The Wall_Spring 2023_Issue 9

Spring 2023 Issue 9 All about Time

The magazine of the pupils of IBSTOCK PLACE SCHOOL

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Photo Credit: Frederic Barriol, Unspalsh

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Dear Reader,

The team here at TheWALL are thrilled to release the 2023 edition of our magazine. Our intention was to create a unique and diverse collection of work which celebrates the talent which our school has to offer. From biomedical breakthroughs to the truth of the Confederacy, this magazine covers it all. Through this publication, we hope to ensure that the world is being viewed ‘in the round,’ with a variety of perspectives and viewpoints acknowledged. While themes in previous years have been argued to restrict the individuality and imagination of our student writers, this year we chose a theme that will spur everyone’s creativity: Time. The theme of time encourages a revision of past “truths”, the analysis of modern events and predictions for what our changing world will bring. As we had hoped, this theme has truly brought the originality of our writers to the fore, allowing unique and previously little-spoken topics to be debated. The art in our magazine was hand-drawn by students in our school ranging from Year 7 all the way to Year 13. Our art style, which has been adored in previous issues, has come back to give our magazine the splash it de serves. You can find many different pieces, from caricatures to provocative drawings that invite you to ponder their meaning in relation to our society.

Our digital team put together podcasts, which became a massive hit on our school campus and even reached beyond our gates. We advertised our magazine through social media and set up a website from scratch using YouTube videos and tutorials, to greatly increase the exposure of our publication. We hope that the time, sweat and tears it took to put this magazine together, from the writing to the artwork to the editing, creates a worthwhile read for you and lets you learn something new about our world. Above all, we wish this magazine to be a testament to the creativity and passion of our editorial team and the wider pupil body at IPS.

The Editors

Odessa Lidstrom Deputy + History Editor

Yeva Kebabdjian Editor in Charge

Tymon Zbierski Deputy Editor

Charlie Tebbutt Managing + Layout Editor

Olivia Arbour Deputy + Politics Editor

Sienna Harriss Head of Layout + Art Editor

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Klaudia Jedlecka Art Editor

Sofia Daras Art Editor

Duru Kulac Culture and Heritage Editor

Victoria Urwick Entertainment Editor

Lottie Sanderson - Health and Wellbeing Editor

Grace Oldfield Sports + Layout Editor

Milly Burn Society Editor

Natasha Hymans - Science and Technology + Layout Editor

Max Mahendra Technical Editor

Evelina Kitsantas Marketing Editor

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Writers:

Writers:

Artists:

Alina Ahmad, S11 Olivia Arbour, LVI Tilly Barnes, S10 Emily Begley, S11 Evie Buckley, S10 Milly Burn, LVI

Camille Marinof, S10 Ella McDougall, S10 Florence Metcalfe, LVI Amber Mitchell, LVI Maddie Oakley, LVI Grace Oldfield, LVI Sebastian Onillon, S10 Lorenza Rees, S10 Joss Robinson, LVI Louis Sanders, LVI Rennee Sanders, S11 Abigail Sceales, S7 Sofya Shmul, LVI Suhani Sethi, S9 Matthew Thorburn, S10 Josh Titchen, LVI Victoria Urwick, LVI MaximilianWilliams, S7 Hana Yeates, LVI Tymon Zbierski, LVI Zara Quazi, S10 Elena Rees, LVI

Naomi Annetts, S9 Jake Beament, S9 Teresa Boyle, S9 Melis Buberka, UVI Maggie Conway-Hughes, S8 Sofia Daras, LVI

Joshua Clements, S10 Henry Coleman, S10 Matthew Combi, LVI Jasmine Dent, S10 Amelia Duda, LVI Igor Elmanov, S11 Nabil Elsayed, S9 Emily Gates, LVI Fleur Granier-Deferre, S9 Hilary Hanslin, S9 Natasha Hymans, LVI Klaudia Jedlecka, LVI Isabel Kane, S11 Armen Kebabdjian, S10 Yeva Kebabdjian, LVI Evelina Kitsantas, LVI Kit Kroft, S7 Duru Kulac, LVI Hannah Lee, S11 Odessa Lidstrom, LVI Stefan Maricas, S7

Jasmine Dent, S10 Alexa Gedeon, S8 Maddy Hall, LVI Sienna Harriss, LVI Ruby Hellier, S9 Klaudia Jedlecka, LVI Yeva Kebabdjian, LVI Sonya Kurylova, S9 Niah Melomey, S9 Florence Metcalfe, LVI Grace Oldfield, LVI Jesse Rivero, LVI Lavinia Salon, S10 Holly Taskis, S9 Milly Tebbutt, S9 Ava Thomas, S9 Ceren Ulas, S8 PhoebeWenlock, S9 EmiliaWilliams, S8

Front and Back Cover:

Calligraphy:

Layout:

Sofia Daras, LVI

Jasmine Dent, S10 Myrto Maurides, S10 Victoria Urwick, LVI

Sienna Harriss, LVI Natasha Hymans, LVI Grace Oldfield, LVI Charlie Tebbutt, LVI

Section Collages:

Title Designs:

