ED3 • VOL94 • 2023 SCREENS Want to know what a peacock mantis shrimp is? So do we! 21. The powers of AI: The Pope on a skateboard in the style of Van Gogh. 7. Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘meeting the President’ outfit was inspired by Clueless. 13. Flip to pg16 to be inspired by our postgraduate role-models.
Why Volunteer? Make new friends Learn and develop new skills Improve your future employability Turn your passion into action UWA GUILD VOLUNTEERING One-on-one referrals to find your perfect opportunity Organised group volunteering excursions Volunteer job listings with over 200 nonprofit partner organisations Guild Volunteering Services Personal development opportunities Working with Children Checks and Police Clearance Volunteer hours transcript recognition [email protected] 6488 5891 fb.com/UWAGuildVolunteering volunteering.guild.uwa.edu.au Drop into our office weekdays from 9am-5pm, ground floor, Guild Village or contact us: Guild Volunteering connects UWA students to meaningful volunteering opportunities both on campus and in the wider community. Whatever you are passionate about, whether it’s environmental sustainability, animal welfare, homelessness or refugee issues, we are here to link you to changemaking organisations. Show your guild card and grab a piup pi a for offer applies to large pizzas only 165 BROADWAY, NEDLANDS 9389 8500 OPEN 5PM - 1AM FRI & SAT, 5PM - 12 MIDNIGHT SUNDAY, 5PM - 1AM WEEKDAYS WWW.BROADWAYPIZZA.COM.AU PIZZA Broadway WE WANT YOUR OLD PELICAN MAGAZINES! The UWA Student Guild wants to complete our collection (back to 1930) because there are gaps. If you, or your parents, or even your grandparents have copies stashed away – before you throw them away, please consider donating them to the Guild Archive! Please contact the Guild Archivist, Melissa Hetherington for further information. [email protected] +61 6488 2832 $13.95 PIZZA Broadway $16.95 2
Holly torial Angie torial Presi torial For someone whose brain has always run at a million miles per hour my emotional support screens have become very important! I’ve frequently been told to “Turn the TV off while you’re doing your homework!!!” But what they simply didn’t realise, is that my homework brain couldn’t focus unless the rest of my brain had some form of entertainment. Without it, thoughts of more appealing things would triumph and I would quickly lose interest in what I was supposed to be doing. With access to such a vast variety of stimuli I feel like I can finally scratch the itch in my brain that was never quite satisfied with the same old reruns of the same old TV shows and movies. As I sit here writing this on my medium screen, I have a big screen playing movies and a little screen showing me memes. I await the day my eyes turn into jelly cubes, pop out of my skull, and my brain regains its, oh so painful, ability to think. Ignorance truly is bliss xx. POV: you’re on the 950 and it’s actually full because students are back on campus. After what seems like an eternity of online lectures, and awkward Teams meetings (where all you hear are crickets) it feels like this semester we’ve finally settled back into campus life. We’ve dusted off our textbooks, grabbed our coffees, and started making new memories! For those on campus, we hope to see you at our events! For those still online—we hope you will be able to join us soon! To everyone, study hard…but remember to have a little bit of fun too! Censuring screen-use has already become cliché— the old man who grumbles about young people and their ‘electronic devices’, and yet it seems the use of these— yes, electronic devices—is so socially and economically integrated with our Western way of life these days, you are more likely to be shunned for your lack of an Iphone, than for your digital distance at the dinner table. We are not so much ‘distracted’, as we are perpetually present, for an overwhelming and endless stream of curated stimulus. As if we don’t already struggle as a species with an overinflated sense of self, I now find myself much more disillusioned when things don’t go my way—forgetting that actually ‘screens’ are not a good metaphor for life (where we live, at least for now). With love, Angie The Pelican Magazine team acknowledges the Whadjuk Noongar people as the Traditional Custodians of the land—Whadjuk Boodja—on which we live, write, and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their continuing connection to land, sea, culture, and community. Show your guild card and grab a piup pi a for offer applies to large pizzas only 165 BROADWAY, NEDLANDS 9389 8500 OPEN 5PM - 1AM FRI & SAT, 5PM - 12 MIDNIGHT SUNDAY, 5PM - 1AM WEEKDAYS WWW.BROADWAYPIZZA.COM.AU PIZZA Broadway WE WANT YOUR OLD PELICAN MAGAZINES! The UWA Student Guild wants to complete our collection (back to 1930) because there are gaps. If you, or your parents, or even your grandparents have copies stashed away – before you throw them away, please consider donating them to the Guild Archive! Please contact the Guild Archivist, Melissa Hetherington for further information. [email protected] +61 6488 2832 $13.95 PIZZA Broadway During editing week an editor’s screen time is about 500 hours per day! Pelican Fact 3
Contents Edition 3 Screens The views expressed within this magazine are not the opinions of the UWA Student Guild or Pelican Editorial Staff but of the individual artists and writers. Cultural Comments: 13. TV Trends: From the Big Screen to Our Wardrobes Maia Steele, Claire Nelson, and Selina Al Ansari; Pop Culture and Fashion 38. Virtual Divisions and Realworld Consensus Jack Cross, Politics 48. ‘Sugar Daddy Ice Spice’: Traditional Gender Roles and the Influence of Andrew Tate Lana Pavlovic, Economics Creative: 6. Born from the Cloud, Built for the Stars: The Strange and Terrifying Future of AI Art Arya Beltaine, Visual Art 9. Are You Paying Attention? Sarah Birch, Literature and Creative Writing, poetry 10. The Most Extraordinary List Christina Charteris, Literature and Creative Writing, prose 15. My 2023 Cool Girl Monologue @ amydunnefanpage.e, Pop Culture and Fashion, poetry 28. A Love Poem to Google Maps Dorian Winter, Visual Art, poetry 41 The Future of Screens: A World of Virtual and Augmented Reality Alifa Ayman, Science, stream-ofconsciousness 57. Gutenberg’s Demons Alexander Lwin, Literature and Creative Writing, prose Reviews: 24. Review of The Whale: From Stage to Screen Aleena Flack, Film and Production 30. The Local Music Highlights Ethan Dodson, Music #Local 55. Haunting on VHS! A Review of Aftersun Jack Canning, Film and Production 62. MAFS Family Picnic—A Fiction Aiden White-Kiely, Pop Culture and Fashion, prose Guides: 26. A Pelican’s Guide to UWA Love Letters Dionne Sparks and Tobias Langtry, Campus Affairs #local #Innovative The item you are holding is made of an ancient technology called paper! It is like a website but you can hold it! Pelican Fact 4
Edited by Holly Carter-Turner & Angela Aris Design & Layout by UWA Student Guild staff member & Holly Carter-Turner Sub - Editors Campus Affairs Dionne Sparks, Tobias Langtry Economics Lana Pavlovic Entertainment Joe Chen Environment Abbey Wheeler Film & Production Aleena Flack, Aron Morris-Black, Patrick Eastough Literature & Creative Writing Aishath Sara Arif, Alexander Lwin Music Ethan Dodson, Deb Broad Politics Jack Cross, Lilli Coulson Pop-Culture & Fashion Claire Nelson, Selina Al Ansari, Maia Steele Science Alifa Ayman, David Paik Sport Declan Mason Visual Arts Derrick Loo, Arya Beltaine Voice Aleeya Tamandl, Ava O’Sullivan, Talina Buckingham Media & Artists Alice Britto, Alyssa Lewis, Sarah Tan, Takoda Laidley, Talola John, Udhaya SK Analyses: 43. Mind Over Pixels: Navigating the Impact of Screens on Our Mental Health David Paik, Science 45. The Big Bad Gig Economy and Its Discontents Wes Du Preez, Economics 52. If Televised Sport Is So Good, Why Do People Continue To Attend Live Sports? Declan Mason, Sports General Interest: 21. Vision in Animals: Eye Didn’t See That Coming! Aadhikesav Ramkumar, Environment Entertainment: 34. Screens Crossword, Angela Aris, Entertainment 35. Comic Title (Holly), Joe Chen, Entertainment, comic 36. Screens Horoscopes Holly Carter-Turner, Entertainment Interview: 16. An Interview with Keerthi Anpalagan: Studying a PhD in Infectious Disease at UWA Ava O’Sullivan, Voice 18. An Interview with Rhea Arora: International Honours Student in Psychology Ava O’Sullivan, Voice 32. Meet the Experts: The World of Video Journalism Holly Carter-Turner, Voice #EditorFavourite If too much screen time has turned your brain to mush, read Pelican to reset brain cells! Pelican Fact 5
Art by Dream.ai The average adult human is made of 40% body parts and 60% water. Pelican Fact 6
Arya Beltaine Change is inevitable. This is a truth we seem to grapple with every generation—certain certainties are now obsolete, new possibilities emerge. And with these developments, humans either embrace change and change themselves, or hold on (perhaps too tightly) to antiquated forms of living. Since the industrial revolution, technology has been rapidly improving at a breakneck pace, and as time passes it seems to be harder and harder to keep up with this change. Artificial intelligence ‘replacing’ humans has always been a deep-seated fear—shown in ’50s science fiction and philosophical discussions in the modern age. Many question if the world will develop into a space we must share with a new form of life we have created, and if this form of life will outgrow and outlive us. My worries, and my resistance to change, lie in the development of AI art. As an artist myself, it’s easy to get swept up in the fear my peers hold towards this development. For as long as technology has been automating human labour—the creative arts have always seemed out of reach for robots. But now, a trend of AI art has swept the world and art seems to be something simple to automate. Technological development has crossed a threshold, and creativity is no longer off-limits (seemingly). Now, a simple prompt and an algorithm will use stable diffusion to develop any image you could possibly dream of—in a matter of seconds! Some question how AI art could possibly harm the careers of artists. After all, its use is casual. It’s generated from seemingly nothing. A common argument being... I wasn’t going to pay for art anyway, so what’s the harm in getting art for free from AI? Do you want to see the Pope riding a skateboard in the style of Van Gogh? Or perhaps you’d like art of a dog cooking pasta that looks like a screenshot from a Ghibli movie? You want a cover for your album? Your book? Your niche anthology of Dadaist poetry inspired by post-war France? The possibilities are endless! Perhaps you have a favourite artist that you’ve been just dying to draw your favourite character in the style of. Their commissions are so expensive! Why not just do it for free? ...Oh. Maybe it does have the possibility to harm the careers of artists. Not just in the Born from the Cloud, Built for the Stars: The Strange and Terrifying The average uni student is made of 40% panic and 60% condensed clouds. Pelican Fact 7
vague ‘the robots are stealing jobs!’ sense, but as a tangible thing that we are already seeing whispers of. The art of Kelly McKernan is a whimsical, colourful, sci-fi dreamscape... Her art has been seemingly effortlessly replicated by AI algorithms, which have also directly stolen from her. At first they found the world of AI art “exciting and surreal”, but she slowly realised that their art was directly being used to train these algorithms so many websites were using—with no consent or compensation given, even though some of these generators charge for use of their services. Their art is scattered and hinted at within so many of these algorithms, and if one inputs her name into a text prompt her style is directly imitated. She discovered, particularly, that the AI generator Midjourney had her name used as a prompt over 12 000 times. In an interview with the New Yorker, she stated that “It just got weird at that point. It was starting to look pretty accurate, a little infringe-y . . . I can see my hand in this stuff, see how my work was analysed and mixed up with some others’ to produce these images.” Alongside several other artists, McKernan has filed a class-action lawsuit against Midjourney, as well as two other AI image generators— Stable Diffusion and DreamUp. They argue that these generators present their images as something “copyright free,” made without human input, ignoring the infinite labour and love that has gone into the training images for these algorithms. The work of these artists against AI image generators raises important ethical questions. AI art is still a technology in its juvenile years: hands have too many fingers, backgrounds are unformed, anatomy can sometimes be unsettling. The youth of this technology also means its development remains unregulated—it’s the Wild West of algorithms. And technology improves. And it improves fast. So if we don’t question and challenge the ethics of this technology while it’s still young, by the time it is fully integrated into creative industries it will be a copyright-infringed mess. AI art has the potential to be an incredible tool for artists—to improve the industry, not hinder it. For example, Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse is considered one of the greatest works of animation in recent years—and machine learning algorithms assisted its production by cutting down on the amount of menial labour needed so artists could focus on more creative aspects of the animation process. The animators used machine learning to map hand-drawn lines onto the moving CGI figures, cutting down on what would have been hundreds of hours of tedious work. Though it is easy to feel cynical about the future of the art industry thanks to the development of AI art, I try to be optimistic. We can use this tool ethically to improve our creations. Art and creativity is not something so easily replaced by an algorithm. People have always needed artists. Not just for instruction manuals and corporate websites, but for the human hand to breathe life into an idea in infinitely strange and diverse ways. Art has a soul, and is something that reflects the human experience in beautiful ways. Stating that AI Art will ‘replace’ artists fails to acknowledge the soul of art—and if we challenge the clumsy unethical beginning to this technology, we could see it grow into something useful and integrated moving into the future. Pelly-facts are made of 40% fact and 60% “haha gotcha!” Pelican Fact 8
