves, suggest that founders Ella – became stages for niche communities has seen digestible, non-confronting Parkes-Talbot and Thorsten Hertog month – use a name-your-price model on a stage alongside international of Australian breakcore artists such as who otherwise struggled to find venue on Bandcamp. ULTRAVIRUS also uses headliners, often at peak times. With Passenger of Shit, Melt Unit, Toecutter music – tech-house and disco, for have something more profound in mind owners willing to take financial risks. example – enter the warehouse. Hardly than dancing blindly into a capitalist a Creative Commons Licence “so people over 1000 attendees, there is a sense that and Noistruct. Opening in 2008, the Sydney warehouse can take the music and remix it and use Sydneysiders’ appetite for challenging Australia has exported numerous the soundtrack of protest. apocalypse. Dirty Shirlows, for instance, hosted The punk and rave scenes tend not Reflecting the evolution of dance it in their own art without having to pay music is deep. house DJs, yes, but will these artists cheaply-ticketed punk and breakcore royalties to the label or the artist. That’s Resident Advisor’s (RA) recent leave a legacy in an oversaturated to overlap in Sydney in the ways that music technologies and rave culture, gigs, regularly blasting experimental they did in the early 90s, however, ULTRAVIRUS looks to the future while honouring the early philosophy of net documentary on Sydney’s underground market? Possibly. But if Australia has noises into the early hours of the labels and the internet.” scene, meanwhile, suggested that truly produced any distinctive sounds some recent events by Soft Centre, Hex drawing on the past for solutions. In the morning, until police pressure and fines Yellow and KIEU have seen a cross-over face of mega corporations including “I was really inspired by early 2000s ambient and house music distinguish in dance music, it is the sheer lunacy from Marrickville Council forced its net labels, which came out of this early the Sydney scene. According to the of extreme, left-field artists such as of punk bands and hard techno, and Spotify and RA, ULTRAVIRUS is (official) closure in 2012. The utilisation punk’s DIY attitude remains as strong a bold reclamation of identity for utopian idea of the internet being a documentary’s logic, Australia’s Nansenbluten, Passenger of Shit and of alternative “venues” – a legal grey Album cover for a 2001 DJ mix by as ever within the rave community. Sydney’s underground but one that is democratic and commercial-free zone. beautiful natural landscapes and Anklepants. With their provocative, Plunderzone™ album artwork, by s1m0nc3ll0. space – was unique to both punk and Al Corrupt, released by System Corrupt. The story of punk and metal true to its roots.

12 13 CULTURE CULTURE Ode to the piano YUNGBLUD: Say nothing and say it loud Grace Johnson on the beauty and history of her most prized possession. Matthew Forbes is getting sick of the UK singer and his platitudinous ‘revolution’. Maybe it’s the social isolation, or new invention, that plays soft and famously insisted on composing at him to continue composing. Helen Punk has been undergoing Instead, they might as well be quotes or lack thereof, is also reflective Dead Kennedys and The Cramps, that I work in a piano shop, but loud.) the piano, and Beethoven’s virtuoso Keller (1880-1968), American commodification for decades now from one of his interviews. of this. The singer is similar to acts while also sporting high-end brands I’ve been thinking about just how Its defining feature? The hammer technique and improvisation skills author, lecturer and activist, was — as early as 1978, UK band Crass For as well-intentioned as the like Twenty One Pilots, Halsey and such as Burberry (who themselves much my life revolves around the action, striking the strings within at the piano were indispensable born deaf and blind. In 1924, were declaring that “Punk is Dead” majority of Harrison’s music is, his The Chainsmokers with his “genre- have a history of exploiting elements piano. My time at home is organised its body, allowing the player to to his composition process. she ‘heard’ a live recording of with lyrics such as “CBS promote the lyrics are void of real meaning, to bending” take on pop music, which of working class culture). Posturing around practice--I’m in my final control the volume via the force Furthermore, Beethoven was not Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Clash, / But it ain’t for revolution, the point where his songs feel like a usually boils down to a hodgepodge of or not, these outfits feel like attempts year of the performance degree of their playing. This allowed for interested in writing music merely Carnegie Hall by pressing her hands it’s just for cash.” Revolution, series of platitudes sung or screamed musical ideas that have been blended to recreate the styles of working class at the Conservatorium, so this is more expression in the control ‘suitable’ for the piano. Rather, against the radio receiver. The next rebellion — at this point they start to as obnoxiously as humanly possible. together to create a soulless, over- people from decades gone by by somewhat expected. But even when of the dynamics. Over time, the he was moved to write pieces that day, she wrote a letter of gratitude feel like buzzwords; ideas that have “Guns are bad.” “The government is produced instrumental to be yelled spending as much money as possible. I’m not at the piano it stands there, range of the piano also expanded, pushed the boundaries of musical to the New York Symphony been diluted into products to be sold bad.” “Old people are bad.” Lyrics over. The elements of “punk rock” In an interview with Pilerats, in the corner of the living room, a from Cristofori’s four octaves to the forms and challenged his listeners, Orchestra: and resold again and again. And no like “parents ain’t always right” feel that supposedly run throughout his YUNGBLUD claimed that his large brown figure on three legs, seven octaves we have today. The and often his works were deemed “...What was my amazement to popular artist at the moment is as like they’ve been ripped straight music usually boil down to loudness “version of punk isn’t to divide, it’s dominating the space. development of a steel frame also unplayable (though he responded discover that I could feel, not only the representative of this as 22-year-old from a black and white Tumblr blog. and the odd distorted power chord to unite for one greater cause.” This In a domestic setting, the gave the piano more power, which by declaring that the performer’s vibrations, but also the impassioned Dominic Harrison, aka YUNGBLUD. He’ll taunt both politicians and older played on a guitar. is a noble idea. Modern bands like presence of the piano brings to mind allowed for greater physical force technique was inadequate, instead rhythm, the throb and the urge of For around two years now, an generations by saying in an interview To be clear, an artist’s music can IDLES and Algiers have succeeded in the heroines of Jane Austen novels, when playing but also for more of compromising his ideas). In the music! The intertwined and image of this English musician “we’re old enough to vote now” — an have punk sensibilities while not enacting similar mission statements practising scales or entertaining complex, emotionally forceful his piano works from roughly intermingling vibrations from has been constructed by his fans, through lyrics that address activism guests, or the female subjects compositions. 1800 onward, there is a sense of different instruments enchanted publications like Rolling Stone, and “YUNGBLUD’s music... sounds as clean, and socio-political issues in more of Renoir’s paintings receiving Vladimir Horowitz, considered expansion and innovation in both me. I could actually distinguish himself: the loud-mouthed fiend that specific and blunt detail. But, outside lessons. Being able to play the piano to be one of the greatest pianists of form and content. At the same time, the cornets, the roll of the drums, speaks for a misunderstood youth calculated and radio-ready as the type of the emphasis on safety at his gigs, through fiery, punk-inspired tunes. this hardly feels like the case for was considered a necessary part of all time, believed that the strength there were rapid developments deep-toned violas and violins With songs like “Machine Gun (Fuck of popular music that he slags off.” Harrison, with song after song feeling a young lady’s education (Austen’s singing in exquisite unison. … I the NRA)” and “I Love You Will more like outbursts of pent up angst heroines play the piano far more felt the chorus grow more exultant, You Marry Me”, which takes aim at odd sentiment for someone claiming fitting within the punk genre. DIY than calls for collective action. than any other instrument). This more ecstatic, upcurving swift and the corporate exploitation of romantic to be operating within a genre heavily methods of making music exist span There are definitely aspects of his scene from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ flame-like, until my heart almost gestures, he’s made strides to address tied to anarchism. genres, as do rejections of traditional music and image deserving of praise, (1813) summarises