Klaudia Jedlecka, LVI

Sienna Harriss, LVI

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Artwork: Lavinia Salon, S10

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Double spread - contents Culture and Heritage 11 - Fish and Chips:A History 12 - This is Not the Real Iran 14 - In Search of British Culture

15 - How Religion Has Changed OurWorld 16 - The Evolution of Language 18 -Why Stereotypes Matter

Entertainment 21 - Heathers: Slushies, Mean Girls and Murder 22 - Nature in Time 24 -What is a ‘Nepotism Baby’ andWhy DoWe Care? 25 -Why Representation Matters 26 - TheWall Fashion Show

Artwork: Sienna Harriss, LVI

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Health and Wellbeing 31 - Eating Disorders on the Rise Again 32 - The Truth Behind ‘Getting It Together’ 34 - The Economy’s Unhealthiest Factor

35 - The Unheard of Struggle of Girls Living with ADHD 36 - How Does DyslexiaVary in Different Countries?

History 39 - The Legacy 40 - The ‘Lost’ Cause 42 - Exploitation in Education 43 - The Teaching of History:Will it ‘Progress’ Out of Our Control? 44 - D-Day Logistics:Tales of Trickery and Deception 46 - Vulturous Ethics: Morality in Photography Politics 49 - The Decline and Future of Europe 50 - Is Social Media a Threat to Our Democracy? 52 - Ukraine and Tawain: Different Background, Same Conflict 53 - Putin’sWar 54 - In the Shadow of Mussolini 55 - Brazil after Bolsonaro 56 - The Leadership Race that Led to Sunac Becoming PM

Science and Technology 59 - The Genius of Gene Editing

60 - Dr Dog:The Future of Healthcare 61 - Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 62 - The End of the Antibiotic Era 64 - The Elixir of Life: Should we Strive for Immortality? 65 - Steering the Future: Self-Driving Cars 66 - InYour Dreams! The Science of Dreaming 68 - Dreadnoughts of Democracy 69 - The Depths of Possibility: Space vs Deep Sea Exploration

Society 71 - The Dangers of AndrewTate 72 - The Negative Impact of TikTok

73 - The Downfall of Twitter 74 - Kingdom or King-Done 76 - Ground Breaking New UK Law Ends Legal Marriage Under 18 77 - Should there be an Expiry Date for the Repayment of Student Loans? 78 -Women Across theWorld 80 - Externalism:A Purview of Time and its Seconds 81 - How Long Does Our Earth Have Left?

Sports 83 - Rowing with an Open Mind 84 -World Cup Controversy 85 - Football and Finance 86 - The Most Racist Football Team

88 -What Happens in Sport, Stays in Sport 89 - Performance Enhancing Drugs in Boxing 90 - Gender Equality in Sport 91 - The Media’s Impact on Sexism in Sport

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Artwork: Sofia Daras, LVI

Interested in finding out more? Read the editors’ supplementary content by scanning the QR code!

Great Britain, the country which we have all watched grow and change over many years, has stayed on its feet through wars, drastic political changes and even Brexit! The people have changed, as generations pass and fashions evolve, especially as the youth currently have the biggest media influence in history. However, one thing in Great Britain that will never change is its fair share of clichés! Tea and scones, rain, pubs, baked beans with a cheeky full English and the best Scottish shortbread you’ll ever taste.The list goes on, and even though some of them are painful and annoying, like the never-ending season of showers, they are what makes Britain, Britain. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking – what about the best one of all? I had to leave the worldwide favourite until last… Fish and Chips. Yeva Kebabdjian (she/her), LVI, explores the hirstory behind one of the nation’s favourite dishes. People from all around the world visit the UK just to have a taste. For locals it’s a nice treat to enjoy; whether you’ve ordered a guilty take away or if you’ve gone out to the nearby pub with your family. It’s an old tradition that dates back to the 1860s, bringing everyone together. Some like theirs with mushy peas, others not so much, as they enjoy digging into the crispy layer of their battered cod, with a gherkin or those irresistible fluffy fries.You just can’t go wrong! I don’t know about you, but I’m already craving some! Why is it that such a simple dish which has evolved from being served on the streets of London wrapped in news

paper, has now become a culinary delight? Frankly, that’s a question I’m afraid I can only answer by saying, “because it’s delicious!” Funnily enough, you can find the dish down the road, in a small grubby shop smelling of vinegar and oil or in a Michelin star restaurant, racking up a sum of money that makes your eyes pop and forcing you to ask, “Shall we split the bill?”. However, what I can explain in wider depth is the history of this scrumptious dish. How did the meal first land on our plates, and are these momentous historic events the only reason why there is such thing as a “fish and chippy?” Going back to the famously glorious Victorian era, fish was very expensive and rare to find in the city of London. Fishmongers didn’t make much money as it was deemed fancy and a privilege to consume such delicacies. The upper-class Brits were the only ones lucky enough to afford fresh fish.The dish has taken a lengthy journey to end up on ‘Londers’ plates, as luckily enough for us, everything changed during the Industrial Revolution. Occurring between 1760 - 1840, it resulted in the invention of the steam train by our saviour, Richard Trevithick, who changed everything.This meant that transporting fish was less expensive and became a lot more ordinary. Citizens from various classes could then begin to afford fish; replacing the cheap and unappealing fried