Are You Paying Attention? Sarah Birch Sarah is currently undertaking their Masters in Education. P L E A S E Please You finish fucking me and roll me off you. My breast once gripped between your fingers now replaced with a phone. Flashing images about this and that, an audio I’ve heard too much, girls with impossible bodies doing dances and you lay naked watching. I lay naked watching you. And the warmth that was there a moment ago – when our mouths were brushing against one another – is now gone. Your overheating phone replaces me. I get myself some tissues. I do my own aftercare. I fear I’m losing you and you don’t even notice. Our relationship belongs behind a screen. You have digitised my body. I’m a 2D pixel character. My image is placed beside the thousands of girls you foll ow on Instagram and, against them, ARE YOU PAYING I am nothing. But why should I ATTENTION? care? You touch my physical form. You see the scars that facetune blurs. Does it matter, though? I can’t live this blue-lit fantasy. I need warmth. One that holds me and hands me the tissue. But you’ve finished fucking me and I’m rolled off – put aside until the warmth of the phone doesn’t do it for you anymore. I yearn to be what you need. Write your shopping lists on my body and scroll for hours against my thighs, use my eyes to capture sunsets and play with me to pass the time. I’ll be good this time, I promise. I’ll be as silent as a phone, vibrating only when needed. Please Please Plea Plea Se Se Are You Paying Attention? Sarah Birch is currently undertaking their Masters in Education. Am I paying attention? That depends… What class is this? Pelican Fact 9
The Most Extraordinary List Christina Charteris is studying a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies and Electronic Music with a minor in Women’s Health. She is passionate about female empowerment in the creative arts industries and the advancement of gender equality through education and advocacy. Amongst the darkness, five plushies sat neatly on top of a bookshelf. Polaroids of family and friends were plastered across a wall and a treasure trove of jewellery was spread across a chest of draws. In one corner, a desk smothered by paper waited patiently to be taken care of and a pile of folded clothes quietly asked to be placed where they belonged. Her hair draped itself across a pillow like a thin layer of silk as her limbs lay splayed out like a starfish. Light pink acrylic nails extended like talons from her fingertips. Her eyes were fixated on the small screen in her hands. Memes, models and meal prep slid through her fingers, evoking slight tremors of emotion. Her right thumb flicked across the glass methodically; a quiet tap ensued with each movement. An empty pleasure settled within the many tiny lights. A notification slid down from the top of the screen, sending a shiver down her spine. Chad Nelson sent a Snap Her thumb quivered over the icon, her pulse quickened for at least a split second, but her expression remained placid. She returned to the array of images, which imparted a sense of stability. Her thumb dashed across the glass with the same level of disinterest, but her eyes darted as if asking time to move faster. Her mind wandered; why had he texted her? A list of reasons for why he had texted her: • the assignment • he didn’t understand something in class • he noticed her hair today • he finally realised that they wear the same socks • he’s been secretly in love with her this whole time and he’s going to ask her to marry him Reasons I haven’t finished my homework: 1. Didn’t want to. 2. I’m too tired. 3. I did, but then I got hungry and ate it. Pelican Fact 10
She was imagining an intricately laced white bodice with a one metre train when, finally, ten minutes had passed and it was now safe to open. She flicked across to find the disappointment of a lifetime. “Hey” Her throat started to implode as if someone were pulling it shut from the inside. Her heart stopped and her eyelids fluttered in response. What was she supposed to say? A list of things to say: • Hi • Hey • Hi, what’s up? • Is everything alright? • Do you love me? Her mind started to race as panic came knocking on her bedroom door. She reached deep into her pockets to find the level-headed and mature young woman others deemed her to be and responded. “Hey” She swiftly flicked the conversation away. Her muscles tensed and a sick feeling sidled its way into the bottom of her stomach. Should she have said something else? Was she too brief? What if he never responded? To calm the rough seas that rocked her soul, she turned to the one person that would truly understand her: Taylor Swift. “Looking at it now, it all seemed so simple,” Taylor sang into her ear, the lyrics synchronising with the fickle emotions of being a young woman. Even though she couldn’t relate to the kind of love, heartbreak and wild sense of freedom Taylor illustrated, she listened to the lyrics as if someday they would be the story of her youth. She felt her legs touching each other and cringed; her petite figure was just as much a myth to her as it was fact to others. Thoughts on her diet, skin care routine and exercise regimen flew in and out of focus, like swooping magpies in spring. Flicking back into Snapchat, she noticed Chad hadn’t opened the text she sent twelve minutes ago. Panic was knocking on the door once more; this time she let it waltz right in. List of things to think when panicking: • Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh • I’ve ruined everything. • I took too long to respond and now he hates me. • Why am I such an idiot? • The world is going to end! Blood rushed to her cheeks and her palms began to sweat. She swiped Snapchat away and focused on the music pulsing its way under her skin. The vibrations distracted her and she finally let herself breath. But it wasn’t over yet; a notification dropped down into view. Chad Nelson sent a Snap A fluttering sensation entered her stomach and the tension around the corners of her mouth indicated the beginning of a smile. Everything was under control; she was fine. However, she would still have to wait fifteen minutes to open the Snap or else he might think she cared. Time slowed down with every passing second. The light tapping of an acrylic nail on glass resonated across the quiet room, more thunderous than ever before. The starfish we once knew wrapped itself in a blanket, cocooned as a rolled-up caterpillar. The pillow was pressed against the side of her face so hard that her neck and cheek were suffocating. A muffled voice in her subconscious was telling her to remain calm but the owner of that voice was bound and gagged by anxiety. Flickering lights couldn’t be used as a distraction anymore. Her heartbeat pressed against her ribs. Make sure your to-do lists include self-care. You’re doing so well! Don’t burn out now <3. Pelican Fact 11
Fourteen minutes had passed. She watched the clock as if staring at an hourglass; one by one, she watched the grains of sand fall in slow motion, until they had all settled at the bottom. Tap, flick, tap. “Have you done the method for the report?” Every muscle in her body contracted, stiffening with rage. She wanted to scream. If she opened her mouth, not one mirror or window would remain unbroken, the ground would shake, and dogs would bark. She clenched her teeth. Her eyes opened wide, screaming for her. Why wouldn’t she have done it? What was he trying to imply? The sound of Taylor singing in her ears became clear once more. “I knew you were trouble when you walked in…” She spiralled; all her thoughts collided with each other to form the most extraordinary list. List of reasons why nobody likes men: • They can’t complete their assignments by themselves • They use women for their own personal gain • They are all self-obsessed, gaslighting, gatekeeping narcissists • They can wear shorts that reach their knees and still look attractive • They flaunt that they always have pockets • They naturally have super long eyelashes • They blame women for their own financial insecurities • They introduced a tax on women’s sanitary items in 2000 and only just removed it at the beginning of 2019 • At no point in time have they ever taxed Viagra • Hypermasculinity and testosterone • They are controlling, condescending, conceited... • The patriarchy. • They blame women for the decline in the number of men having sex • They never consider that the influences of misogyny, unrealistic porn and Andrew Tate are the cause of why they lack “Rizz” • They won’t go to therapy The cocoon unravelled and she stretched her legs out. The phone in her hand felt heavier than before, as if the block of metal had gained a few kilos from exercising too much. She blinked and looked around the room. It was almost tranquil; her teddy bears were neatly arranged on top of her bookshelf, and her photo wall was intact. It made her slightly uncomfortable. Taylor whispered in her ear, saying something about a nightmare dressed like a daydream. The block of metal vibrated, and she jumped. Chad Nelson sent a Snap Did he just double text her? What’s so important about this? Oh no, she’d left him on open. She scrambled to open Snapchat, and discovered something she didn’t expect. “Also, I found a good video on python coding I can send you the link if you’d like?” How did he know? She’d been struggling with it all week. She didn’t know how to feel. A list of thoughts in order: • He’s been spying on me • He loves me • He thinks I’m dumb • I’ve been asking the lecturer for help on it all week • If he noticed I needed help, maybe he noticed my hair today The cursor blinked, waiting for her to tap a response. For a while she didn’t do anything. Snapchat lay open, but she didn’t care. Her Bitmoji anxiously peaked over the keyboard. It jumped up excitedly when she started typing. “Yeh, I finished it, did u want help? Ans yes pls, I’ve been struggling all week” Keep chugging along: you’ve got this, we’re proud of you, you’ll be ok xx. Pelican Fact 12
TV Trends: From the Big Screen to Our Wardrobes Maia Steele, Claire Nelson, and Selina Al Ansari Maia—The Rachel (and more Friends-inspired fashion) We all binge and love the classic ’90s sitcom Friends (1994), from the humour to the romantic story arcs to its classic New York setting—it’s iconic. Apart from launching the successful careers of its cast, perhaps the most significant impact of the show was its fashion and beauty influence. Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston, entered the show as a spoilt rich girl (childhood best friend of Monica Geller) who had never even had a job. By season ten she’d formed an impressive résumé working as an assistant buyer at Bloomingdale’s and later working as a buyer at Ralph Lauren. Throughout the ten seasons, Rachel’s hairstyles varied—whether she had her long straight hair with blonde highlights or a layered short bob—she owned it. She quickly started the trend of the ‘Rachel hair’, whilst all her hairstyles were adored, the most wellknown would be the medium-length dirty blonde look with an abundance of highlights—wearing it messy and casual. Jennifer Aniston is still known today for her perfect hairstyles, with young people born years after the show had even finished airing, showing their hairdresser her pictures as inspo. The core six that made up the main Friends cast were recognisable not only by their personality traits but also their individual fashion choices —which stayed consistent for each person throughout the ten seasons. Debra McGuire, costume designer for the show, had no intention of following current trends with the fashion choices, but rather created a distinct style for each character on the show. Rachel Green embodied designer brands and was always in fitted outfits, such as her classic cropped T-shirts, which were a fan favourite (I have to say, I’ve copied Rachel on this one). Staying true to her personality, Monica Geller’s outfits were clean and sleek, sticking to neutral colours—unlike Phoebe Buffay, with her ‘hippie’ and ‘boho’ style which matched her absurd (and hilarious) one-liners. As for the male trio (Ross Geller, Joey Tribbiani, and Chandler Bing)—all three rocked the classic baggy blue jeans with an oversized crewneck: a staple outfit in the wardrobes of almost anyone, whether you were a young adult in the ’90s, or today in the 2020s. The trio also rocked turtle necks often—paired with leather jackets or blazers to fit the New York City weather, more pieces that the cast brought into the mainstream, keeping them in fashion for decades to follow. Claire—Gossip Girl Hold onto your designer bags fashion lovers—we’re delving into the sartorial sensations of the hit TV series, Gossip Girl (2007). The show’s leading ladies: Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, reigned supreme over the Upper East Side’s fashion scene with their iconic ensembles and impeccable styling in, from the early 2000s and beyond. Serena, played by the stunning Blake Lively, was the epitome of boho-chic, effortlessly blending designer labels with vintage finds to create a unique and stunning fashion statement. From flowy maxi dresses to bold prints and statement jewellery, Serena’s fashion choices were never dull or predictable. But it was her jaw-dropping white dress from the infamous White Party of the season two premiere, that had fashion enthusiasts talking for years. On the other hand, Blair, played by Leighton Meester, was the preppy queen with a twist. She was the master of tailored outfits, perfectly matching her impeccable blazers with her killer shoe collection. Her signature headbands became the must-have accessory of the season, and her love for designer labels like Prada and Christian Walk-in robes need TVs so there’s something to watch sitting on the floor in my towel. Pelican Fact 13