the traits of an stood still. … Of course, this was issues that he and many other young Given the aforementioned message or previously-held musical principles and there’s something admirable ‘accomplished’ lady: not “hearing” but I do know that people feel passionate about. of “I Love You Will You Marry and rough, unrefined aesthetics. But about the success he’s had in tapping “‘Oh! certainly,’ cried [Bingley’s] the tones and harmonies conveyed Ideas of “defiance” and Me”, for example, it’s both hilarious none of these elements show up in into the angst of his tween audience. faithful assistant, ‘no one can really to me moods of great beauty and “rebellion” are tossed around a and frustrating that his core message YUNGBLUD’s music, which sounds But YUNGBLUD doesn’t represent be esteemed accomplished, who majesty. ... I have never been so lot in interviews with, and articles was corporatised from the start: a as clean, calculated and radio-ready anything close to a revolution, not does not greatly surpass what is enraptured before by a multitude of about, YUNGBLUD. He talks about shiny version of rebellion that’s been as the type of popular music that he even rebellion. Dominic Harrison is usually met with. A woman must tone-vibrations.” challenging the outdated values and over-simplified and commodified slags off. nothing more than a cog in a machine have a thorough knowledge of Alongside Liszt’s compositions condescension of older generations, for decades. But as someone who And yet, Harrison still seems churning out the same overblown music, singing, drawing, dancing that violently exploit the capabilities and fighting against figures of power cites The Clash and Eminem as key desperate to connect himself to this ‘music with a message’ songs over and the modern languages to of the piano, and the extremes who seek to contain and control the influences, it’s hard to blame him scene and ones adjacent to it, often and over. deserve the word; and besides all of piano technique, he arranged youth of today. The trouble lies in the for this. He’s just repackaging and doing so through superficial means. A The guy did a song with the this, she must possess a certain orchestral compositions for the fact that the vague descriptions I’ve reselling the same product that was scroll through his Instagram will yield Imagine Dragons frontman, for fuck’s something in her air and manner piano, called his ‘transcriptions.’ just given are hardly generalisations sold to him. photo upon photo of him wearing sake. of walking, the tone of her voice, Among his transcriptions are the of the type of rhetoric he’s known for. YUNGBLUD’s musical identity, shirts of bands like The Exploited, her address and expressions, or the Beethoven symphonies, as well as word will be but half deserved.’ his versions of other symphonies, “‘All this she must possess,’ opera excerpts, and songs. Recently, added Darcy, ‘and to all this she there has been a resurgence of Cloud raves suck, but they don’t have to must yet add something more interest in Liszt’s transcriptions, Chuyi Wang wants electronic musicians to get more creative with their livestreamed performances. substantial, in the improvement of once considered gimmicky The ubiquity of the online live streamed and quality degradation, also contains Negative Gemini and Satin Sheets pump out some bubblegum bangers, but her mind by extensive reading.’” displays of piano virtuosity. Some party would have seemed comical only more unskippable marketing than your put on two hours of the most acid- you were also able to explore the bizarre The rise of the middle class pianists of the younger generation months ago, but if a fix of live music regular Soundcloud playlist, it’s difficult trippy audiovisual nonsense one could and wonderful Minecraft world that meant that more people had access are beginning their recitals with is what you’re after, you really have no to imagine that we won’t totally burn ever hope for. Placing the audience gecs had set up as the backdrop - full to music, and having a piano in transcriptions made for the piano- other choice but to turn to Instagram, out on the idea of live streaming sometimes in surrealistic video game of easter eggs to discover and places to the home was a sign of economic of the piano lied in its adaptability. being made in the piano, and this -last year, Behzod Abduraimov Facebook and Twitch. Yet, despite altogether in another few weeks. environments, other times in the very socialise with other pixelated concert- status. It also meant that there was He said, “For me, the piano is the is reflected in his compositional opened with Liszt’s transcription music performance being pushed into Perhaps the argument could be made laps of the DJs themselves, the event goers. Instead of being one name in a greater demand for printed music orchestra. I don’t like the sound of output. In his piano sonatas, there of Wagner’s “Liebestod” from an avenue of delivery it so inherently here that the online experience could transported its attendees beyond the thousand scrolling Twitch messages, suitable for amateur musicians-- a piano as a piano. I like to imitate is a sense that they were conceived “Tristan und Isolde,” and ended resists, the innovation in response to never replicate the viscerality of the club, living room and into something entirely attendees were able to visualise and music was no longer exclusive to the the orchestra -- the oboe, the for a much grander orchestration, with Prokofiev’s transcriptions of a lack of physicality and presence has and that my frustrations are therefore unfamiliar. Listeners were even treated interact with each other at a deeper aristocracy and emperors’ courts. clarinet, the violin and, of course, both in artistic scope and density 10 pieces from his own “Romeo and been slow at best. Even the biggest invalid. And to some extent, I would to an afterparty hosted by Death’s level than an off-colour alcoholism joke The piano was invented just the singing voice.” of ideas, such as his ‘Waldstein’ Juliet” ballet score. The dazzling and most resourceful of organisations agree. However, shouldn’t a medium Dynamic Shroud, whilst being able to that gets buried by a chatroom within over three hundred years ago by Alfred Brendel, also a highly sonata (1804) or ‘Hammerklavier’ transcriptions of Stravinsky’s have put on some truly tear-jerking that undergoes such a fundamental snuggle up in their VR beds and pet seconds. Indeed, with new Fortnite Bartolomeo Cristofori, a famed renowned pianist, echoed this (1818), which literally means in “Firebird” are among pianists’ yawn fests: look no further than the all- transformation of environment try to their VR cat. 100% Electronica wasn’t and Minecraft concerts on the horizon, instrument maker who moved from sentiment in his 2013 book ‘A German ‘hammer-piano.’ Although favourites too. In performing these reaching Boiler Room, who have been account for the new conditions of its trying to half-assedly emulate a physical including the Massive Attack-attended Padua to Florence in 1690 to work Pianist’s A-Z’: The piano “serves Beethoven’s inner ear allowed pieces, the pianist is not just the flooding feeds with phone-streamed sets evolution? Can we not do better than party - they were taking advantage of ‘Block by Block West’ this Saturday, for the Medici family. It was in a purpose,” he wrote; it’s an him to hear past technological conductor but the entire orchestra. where the DJ has their back turned to a propped up camera and a few smoke the virtual cards that they had been it seems that formal creativity might Florence in 1700 that he invented “instrument of transformation.” advancements and musical trends, The sole performer is responsible the camera. machines? Ironically, the people who dealt. finally return to live music performance. the piano although it took another The piano can be a solo the modern piano’s extra notes, for evoking the woodwind lines, Even with the most pristine sound get up in arms about bad press for Similarly, last weekend also saw the Though the COVID crisis looms seventeen years before the design instrument, an entire orchestra, new sustain pedal, heavier action the warm brass sounds, while quality and razor-sharp images, there’s their COVID raves are the very same nascent world of video game music over artists like the grim reaper itself, had all the components of the or the accompanying background, and wider dynamic range certainly maintaining the bowed cellos. The no denying your regular cloud rave feels people that will liberally shit-talk the festivals reach their full potential. Hosted it presents its unique opportunities modern piano. European musical all within one instrument. In triggered his imagination. textures, inner voices, and overall like watching a lifeless fever dream. major clubs in favour of their quickly by the memetastic 100 gecs, whose to innovate in ways that would have life was already familiar with Anna Goldsworthy’s book In his later years, when his structure of the piece emerge from The music is there for you to dance to homogenising warehouse parties. debut LP last year sent shockwaves previously been seen as mere gimmicks. stringed keyboard instruments-- ‘Piano Lessons,’ based on her deafness began to impair his two hands in an act of sheer piano and you certainly could drink, but the With thousands of underwhelming through both the mainstream and With more and more people paying for prospect of doing either of those things Saturday sets, there are, however, are underground, ‘Square Garden’ was and demonstrating a willingness to pay clavichords and harpsichords, for own experiences as a developing compositional process, he sawed virtuosity, in itself a declaration requires a suspension of disbelief that a couple of hidden gems buried in the a multi-act concert series streamed for digital streaming content and stream instance, were played in private young pianist, the teacher says in off the legs of his piano so that of its capacity to be one and every takes more than a little practice to keep knobs and faders. 