fried fish with jacket potatoes or plain potatoes on the side. Shockingly, as you are reading this, there are rather fiery debates happening online between members of the public, arguing the identity of the real mastermind behind the ingenious creation of fish and chips. This is because a vast majority of the public don’t want to admit or recognize that the person who brought fish and chips to Britain wasn’t even British. A popular source reveals that Jewish immigrant Joseph Malin opened the first fish n’ chip shop in either 1860 or 1865, selling the two together; or as the BBC like to put it, he “married the fish to chips”.As there is an uncertainty with the exact date this shop opened, some people argue that Mr Lees (a man who encouraged the concept, especially in Mosley in 1863) is the one speculation, yet when we tuck into the comforting crispy delight, we don’t seem to know or care. Our main concern is that our siblings or friends don’t grab one of our fries when we look at the random bird which happens to be flying above our heads! who deserves the crown for the discovery.There is continuous political turmoil, take this as an opportunity to begin appreciating simple things. Let’s use our phones for something useful and, as a generation with the privilege of the internet, let’s be more interested and inspired, even if it’s something like simply researching mushy peas! So, through all the historical and

pig trotters {Disgusting, I know}. Thankfully for us, that became less

popular and frying various white fillets became the newVictorian trend. By 1860, it became much more popular to have

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Artwork: Jesse Rivero, LVI

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Growing up, I always loved hearing stories of my mother’s childhood. Like every child, I was amazed to imagine my mother at school, or as an infant playing with toys. Often, I’d ask her (and I still do), “tell me about your childhood.” So, she did. She told me about her trips to the beach, her hours spent in parks with cousins and friends. She told me about her favourite music, films and her favourite after-school treats.This sounds quite normal, right? It sounds like a common conversation a child might have with their parents.Though, here’s the catch. Here’s how my version is a little different. My mother was born and grew up in Iran – that is, until everything changed. When I mention Iran, undoubtedly you will begin to think of the oppressed, cruel country run by an Islamist dictator ship.You will think of the recent murder of Masha Amini.You will think of a country in which women have no rights and live in fear.This image of Iran, which so many people have, is represented as the only Iran by the media. But that’s not the truth.That’s not the Iran that my mum knows.That’s not the Iran that I know. It’s not the Iran that Iranians know. In 1978, the Iranian Revolution changed everything. Unsurprisingly, the root cause of the revolution was the uprising of Rhollah Khomeini, an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran. He eventually went on to replace the unpopular Pahlavi dynasty under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahl avi.The Pahlavi dynasty were the Iranian royal family and among the wealthiest and most educated citizens.They were popular. However, the working class opposed the Shah and his ideas.They believed he lived a lavish lifestyle whilst many of them had to struggle financially because they weren’t the wealthiest in society.Their support of the opposition ultimately led to the start of the revolution which changed Iran forever. Without thinking of the consequences, they spearheaded the struggle against the Shah, bringing global attention to Iran through demonstrations and a four-month-long general strike. Nevertheless, it’s not as if Iran didn’t already have this attention.At the time, their economy was booming.With their endless supply of oil, any merchant would have landed the jackpot by working in Iran.This led to agglomeration in many Iranian cities, specifically the capital Tehran. Businesses were opening on every corner. Yeva Kebabdjian (she/her), LVI, describes how the media presents Iran negatively, but this is far from the truth.

Clubs, bars, pubs, theatres, restaurants, cinemas, festivals and concerts were all thriving, with stars from all over the world visiting the capital – as many would do now in cities such as Vegas, Paris and London. My mother’s family were in fact a foreign family who had settled in Iran post-Armenian genocide.Though appearance, religion and heritage may have set my family apart from Iranians, my mother always tells me that there is something very rare about the Iranians. Something not many other nationalities have. It is the warmth and acceptance of the people. My mother’s family were taken in and treated as equals, loved by their neighbours, loved by the country.As a persecuted race,Armenians struggled to find safe places to live, yet Iran took many in with open arms and treated them as their own.This is living proof that different religions and nationalities can unite despite all odds. Even today, many members of the Armenian diaspora in Iran aren’t perse cuted or treated differently by citizens. Why? Because being an Iranian isn’t just something to do with ethnicity. It is to do with spirit. So, to this day, my mother calls herself an Armenian-Iranian with nothing other than pride. It is this same spirit which we see today among all Iranians, no matter where they are in the world. It’s this spirit which is allowing them to resist and fight for their rights. Later, when the monarchy was dissolved, many Iranians realised the manipulation and lies of the man who was supposed to reform their country. Shortly after the change of leadership, things took a turn for the worse. Khomeini began to alter the country in ways which even his supporters didn’t understand. Education became a luxury, and all citizens with any affiliation with the Shah were either stripped of all their livelihoods or became ‘political’ prisoners. Political activists were murdered, beheaded and hanged.Teachers were persecuted for educating the nation. Women were forced to cover their hair and bodies.They were beaten, raped and arrested if they didn’t comply.The military police patrolled the streets, and a new era began. Many Iranians escaped; in fact, an estimated two million people left Iran for exile. Some, like my family, who had heritage in other countries such as the UK, were able to leave. Unfortunately, many didn’t have that choice or were caught trying to leave – my grandfather includ ed – and he was separated from his family for over three years. Iranians collectively suffered, and violence became the norm. Anyone who spoke out against the regime was captured.Anyone they decided was a spy – such as British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – would be forced away