Louboutin only added to her fashionista status. It’s safe to say that Blair’s fashion sense was so iconic, that even if she were stranded on a deserted island, she’d still find a way to rock a headband. But behind these fashion legends was the mastermind costume designer, Eric Daman. His brilliant and edgy perspective on fashion elevated the style game of the Upper East Side, launching the careers of designers like Tory Burch. His contribution to the fashion industry is undeniable, and his vision for Serena and Blair’s wardrobe left a lasting impression on viewers. Gossip Girl’s fashion influence was undeniable, and it continues to inspire fashion enthusiasts around the world. From Serena’s boho-chic to Blair’s preppy-with-a-twist, the show’s iconic fashion moments will forever be etched in the fashion history books. And we have Eric Daman to thank for these fashion icons. Selina—Clueless: A Cultural Reset I won’t lie—I haven’t actually watched the entirety of this cult classic film (shocking, I know), but even so, when I hear the title Clueless, my mind is inundated by images of Cher Horowitz and her countless iconic looks. The film’s impact upon the fashion realm and popular culture is undeniable. Cher’s trademark ’fit—her two piece Dolce & Gabbana matching set—will forever be written into fashion history, with its distinct yellow plaid mini skirt and blazer. Clueless established trademark ’90s trends, such as slip dresses and biker shorts—both of which have made a revival lately. The fashion in this film wasn’t inspired by contemporary trends, it created them. Clueless marked a turning point in popular fashion, moving from loose darker looks, towards stronger silhouettes and a more colourful palette. The film’s costume designer, Mona May, decided to take a counterculture route on the wardrobe, working against the grunge-y aesthetic prevailing during the early ’90s. At the time, band T-shirts and baggy jeans were all the rage—but May wanted to incorporate more femininity and preppiness into Cher’s style, exemplified by Cher’s iconic yellow matching set, or red dress . In embracing a sense of femininity which was being suppressed and posed as ‘uncool’ at the time , May was saying—yes, we can wear skirts and fun colours and still be complex and astute human beings (Cher’s character is super wise and emotionally intelligent). Mona May drew from past trends that weren’t in style during production, such as ’20s inspired over the knee socks and ’60s mini skirts. Furthermore, her limited budget meant her team had to thrift many of the pieces or create clothing items on their own, selecting only a few standout designer pieces. This facilitated a more accessible method of styling that ordinary people could draw inspiration from. Even today trends are influenced by Clueless— our recent obsession with micro handbags has been inspired by the mini bags shown in the film. Contemporary runway looks have also drawn ideas from Cher’s outfits, such as Versace’s 2018 Fall Collection, which featured schoolgirl inspired plaid looks, complete with Cher’s trademark yellow and Mary Jane style shoes. The film’s fashion has made a lasting impact on teen culture—think of all the times you’ve seen a celebrity wear an outfit which draws inspiration from Cher Horowitz. Olivia Rodgrio, one of this generation’s newest ‘It Girls’, was even seen wearing a plaid matching set to the White House (yes, Olivia’s meeting-the-President outfit drew inspiration from Cher Horowitz!). Olivia is often seen channelling Clueless, in plaid miniskirts (even featuring on her SOUR album cover) and slip dresses. Throwback a few years to 2014, and if you can recall it, even the Number One song everyone was blaring was inspired by Clueless—yes, the music video for ‘Fancy’ by Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX was an homage to the iconic film, with Iggy dressing in Cher’s yellow matching set. Nearly three decades on, Cher Horowitz’s style is distinct, even to those who can’t claim the privilege of having watched Clueless (sorry, I’ll do my mandatory film viewing next time)—which, if I’m being honest, is the ultimate claim to icon status. Narnia (2023), opening scene: *four kids crawl into a wardrobe wearing VR goggles* “Hi Mr. T, is that you?” *simulation of a fawn* “Yes, it is I.” Pelican Fact 14
My 2023 Cool Girl Monologue Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a Cool Girl. Being the Cool Girl means I listen to your freestyle rap over YouTube Kanye West beats on your UE Boom, get my Mirena put in without anaesthetic so we don’t have to wait for a specialist appointment to go raw. I wear my Byredo Gypsy Water perfume so he is reminded of me when he walks through Mecca with his other girlfriend (because we are ethically non-monogamous), have Fred Again in my ‘On Repeat’ Spotify album, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl. Men actually think this girl exists. Maybe they’re fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be Maddy from ‘Euphoria’. When really, she is a hot, brilliant, forward-park-only girl who takes her APO-Escitalopram with an iced oat milk latte in a Frank Green keep cup, intellectualises his behaviour over Aperol Spritzes at Si Paradiso, loves talking about her year on exchange in 2019 and shops from Shein as if it is a primal instinct. For a long time Cool Girl offended me. I used to see men—friends, coworkers, strangers—giddy over these Stella Barey look-alikes, and I’d want to sit these men down and calmly say: You are not dating a woman, you are dating a woman who has not considered the benefits of building a Glassons on campus! I’d want to grab the poor guy by his lapels or messenger bag and say: The bitch doesn’t really love Bondi Sands-ing everyday that much—no one loves Bondi Sands-ing everyday that much! And the Cool Girls are even more pathetic: They’re not even pretending to be the woman they want to be, they’re pretending to be the woman a man wants them to be. Oh, and if you’re not a Cool Girl, I beg you not to believe that your man doesn’t want the Cool Girl. It may be a slightly different version—maybe he’s a bartender, so Cool Girl loves Negronis; or maybe he’s an op-shop volunteer, so Cool Girl is a Marketplace-addicted IGET enthusiast who loves tote bags that fall off your shoulder every second. There are variations to the window dressing, but believe me, he wants Cool Girl, who is basically the girl who likes every fucking thing he likes and doesn’t ever complain (but will on her private shitpost Instagram page). (How do you know you’re not Cool Girl? Because he says things like: “I like strong women.” If he says that to you, he will at some point fuck someone else. Because “I like strong women” is code for “I hate strong women.”) Note: Excerpts from the Gone Girl monologue have been used as a skeleton to create My 2023 Cool Girl Monologue adaption. @amydunnefanpage.e is a Nathan Fielder fanatic by day, Chris’ Heritage Goat Cheese & Black Truffle Dip addict by night. Reference: Gone Girl. Directed by David Fincher, Twentieth Century Fox, 2014. Want to be cool? Just be yourself… But also maybe wear sunnies—they’re pretty cool. Pelican Fact 15
An Interview with Keerthi Anpalagan Studying a PhD in Infectious Disease at UWA My name is Keerthi Anpalagan and I started my PhD with the School of Medicine at UWA and the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) in 2022. My passion for research and science began at a young age, and my journey in research officially began during my honours year at TKI in 2021. Now a passionate and dedicated researcher in the field of paediatric infectious diseases, I’m focused on improving the health and wellbeing of diverse patient groups, specifically through my PhD research on improving the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). SAB is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can lead to sepsis and is disproportionately higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Through collaboration with world-leading researchers, I hope to answer multiple questions related to this disease and contribute to the development of more effective treatment strategies. By improving the management of SAB, we can reduce the burden of disease and improve the health outcomes of patients affected by this condition. Outside of research, I enjoy travelling to experience different cultures, learning a new language, and dancing to stay active. I am also grateful to have received the Australian Government Research Training Program Domestic Fees Offset Scholarship and University Postgraduate Award in 2022 from UWA. Ava O’Sullivan Why did you choose this field of study? I chose to pursue paediatric infectious disease as my field of study for several reasons. Firstly, I am passionate about improving health outcomes for all children. As the future of our society, children deserve to have the best possible health outcomes, and I am committed to working towards this goal. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened my interest Keerthi Anpalagan Understanding children is a vital step towards understanding adults. Pelican Fact 16
in infectious diseases. Seeing the roles of infectious disease physicians, epidemiologists, and researchers come together to manage this outbreak was incredibly fascinating to me. I am drawn to the complexity of infectious diseases and the challenges they pose, as well as the potential for ground-breaking research and discoveries in this field. Working in paediatric infectious disease research allows me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be able to do that. What is the specific topic of your research? The topic of my PhD research is—examining the economic burden, optimising antibiotic treatment, and [formulating] diagnostic strategies for S. aureus bloodstream infections in children. Why did you decide on this specific topic; is it something you are passionate about? After identifying my field of interest, I extensively researched and consulted with peers and potential supervisors. It was during this process that I discovered the opportunity to pursue a PhD with the Telethon Kids Institute, focusing on the management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia with a clinical trials team. What drew me to this opportunity was the novelty of the trial, as well as the lack of paediatricrelated research in this area. The possibility of contributing to the limited research available and making an impact in the management of this disease in children motivated me to pursue this opportunity further. Have your feelings towards your discipline or education in general changed since you began your educational journey to now? My view of education has shifted from solely focusing on academic achievements to valuing the connections and relationships formed throughout the journey. What have your social experiences been like at UWA as opposed to other environments? As a PhD student working in clinical research, I am not always on campus, but when I am, I have had a positive experience. The University offers a vibrant community of scholars and researchers, and the facilities are top-notch. There are numerous clubs, societies, and events that cater to a wide range of interests, making it easy to connect with like-minded individuals and expand your horizons beyond your academic work. What does your routine look like?—Is study a large part of it? My primary base is at the Telethon Kids Institute, located at Perth Children’s Hospital. My typical day involves grabbing a cuppa with my colleagues, planning my day, working on multiple projects, reading papers to keep up to date, attending meetings, collecting data for my research, and assisting the clinical trials team with recruitment. Do you feel you have balance? Balancing my priorities can be challenging and often depends on the demands of my workload in any given week. At times, my research takes priority over other aspects of my life, but I am working on becoming more self-aware of my priorities and recognising when it is necessary to take a step back to avoid becoming overwhelmed. I’m very lucky to be surrounded by people that constantly remind me to take a breather when needed. What would your advice be to your younger self? If I could offer advice to my younger self, I would encourage myself to practice gratitude and cultivate a spirit of grace. This means taking time to appreciate the people and experiences in my life, even during difficult times, and responding to challenges with kindness and understanding. Take care of the world’s little ones, they’ll be taking care of us one day. Pelican Fact 17
An Interview with Rhea Arora: International Honours Student in Psychology Ava O’Sullivan I am an International student from India, who came to Perth in 2019. I stayed at University Hall for the entire duration of my undergrad degree which was a BA in Psychology, with German as my minor. In 2020, I founded the Health Promotion Committee and established a focus on mental health at University Hall. I was also a residential advisor, and then the Lead RA at University Hall; alongside my LRA duties, I ran the Academic Advancement portfolio. Currently, I am doing my Honours in Psychology, my project is under the PECAN lab (Perception, Emotion, Cognition, Attention and Neuroscience). I am also a current peer supporter at The Living Room, this role has helped me engage with a diverse range of UWA students and support them with various mental health, academic, and professional concerns. I started this job a year ago. I am also part of the Student Life Student Reference group that aims to work together with staff on initiatives that address the challenges and needs of the students. I love learning languages, thus my major in German. I am bilingual—Hindi is my second language but I also know intermediate AUSLAN, and did some Japanese a few years ago. Currently, I have gotten into crocheting and gardening! One of the things I did a lot when I first started University was volunteering with the Guild and I recommend it to all students who would like to spend some hours engaged in something meaningful and make friends at the same time! PAUSE: take a moment to appreciate yourself for everything you have accomplished so far. Pelican Fact 18