100% Electronica, a entirely through a Minecraft server. subscriptions, a well-produced, fun and chamber settings for enjoyment broken English, “Piano absolutely he could feel the vibrations of his instrument. up enthusiastically. And with big media now-legendary vaporwave label founded Users were able to join, customise their interactive cloud rave may just be the and, at other times, used in court instrument of imagination, and we compositions, orchestral in scope. conglomerates very much on-board by George Clanton (fka Esprit), held Minecraft avatars’ appearances and next viral success to help creatives get orchestras, choirs and opera pits. But can create anything on it.” Apparently, he would sometimes the cloud train, it’s difficult to find any perhaps the world’s first interactive VR outfits, and dance - literally dance using through this difficult time. Watching by 1700, Cristofori had presented For many composers, the piano clench a stick in his teeth and hold streams that aren’t bombarded with cloud rave two weeks ago. Under the their mouse and keyboard - to blistering someone rub a couple of CDJs alone in the new piano, or “Archicembalo was absolutely central to their it to the keyboard so that he could visual or audio advertising at every turn. banner ‘Beyond the Virtual Utopia’, sets by some of the most talented their basement is just not going to cut it … di nuova inventione, che fa’ il imagination and ability to conceive discern faint sounds through the When a live event, which carries its Clanton and his crew of vapor-adjacent producers working today. Not only were for that much longer. piano, e il forte” (a harpsichord, of large ideas. For instance, Stravinsky vibrations of the piano, enabling Art by Claire Ollivain. own annoyances of buffering, dropouts producers including FM Skyline, you able to listen to blocky AG Cook 14 15 14 15 OPINION Forgotten in our generation: The game show On the urge to key a luxury car Tasia Kuznichenko on why why game shows deserve our attention. Pailey Wang has an appetite for destruction. Game shows are the awkward, middle by distraction; we struggle to stream the tricksters of television - they teach include watching Deal or No Deal in My place is on a corner, which means luxury car. is so enticing, if nothing else, the large would prefer didn’t exist in my victim’s the side wall of my bedroom and Few people have ever understood this depiction of a phallus that I might tastes. Even the shiniest Tesla Roadster child of television. They are wedged Love is Blind without scrolling through you an array of skills under the guise of her lounge room. From that young age, my side fence back up to a couple of urge when I expressed it to them. It’s not scratch into that fire-truck red Ferrari wouldn’t suffice, too much of a social precariously between the older, more Instagram, can’t watch Bon Appetite entertainment. I became seduced by the flashing lights parking spots on the adjacent street. I a logical thing as far as I am concerned. says a simple, ‘fuck you’. They might conscience. Not clean enough, new sophisticated sibling, the news, and without Snapchatting our friends at Game shows like Hard Quiz and The and admittedly cheesy music of game got used to the noise, but the thing that Sure, I am against the propagation of never fully grasp my nuanced critique, enough; they really have to be riding the younger, wildly popular sibling, the same time. Deloitte’s Australian Chase Australia may continue to trail shows… I also became a lifetime fan of really grinds my gears is when someone the type of capitalist inequality that but perhaps that simple message is the crest of the metaphorical wave of reality TV. As well as being berated by consumer survey found that in 2019 behind in the 16-39-year-old market to Andrew O’Keefe. pulls up in a parking spot and idles means some people can spend millions enough. capitalist exploitation. that footy-obsessed Uncle, sports, and 91% of respondents multi-tasked while competitors such as Home & Away and From there I began to expand my their engine. There is something about on status symbols whilst millions There are many exceptions of In the end though, I never do it. I’m overlooked by the theatrical, trendy watching TV. The Project. Yet, the composition of viewing repertoire with Spicks and that low vibratory rumble that you feel literally starve. However, I think trying course. There are few cars that really too chicken-shit. What if they catch viscerally in your stomach, that wakes to intellectualise this inhibition gives it instil this urge in me. It has to be a me? Someone with that much money cousin, TV drama. Game shows offer a well-needed a game show represents something so Specks. I didn’t really recognise any of you up at 7am and pisses you off at 4 in too much credit. In reality, the political really upmarket vehicle, something for could surely ruin my life if they see fit. It’s not surprising that game respite from the persistency of our quintessentially Australian, even more the musicians they mentioned - in 2007 the afternoon. The other day, I popped message would be unclear. Would the the 1% of the 1%. Glisteningly new, I’ve never even pulled my keys out of shows are overlooked by a generation we were yet to know for a little while my head up over the fence line to see the owner return to their Mercedes thinking immaculately polished. It has to loudly my pocket, holding them in a closed fist, that is overwhelmed with options. “This is where the beauty of the game show lies. more who Gotye really was -but by god, car that pulled up. It happened to be a ‘hmm, yes, a valid criticism of the proclaim its exorbitance to the entire the point subtlety sticking out between Additionally, television viewing among You cannot just simply watch a game show, you can be sure that I loved guessing Porsche 911, convertible, racing yellow. hoarding of wealth’? Unlikely. It would street; a bright colour helps. I wouldn’t my knuckles. It’s too risky. But I’ve younger generations is no longer whether a rough-looking rockabilly was The sight of it jerked me back to an urge probably be just a minor inconvenience, scratch a vintage sports car, maybe it is always had the fantasy. that I have long held, long suppressed. an annoyance in the life of the car’s a status symbol too, but it hints at an scheduled on a TV set. It’s on-demand, you must participate.” a serial killer or a musician. The urge to key the fuck out of a owner. Perhaps that is why the concept appreciation of an object’s history that I and right now – in demand; with This familiarity and nostalgia that Covid-19 boosting Netflix’s shares by phones. You really can’t watch Aussie than Home and Away (which game shows offer is something a lot of 14% and YouTube’s viewership by 15%. Mastermind, a high-intensity, quiz has shockingly been running for 31 us are searching for right now. We may But there is something that makes programme where contestants years) – that of diversity. not be able to hang out with our friends When forgotten trends re-emerge game shows stand out from the rest. demonstrate how well they know They bring together a cross-section in person, nevertheless, I can guarantee Angad Roy wants you to keep your footy photos private. They have to work for your attentiveness their specialised subjects – from Aztec of society, a smorgasbord of different that the comforting Chase Australia When the ‘neknominate’ trend reared coneing, never (so we thought) to be to mental health organisations like social media trends like these instantiate – and once they’ve got it, it’s hard to Mythology to honey bees’ life cycles interests, knowledge and backgrounds. family, from ‘the Supernerd’ to ‘the its boozy head in early 2014, guys who seen again. Thinking back on said trends Beyond Blue and other charities can be the desperate and attention-seeking look away. This is where the beauty of – without devoting to it your utmost In one episode of Hard Quiz alone, Shark’, are there for you, every weekday thought themselves too cool to buy into and others, can be quite heart-warming. exempted though these are few and far nature of our society. At a time when the game show lies. You cannot just attention. contestant’s topics included Lady Gaga, at 5.30pm. the life-threatening ‘planking’ fad found In the moment, you either hate or love between. our ability to engage meaningfully with simply watch a game show, you must This brings me to the second benefit Yeats, Xanadu and typewriters. So, all I can say is consider switching their path to internet