from their families and kept under their control.The new government ignored democracy and became a tyrannical dictatorship. However, that’s not the real Iran. The real Iran is beautiful. It’s brave. It’s full of rich history, breath-taking mosques, Armenian,Assyrian and Roman churches and the oldest architecture. Iran is food, the world’s finest cuisine. It’s saffron, it’s pearly rice, it’s turquoise and colourful. It’s buzzing markets, it’s the home of the most sacred Islamic art.When I went to visit Iran, I discovered hospitality like no other. I saw the humility among people who were living in the world’s most beautiful country. All these wonderful things were new to me because I never knew how magnificent Iran was.The media never showed me.The media has never shown you. I saw the real Iran, and that Iran is worth fighting for. Fast forward to today, we are seeing a new revolution.Whether anything will be achieved or not, this loud, brave noise coming from Iranians is a cry for help.They have often been silenced but the brutal murder of the young, Iranian woman Masha Amini set off a spark across the globe. She was beaten to death by the morality police after refusing to fully wear her veil. Her life, which was only beginning, was taken away from her. Some people may wonder why it took such an event to ignite a fire among people.And to answer their question, it’s because Masha’s death forced a reality on us all. Masha could have been my mother. Masha could have been one of our friends. Masha could have been me. If circumstances were different, it could have been someone close to us all. freedom, it’s our moral responsibility to provide a voice for those who don’t. I want to end by echoing the lyrics in a viral song on Tik Tok by an Iranian singer,“For dancing in the streets. For the fear when kissing. For my sister, your sister, our sisters.” That’s how the song begins, and here’s how it ends.“For men, homeland, development. For girls wishing to be boys. For women, life, freedom. For freedom. For freedom. For freedom.” Together, let’s speak up, show the world the true Iran and bring back their freedom. As people who live in safe countries where we have rights and

Interested in finding out more? Read the editors’ supplementary content by scanning the QR code!

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Artwork: Maddy Hall, LVI

When British culture is mentioned, the first things that spring to mind are tea, fish and chips and an appreciation of queuing. However, the idea of being ‘British’ is not a monolithic identity. It encompasses individuals from other national backgrounds and enhances the diversity of Britain. Duru Kulac (she/her), LVI, explores explores how our understanding of what British culture is, is always growing. Culture can be defined as the collective beliefs, customs and social behaviour of a particular group of people or society.We may be connected through our ability to speak the same language, living in the same area or even adopting similar beliefs. But to what extent do we share a single, British culture? A benefit of British culture is that it is not homogenous: we are not all from the same background and traditions.The individual differences between the four Home Nations make us distinctive from other countries. Our diversity is what strengthens us as a community. Indeed, the cross-culturalism of the United Kingdom suggests the difficulty of arriving at a true definition of British culture, because a ‘British’ identity does not solely rely on one’s place of birth or nationality.

Our culture stems from our polite and respectful customs. Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different backgrounds and faiths are values that are significant to our culture. We are closely associated with humour, traditions and good manners.These characteristics are influenced by our education from a young age, and our tolerance is a trait that should be admired globally. a part of our culture thanks to the immigration of people from India, Pa kistan and Bangladesh.The dish is not inherently British, and this introduces the question of whether British culture is better expressed as a combination of many different cultures. Multiculturalism is the presence of several distinct cultural groups within a society.Without the existence of variation of backgrounds, we will become narrow-minded as a society and unaware of the beauty behind heritage. Instead, we should celebrate our national diversity and encourage individual freedom of expression, uniting through our appreciation of various cultures. In this way, we will reconceptualise our understanding of culture. Our national dish is, unsurprisingly, curry.This is a dish that is

As someone who possesses a dual citizenship, both Turkish and British, I have had the privilege to live in two different countries with two contrasting cultures. Culture is the backbone of our history: it represents those who came before us, those who were courageous enough to create change and form traditions. Personally, my culture forms a substantial part of me; it comprises my passion for how the arts and literature can bring people together and my generous hospitality towards others. The history behind the British Empire explains the United Kingdom’s multiculturalism. Many British people went to live and work in colonies and many colonial subjects resettled in Britain. Even today, former territories have strong ties to Britian and people continue to migrate. Interestingly, the 2011 census revealed that the overall percentage of British people who identify asWhite and Christian is declining.Another study shows that over 300 languages are spoken in the UK. Our comprehension of British Culture is still evolving in this moment, meaning there are so many traditions that currently we may be unaware about, but we are waiting to explore.