Why did you choose this field of study? I first studied Psychology during my final two years at school, and I knew then that there was nothing else I would rather do. It started off with a simple reason, that I wanted to help people and I wanted to understand why people do what they do. Psychology has helped me understand myself and the environment around me so much more. The knowledge I’ve gained through my studies and professional experiences has helped me support people in a variety of settings. It’s a field of study that has applications in not just clinical settings, but also educational, organisational, research, law enforcement, and more. This is why there are so many possibilities of what you could do with a degree in psychology! What is the specific topic of your research? To give some context, I am currently a part of the PECAN lab (Perception, Emotion, Cognition, Ageing, and Neuroscience) which is directed by my Honours Supervisor Dr. Briana Kennedy, a Cognitive Psychologist and lecturer at the School of Psychological Sciences at UWA. My research topic is about understanding the impact of emotion on attention and finding ways to reduce emotional distraction. Why did you decide on this specific topic, is it something you are passionate about? During my undergraduate study, cognitive psychology was one of the areas of psychology that I got to learn a lot more about. Being able to understand and learn more about cognition, attention, emotion, and memory made me want to focus on these areas for my Honours thesis. Luckily, my Honours thesis relates closely to my interests! The way we are trying to attenuate the attentional priority in my study is quite new, and regardless of my findings, it will help one understand more about the way emotion impacts attention and how [attention’s] attentional priority can be attenuated. I find this to be very rewarding and I am looking forward to putting it all together! Have your feelings towards your discipline, or education in general, changed since you began your educational journey to now? I’ve always thought that education and access to education is important. I am in my fourth Rhea Arora Make sure your list of to-dos includes space to wind-down, recharge, and have fun. Pelican Fact 19
year of study, with the hope of pursuing my Masters and/or PhD degree. So far, studying at UWA has made me realise that, now more than ever, having knowledge is empowering. Psychology as a discipline can be quite misunderstood, and I have to admit, I majorly thought of studying psychology as the study of clinical psychology before starting my educational journey. I now have more positive feelings and a stronger connection to my discipline after being able to realise how it, as a science, helps a person understand oneself, navigate interpersonal relationships, inform policy change, and impact organisations as a whole. What does your routine look like?—is study a large part of it? Studying is a large part of my routine—I try to do some study every day. I tend to be more active in the morning, so that’s when I do my chores, followed by study/work/volunteering and then I make time for my hobbies, selfcare/personal life (Sometimes if I have no chores, I swap my hobbies and commitments around depending on my energy). My family lives back in my home country, so I make a phone call back home almost every day. Do you feel you have balance? I do believe that I have a balanced routine at the moment. Any time things get too much for me, I kind of have signs that make me realise I am not doing my best and I try to cut down on some tasks and make space for more self-care. I no longer think that having a colourful filled up calendar is always a good thing, it’s good to have some blank spaces too! What would your advice be to your younger self? As important as it is to say yes, it is equally as important to say no. Saying yes can take you places, but saying no at times can help you recharge, realise your worth, and help make space for something better! My younger self also tried so hard to accomplish things in a short time period. [I was] always thinking about my next step [and] I often forgot to take a step back, pause, reflect, and celebrate what I had achieved so far! What is your favourite book/film/piece of art you’ve consumed so far this year or recently, and why? It would be the book ‘The Time Keeper’ by Mitch Albom. I would say it starts as a slow read but has so many valuable messages about living in the moment. We all are given a set [amount] of time, so that we can value it—there is no point in wanting more time or rushing it. Our days are limited so we should make each one precious. I am in my fourth year of study, with the hope of pursuing my Masters and/or PhD degree. So far, studying at UWA has made me realise that, now more than ever, having knowledge is empowering. If you would like to share your student story, please get in contact with our Pelican Voice Team by scanning the QR Code at the back of the Mag or by emailing us at [email protected]. Need a fun activity? Come along to the Pelican launches and writer’s nights! Pelican Fact 20
Aadhikesav Ramkumar Have you ever walked by all the millions of different lawns and ovals at UWA and thought to yourself, “Why is that magpie looking at me funny?” or “Do peahens look at tail feathers with the same fondness as us?” or “Why does the number four on the Winthrop Clock Tower look weird?” (Trust me, it does). Let’s run through some of these questions and more, so I can put my degree, and time, to good use. Peafowl Peafowl are tetrachromats, meaning they’ve got four chrome yoga mats at home. This also means they’ve got four kinds of colour receptors in their eyes and a bonus double photoreceptor just for funsies (and maybe to detect brightness). Peacocks also have elaborate feather trains on their rears that they use to show off. However, how much of that train do the peahens actually like to gaze at? Turns out, not a lot. Research has found that peahens prefer to look at the bottom of the train, rather than the crest, the upper train, or even the face (yikes). Some mean sciencefolk have even said “damn all these trains but no gains”, pointing out that the trains may merely be remnants of what peahens once preferred, and are now just obsolete. Even Charles Darwin once said, “The sight of the peacock’s tail makes me sick”. Although he was referencing a complex scientific issue, it seems peacock’s trains do more harm than good! Vision in Animals: Eye Didn’t See That Coming! Animals tell great jokes but eye jokes are cornea! Pelican Fact 21
Magpies Ever wonder why the swooping, lunch stealing, intellectual specimen known as the Australian magpie looks at you funny? No, it’s not because you’re a university student haphazardly dashing to class; magpies have eyes on either side of their head (for clarification, humans have both eyes at the front of their head), and the backs of their eyes have the greatest visual acuity! This means a magpie has to rotate its entire head to see you in all your glory, as opposed to just looking at you head on. Researchers have also found that in response to a threat stimulus (i.e. you), the magpie produces alarm calls more frequently when they use their left eye more than right. Juvenile birds also begged for food more from the right rather than the left side of an adult. What this means for you I am not sure, but it must mean something to science. Dogs If we were walking to class and I asked, “why is the sky fluorescent green?”, you’d ask, “what in tarnation?”. But if you asked your dog the same question, it wouldn’t say anything, on the account that dogs cannot speak. I’m sure the good boi is still amazed by the dazzling world around us, right? Well, good bois are known to have two colour receptors, suggesting that they can’t differentiate between green, yellow, and red colour cues. Though these results are contested, they do have the capacity to perceive ultraviolet (UV) light and maybe even the earth’s magnetic field. Whether or not their vision is dazzling, that is for you to decide. Speaking of ‘you’, the last thing I want to discuss is human vision. Humans only have three types of colour receptors on our retinas (red, blue, and green). These receptors interact to form colour vision as we know it. The colour vision and visual resolution of our eyes, though impressive, is no match for mobile phone trickery. The pixels and sub pixels on phones are so small and tightly packed that our eyes cannot differentiate between their colours individually (into red, blue, and green). So, the colours just blend together at varying intensities, giving us the illusion of all sorts of colours! The yellow you see from your phone is fake I tell you! Here’s a visual perception quick-fire round: 1 Peacock mantis shrimp (none of these three words are accurate in describing them!) have twelve colour photoreceptors. 2 Similar to humans, many animals (e.g. dolphins, cuttlefish, pigeons, and flies) can perceive visual illusions (the Kanisza triangle and Ebbinghaus illusion for example). 3 Bowerbirds incorporate illusions into their architecture to improve their chances of mating. 4 Starfish have compound eyes at the ends of their tentacles. 5 Ants can observe polarised light and it tells them which direction leads home. 6 Pelicans get cataracts. “Why is that magpie looking at me funny?” Pelican recommends Ed Yong’s An Immense World to learn more about our ecological family members! Pelican Fact 22
Now, you must feel all smart and bogged down with all this information, but what was the point in all this sciencing? I’d like to think my rambling about animal vision could help us improve our own. Not like going to the ophthalmologist, I mean more metaphorically. When you’re walking through campus over the next few weeks, take the time to appreciate the natural world around you. There is much beautiful flora and fauna which populates our grounds at UWA, so cherish and spend some time with them. Take the time to notice the strange and unique habits of the lives around you Let’s pull ourselves away from our screens, books, assignments, and worries for a bit, and just go out and have a gander. Who knows, maybe it will help you clear your mind, and help you SEE the bigger picture. (Note: I would like to thank my professors in the Zoology dept., especially those that ran the unit Behavioural Ecology—ANIM3365. Would recommend that everyone try this unit if you like animal behaviour.) Even Charles Darwin once said, “The sight of the peacock’s tail makes me sick”. *Flying around with eyes shut* Ow! Where’d that come from? Pelican Fact 23
Review of The Whale: From Stage to Screen Aleena Flack There has been a surge in recent years of content, which has traditionally been presented as theatrical performance, now being presented through film adaptations. Covid-19 must take the blame for part of this, as the global pandemic significantly increased our screen time and the way that we approach our use of technology. In saying this, a shift from theatre to screen had already been brewing in the years before the pandemic;therefore, it could be argued that this change was inevitable. The Whale (2022) focuses on the story of an overweight man, Charlie, who is confined to his apartment complex on account of his size, which limits his movement, and presumably, his life expectancy. The film is based on the theatrical play of the same name which was written by Samuel D. Hunter; the filmed adaptation stays true to the original storyline, while adding new visual elements of its own. The Whale was directed by Darren Aronofsky, who is known for his psychological thrillers and surrealist films; his previous works incorporate similar mysterious and disturbing ideas, such as Mother! (2017) starring Jennifer Lawrence, and Black Swan (2010) starring Natalie Portman, and Aronofsky seems to have gone all out with his newest project. What struck me the most about this film was the significance of the setting. The camera does not leave the premises of Charlie’s apartment and everything we know about the characters is revealed by how we see them interact within this space. I felt that this limited physical setting is the backbone of how Aronofsky pays homage to the theatrical roots of The Whale. I was especially touched by the relationship between Charlie and his teenage daughter, Ellie, of whom he has been estranged from for many years and is attempting to build trust with. The characters are portrayed by Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink, and in my opinion, both actors have phenomenal on-screen chemistry, bolstered by the fact that they have both individually starred in separate thriller films in the past. Charlie is represented in The Whale by degrading stereotypes that are often associated with those who are overweight. His own daughter, Ellie, thinks he is a loser. He is someone she is genuinely disgusted by, which she openly states while seeing Charlie gorge on fast food and lounge around on the living room couch. Even so, the intimate setting of Charlie’s crowded apartment does have a nostalgic component, that contrasts with feelings of claustrophobia. A mere photograph on a shelf provides the audience with a window through which to see the man that Charlie used to be; I found it devastating then to watch him struggle to make his way from one side of his apartment to the other using only his walker, consequently pausing to catch his breath with each step. Whale whale whale, what do we have here? Pelican Fact 24