superstardom. them and the extremity of the emotion I mainly speak here about the weeks others is severely hampered, is this participate. of game shows – you learn without even Even more importantly, they connect off the costly Netflix and trade it for It began with Ross Samson, an Irish is strange but uncontrollable. From an of posts that emerged before these really the best way to do so? It’s fine Even though we are consuming realising. How else but watching Hard you with other viewers through the Letters and Numbers on the costless rugby player (shock) who said on objective lens, years later, the actual philanthropic ones though I wager that and understandable to miss things that more, how much do we actually take Quiz would you acquire the important thrill of competition, all at the leisure of SBS On Demand. It might just be the Christmas Day in 2013, “I nominate all totality of the trend adopts a hazy the underlying self-interest is intrinsic formed major parts of our lives, but are away from what we watch? We exist in fact that male Siamese Fighting Fish are your own couch. Some of my fondest answer you’ve been searching for. of you whose birthday it’s not. Merry constitution, and they possess the same to all of them. In 2014, I was 17 and posting photos of scrawny biceps and Christmas.” With great speed, videos kitsch identity as balloon animals and herd mentality at such an age was beer that everyone drinks really helping an ‘economy of attention’. Bedevilled raised by their fathers? Quiz shows are memories with my Grandmother from all over the world flooded the origami fortune tellers. Very rarely not something that was necessarily anyone? No-one really cares whether internet ranging from cat-like lapping however, do these sorts of trends re- surprising; I would go further and say you play beer-pong via Zoom, play a of beer out of toilet bowls, hot sauce emerge because they are transient by that it was the norm. Six years later below-average grade of rugby or AFL, and absinthe cocktails drunk by guys nature and achieve their success because though, I really struggle to understand and if you travelled last year to some It’s time to retire the label “antidepressant” who look like incels, big boys with big of how very insignificant and farcical what value-add photos of the distorted generic country that is probably loving muscles and sick snapbacks downing they are. When they do re-emerge faces of guys playing sport or drinking not having people like you staining its Michael Albinowski on the benefits of reclassifying the term. 1L bottles of spirits in succession to just however, they are like ghoulish before beer possess. For one, can these posts streets. your generic, pretty nice guy who doesn’t and after photos of child-celebrities- be anything other than to fan the egos Most of us lock away positive Antidepressants have always attracted are depressed. more specific names, such as ‘serotonin drugs further entrenches the stigma mind some peer pressure and brief cum-rehab-heroes: scary and saddening of said footy kings who must really memories and return to them when controversy. The classification was Given the uncertainty surrounding reuptake inhibitors.’ Some existing it seeks to resolve, suggesting that social capital skolling a VB, winking at to confront. be struggling because they can’t post times are tough. On occasion, we first mentioned in the 1950s, during the effects of antidepressants, renaming classes, like tricyclic antidepressants, are the word depression is irrevocably the camera and neknominating one of Amidst the array of bland COVID-19 Instagram stories of their saucer-eyed discuss them with other people when a the clinical trials of drugs intended to this poorly understood category of divided into different categories such as tainted. Indeed, reclassification does his other harmless, nice mates. There induced social media trends like Gal mates at clubs or uninspired photos of certain experience spurs our nostalgia. treat tuberculosis. Prescription rates drugs should be considered. Doing so ‘dopamine receptor antagonists.’ not resolve the underlying problem at was a quaint novelty about these videos, Gadot’s “Imagine” video, banana-bread sunset rays kissing the glass of their Forcing them down our throats because and the absurd creativity was at times and sourdough bread connoisseurs, and half-full beer bottles with the hashtag you’re isolated and bored isn’t such an skyrocketed in the 1990s after the would not only provide a more accurate These subcategories are far more hand. Even though the ways in which endearing and other times, evoked the dumb influencers trying to stay relevant #living? Is their hunger for social capital experience. Rather, I think it would be introduction of Prozac, a selective reflection of how they are prescribed, descriptive than the overarching term mental health is publicly discussed has same sadistic satisfaction one might with pointless Earth Day content, AB so insatiate that their only resort is to do best to keep these photos on your ‘Close serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). but it could also go some way towards ‘antidepressant.’ This could assist been improving, stigma can continue feel watching insipid contestants on the workouts and really shit line drawings this? Friends’ story, in your group chats, on Their effects and efficacy have been the removing the stigma associated with practitioners in tailoring prescriptions to manifest itself on an arguably more plethora of derivative dating shows like they call ‘art,’ one of the worst is the I know it’s a bit of fun and relatively your Zoom meetings and in your own subject of debate ever since. psychotropic drugs. to a patient’s symptoms. More sinister and unmoderated level — within Love is Blind and Too Hot to Handle. rise of a neo-neknominate trend that harmless and writing an article about minds, because no one wants to be A few deaths later, the internet ranges from photos of people (mostly it is equally as stupid and might render reminded of forgotten trends, especially In the midst of these debates, But what would we call them if importantly, it could also reduce the the confines of private relationships. subsumed these cyber curios of men) playing footy (in its various me more unhinged and attention- those that were forgotten because they one trend has continued to lurk on It is not difficult to find people who creativity and buried them alongside manifestations), and drinking beer. I seeking than the people I write about. were vapid and stupid in the first place. the sidelines: antidepressants are “While reclassifying antidepressants will minimise mental illnesses by declaring other early-death trends like the Kylie will caveat this first by saying that the Regardless, the pandemic has brought increasingly being prescribed for off- not end the stigmatisation of mental illness, that they are overdiagnosed, or who Jenner lip challenge, Harlem Shake and few posts augmented with donations out the worst in a lot of people and Art by Nina Dillon Britton. label use. proclaim that jogging is the panacea to Apart from depression, SSRIs are it presents an opportunity to reduce the any psychological discomfort. used in the treatment of an array of negative perceptions patients often encounter, While reclassifying antidepressants mental and even physical illnesses. both internally and externally, when opting will not end the stigmatisation of Sertraline, for example, has been found mental illness, it presents an opportunity to be more effective in treating anxiety in to take psychotropic medication.” to reduce the negative perceptions the short term compared to depression. patients often encounter, both internally For patients taking them for off-label not antidepressants? In 2014, the association between these drugs and and externally, when opting to take reasons, the label “antidepressant” can “neuroscience-based nomenclature” specific disorders, which will ultimately psychotropic medication. in itself be problematic. A qualitative system was proposed. Rather than prevent confusion and improve If you are not convinced about the study on this subject found that some categorising psychotropic drugs based compliance with prescription regimens. potential for reclassification to reduce patients attempt to “decouple” the upon their effect on specific disorders, This system is by no means perfect social stigma, the glaring discrepancy medication from its association with such as antipsychotics, the system and caution must be directed towards between the term “antidepressant” and depression, such as by describing it as a instead labels them based upon the the major conflicts of interest among its the reality of the drug’s broadening “low dose.” This introduces the risk that neurotransmitter/s that the drug proponents. Nonetheless, it represents a application still remains. It might be a person who might benefit from taking targets and the mode of action through step in a more accurate direction. tough to rectify a misnomer which has antidepressants will refuse to do so in which this is achieved. The label It could be argued that erasing endured since the ‘50s, but custom is no order to avoid the perception that they “antidepressant” is erased in favour of antidepressants as a category of excuse for inaction.