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Today, primarily in the western, English-speaking world, there are 1.193 billion people who lead lives seemingly disconnected from religion and aspects of faith.These are people who would describe themselves as non-religious. However, our society has been shaped by religious festivals and beliefs, and there are many discreet flavours of religion mixed into our world. Do we realise how significant a role religion has played in shaping the arts, politics and social aspects of our lives? Florence Metcalfe (she/her), LVI, depicts how culture and religion exist interdependently today. It would be wrong to write about religious influences on the world’s economy, pop culture and even our yearly calendar without mentioning Christmas.This key Christian festival was first celebrated as early as AD 336. However, it is fair to say that most people who celebrate the holiday today are not celebrating the birth of Jesus. Rather, they are celebrating what society understands as a day of giving presents, seeing family and eating turkey. Many Christians feel that Christmas has become too commercialised in the past century. Most celebrants have strayed away from traditional religious practices like Midnight Mass in favour of leaving milk and cookies out for Father Christmas. A good example of a Christian tradition that has been exploited for profit is Advent. Starting on the 30th of November, St Andrew’s day,Advent originally involved lighting candles and hanging wreaths.Today,Advent calendars are marketed worldwide as early Christmas presents, dispensing everything from chocolates and sweets to high-end jewellery and beauty products. But is it appropriate for so many non-Christians to adapt and celebrate such an important Christian holiday? The short answer is yes, as long as it’s not too commercialised, as acts of gift giving and “Christmas merriness” surrounding

Artwork: Florence Metcalfe, LVI

Christmas still align with Christian teachings of agape and charity.

The religion of Islam, dominating south-east Asia, has also played a pivotal role in the shaping of our economy, politics and arts. Many inventions, both big and small, are of Islamic descent. These include coffee, which was first brewed inYemen in the 9th century, and hospitals, created to obey Islamic teachings of caring for others when sick. Education as it is today also can thank Islam for its inventions of university and algebra. In 856, Moroccan princess Fatima Al-Fihri used her influence to create a founded by her sister Miriam. Still open today, the University of al-Qarawiyyin inspires women to seek higher education – influenced by the Al-Fihri sisters.As for algebra, built on Hindu Greek systems, “the book of reasoning and balancing” teaches the new algebraic order. First derived from Persian mathematicians, the teachings of “Kitab al-Jabr wa’l-Muqabalah” are still referenced in maths lessons today. As of today, most atheists or other non-religious people believe religion has no effect on them – sometimes even discriminating against followers of religion. Despite what you believe about certain religions, I believe it is important to recognise that they are part of our shared history, and our lives would be completely different without them. It is easy to focus on the negative effects of religion – it is obvious that our history hasn’t always been positively influenced by faith – but to me, the cultural legacy of religious tradition out weighs the negative history, bringing us together regardless of belief. degree-granting university in Fez, Morrocco, adjacent to a mosque

Another example of the influence of religion on our society is the recent rise of wellbeing and spirituality exemplified by yoga and meditation. It is estimated that 300 million people practise yoga, while meditation is now practised by between 200-500 million people world-wide.The huge popularity of yoga and meditation can be linked to their de-stressing and relaxing properties, and they are often credited with healing or medicinal effects – even collecting a following called yogis.The practice of Ahisma, meaning “nonviolence”, has been adapted by yogis to promote a type of pacifism by avoiding the desire and action of harming living things.Although they worship unique gods, there are underlying influences of Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism in their practices. As the popularity of yoga suggests, ideas of inner-peace and healing have become popular in western society to alleviate stress. Such concepts also owe a debt to Hinduism. Known as “the oldest religion on earth”, Hinduism’s concept of Ayurveda is the belief that health and wellbeing is based on the overall wellness of the mind, body and spirit.Ayurvedic medicine incorporates elements of dieting, detoxing, and massages, along with meditation and yoga.These practices are influenced by the Ayurvedic belief in doshas, life forces mentioned in Hinduism that are believed to be present in a person’s body and mind.

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Amelia Duda (she/her), LVI, shows how language has developed from its ancient roots and how it unites us.

Let’s get this straight: language has been, and always will be, crucial. Living in a world of 8 billion people – and counting – where each person knows, on average, 1.6 languages is a remarkably diverse time to be alive.As a bilingual, I have found that languages are a gateway to different cultures and are a great segue into niche topics like the world and travel. Being proficient in a foreign language has been an asset in acquiring knowledge of other languages and, more often than not, results in a satisfied smirk on my face when overhearing a conversation in Polish on the Tube. So why are humans so fascinated with communicating with each other in this way?When did this language development even begin? How did our languages come to be as they are today? Each species has its way of communicating, however understandable this communication is to you and me. Still, only humans have developed cognitive language communication.This means that we understand languages in all forms: reading, writing, speaking, and even social queues, allowing us to share ideas, thoughts, opinions, and feelings with others. Linguists predict that language exclusively involving speaking was born over 150,000 years ago to meet that human need for connection. Back then, this language consisted of grunts, heaves, or shouts to alert others of any incoming mammoth attacks. However, even though humans have significantly advanced the structures of languages, some of these

more instinctual ways of communicating still exist in some of our oldest languages and are often used, even today. For evidence of this, look to the Southern African languages, known colloquially as the “clicking languages”. This group of African hunting languages has three language families: Nama, Khoisan, and Bantu. Zulu, the most spoken native language of South Africa, is a part of the Bantu languages; the language has three click sounds or click consonants, as they’re referred to, in its day-to-day use.The importance of these languages derived from the fact that men had to communicate with their hunting partner to hunt prey without scaring it off, and a series of different click consonants would get that message across.We have a lot of information about these languages and rightfully so, as Khoekhoegowab, a language of the Khoisan family, was once one of the most spoken languages in the world.This is because thousands of years ago the Khoisan people, a tribe of hunter-gatherers from Southern Africa, used to be the largest group of humans on Earth. 20,000 years old, did all modern languages originate from them?Well, the answer is most likely, no. Many tribes, such as the Khoisan tribe, would break off from each other and colonise different areas with different climates, leading them to develop differently and, by extension, their languages. Etymologists – linguists who study the As these languages are around