Much like the stage production of the original, so much of this film occurs within a small space, and this is what drew me into the intricate details of each scene. Although depth of field is manipulated in the screen adaptation of The Whale, I was still able to experience the theatrical side of it, both through the melancholic acting and complex setting. Charlie’s profession as a creative writing teacher introduces the involvement of words into the film. He persistently teaches online classes which are suggestive of Covid-19 and ‘The Age of Zoom’, where he encourages his students to express themselves through the creative word. Charlie himself also engages in intermittent monologues, which stem from the classic novel, Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. A metaphor resides here, Charlie is the whale. Despite Brendan Fraser recently winning an Oscar for ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’, for The Whale, the film still received criticism for its portrayal of Charlie as a gay overweight man when the actor is neither. I completely agree with these critiques. There are many gay actors in the Hollywood Film Industry, who could’ve been chosen for the role of Charlie, yet a straight man was cast instead. The Whale has also been called out for inaccurately representing Charlie’s condition: that Brendan wearing a fat-suit as part of his costume is an act of fat-shaming. This film’s incorporation of conservative religious ideologies and blatant homophobia is another aspect to be considered when viewing, as it could be distressing to some viewers. The Whale (2022) was officially released in Australia in February 2023. Although no longer showing in Perth cinemas, the film is now available on Apple TV, Google Play and Amazon Prime. Whether you’ve already seen The Whale as a theatrical performance and want to see what the film version is all about, or you’re simply on the hunt for a new film to watch, I think it’s worth it. 3 out of 5 Pelicans https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2023-02-15/whale-makeup-prosthetics-blaze-new-technology-trails Image source: Seagull to beached whale: “want a chip bro?” Pelican Fact 25
A Pelican’s Guide to UWA Love Letters <3 Dionne Sparks and Tobias Langtry Feeling bored, lovesick or just dying for some juicy goss? Then you need to check out UWA Love Letters! UWA Love Letters (UWALL) is a Facebook community in which students can write professions of romance, anonymously, to fellow students (or, sometimes, their tutors!). In the days of swiping, matching, and messaging, how can anyone find old-school, true love? Well, UWALL takes the ancient, old-fashioned idea of romance, and allows us to pour our hearts out, comfortably, behind a screen. Feeling inspired? We hope this Pelican’s Guide to UWA Love Letters will teach you everything you need to write a love letter that is sure to win the hearts of all who read it. #1 No vagueposting! We’ve all seen it. A love letter asking a student out. It has passion and eloquence enough to put Shakespeare to shame. The problem is, no one can tell who the love letter is about! It’s a vaguepost. If your letter is addressed to ‘the brunette wearing jeans’ then prepare to have your letter ignored. A good love letter is specific about who its trying to address. This Pelican understands that it can hurt to face rejection. That’s a key reason why people vaguepost (you can’t be rejected if your love interest never knows you asked them out). But you’ll never find love if you never take the chance. Take the risk and be specific. This old Pelican has your back. 90% of love letters are submitted by one pelican, she’s really lonely. Pelican Fact 26
#2 Anonymity is your friend Sometimes you need to express your deepest yearnings and heartache, and sometimes you’re just tired of freshers making noise while you’re trying to study! UWALL isn’t just a place for romance, it’s also the perfect outlet for venting and all kinds of angst. You’ll find complaints about being single or (much worse) situationships. Because UWALL is anonymous, you can express your feelings without fear of judgement. This Pelican understands the catharsis that can come with finally letting it all out. So take advantage of the anonymity and have fun! #3 We’re all here to support each other Love lives can be difficult, and we all know what it’s like to struggle with heartache (either from first hand experience or by proxy). Feel free to seek advice by sending off a love letter. There are always community members offering support in the comments. From ghosting to cheating, they’ve been there! A good member of the UWALL community is always ready to play wingman. Your BFFs just been asked out? Hype them up! There’s no greater joy than seeing your friends find love. And so, in between Tinder one-liners and Hinge voice-memos, perhaps the students of UWA have a chance of finding love after all? If you’ve ever heard of UWALL you’ve probably been wondering when you’ll get your own dedicated love letter - sitting in Hackett, in your best outfit, super mysterious. We can’t help you there. However, we hope we’ve given you the tools to write your own love letter! Example of a Peli-tastic love letter #54321 A lonely Pelican looking for new contributors. I’m so tired of being single! Like, the last person who was writing an article for me COMPLETELY ghosted me! Me! The hottest Pelican in town! What has a bird gotta do to find someone faithful? I really need some love for my next edition. If you think you have what it takes feel free to slide into this Pelican’s dms. About me: Pelican 94 years young English Lit student Passionate about student expression 4’1 About you: Aspiring writer or artist Keen to get involved Height not important The other 10% are written by her admirers but they’re too vague and so she doesn’t know they’re about her :’(. Pelican Fact 27
A Love Poem to Google Maps Sometimes I find myself bordering on agoraphobia. I mean, being queer and feeling like you’re shoved into an ‘outcast’ role by society will do that. I ignore any anxieties I have about what’s outside by, well, staying inside. Most people spend their long weekends in a different kind of staycation. Maybe they’ll have people over, cook something nice, get out of their bedroom and see the world. Well, while you were celebrating mid-sem break at home—I actually went to Japan! Oh— actually, wait, Hong Kong. No, scratch that—I’m actually in Italy right now at 43° 10′ 35.00″ N, 12° 39′ 08.00″ E. Shit, the page refreshed. Make that 41° 50′ 31.63″ N, 13° 5′ 42.68″ E. I love Google Maps. I mean, when else can you visit 26 countries in 3 hours? Or venture through a dangerous New York alley without the fear that you’ll get bonked on the head with a crowbar—cartoon style. Or look at ordinary suburbs and people’s houses and wonder… does anyone here feel what I feel? This love affair with a website consumed my summer break. It’s during this time that I fell in love with the post-Soviet ruins in the Baltic countries, and that I loved the quiet summertime emptiness of rural Japan. I look at these places and think—finally, a place that feels how I feel. Pathetic fallacy. Figure 1—Rural Lithuania, Right Before Sunset: This was my first attempt at illustrating a Google Maps screenshot. I found this place, right off a well-used road, that bordered on acres of forest. The day the little Google car was zooming around looked windy and very cold. Dry. The ventricles of the trees pulsated in the Dorian Winter breeze and the large shrubs napped gently on the grass. I’ve never been here. So why do I recognise the house in the distance? Figure 2—Somewhere in Japan, “Violet Hour”: I don’t know Japanese, so I can’t read the sign. If I dug a little deeper, though, we’re somewhere near Mt Amari in Nirasaki city. If there are any mountains, I can’t see them. The trees may as well be mountains themselves. It’s a warm summer evening - you can tell because of the shy yellow flowers and the humidity-kissed grass. The house in the distance looks familiar. Figure 3—A Quiet Sunrise over Lithuania: We’re back in Lithuania, and it’s warmer than last time. Maybe summer is collapsing into autumn. There’s a little cow roaming around the paddocks, and there are multiple houses—none of which have any people. There’s a slight indent in the field—either from a bike or a UFO… whose to say? It’s early enough that the sky is indiscriminate from sunset or sunrise. You can still see the moon and stars. Most people are asleep. Somehow this is more unfamiliar than the others. Humans find art in the weirdest of places. I just happened to find mine on Google Maps. At 31° 58’ 43.60” S, 115° 49’ 04.6” E. Pelicans are read, my notes are not; I may not make it with my brains but at least I am....willing to improve my study habits. Pelican Fact 28
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 If I submit a drawing instead of a poem will Turn-It-In count it as 1000 words? Pelican Fact 29
The Local Music Highlights Ethan Dodson It’s super inspiring to hear something so in its own lane being made in Perth. Artist: ERKA BLASA Single: Only In My Mind Genre: Synth-pop/electronic Label: Self-released Calling ‘Only In My Mind’ a ‘throwback’ song would, frankly, be an insult. Though sonically inspired by the sounds of New Order, YMO, Depeche Mode and other synth-pop groups, its driving beat and melancholic lyrics make ‘Only In My Mind’ stand out as more than a product of its influences. The elements: catchy synths, pounding drum-machines, mellow pads and, tinkling lead lines, come together to create threeand-a-half minutes of synthy-poppy brilliance. It’s super inspiring to hear something so in its own lane being made in Perth. Also, with the song being only the band’s second single released, I am interested to hear what ERKA BLASA continue to create, and what even newer lanes they will carve out for themselves. It seems that, at least for the time being, they’re happy not to be tied down to any one specific sound—the prior single was an eight-minute foray into electronic instrumentation reminiscent of something you would’ve heard on Super Smash Bros: Brawl, or an old record showing off the capabilities of the Moog. Artist: Mia June Single: Hungry Genre: Indie/Shoegaze-y Sad-girl Label: Father/Daughter Records One would scarcely believe the year that Mia June has had. She has firmly asserted herself as one of the fastest-rising local musicians in the Perth scene. Not only has she recently been signed to the San Francisco based, ‘Father/Daughter Records,’ her first single ‘Fish In A Bowl’ was announced by RTRFM as the radio stations third most played song of 2022. And now she’s been announced as the opening act for Stella Donnelly’s 2023 Australian tour. With all that she’s achieved already, her latest song ‘Hungry’ feels like the crowning jewel, it is by far her best released work to date. Everything already present in her first singles, ‘Try to Cry’ and ‘Fish In A Bowl’, whether it be the emotionally charged lyrics, the reverb drenched guitars, the punchy drums, is there in spades in ‘Hungry.’ God definitely isn’t a man. God is a pelican. Pelican Fact 30
Even if I haven’t quite gotten used to hearing the phrase ‘Tiktok’ being sung quite yet, this song is definitely a must listen. ‘Married to the Machine’ tells a fairly common story, a man is obsessed with his phone and the allure of the online world. Although the trope has, at this point, been done to death, it is more relevant than ever. Artist: Siobhan Cotchin Single: If God Is A Man Genre: Grunge/Country Label: Tone City Records When I last spoke to Siobhan, she said that she was taking her sound in a more grungy and loud direction. The single, ‘If God Is A Man’, is obviously proof of this. It’s loud, unapologetic and has that country twang that is a signature of her work. I love the crunchy drums and the wailing breakdown at the end; the feedback trailing off at the close of the song is also pretty classy signature ’90s stuff. Top it all off with a stellar vocal performance and ‘If God Is A Man’ shapes up to be one of the artist’s strongest singles. Be sure to check out the band’s Perth dates for the 2023 Australian tour on the 26th and 27th of May. Artist: Finn Alexander and the Forever Party Single: Married to the Machine Genre: Folk/Indie Label: Self-released ‘Married to the Machine’ tells a fairly common story, a man is obsessed with his phone and the allure of the online world. Although the trope has, at this point, been done to death, it is more relevant than ever and will continue to become more and more so with each passing day. My favourite part about ‘Married to the Machine’, however, is the instrumentation: the lush strings sections, the piano stabs, the synthy arpeggiations at the end which give us a glimpse of electronica among acoustic instrumentation; each component makes for a sonically great track that enhances its lyrical themes. Even if I haven’t quite gotten used to hearing the phrase ‘Tiktok’ being sung quite yet, this song is definitely a must listen. Artist: Hector Morlet Single: We’re So Tight It Hurts Genre: Bedroom Pop/Jammy-jam-jam Label: Self-released After dropping probably my favourite EP of 2022, Music for Squares, Hector returns with another hit, ‘We’re So Tight It Hurts.’ A return which has even garnered him attention on Triple J’s ‘Homegrown’ segment, and for good reason, this thing slaps. The song has everything a Hector fan will have come to expect and loves: the falsetto, the amazing key work, the groove. One main difference between this track and Music for Squares, is it comes with an added emphasis on the groove, something new to Hector’s sound. It’s definitely not an unwanted addition, I’d say it’s more like if your favourite pair of socks just got a little bit softer. If you love Currents and InnerSpeaker then you’ll definitely find something to love in this song; the performance is electric and the fuzzy bass sound is just so driving. And washed-out synths play, perfectly balanced atop a bed of groove. Also, look out for some amazing drum fills at the back end of ‘We’re So Tight It Hurts’. There are currently at least three people legally married to machines. Pelican Fact 31