16 17 CREATIVE An ode to Monday morning lectures iPhone notes from Stonewall Words by Juliette Marchant Words by Rhian Mordaunt

Oh, uncomfortable benches, And seats with desks that swing up Accidentally hitting the arm of your next-door comrade. The hand strikes 9:55, We’re making out at Stonewall. Leaving elbows A familiar flurry explowwdes, His beer soaked hands glide through my hair like one’s enthusiasm Erupting in a cacophony of zips and murmurs. as I kiss his neck. - bruised. The murmurs follow you out into the real world, My lips burn as they press against his cheap aftershave. The world to which you run until next week, That distant odour of despair, - waiting. He stops. That familiar musk of forgotten showers and last night’s pasta dinner, “Want to head bro?” Of stale coffee breaths and peppermint chewing gum. My back longs for the discomfort of the benches. I turn around to see who he’s talking to. My elbows crave the bruises of too close company. The gum that falls from the desk, Wait... Sticking to your jeans like a clingy friend My coffee breath searches for a companion. - longing. My gum-free jeans plead for wear. Omg no…... I think he’s talking to me? An acquaintance runs in: just on time, My Facebook scrolls wish for surveillance. I don’t think I’ve ever called my own brother ‘bro’? Revealing slides that look the same as last week. My silent room laments the tapping. Do I call him ‘bro’? And the week before that. And the week before that. My head hunts for something to nod for. How do you even use ‘bro’ in a sentence? Facebook is summoned, My clock waits to have purpose again. Scrolling is more thrilling under Big Brother’s eye Is ‘bro’ a noun? - learning. Dreaming of the lecture theatre. “Um sure thing...man?” Bruised. Longing. Learning. Caring. Maestro in the back row taps The tiles get filthier the deeper we go into the city. his pen, persistent. A virtual Narcissus - the screen is my river. Collective nodding ensues, as if to soundless music. I stare and I wait, endlessly, for Brightly coloured rays are quickly replaced by the dull dim of streetlights. Vacant approval. Feigned attention. - Monday. I’m cold so he hands me his Adidas jacket. Just there, barely I ask him about his hobbies. - caring. He says that he likes to play FIFA with his mates. “Yaa- I mean yeah. I love soccer.” I look towards him, Wait, is it gay to call it soccer? He doesn’t look back. He tells me that he hasn’t spoken to his parents in six months. “I mean football.” He tells me that they won’t ever speak to him. Wait. I’m gay. Should I call it soccer? He asks me why it has to be so hard? Fuck. “I don’t know.” I notice my footsteps transform from a sashay, shantay, panther down the runway He starts to cry. into a stiff, lifeless march. He tries to cover his eyes with his hands but I stop him. I tell him to relax and that this will all work out. “How do you know?” I ask if he goes to Stonewall often. “I don’t know.” I slowly realise that I’m the only one asking questions. I lean down and kiss him. Am I really that uninteresting? He looks up at me and smiles. I wipe a tear off of his cheek and whisper He says nah, the guys there aren’t ‘really his type’. “That’s pretty gay bro.” “What is your type?” He’s got this weird look in his eyes, like he’s about to Ben Shapiro this woke snowflake. “I just like guys who act like guys.” I know I should call him out, but like, I just don’t think he’d appreciate the nuances of Judith Butler’s theory of performativity? And he’s just like really hot. I hate myself.

We get back to my place and I make us a drink. My throat is sore from keeping it at an octave lower than it’s used to. He pushes me onto the couch (ow?) and starts kissing me. I can’t tell if he’s really into it or if his tongue is having a stroke. He says that I’m buzzing. I’m flattered until I realise that he’s talking about my phone. It’s my mum.

She asks how I’m going. She asks if I’m safe. She tells me she loves me. I tell her I love her too. We hang up.