origins of words and languages – can determine the roots of different languages by comparing patterns in grammar, pronouns, and numbers.This research can be challenging as similar-sounding words can sometimes be false cognates or borrowed from other languages, meaning that these similarities wouldn’t be a clear indicator of language origin. However, what is interesting is that these borrowed words, also known as loanwords, can be a clue as to where a specific tribe settled.An example of one of these clues is that the English word Coyote, comes from the Aztec word Coyotl, a language spoken by Native Americans. Etymologists can then infer that when first British settlers arrived in America, they saw these coyotes, which are native to the lands of North America, and borrowed this word from the Native Americans.This is crucial evidence which supports certain moments in history and reveals glimpses of how diverse languages have come to be. However, with 1.5 billion speakers, English has reached a level of diversity that Esperanto only wished it international language’, Esperanto was created by a Polish man named Dr Lud wik Zamenhof, a 14-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, in the late 1800s to erase communication barriers between people. Dr Zamenhof created an artificial language: artificial in the sense that it didn’t come from a specific country or culture but instead contained words from many different European could have achieved. But what is Esperanto?Well, nicknamed ‘the

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Interested in finding out more? Read the editors’ supplementary content by scanning the QR code!

Artwork: Florence Metcalfe, LVI

languages. Esperanto’s main use was in politics and international relations and quickly caught on around Europe and North America for this exact purpose.At the time, many people praised this idea, allowing for its exponential growth in popularity. However, theWorldWars had a detrimental impact on the language’s progression. Deep-rooted antisemitic rhetoric halted support for Esperanto, as Dr Ludwik Zamenhof was of Jewish heritage. However, all was not lost – an estimated 2 million people still speak Esperanto today, with many Esperantists learning it as a second language. Over time, many languages and dialects have formed, with their unique history and etymology.Thanks to this, there are around 7,000 languages spoken today, which is just unfathomable; at least for my mind to grasp. Language is the glue that keeps

people together and learning about it helps us become more conscious of not only the people around us, but also of our own identity. Knowledge of diverse cultures and heritages evokes deeper empathy towards others, something which we always need more of in a world not yet free from prejudice and discrimination. However, this plethora of languages may decline in the future.An insightful article written by linguists Alan Dench and Slamet Setiawan entitled Loss of Languages Speaks Vol umes about Changing Times states that “already many of the world’s languages aren’t spoken by children,” with familial languages being lost or forgotten in as little as two generations. This problem leaves younger genera tions not understanding their relatives and losing connection to their

community, which can feel isolating.

Nonetheless, languages do change and have survived many obstacles, so this isn’t the only time language has been threatened. One look at my native language of Polish – a language which still exists even though its speakers didn’t have a country to reside in for 123 long years – emphasises the incredible feats nurturing and cultivating language, paired with that unshakeable feeling of identity, can achieve. So, all these events in the great history of languages have led to this very article, whereby a specific string of letters in a certain pattern has been deciphered by your brain with ease.And we only have thousands of years of evolution to thank for that.

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Over generations, stereotypes have formed our society.The Romans believed that all Celts were uncivilised and undisciplined, while people in medieval times believed that women who were eccentric and assertive were witches.Throughout time, stereotypes have always caused divisions between diverse groups of people.That is still the case today, leading to the formation of new campaigns such as Black Lives Matter and the ‘Me Too’ movement to respond to these complicated, deep-rooted issues. But to tackle these issues, I believe we must first understand what stereotypes are and the effects stereotypes have on both individuals and society. Stereotypes are a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.There are well-known stereotypes about subjects such as race or gender, but there are also stereotypes that many of us will hold on a more subconscious level.These kinds of stereotypes can be just as – if not more – harmful than stereotypes that are regularly discussed. For example, ageism.According to a survey done by a website called ASANA, 60% of workers aged 45 and older have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace.This can be explained by the fact that each generation has been brought up with a specific set of cultural influences such as clothes, music and points of view. For those from different generations who have their own cultural influences, these differences can lead to a sense of disconnect or, at worst, prejudice towards others. Unlike a subject like gender bias, ageism is not talked about very often and therefore can happen every day without us even noticing. Joss Robinson (she/her), LVI questions if stereotypes are beneficial or detrimental to our society.

Stereotypes are constantly developing within our society.They are deeply embedded within social institutions and wider culture.Those we spend the most time with can heavily influence the way that we perceive others. Stereotypes are developed from inferring one person has a complete range of characteristics and abilities, and we automatically associate those behaviours with other members of that group. Not only are stereotypes learned unconsciously, but this stereotyping process happens unconsciously too. The consequences of stereotypes are widespread. Every stereotype has its own effects and consequences. For example, consider stereotypes around women. Some stereotypes around women such as ‘Men are better than women’ have been discussed and dissected so often that they are no longer believed by the majority. However, other stereotypes – for example, ‘women are more emotional than men’ – are talked about less.Therefore, many people still believe this stereotype to be based on fact. However, a quick Google search would tell you this is not true.According to a study done by the Psychology Department of the University of Michigan, women are not any more emotional than men are. Nevertheless, most people still believe they are more emotional.The effect of this misconception is that there are certain biases that govern how we look at men and women’s emotions. For instance, a male sports player whose emotions fluctuate during a big game is praised for being passionate, but when a women’s emotions fluctuate due to an event, she is considered irrational.