The World of Video Journalism Holly Carter-Turner This edition’s expert is video journalist Jenny Schon. You may recognise her from 7NEWS as she lights up your TV with her reports from the regional areas of WA. So if you’ve ever wondered what the world of journalism is like, Jenny is here to tell us. Meet the Experts: What does a day ‘in the life’ look like? It certainly varies! Daily, I’m guaranteed to pitch a few breaking news stories I think would be of interest to regional Western Australia and visually appealing for TV, and put them together from start to finish. Some days, I hop in my red news-van with my tripod, camera, and 7NEWS microphone, and head to press conferences with politicians. Other [days], I’m calling up media advisors, CEOs, or case study talents and arranging one-on-one interviews with them, either on location or over Zoom. On some extra exciting days, I’ll drive out to The Wheatbelt or even score a private jet flight with a minister in the North of WA for a big news story. It all depends on what the news of the day is. What are the hours like? Monday–Friday, 8.30 a.m. to about 5.30 p.m. What’s your most awkward on screen moment? On some occasions, I’ve had a few extrafriendly people try to strike up a conversation with me while trying to film a piece to camera on my own, and I might have given them the stink eye. Luckily, I do more than one take! How did you get into journalism? By being eager to take on new opportunities, luck, and a lot of hard work. I studied a Bachelor of Arts at Curtin University, majoring A channel (that will remain unnamed for legal purposes) often relies on pelicans to gather them the latest scoop. Pelican Fact 32
in Journalism and minoring in Screen Arts, and Public Relations. While studying, my first foot in the door was volunteering at RTRFM as an assistant producer for its Current Affairs segment, then [I became] a news reader, then the station’s News Director. I next scored a casual reporter gig for Post Newspapers. After doing industry placements with 9News then 10 News First, 10’s Executive Editor gave me a massive leap forward in my career—a casual TV reporter position. The last week of my degree, I applied for 7NEWS’ Regional WA full-time Geraldton role, and five months later, I was promoted to the Perth role. Who’s the coolest person you’ve met? This is a tough one but I think interviewing Anthony Albanese in the lead up to his election win has certainly been the highlight of my career so far. Are people welcoming in the space or a bit judgmental? You’ve got to have grit, work hard, and look the part to be a TV reporter, and it can be daunting asking questions at press conferences when you’re up against industry veterans who’ve been your role-models for years. For the most part though, the industry is fairly welcoming, probably because it’s made up of people who were all once the new journo on the scene wanting to make a good impression. Have many others from your grad class gone on to get work? Practically everyone from my graduating class (2021) who showed a keen interest in pursuing a career in journalism, straight away got into the industry in a full-time paid job— most, heading to regional newspapers, news reading for radio bulletins in other states, or getting junior online reporter roles for the ABC here in Perth. Just a few of us went straight to TV. What other jobs can you do with your skills? As a solo video journalist, I do about five jobs all on my own every day—being the journalist (researching, scripting, interviewing, voicing), the camera operator (filming interviews, overlay and monitoring audio), the Producer/ Chief of Staff (searching for stories, pitching them, deciding on their angle, arranging interviews, and coordinating timing), and the Editor. This sort of multi-skilled work will hopefully create [more] career opportunities for a host of jobs within TV, the media, media relations, and more broadly— communications. Practically everyone from my graduating class (2021) who showed a keen interest in pursuing a career in journalism, straight away got into the industry in a full-time paid job—most, heading to regional newspapers, news reading for radio bulletins in other states, or getting junior online reporter roles for the ABC here in Perth. NEWS: NEVER EAT WET SANDWICHES …wait hang on that’s not it. Pelican Fact 33
Peli-CAN YOU ACROSS 1. Quintessential AI villain (3) 3. Hey “___” (4) 4. Donald Trump’s status on Twitter (6) 6. You make them when you tie your shoelaces (5) 9. Instructions from the IT Crowd,“Have you tried turning it ____?” (13) 11. With 8 down, UWA’s online resource for academic texts (3) 12. The only genre of TV in which you are unsure if the people are acting (7) DOWN 1. Insta ‘___’, preceded by an @ sign (6) 2. Insta ‘___’, the foundational structure of this crossword (4) 3. One of the more intimate, less public-facing social media applications (8) 4. What its called to watch Netflix for ten hours straight, now drop the last letter (4) 5. You get stuck in one of these, due to the addictive quality of the upwards swipe (10) 7. They make special glasses to combat this, for those who can afford them (9) 8. See 11 across (6) 10. How you feel when you delete social media (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Solve It? Across: 1. Pastry 2. Grain 3. Flour 4. Fairy-floss 5. Sickly Down: 1. Peel 3. Fluffy 6. Sap 7. Yoghurt 8. Icing 9. Mochi 10. Melts 11. Rush Solutions to Sugar 34
Pelican “I swear it gets better once you get to episode 530,000,000, that’s when they kick off the Cambrian arc” Caption Contest ~ Chas Underwood The New Yolker has eggcellent jokes! Pelican Fact 35
Horoscopes Edition3Screens While last edition you were finding the balance in your life this month settles you into a sense of stability. Be reassured that the efforts you have been making are paying off and soon everything will come together nicely. If you were watching your life on TV you’d be noticing that things are a little bit more blurry than usual. Before you scoot yourself any closer maybe it’s time to instead consider things through a new lens, new glasses even? This isn’t meant literally, it is time to reset your goals so your ‘life-vision’ feels a bit less foggy. This month, take note of the people in your life that make you feel special, and appreciate that you are lucky to have them in your world. While it is also good to appreciate yourself, make sure that you aren’t splurging too much with your finances and take a beat to reset your nest egg before locking in any more big spends (so hold off on that new fancy laptop!). You may have been facing turbulence in a close relationship and much like a shitty bluetooth speaker, you’re feeling out of sync. This isn’t to say the relationship is doomed but something needs to change if things are going to get better. While you may be scared of what the ‘repair’ will cost you, avoiding it won’t fix anything and will likely make it worse. You’re currently feeling like a TV without an aerial, a little bit scrambled and disconnected. Have you tried turning yourself on then off again? If you keep hitting ‘remind me later’ for your critical system updates your body will have no choice but to shut itself down and you can guarantee it will be at the most inconvenient moment. Just because no one saw you do it, doesn’t mean you’ve gotten away with it. You may have been lucky enough to avoid the cracks in the screen, but that doesn’t mean the wires inside haven’t been damaged; it is your choice whether you’d rather fess up or continue to keep it hidden. Leo (July 23 – August 22) Virgo (August 23 – September 22) Aries (March 21 – April 19) Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Gemini (May 21 – June 21) Cancer (June 22 – July 22 Holly Carter-Turner Don’t like your reading? Swap with a friend! Pelican Fact 36
When life is stressful it can be very tempting to curl up into a ball and scroll endlessly into the void, hiding yourself from the outside world. Asking for help or getting back into the social groove can be exhausting but once you get started it really isn’t that bad, you’ll be okay! Every now and then a good night-in on the couch is a wonderful opportunity for a little T.LC.. Chuck on your favourite comfort film, grab a nice cozy blanket, and just appreciate a well earned pause. It is common in movies for the audience to know something that the main character doesn’t, like seeing that strange shadow following them home. Without realising it, your choices have resulted in avoiding an unpleasant outcome. While this is great, take some time to reflect on decisions to avoid getting sprung! Reality TV simply wouldn’t exist if people didn’t have the balls to step outside of their comfort zone and sign up to show themselves off. While some people probably have false confidence in their abilities, at least they’re putting themselves out there and giving everything a go. Are you making the most of your opportunities? Your creative juices are flowing and you’re keen to get out there and start new projects! While you’re tempted to watch all the new series’ Netflix has to offer, pace yourself to give yourself the best shot at properly appreciating the plot (and avoid starting things just to never finish them!). Your brain is a uni student’s laptop and they’ve just handed in an assignment. You’ve been overworked, haven’t been shut down properly in weeks, millions of pages left open. This is your sign that it is now okay to close all the tabs, unplug, and go take a break. Sleep well. xx Libra (September 23 – October 23) Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) Scorpio (October 24 – November 21) Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Sagittarius (November 21 – December 21) Pisces (February 19 – March 20) To prove these horoscopes are accurate we will share another prediction, “Your birth date is between the 1st and the 31st.” Pelican Fact 37
Virtual Divisions and Real-world Consensus Jack Cross Are Australians today more divided, or less? It’s a good question, and often poorly answered by anecdotal judgements rather than evidence. If you Google it, you’ll easily find some very alarming and dramatic articles from a variety of outlets decrying the deeply and irreparably broken political soul of our nation. We’re now living in a world where the Internet, particularly for young people, is one of—if not the primary—source of our political content. The risk of relying on the Internet for our political news is the unlimited potential for us to be exposed to false or misleading information; the beauty of this method is the equal potential to establish what is occurring in reality. We can actually check if a candidate said ‘that’, or if an event really happened the way it supposedly did, or if those statistics really add up. With so much information at our fingertips, why are we so eager to establish that voters are irreparably divided? Do voters actually disagree that much? Is our situation any different to what was going on in our parents’ or our grandparents’ generations? Is the Internet causing division? Let’s look at some numbers, all derived from the latest edition of the Australian National University’s highly regarded Australian Election Study (AES), conducted ahead of every federal election since 1987 (although some questions date back to the 1967 election). The AES provides us with some intriguing figures. Less than a third of voters (27%) report using the Internet to follow the election, which only overtook television as the most common method at the 2019 election. Of voters who accessed a website, the most popular type was mainstream news outlets which were reached by around 40% of voters in the last three elections (the second most popular was the Australian Electoral Commission). Over the last five elections, at most 10% of people reported sharing unofficial political content online. Overall, online political engagement isn’t as high as you might expect. More saliently, if the Internet is causing political division and the most popular political activity on the Internet is looking at the news, then I too have virtual divisions when I cover one eye with my hand. Pelican Fact 38
the root issue probably isn’t the Internet. Back in 1967, 72% of people stated they always voted for the same party. At the last election, that was down to 37%, and the proportion of lifetime voters for both major parties was about a third of what it was in 1967. It looks like the populace is less partisan and more willing to change their minds than ever before. Policy issues have always been, by far, the most common factor influencing how someone votes, however the exact proportion who name it as their first priority has fluctuated over the years. So have the policy positions of voters diverged from where they were in the past? In short, not really. Voters still perceive a similar level of difference between the two major parties as they have in the past, (between 40% and 50% over the last thirty years). The proportion of voters who call themselves non-partisan has more than doubled over the last sixty-odd years. Further, the strength of partisanship collapsed after the 1987 election, dropping from 34% of voters reporting “very strong” partisanship down to 18% at the 1990 election, while the proportion reporting “not very strong” partisanship grew from 19% to 35% over the same period. When voters were asked to place themselves on a political spectrum ranging from far left to far right (a crude approximation in many ways, but also highly effective at generalising), answers suggested respondents have become more centrist over the years, although they still slightly favour the centre-right. Turning to values, responses haven’t changed that much over the periods polls have been taking place—they’re remarkably steady. Sure, opinions on certain issues (think immigration, defence, social services, Indigenous issues, republicanism, and so on) have shifted over the years, but that’s to be expected as circumstances change. The fact of the matter is that as voters we still generally agree on our core values, and when there are significant disagreements, the degree to which we disagree hasn’t changed that drastically. And when it comes to actually voting, we are more open to changing our mind about who best represents our values than at any preceding point in time. It’s abundantly clear that the numbers don’t stack up for anyone claiming Australia is a more divided country. So why might it seem that way? My guess is straightforward: in the online Why do we think politics is so divisive, when we generally agree with each other on most issues? This is a very important question, and one worthy of greater attention and debate. Fact-checking policies and fixing your wheel alignment may help prevent unintentional left or right drifting. Pelican Fact 39