Art by Alex Mcleay Art by James Sherriff

18 19 SRC REPORTS SRC CASEWORK HELP

Note: These pages belong to the Office Bearers of the SRC. They are President STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY not altered, edited or changed in any way by the editors of Honi Soit. Liam Donohoe The SRC Guide The Students’ Representative Council has had yet out the backpage of Honi for more information on resounding majority of rank and file members. in courses, and increases in class sizes. These last another successful (if unconventional) week un- how you can help or get help through our mutual These academic and University workers—for- two are not only of particular and novel concern, der Work From Home conditions, and the eery aid program! gotten by the new economy and the government with recent reports suggesting the Faculty of to Appealing an silence of the Wentworth Offices has even been The SRC has not only been concerned with smoothing its creases—as reluctant personifica- Arts and Social Sciences will cut one-third of its occasionally disturbed by the chugging of print- providing immediate material relief, however — tions of the “No Worker Left Behind” demand, courses in semester two, but are also intimately ers, dropping of foodstuff, and delivery of Honi. we have also been participating in a number of im- will no doubt be prominent figures throughout linked with various failures of the Neo-Liberal Academic Decision The highlight of the week was undoubtedly portant struggles for the future of our education Friday’s car convoy. The University sector, like University, including the under resourcing by gov- the launch of our “essentials pack” program, and indeed our entire society. The most significant the economy in which it is situated, will be neither ernment, the myopia of the University managerial an initiative that forms a key component of the of these campaigns is the emerging No Uni Cuts worthwhile nor fair until the people it affects most class, and the profit rationales which have deval- SRC’s mutual aid response to the COVID-19 campaign, which demands full government fund- significantly also have the most significant say ued whole disciplines and academic merit more Appeals should be started within 15 working 3. Appeal to the Student Appeals Body pandemic. Though the program took time to get ing and the abolition of University fees in order over it. And the only way those most affected— broadly. We hope to package all of these concerns days of receiving the result. (SAB). up and running—it’s not easy working out how to both protect the sector during the COVID-19 like students and workers—have any chance of a into a broader campaign around academic sup- If you are not happy with the response from to source and deliver food and essential goods to pandemic and also initiate the transition away genuine say is through acts of resistance; acts like port and No Disadvantage, which we seek to run SRC 1. Informal Appeal. your Faculty, you may be able to lodge an people—the SRC has been working towards this from the failed Neo-Liberal University model. As car convoys, like symbolic celebrations of working alongside the broader No Uni Cuts and No Stu- CASEWORKER Attend the exam review session or ask your SAB appeal. You will need to clearly show launch for months. I’m pleased to report that our part of Friday the 24th’s broader National Day class power, like preparations for militant strike dent / Worker Left Behind campaigns. APPOINTMENTS subject coordinator for a break down of your procedural unfairness or breach of policy Offices’ Gosper room is crammed with countless of Online Action, the SRC participated in two action. The SRC is thrilled to be playing a positive Away from activism and mutual aid projects, ARE NOW final mark. In your appeal, explain exactly with the Faculty’s decision. This may include pre-made hampers from the Exodus Foundation live streams, the first (which featured Lee Rhian- role in the campaigns and initiatives that have the I’ve also attended a number of the usual Uni- AVAILABLE where you should have received more marks, faults in the formal appeal outcome, or that ONLINE based on the marking rubric. Be as specific the Faculty did not fully consider all of the and mountains of Pasta and cereal box, more non) concerned upcoming May 1 activities, while best chance at saving our sector and achieving a versity committee meetings, with two Academic as you can, for example, in question 6 where information provided to them. than enough to accommodate the 30+ requests the second (which featured Mehreen Faruqi) better University system, and we commit to total Board subcommittee meetings last Tuesday and I was to give 3 theories, I gave 2 and should solidarity with academics, professional staff, and a Vice-Chancellor Recruitment focus group ses- we’ve received. Sincere thanks are owed to count- concerned the role of student resistance in the have received 6 out of 10 instead of 2 out of Be clear about your appeal. Address your less people, but I want to particularly single out COVID-19 crisis, particularly with respect to the workers in all sectors. sion on Wednesday. Yet more await me this week, 10. marker’s and your faculty’s comments Julia Robins (Secretary to Council), Felix Faber tertiary education sector. These big, outward-looking structural fights as two further Academic Board subcommittee and concerns. Working hard and then (Vice-President), Priya Gupta (Queer Officer), Both of these activities are intertwined: the No intersect significantly with the work we have been meetings on Tuesday join an Honours Admission 2. Appeal to the Faculty. unexpectedly failing is not grounds for appeal. Klementine Burrell-Sander (Student Housing Uni Cuts campaign aims to, among other things, doing on behalf of USyd students’ academic in- Taskforce meeting on Thursday and an Educa- Did you know you If you are not happy with the response from An appeal cannot be based on someone else Officer), Robin Eames, Abbey Shi (General Sec- support and amplify the demands of militant rank terests. We intend to make these connections clear tion Committee meeting on Monday. All in all, your informal appeal, you have 20 working passing when you did not. Have a realistic retary), Isla Mowbray (General Executive), Paola and file within the NTEU, a demographic which at Wednesday’s open meeting of the student body, it promises to be another busy and exciting week, have tight deadlines to days to lodge a formal appeal. Include ALL idea of what outcome you want, e.g., a Ayre (Queer Officer), Liam Thorne, Nina Mount- will feature prominently in the May 1 car convoys. which seeks to discuss issues students have found with Friday’s May 1 convoy and daily deliveries of supporting documentation / evidence, where remark, an extra assessment or a change of fourd, Simone Morris and Ellie Wilson (Women’s Indeed, in my capacity as a member of the USyd with the transition to online learning and assess- our “essentials packs” likely to be the highlights. APPEAL a GRADE or an you outline how the process used to give you weighting towards a particular piece of work. Officer) for their initiative and contributions at NTEU branch I attended their most recent meet- ment. Topics will include, but won’t be limited to, that mark was not correct. Do not focus on various points over the preceding months. Check ing, and voted for militant positions alongside a ProctorU, mark adjustment schemes, reductions ACADEMIC DECISION? academic opinion – only talk about process. General Secretaries If you would like an SRC Caseworker to read over your appeal before submitting it, Ask the SRC! email it to [email protected]. Liam Thomas and Abbey Shi This week the General Secretaries are work- various types of assistance previously and advice. we are seeking alternative resolution to the Students’ Representative Council, University of Sydney ing on the platform of student advocacy now we are looking into the types of health During this special period of time, translation in spirit of effectively allocating Level 1, Wentworth Building (G01), p: 02 9660 5222 /usydsrc given the continuous COVID-19 situation. goods and food that can be sent to students. we have also been working on advocacy student’s every penny. University of Sydney NSW 2006 e: [email protected] We have been receiving students’ feedback Meanwhile, the financial aids for for international students JobKeeper and We have also advised the university PO Box 794 Broadway NSW 2007 w: srcusyd.net.au @src_usyd Ask Abe SRC caseworker help Q&A on the academic arrangement of different international students have been gradually JobSeeker scheme. We have conducted officials to consider Melbourne University’s faculties and advocate their opinions at granted as a result of the previous petition surveys in conjunction with Union NSW on WAM model as part of COVID-19 weekly meetings with University officials. work. We have received lots of gratitude various social media platform. readjustment plan. The University, in