This does not only apply to gender but to a myriad of stereotypes, each with their own effects and causes. This is why it is so hard to get rid of stereotypes, as many of them come from a deep history and link to other problems. So, to diminish stereotypes, I think we must identify the causes of these stereotypes. One of the most common and influential causes is the media. Many news sources draw in their audience by exaggeration, scaremongering or misrepresentation. This is highly dangerous as the media can create their own stereotypes of people.These can become so common that after a while we believe them to be true without truly examining where our perceptions have come from. In conclusion, stereotypes are a human instinct.We are programmed to classify people to feel less threatened by them. Nevertheless, we cannot allow stereotypes to control our judgments towards different groups of people. If we allow stereotypes to grow, they can lead to an increase in segregation between people and eventually can lead to brutality against a certain group. However, I am not naïve: I know we will never eradicate stereotypes completely, as they are so deep rooted and normalised within us. Nonetheless, I do think that by addressing stereotypes and bringing awareness to them we can decrease the number of stereotypes that divide us from our neighbours and our society.

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Artwork: Ava Thomas, S9

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Zara Quazi (she/her), S10, reviews the 80s cult classic film ‘Heathers.’ Spoilers ahead!

On the surface, this may seem

at these characters would bring laughter to anybody who has interacted with prejudiced men with massive egos. The harmful effects of peer pressure are also discussed, almost leading to the death of one of the characters who, after all her friends drop dead, believes it is ‘cool’ to be dead. Misogyny is also heavily discussed with the three main Heathers being portrayed as young women who will do anything to survive as a girl in a man’s world.The film also criticises the romanticisation of toxic relationships by making the main relationship (Veronica and JD) seem repulsive and odd.These themes initially detracted the target audience as the parents of teens believed that they were too dark and that their children should be absorbing more positive and generic John Hughes movies. extravagant songs, it is worth a watch, alongside a cringey spinoff that we shall not name. Overall, Heathers is arguably the best teen film ever made. It would be almost impossible to remake today due to its dark and shocking subject matter. In fact, it is surprising that it was made in 1989, or at all. I could rant for pages about the amazing visuals and the fact that most of the teenagers in it (to the horror of some Netflix dramas) are played by and dress like actual teenagers. Its dark humour, blended with cynicism and sensitive subjects, still holds up today Since its release, the film has inspired the phenomenal musical ‘Heathers’, featuring BarrettWilbert Weed and Ryan McCartan (yes, the one from Disney Channel). From the tongue-in-cheek humour to the

and serves as a social commentary on status and power.This film is bound to resonate with everyone. If you like Heathers, you may enjoy other classic teen movies; Mean Girls, Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You,The Breakfast Club, Easy A, Grease are all fantastic options.

like a silly teen film about a cliched romance featuring cringe-inducing outfits that would make even Miranda Priestly (‘The DevilWears Prada’) gouge out her own eyeballs. Released in 1989, the film flopped at the box office, making only $177,247 on the opening weekend. Yet, since then, viewers have steadily increased and it is now considered a cult classic, as iconic as films like ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Jawbreaker’. But should Heathers be crowned the all-time best teen film? Or should we throw it away alongside other 1980s paraphernalia likeVHS tapes and fluorescent legwarmers? Sawyer (played by the Queen of Halloween,Winona Ryder), a member of a popular group made up of three other beautiful and wealthy girls who go by the names of Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falke), Heather Duke (Shannon Doherty), and the group’s leader Heather Chandler (KimWalker).The trouble starts whenVeronica, growing bored of her friends, befriends the rebellious Jason Dean (Christian Slater) who has a taste for crimes that include murdering all her friends. The witty social commentary and beautiful cinematography is reason enough for everyone to watch this film. However, if you are not yet convinced, just consider some of the themes it explores, themes that seem particularly prophetic today.The message of anti-bigotry is overt throughout the film. After the homophobic football players are murdered, the public is left under the impression that they died, ironically, in a ‘gay suicide pact.’ Seeing the film poke fun ‘Heathers’ follows Veronica

Artwork: Maggie Conway-Hughes, S8

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There is a hoarse scratching sound.A sleek red fox emerges from its deep underground burrow, before darting through the lush-green forest. Here, sheltered by the gentle trees, is every kind of life: from humble bumblebees drifting from flower to flower, to extravagant birds of every colour, shape, and size. Upon the forest floor, woven with ancient tree roots, comes a faded light, filtered by the bouquet of foliage above. It is a soft, cascading light, illuminating the path that takes the fox speedily onwards. From the oak trees tumble rich, golden leaves; they take to the air as carefree as parachutes soaring through a summer breeze.The trees are veiled in the lightest of mists, their trunks sombre brown with sable cracks that gnarl the bark. Even though each canopy appears to be green, over their shaded sides grow moss and ivy like powdered paint, so softly green that it is close to a pale white.