world, outrage gets attention, it gets engagement, it gets clicks. But what gets engagement online does not translate to what is the norm in real life. For example, the intentional politicisation and spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccination was a huge issue at the last election. A fraction of the population created a gargantuan online presence, distorting users’ perception as to the real state of politics. Their main political vehicle, the United Australia Party (who spent over $120 million dollars in the campaign), secured only a single lonely seat on the Victorian Senate roster, confirming that in reality, very few voters really held those views. I would also point to the huge influence American affairs has in the online space; issues which have in recent years sparked fevered debate in Australia simply have no relevance to our society. How they steal our political attention is relatively simple, but why do we allow fringe movements and domestic affairs from other countries to dictate our perception of our own politics? This is a matter which will require deep national introspection. What I have attempted in this article is to show the reader we can confidently conclude most people in Australia agree on our core values (or at least don’t disagree any more than we used to) and that we are more willing than ever to change our mind and our voting habits. I want to dispel the myth that Australian political division is growing and draw attention to the Internet’s effectiveness at providing the illusion of division, rather than being a cause of division. Why do we think politics is so divisive, when we generally agree with each other on most issues? This is a very important question, and one worthy of greater attention and debate. I don’t have an answer to the why and I won’t try to give one. What I will do is urge all readers to think carefully about whether we believe the political content we consume reflects the real-world state of affairs: if the outrage we see online is shared by the general population, or if these supposedly ‘popular’ movements will ever get off the ground. I’d like to think we’d be less cynical if we did. Who runs the world? Girls??? I don’t actually know, let me search it real quick, one sec… Pelican Fact 40
The Future of Screens: A World of Virtual and Augmented Reality Alifa Ayman Our society is hooked on screens like a fish on a line, wriggling and struggling to break free but ultimately unable to resist the lure of digital escapism. From smartphones, to laptops, to televisions, we just can’t seem to get enough of these glowing rectangles. But what does the future hold for screens? Will we continue to stare at these devices until our eyesight fails us? or will we evolve into a new era of virtual and augmented reality? Let’s start with virtual reality. Imagine being able to put on a headset and transport yourself to a completely different world. No more tedious video conferences or mindless scrolling through TikTok. Instead, you could be exploring the depths of the ocean or flying through outer space. It’s like a permanent vacation without ever leaving your couch. Of course, there are some downsides to this technology. For starters, you’ll probably look like a fool wearing a bulky headset on your head. But don’t worry, I’m sure the fashion industry will come up with some stylish solutions. And if not, who cares? You’ll be too busy having the time of your life in a virtual world to worry about what other people think. Oh boy, here we go again with the screens. It’s like we’re all moths and the screens are irresistibly drawing us in. And now we can take our addiction to a whole new level. Say goodbye to pesky social interactions and fresh air, and say hello to a life of isolation and stagnation. Who needs real friends and real world experiences when you can have a simulated version with none of the risk? Don’t get me started on the superhero fantasies. Who needs to work hard and develop actual skills when you can become a virtual saviour? We’re living in a world where anyone can be a superhero, as long as they have the budget.. But let’s not forget about the potential consequences. What if we become so consumed by our virtual lives that we forget to take care of our real ones? What if we lose touch with reality altogether, and start to think that our virtual worlds are more important? And let’s not forget about the digital divide. What happens to those who can’t afford the latest and greatest VR technology? Are they doomed to become second-class citizens in a world where the rest are living in a digital utopia? Now, let’s talk about augmented reality, where the line between the physical and virtual world becomes blurry. With augmented reality, you can overlay digital information atop the real Sorry, what was the question? My goggles turned you into a worm and I can’t figure out if I still love you. Pelican Fact 41
world. Want to see what your living room would look like with a new couch? You can use your phone to place a virtual image of a couch into the space. Want to learn about a historical landmark? Point your phone and watch as information pops up on the screen. The possibilities are endless with augmented reality. You will be able to go on a scavenger hunt through your city, solving puzzles, and unlocking digital treasures; attend concerts and sporting events from the comfort of your own home, all while feeling like you’re right in the middle of the action. Augmented reality is like having your own personal genie, but instead of three wishes, you get access to an infinite amount of digital information. But, as with any technology, there are some drawbacks. For one, it’s easy to get distracted by the digital world and lose sight of what’s happening in the physical world. You might be so focused on catching that elusive Pokemon that you walk straight into a lamppost. Think about the advertising overload: walking down the street and having ads popping up everywhere. We will be living in an updated dystopian society, where instead of Big Brother watching you, it’s Big Business. Ah, virtual and augmented realities, the shiny new toys in the technology box that promise to take us to yet more uncharted territories and undiscovered worlds. As if we’re not already living in an informationsaturated world, could more information disconnect us even further from reality? Or could it be the key to unlocking new insights and understandings about ourselves and the world around us? And what of the ultimate experience of death? Could we simulate this too? Will we be able to experience the finality of life without actually having to face it? These are the kinds of questions that we’ll need to grapple with as we continue to explore the possibilities of these technologies. As we continue to integrate screens more deeply into our lives, one can’t help but wonder, are we truly enhancing our existence or becoming slaves to our own creation? Will we lose touch with what it means to be human, to feel, to connect with others in the physical world? Only time will tell. You might be so focused on catching that elusive Pokemon that you walk straight into a lamppost. For those of us that already have brothers, can we opt in for Big Sister instead? Pelican Fact 42
Mind Over Pixels: Navigating the Impact of Screens on Our Mental Health David Paik Screens are an integral part of our daily lives. From our iPhone to the banged-up PCs in our bedrooms, we rely on screens for work, entertainment, and communication. While screens offer many benefits, research has shown that excessive screen time can have negative effects on our mental health. I believe that as a student, it is especially important to understand the risks and benefits of screen time, and take steps to strategically coordinate our time on screens to maintain positive mental health. Multiple studies have found that excessive screen time can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety, particularly in adolescents and young adults—age ranges relevant for university students such as ourselves. A study by Jon Elhai found that excessive smartphone use and screen time were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents. Similarly, Lin, Zhou, and Dong found that adults who spent more time on screens had a higher risk of depression. These studies suggest that screen time has a negative impact on mental health, particularly in younger populations. These conclusions were drawn respectively from various reasonings, but prominent reasonings leading to poor mental health were disruptions in sleeping patterns due to screen time, an increased level of social isolation, and a lack of physical activity. Disruptions to sleeping patterns is a dominant problem university students face and screens are adding to this issue. Screens produce a blue light, a type of high-energy visible light that has a short wavelength and high frequency. Our exposure to blue light has been linked to disruptions in our circadian rhythm (our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle), sleep problems, fatigue, and mood changes, which all have a negative impact on mental health. However, it’s not all bad news. Other studies have found that screens can have positive effects on mental health, particularly when used in moderation. Ashley Marcin explores the positive effects of screen time for children, such as improving literacy skills and enhancing creativity. Screens can also provide opportunities for social connection and support, particularly during times of physical isolation—we saw this during the peak of COVID-19. As with many things, balance is key. So, as a student, what can you do to maintain good mental health in relation to screens? I’m not addicted to screens, I just can’t seem to look away. Pelican Fact 43
Set Boundaries: One of the best ways to maintain good mental health in relation to screens is to set boundaries. This may mean setting a limit on how much time you spend on screens each day, or setting specific times when you won’t use screens (such as during meals or before bedtime). Take Breaks: It’s important to take breaks from screens regularly, particularly if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer for school or work. Every twenty minutes, take a break for twenty seconds and look away from your screen. Additionally, take regular breaks to get up and move around, stretch, or engage in other activities that don’t involve screens. Practice Self-care: Good mental health is about more than just screen time. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthily, and engaging in physical activity. Prioritise activities that bring you joy and help you relax, such as spending time with friends and family, reading, or practicing mindfulness. Monitor Your Social Media Use: Social media can be a great way to connect with others, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. Be mindful of how social media use affects your mood and take steps to limit your use if necessary. Seek Support: If you’re struggling with mental health issues related to screens or otherwise, don’t hesitate to seek support. This may mean talking to a trusted friend or family member, reaching out to a mental health professional, or utilising resources provided by your school or university. Screens have become ubiquitous in our contemporary world and are now an integral part of our daily lives. Consequently, it is crucial for us to be mindful of how they impact our mental well-being. Whilst excessive screen time can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety, there are also positive effects they bring when used in moderation. So as a student, simple activities such as setting boundaries, taking breaks, self-care, and seeking support go a long way in helping and maintaining a sustainable relationship with your screens. Some Tips From the Professionals! Screens have become ubiquitous in our contemporary world and are now an integral part of our daily lives. Pixels—small fairy-like creatures that live in your computer, and glow different colours to project images. Pelican Fact 44
The Big Bad Gig Economy and Its Discontents Wes Du Preez There is no doubt that technology has facilitated rapid developments in the economy over the past century, from automation and ICT, to artificial intelligence and crypto. One fascinating, yet less talked about, modern economic phenomenon is the gig-economy. Far from being the economy of underground indie band performances, the gig-economy is a place where individuals can choose to work as private contractors, rather than employees; individuals enter into agreements with on-demand companies to provide services to that company’s clients. In other words, ‘gigs’ are not as reliable as a desk job, but participants can choose when, and sometimes even where to work. Companies such as Uber, Doordash, and Fiverr are in the business of facilitating independent workers’ ability to provide delivery, transport, and other freelance services to consumers. Independent contractors are paid based on the job, and the company is paid a percentage of the revenue in exchange for providing and maintaining the platform. A common belief about the gig-economy is that it undermines workers’ rights; the gigeconomy doesn’t offer job security, employee benefits, or consistent wages. Critics of the gig-economy argue that jobs formalised under an employee and employer agreement offer workers the protection of minimum wage laws; guaranteed benefits, such as superannuation and paid leave; as well as laws which prevent exploitative behaviour by We have just been informed that the market is not actually free… Pelican Fact 45