Ask Abe about In the past week, the SRC mutual aid group from students who received the grants. For We are also in the process of response, is considering adopting the STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL LEGAL SERVICE project is rolling out smoothly. We have a significant number of students who are in administering the translation of SRC student model. Further notice will be given in future Financial Trouble! been in contact with some not-for-profit or- need of feedback in application, the General advice materials. We have looked into scheduled meetings. ganisations for resources to reallocate to the Secretary has been abiding the constitutional markets with the assistance of the council student council for distribution. We have requirement of the council and redirect their secretary. Given the high pricing advised by Dear Abe, soon as possible. You might be able to get surveyed the students who are in need of enquiries to proper party that can grant valid the NSW Government official department, a discount, or get an extension on the due The café I was working in is not going to re- date. Vice Presidents open, so I have now lost my job. I thought The University has a financial service Felix Faber and Charlotte Bullock that I would be able to earn some money for students, where you might be eligible Recently our focus has been mostly on help- contacts we have established with the faculty We have also continued our regular university’s new approach to the WAM for when the isolation stuff was relaxed, but to get a bursary up to a couple of thousand ing to develop and set up the SRC’s new mu- society presidents through the re-establish- meetings with university management, this semester will operate. We also recently now I have a huge debt, and don’t know how dollars, or at least an interest free loan of up tual aid programme. These packs will supply ment of the Interfaculty Committee we were which provide us an opportunity to raise attended a meeting regarding one of the I can easily earn some money. What options to $1500. They have extended it to include essentials, mostly food, but hopefully also able to distribute this information to the fac- any issues affecting students as a result of SRC’s projects for the year – constitutional do you think I have? international students as well, but it is some sanitary items, to students. We were ulty societies to share with students. We also the shift to online learning or the pandemic and regulatory reform. In this meeting unclear if this will be only for this semester. particularly able to assist in this project by recently had the second meeting of the In- more broadly as they come up. Most recently, we worked on shaping our short term and Skint The Government is now allowing contacting external organisations, eventually terfaculty Committee, in which we were able we raised issues pertaining to overseas long term goals for this project, particularly people to withdraw up to $10,000 from finding an organisation we were able to part- to catch up on what the faculty societies are OLEs being cancelled, and the potential for any adjustments to regulations that need to their superannuation before July and a ner with to provide the SRC with hampers to doing to engage and support students in the replacement units to be offered. We have also be made given the current restrictions on SRC Dear Skint, further $10,000 from their superannuation form the basis of our programme. Given the midst of this crisis. been asking questions to understand how the meeting in-person. LEGAL SERVICE after July. BEFORE taking this action APPOINTMENTS I am very sorry to hear about your job please consider the consequences very ARE NOW loss. I hope you are able to find some safe, seriously. Superannuation is designed as International Officers AVAILABLE paid work soon. In the meantime, there are a a long-term benefit for your retirement. Ziying (Nicole) Huang, Mengfan (Karen) Ji, Mingyu (Moses) Lin, Kigen Mera ONLINE few things you can do. One superannuation company stated, “a Centrelink has introduced some changes 20-year-old who accesses the full $20,000 The impact of COVID-19 has made the col- of all the Honi editors and contributors. We to the correct area. The most difficult issue To see that the coronavirus infection to payments due to COVID-19. If you available under the scheme could lose more lective’s activism very difficult if not imprac- were able to raise many contemporary is- for international students now is likely the curve flattening in Australia is certainly a are already receiving a payment, you will than $120,000 from their retirement balance ticable. The International Student Collective sues international students are facing and rent issue. International students who can- relief. We hope it will continue to get better temporarily be getting an additional $550 per (hesta.com.au/stories/in-this-together. not return to Australia or cannot continue in the future. However, with uncertainty, we is a relatively new collective, without stu- promote cultural sharing in languages other fortnight, from 27th April. If you are not on html)”. It may turn out to be your best joint renting due to health or other concerns still need to encourage everyone to keep safe Have you received a fine or dents who are keen to attend regular events, than English. may find themselves in a difficult situation. and reduce the risks for themselves. We will a payment, consider applying for a student option right now, but just consider all of the holding weekly events became very difficult. Although events are largely stopped, we We are also looking into getting fair fare ac- keep updating the community with any new infringement notice that you payment if you are full time (18 credit points other options as well. If you do withdraw The first international edition of Honi Soit are still making sure that international stu- tivism going as soon as the COVID-19 situ- findings or situation changes. or more), or a jobseeker payment if you are this money from your account, it may be turned out to be quite a success with the help dents who come to us for help are directed ation eases. think is unfair or too harsh? part time. worthwhile talking to a financial advisor, The SRC has a leaflet (Living On Little or your superannuation company about Ask the SRC Legal Service! Money) that will give you some other ideas whether it is advisable to try to make up that Indigenous Officers on free or cheap food, entertainment, health withdrawal in the future, when you are more Mathilda Langford and Leroy Fernando did not submit a report this week. *The SRC Legal Service assists USyd undergraduate students. care, and others (srcusyd.net.au/src-help/ financially stable. At the very least please SUPRA offers assistance to USyd postgraduate students. money/guide-to-living-on-little-money). have a look at moneysmart.gov.au/covid-19. If you are having difficulty paying your Welfare Officers SRC Legal Service rent it is a good idea to deal with this as Abe Level 1, Wentworth Building (G01), ACN: 146 653 143 Liability limited by a scheme Charlotte Ainsworth, Layla Mkh, Madeleine Clarke, & Yilun Ma did not submit a report this week. University of Sydney NSW 2006 p: 02 9660 5222 approved under Professional PO Box 794 Broadway NSW 2007 w: srcusyd.net.au Standards Legislation. Contact an SRC Caseworker on 02 9660 5222 or email [email protected]

20 21 PUZZLES THE Quick ACROSS DOWN 1 To act without care, like the 1 Nelson Mandela’s country (3) Europeans in Africa (8,7) 2/10 Ghanaian ex-president and 8 Burning (6) RODENT REVIEW 8 nonalignment leader (5,7) 10 See 2 Down 3 Democratically choose (5) Fierce, independent journalists controlled by the rats on our heads! 12 Forbidden wall snack (8) 4 The Sahara contains much of these (5) 15 Meg Ryan flick named for Greek 5/9 Country named by 18-across (7,4) Disney announces gritty High School Musical reboot Inspired by Woroni’s fearless journalism this week, we let Island (6) 6 Green spirit (5) our very own Vice Chancellor take over his own column. 18 The greatest world leader of the 7 Wow! (3) 20th century (6,7) 9 See 5 21 Cross-continental movement led 11 Where Robert Mugabe lived (6) 18 by 2-down (13) 13 Airplane! (for example) (5) 24 Angry drunk (6) 14 Congolese giraffe resembling a zebra 26 Legendary African musician, (5) activist and outlaw (4,4) 16 Why you get out of bed in the morning? 29 One’s enthusiasm for imperialism (5) (7) 17 Temporary stalls and installations (3-3) 30 Fast growing plant common in 18 City built on the ruins of Carthage (5) Uganda (6) 19 There are 54 of these in Africa (5) 29 What 18-across and 2-down 20 Currency of Nigeria (5) 32 sought to create (9,6) 22 How a centrist might describe mild left policy (7) 23 First name of the Berlin conference convenor, which started the scramble Nina Dillon Britton, 22-year-olds-watching-teen-shows correspondent Five things I’ll for Africa (4) Struggling to remain relevant to teen audiences, Disney has announced a gritty High School Musical reboot. 