The fox moves into the evening light. She is pale red, her fur glossy and thick. Her paws kiss the soft earth, and a deep serenity shows in her gaze. She comes with light paws upon the earthen track, her eyes aflame and her tail flowing, ever at home in the pale dusk.There is still a wisp of youth to the body of the fox, yet her breadth shows she is entering her prime years. For in that moment her dark soulful eyes speak of vulnerable honesty valued by the youthful forest.

The resplendent sun sinks down beneath the tops of the pines that are tinted gold. Each canopy begins to fade to a midnight blue. In the summertime, they were white gold, illu minating the greens, yet the gift of those warm days has passed now. On these wintry days, the fogs and mists cast those same beams of light into sepia tones and the woodland becomes pale with the ever-growing darkness.The trunks of fallen trees bear icicles longer than my hand, so fragile yet entrancing that many stop to admire their imperfect beauty. Every twig and blade of grass grow winter ice crystals, frost deeper than the fleece in my gloves. But winter must slowly melt away to make way for new life and new beginnings.

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Amid the golden light of spring that warms fur and feather, a new fox is born, a new heartbeat and soul to live in this forest home. In the colourful canopy of foliage is the song of so many animals, a medley of diversity. In the earth are the prints of their feet, a story told in mud and dirt of their gentle ambling days. The sun rises, frozen in the sky, and rich in many oranges, reds, and yellows. However, the light must fade to a weak twilight so the ethereal moon can scatter stars into the sky.

Then, just on the crest of the hill, are several fox-shaped silhouettes.Two stand, while the others tumble about, pulling one another over and weaving through the sleeping trees. Foxes flow upon the twilight hills as if they are on the high arc of a flamboy ant rainbow. - brown, gold, and red, ready to embrace the The fox es are soft and bright black heavens of night.Their hazel irises, the most romantic of browns, swim with moonlight. Perhaps tonight I will dream of the forest, from the rich-brown earthen hues of the forest ground to the lavish foliage of the trees above. Or perhaps, I will dream of my fox.

Written by Evie Buckley, (she/her), S10

Artwork: Sienna Harriss, LVI

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Victoria Urwick (she/her), LVI, discusses ‘nepo babies’ and the rise of online discussion about them.

What do Dan Levy and Rashida Jones have in common? Both have starred in famous sitcoms.The pair did a Town and Country interview together in 2021. Most importantly, both made it where they are today due to their famous parents. There is a good chance that one of your favourite actors has famous relatives. Nepotism is everywhere in the entertainment industry and always has been. Despite this being far from a new phenomenon, the term ‘nepotism babies’ is on the rise, with over 100M views on TikTok. Nepotism is the favouring of employment.A ‘nepotism baby’ refers to those in the entertainment industry, for example, with a producer mother or an actor father. The concept of a celebrity being the child of another celebrity is nothing new. Families such as the Baldwins and the Barrymores have been thriving for years.Actress Billie Lourd has roots in old Hollywood, being the daughter of actress Carrie Fisher and granddaughter of actress Debbie Reynolds. But with the recent rise of stars such as Euphoria’s Maude Apatow (daughter of actress Leslie Mann and director Judd Apatow) and Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke (daughter of actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke), Gen Z are starting to connect many up-and-coming celebrities to famous parents’ names (clue: blue names onWikipedia).This can result in a twinge of betrayal upon discovering that they did not achieve their success by solely relying on hard work and perseverance, but already had a foot in the door. friends and family over others, particularly when giving people

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It really drives home the reality of ‘it is not what you know but who you know’.Talent and capability may be overlooked because someone else had a recognisable surname or was related to the director or producer.All this is not to say that those who are nepotism babies have not had to work at all to achieve their fame, but their connections have made it easier for them to even be given a chance. Much of the discourse online surrounds the younger nepotism babies: Apatow, Hawke and Lily-Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny Depp) and Jaden and Willow Smith (children ofWill Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith).We have this desire to see ourselves represented in the media we consume.We see a celebrity around the same age as us and we can relate to them. Or we think we can.The reality is that most people do not live the glamorous lifestyle that the children of celebrities do. No matter how much you study or how determined you are, unless you are Sofia Coppola, you will never receive the personal guidance a famous director, producer and screenwriter such as Francis Ford Coppola. So how can nepotism babies ‘get

it right’?What most ‘good’ nepotism babies primarily have in common is a knack for their craft. Despite being nepotism babies, actors like Jane Fonda and Angelina Jolie give frequent praise-worthy performances in a range of different genres.Another way for us to warm to nepotism babies is if they acknowledge their privilege and do not try to hide it. For example, Jamie Lee Curtis, the daughter of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, has been very open about the fact that this prestige helped her gain her breakout role in the movie ‘Halloween’, stating that she clearly “had a leg up”. industries. But when it comes to Hollywood, not only is it so easy to find out details about a celebrity’s life (a mere Internet search away) but also we are told that if we work hard, anything is possible.Working in entertainment is a dream for many, an often unachievable dream. Despite this, many nepotism babies are very talented. However, nepotism is not going to die out and hopefully more celebrities will acknowledge how it has benefited them. Nepotism is prevalent in all

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