management. In fact, there is a big push by lawmakers in countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom to force gig-economy platforms to change how they operate by enforcing the classification of gig-economy workers as employees. For example, a recent landmark employment tribunal hearing in the UK ruled that Uber drivers are entitled to a minimum wage, holiday pay, and pension plans. However, gig-platforms are not in the business of employing people, they simply provide a platform for those who wish to work independently. Shareholders in these companies invest their money because they believe in the future economic potential of the platforms. Proponents of the gig-economy, on the other hand, give us an (arguably) overly optimistic view of the gig-economy, claiming that individuals can earn their way to financial independence and set their own working hours with ease. While there is a persistent myth that it is ‘easy’ to become financially independent, or that choosing your own work hours is the best way to work, gig-economy services do offer incredible flexibility to both consumer and contractor. A service like Uber is cheaper, faster, and more reliable than most delivery services. A platform like Fiverr makes starting a small business far cheaper—since you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars at a marketing agency just to get a website up and running. This lowers prices for consumers and frees up scarce resources which have alternate uses in the economy. So, is the gig-economy a benefit or burden on society? We, as complex human beings, have very different tastes and preferences which are expressed at both individual and social levels; individually, in what we consume and the career paths we pursue; and socially, in who we associate with and how we choose to work. The market adapts and evolves in response to these differences. The gig-economy is a product of the market system. People are able to get what they want faster than ever, entrepreneurs are starting up businesses which meet these wants, and workers are motivated to join the gig-economy because of the benefits conferred over traditional employment. The interaction between those who supply labour and those who demand it, serves to balance the requirements of workers and businesses; both workers and businesses are dependent on one another and must enter a mutual agreement to engage in trade. If one side does not consent to the actions undertaken by the other, then it is not trade but theft. On the labour supply side, many people (particularly students with inflexible schedules and older people needing to supplement their incomes) want more flexible work hours for a better work, study, or life balance. On the labour demand side, there is a growing need to reduce costs, whether they be exogenous (political costs, regulatory compliance costs, lobbying costs, etc.) or endogenous (labour costs, buying/renting productive capital goods, etc.), all which affect the profitability, and therefore continued pursuit, of business. The gig-economy offers the opportunity for workers to exchange the safety of a guaranteed income and job security, for greater flexibility of work hours and the opportunity to earn a bigger income if successful. Similarly, the gigeconomy gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to provide the platforms which enable flexibility in exchange for a profit, reaping the benefits of lower costs than imposed by government regulation. In my opinion, that is a beautiful thing. Due to the self-correcting nature of market economies, in the absence of government intervention, businesses and worker interactions may produce hardship for some, but ultimately the result for the economy is Why have a work-life balance when you can have a mental breakdown instead? Pelican Fact 46
a net gain in allocative efficiency. Businesses which can adapt to the economic pressures survive, while those who do not, will not. The same is true for workers with regards to their continued employment. Over time, this process produces a relatively stable equilibrium, whereby scarce resources are allocated according to the economically expressed needs and wants of individuals. Unlike the rosy picture of unlimited wealth and happiness projected by many political pundits, such a process will never be perfect, and will never produce the best outcomes all the time. The issue with demanding gig-economy regulation is direct bureaucratic interference in the industry by bodies that don’t have the local or tacit knowledge which emerges from niche economic relationships. When the government steps in to increase regulation in an industry, it distorts worker and business incentives, decreases the profits from economic risk taking, and promotes security over freedom of choice and economic efficiency. Although there is an obvious need for foundational protections: from wage theft and fraudulent business practices, bureaucrats often attempt to go beyond these basic protections, outlining rules which worker and/or business may find restrictive. Governments may seek to impose a unitary standard of value onto a set of economic relationships which previously they did not participate in, but which they may end up benefiting from through intervention. The gig-economy issue can be positioned in terms of the insider/outsider problem*. The outsider (in this case the government), may identify issues with the gig-economy but are ignorant of how the system works; however, having the power to enact change, the outsider attempts a solution without the information held by the insider (workers and business owners). When this bureaucratic intervention causes economic issues, whether through the failure of businesses, the collapse of an industry, or a loss of jobs, it is called government failure—something we are sadly yet to be taught in our economics courses. There are, of course, serious consequences related to a lack of job security. Where will my next meal come from? What about my child’s education? How will I afford rent this fortnight? But the future of the gig-economy should not be placed in the hands of lawmakers who pay little to no price for poor legislative decisions. I believe the regulation of the gig-economy should instead be entrusted to the people via a free market: fortified by classically liberal values and the rule of law—civil liberties, the protection of private property from theft and destruction, and the upholding of mutually consensual contractual arrangements. These are preconditions for a functioning economy whereby everyone can make the decision that best suits their lives; no individual or group can rent the power of the government, and people are free to negotiate their own working conditions. *The insider/outsider problem belongs to a theory of economics which discusses how business operations, economic well being, and wages can be affected by a group in a more powerful position. Would daily stretching help make my schedule more flexible? I think I’ve pulled a ham-string. Pelican Fact 47
‘Sugar Daddy Ice Spice’: Traditional Gender Roles and the Influence of Andrew Tate Lana Pavlovic Self-described as “the most googled man on the planet”, Andrew Tate—former kickboxer turned businessman and media personality— has become one of the most controversial people on the planet. Rising to fame on social media for his opinions on masculinity and relationships, his views have divided many boys and young men but women are almost entirely opposed to them. Following his ban from major social media platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, Tate’s cult-like following seems to only have grown— with over one million followers on Rumble (an online free speech video platform) and a selfreported 160 000 active users of his coaching program ‘Hustlers University’. Lyrics to Andrew Tate’s ‘Sugar Daddy Ice Spice’ (2022): A man can only cheat if he loves someone If I have a woman I truly love and I go out and f*** and I come back to her And I don’t care about her, and I only love my girl That’s not cheating, that’s exercise If she even talks to a dude, that’s cheating. So, what does Andrew Tate actually believe? The answer to this question really depends on who you ask. Broadly speaking, Andrew Tate is part of an ideological movement commonly described as ‘red-pill’ or the ‘manosphere’. Influencers such as Tate who live within the manosphere hold the belief it is the primary social duty of men to be the protectors, providers, and leaders of the family and society at large; whilst women should bear children and take care of the home. Tate does not believe prescribed gender roles are oppressive and believes that women should not exercise their right to sexual freedom and independence. Trade your copy of Pelican into your nearest car dealership to receive a free BUGATTI! Pelican Fact 48
This contrasts to radical feminism, a branch of feminism which posits that patriarchal social-structures are the primary cause of gender inequality and related issues such as high rates of violence against women. This divide between progressive and conservative social views may seem inconsequential, but ideological movements have the ability to influence values and attitudes accepted and normalised within society, which can have a variety of social and economic implications. Does Tate’s following stem from legitimate concerns about the continuing development of a progressive viewpoint within Western society? Or do they represent blatant bigotry and misogyny? The onset of the feminist movement in the early twentieth century undoubtedly brought about positive social change—civil and political rights such as the right to vote in countries like Great Britain and The USA, and higher rates of educational attainment for women. As feminist movements developed and diverged from one another, the grievances some feminists had towards cultural norms and institutions were to others considered the backbone of Western civilisation. For female figures such as Betty Friedan, first wave feminism had morphed into a womens’ liberation movement which rejected marriage and the role of women as household caretakers, instead championing female sexual liberation and independence. Although some important changes occurred within this era, such as the outlawing of marital rape, the traditional family unit became subject to increasing scrutiny. One of the key arguments posited by feminists is that gender roles are socially constructed rather than determined in whole or in part by biology; resultantly, the idolisation of the ‘traditional’ family became de-popularised for centralising the ‘house-wife’ as the only acceptable role for women. Although liberal feminists emphasise freedom of choice and greater equality within relationships, radical feminists believe that the traditional family unit is inseparable from women’s oppression. In the words of feminist icon Robin Morgan “we can’t destroy the inequities between men and women until we destroy marriage”. Friedan, author of Feminine Mystique which helped catalyse second-wave feminism, believed that housewives were suffering “a slow death of mind and spirit.” Helen Sullinger, another prominent activist, stated that the end of marriage was “a necessary condition for the liberation of women.” Over time, these broad attitudinal shifts in society have contributed to changes in family dynamics. Since 1972, marriage rates in the One of our editors was going to interview Andrew Tate, but she was afraid he’d think she was cheating on her partner. Pelican Fact 49
US have fallen by almost fifty per cent and are currently at their lowest point in recorded history. Due to less women being married, the percentage of unmarried women having children increased from eighteen per cent in 1980 to forty per cent in 2020. The unmarried group of single mothers, in particular, faces challenges which have resulted in poor social and economic outcomes. The poverty rate for single mother households in 2017 was 36.5 per cent, in contrast to 7.5 per cent for families headed by a married couple. Children in single mother households have lower rates of upward mobility than children of married parents. Boys who grew up in married households made fifty percent more money than their peers who grew up with separated parents. Children who grow up in ‘disrupted’ families* perform worse on social and academic competence measures, are less likely to attend college, have significantly higher rates of drug use, and are more likely to suffer from a mental health condition. Although, it is important to acknowledge that factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and family dynamics affect these discussed outcomes. To make things worse, the results of the women’s liberation movement did not make women happier. Dubbed the ‘female happiness paradox’—an economic study showed that although American women rated their overall life satisfaction higher than men in the 1970s, this fell below men’s ratings by 1990. Men’s scores, on the other hand, have stayed relatively stable. Although studies which compare the happiness of working women and housewives are inconclusive, most studies reject the idea that single or married women who work full-time are happier than those who stay at home, with married women who work part-time reporting the highest levels of happiness. Although individual autonomy should be protected and respected, I believe Tate’s message with respect to the roles and duties of men and women may serve to bring lost and confused young people back in touch with a purpose in which they may feel happier and more satisfied. I believe Tate’s message is hidden behind sarcastic and outrageous statements, reading Tate’s 41 Tenets for Tatism presents a different message than that of his most public-facing content. Within these tenets, Tate writes that men “have the sacred duty to protect and provide”, should be “emotionally controlled and disciplined”, and should be “personally responsible for their actions”. Furthermore, he highlights that men and women “each have unique and important strengths and abilities” and that he believes in “loving, rewarding and consensual relationships with women”. Such values are necessary for the creation and stability of the nuclear family unit. A major part of Tate’s appeal is that he presents alternate routes to expression for men than violence. Rather than pinning instances of aggressive behaviour on toxic masculinity, Tate encourages men to channel their energy towards productive rather than destructive endeavours, which gives men a sense of purpose, duty, and responsibility. Although Tate’s tenets do not extensively refer to women, he has been openly critical of the ideas of select feminists, such as the idea that traditional gender roles are patriarchal and Marriage certificates fold to make excellent paper planes. Pelican Fact 50