25 The language of Eswatini (5) miss about USyd 26 Sides of 29-down? (5) “We wanted to rework the characters you love, to give them a more modern, realistic edge,” Disney 27 North African country (5) CEO, Bruce Chonk told The Rodent. 1. Administration Building (F23) 28 The official language of Cambodia (5) “Troy will still be the basketball jock, torn between his love of basketball and his love of singing,” Move over Quadrangle! Sayonara Manning Bar! 29 African hair style (slang) (3) Chonk reveals, “but this time, he’ll also be a date rapist.” There’s a new, beloved campus institution: the iconic 31 Egg cells (3) “Ryan is still the loveable cock hungry twink of the original series,” Chonk says, “but now is in a Administration Building (F23). I have to admit, I wasn’t Cryptic relationship with Troy’s father.” sure if the architects I briefed would be able to pull “Gabriella has a voice of gold, but now also has an OnlyFans page and BPD.” off the brief I gave them — “non-descript but vaguely ACROSS DOWN “Sharpay is still the prissy girl we love to hate, but now she’s also a soundcloud rapper with a xanny threating”. But you’ve got to give it to them, they really 8 How I find cryptic clue answers, 1 Air bender takes cheap cab to former addiction.” captured the way students see me on campus. When I annotate half the word and stop Portuguese Colony (6) “Chad is a star on the court, but we’ve updated the character by also making him a date rapist. Indeed look out from my Panopticon, I mean, uh, office, I really trying as trouble starts (8) 2 The United Nations exists within a volume of the whole basketball team is.” feel proud to be part of revisioning this campus. 9 Ha the answer is le soufflé (6) the crying tears of modern day slaves (10) “And Taylor is a real change up,” Chonk tells The Rodent, “in this series she wears a cool hat.” Vegetarians love to fuck inside (4) Gering misspelt is a person who is derided 10 3 Disney is conducting extensive focus groups to identify the hat she’ll wear. 2. The secret tunnel system 11 Better groove song rhythmically because of their colour (6) Key songs for the original will also be included, though updated to the reflect the show’s new tone. It’s incredible to be part of an historic campus, with its increased pace 4 Andrew Lloyd Webbed has this trait of 19 secret passageways, ancient buildings and relics from a by- 12 The Archers film multiple stories across without end (4) They include We’re All Collectively Responsible for Our Classmate’s Suicide Together; I Want It All (It from classic literature (10, 5) 5 Slander West’s education as appalling (8) being prescription opioids) and Get’cha Head In My Asshole. gone era. Some passageways allow you to get anywhere 15 She ingests nothing to cover many 6 British man puts humour in resume (4) Chonk clarified that the earlier announced reboot High School Musical But With Less Hot, Actually on campus undetected (including the 2018 Repselect feet (4) 7 The doomer’s opposite appears with extreme Teenage Actors, hadn’t tested well with audiences. room...), others seem to attract clueless busty virgins, and 17 Remain by dead racket (5) blissful ease radiantly shining around! (8) still others are wide enough for you to unhinge your jaw 18 Half of Russia collapses into its 13 A section of Cows speak with a lisp (5) and use your powerful back molars to bite through soft, former state! 14 Grown Ups’ Banging Errors! (10) first year flesh. Really makes you think! 19 The Person writing these clues is an Sexually explicit errors alarms those who NSW Heath announces North Shore teen angry command dog from Ireland want a bit on the side 3. The sleep pods in Fisher (9, 6) 16 Ham with relish bits missing; there is nothing new banana bread picks up livestream 22 A Funky song sounds sexually bad about it (8) In the hundreds of glowing profiles written by uncritical, stimulating (10) 17 small bee gene bemuses (8) baking pandemic DJ hobby in order to brain dead, ambitious Fairfax grads over the years, I’ve 25 Spaced Moore stumbles backwards 20 South African spin god (6) Marlow Hurst, Things starting with the ‘bring joy’ to others been constantly asked “What keeps you so young and without ecstasy (4) 21 19 across’ characteristic self importance ends letter “B” correspondent fuckable?”. Well! A gentleman doesn’t give away his 26 Steve McQueen’s Great ease alerts capitalism (6) secrets, but all I can say is that it’s definitelynot being Edna Mode’s fashion no-no (6) 23 To validate begin answers for questions in quarantine sucking the dreams through high-tech pods in Fischer 27 The Answer to this clue will shock twenty, four, one and the second part of library. you (8) twenty-two (4) Chuyi Wang, Shitting on white DJs editor 24 Blow confiscated from yoga spiritualist (4) Jimmy Thomas (19) debuted his livestream DJ 4. Putting cockroaches in the UniBros pide act last Saturday night over Instagram Live to Over my time at USyd I’ve been proud to preside over a Sudoku a rapturous crowd of twelve of his high school number of important changes: the neoliberal restructure Women’s Honi Solutions friends. Performing under the moniker ‘Jay of the University, the secret murder of Tim Anderson Tommo’, the evening of music lasted a total of at a CIA blacksite, and getting more healthy protein in forty minutes and featured such timeless classics the diets of students. I first tried getting this done by Cryptic Crossword Quick Crossword KenKen as ‘Rhythm of the Night’ and ‘Barbara Streisand’. encouraging the Economist to entice students to subscribe Thomas also included a few of his favourite tech A man by the name of Chester Hawthorn has been to their British propaganda outlet using chips made out house hits for good measure. of crickets. When that didn’t work, I just started sneaking identified by NSW Health today as patient zero for “I just think with the whole quarantine them into the UniBros pides. After my years at the a novel form of the compulsive baking virus, la- situation, everyone is just missing those eets Ivy University, I’m proud to announce I’ve met my goal to belled by WHO as “B-BREAD 20.” vibes,” Thomas told The Rodent from the comfort get a bug in the mouth of every student. Including you! Contact tracing is still ongoing, but preliminary of his parents’ property in Mosman, “and what Yes, I can see you! You! investigations have discovered that the virus was better way to use all this time on my hands than to first transferred to Mr.Hawthorn through a cooking do something creative, learn a skill, and bring joy 5. The Anderson Stuart labs blog-to-human transmission late last Sunday. to all my mates?” I understand at my time at USyd, some of the actions I’ve Mr.Hawthorn is then thought to have Thomas, who only started learning how to taken have been controversial: the casualisation of staff, transmitted it to his 170 instagram followers via a DJ on Friday after asking his dad to buy him redundancies and course cutting have not always been post where he claims to have “discovered a passion some Pioneer CDJs, says he took an immediate popular. But though the University community hasn’t for baking.” Sudoku inclination to the craft. always seen this, the administration has always looked Health officials have advised everyone between “I just loaded all my tracks on there and started out for our staff. While casuals have worried about their the ages of 20 and 35 to avoid answering phone Missing links: Nutcase/case law mixing straight away. It was almost like the music job security during our period of austerity, we’ve been calls from potentially bored friends who maybe Batman/manchild Big-note/notebook was playing itself.” proud to announce a new way they can remain a part of mentioned having a large quantity of ripe bananas Stepsister/sisterhood Cross eye/eye glass When asked about his career roadmap as one our students’ learning experiments. The Anderson Stuart in the last 24 hours. Stone age/age limit of Sydney’s up-and-coming DJs, Thomas was not labs have been used to begin valuable scientific research, Anyone who themselves have a large quantity Galaxy brain/brainchild Train game: afraid to tell The Rodent about his lofty ambitions. using the bodies of our casual staff (I know what you’re of ripe bananas are being instructed to self isolate Native title/title deed (6*4) * (3-2) “The next stop is definitely a slot on Room thinking, and no there are no workplace rights for for at least 2 weeks until said bananas have entered Animal crossing/crossing fingers (3*6)-(4*2) Puzzles by Some Hack and Ms 2 Radio. And after that, who knows? If I keep casuals), some animals and some good ol’ needles and phase 3, which Chief Medical Officer Brendan Metal straw/strawberry Eel Kink. Solutions next week. building my Instagram numbers, I might even thread, we’ve been able to put redundant staff to good Murphy outlines as being “black, juicy, and all Lovebird/birdbrain Target word: move to Berlin one day.” use. You’re welcome! Laptop/top dog Abolition together unpleasant.” 22 23