Debate | Issue 10 | Power | 2021 by Debate Magazine

Debate ISSUE 10 | POWER | 2021

EDITORS Alana McConnell, Nam Woon Kim alana.mcconnell@aut.ac.nz nam.woon.kim@aut.ac.nz DESIGNER Kwok Yi Lee ILLUSTRATORS Yi Jong, Kwok Yi Lee FEATURE WRITER Lizzy Carmine SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Nam Woon Kim LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE EDITOR Lucy Wormald STUDENT NEWS REPORTER Justin Wong NEWS WRITER Justin Hu CONTRIBUTORS Kubra Iqbal, Nathan Limm, Alana Rae, Naomii Seah, David Williams ADVERTISING Jesse Jones jesse.jones@aut.ac.nz

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Contents 4

From the Editors

AUT Makes Scanning in Mandatory Following Poor Scanning Rates

Rêvons Plus Grand: Lionel Messi and the Persian Gulf’s Scramble for Global Soft Power

AUT Has Implemented One in Three Recommendations From Its Harassment Review

She Wears the Pants

Boxer David Nyika Is Unstoppable

Expectation Society

18 Giveaways 20 Reviews 23

Did You Win the Breakup, or Are You Just Emotionally Constipated?

Ode to Storytelling

No One App Should Have All That Power

Closing The Medicine Gap

32 Horoscopes

debatemag.com debate_mag autsadebate

Cover illustration by Yi Jong

From the Editors Alana They say that this lockdown has felt more hopeless than our previous experiences, and I have to admit, I feel it. Delta is scary and looming over us, turning up at our supermarkets, in the wastewater, in random cases in the community. It’s only natural to feel anxious right now. Anxiety is there to keep us safe, avoid threats, and maintain our survival. But it can kick into overdrive, feeling as if it’s causing more harm than good. Our world is going through a collective health scare, one that feels unknown and out of control. Human beings are remarkably resilient and extremely fragile all at the same time. We live on the edge between these two states, picking ourselves back up after setbacks and trauma, whilst still bearing the scars of these occurrences. We are defined by living in a world which is inhospitable, scary, and threatening, while also being beautiful, surprising, and extraordinary. Lockdown is a bit confronting. You have endless hours to think about everything. Obsessively refreshing “covid nz” in your google search before you’ve even gotten out of bed in the morning. Googling symptoms for a strange ache in your body and having the word cancer pop up immediately. Stalking your ex’s Spotify every five minutes and trying to equate his listening habits to how much he’s thinking

about you. Lockdown can be a time when your old habits, underlying mental health issues, or unprocessed trauma can slowly reveal itself again. And though that sounds ominous, it can also be used as a time to dive deep within ourselves, and try to “do the work”, whatever that really means. Which also includes selfcompassion. In keeping with the theme of this issue, we have a lot of power when it comes to the way we approach situations, the way we can change our thinking, and the way we can alter our headspace. So if you are beating yourself up over getting out of bed at 1pm, or lying facedown for half of the 20 minute YouTube pilates tutorial, or drinking three beers instead of two, give yourself a break. This is survival, baby, and sometimes being a human is kinda tough.

Nam Over one of our regular morning calls, I confidently announced to Alana that I would do a daily log-type entry for my section of the editorial. It did not last. Throughout this lockdown I’ve found that even the simplest of tasks sap my energy. My usual nap-averse self – they tend to give me sleep paralysis or worse – was snoozing through many an afternoon, with no trouble sleeping at night either. Tasks that would usually have me fired up left me feeling indifferent. Past lockdowns had me either unemployed or in the

hospo-life so time was spent watching four movies a day or writing screenplays. I’m still enjoying myself, but finding that balance has been tricky, so shoutout to everyone who has the pressure of productivity breathing down their neck. There really is something missing from not going into campus – maybe it’s the zest of a poorly ventilated office which now seems like a bit of a hazard. Anyway, power is a cool topic. Power is everywhere. Power(lines) is Tame Impala’s secret best song that no one knows about because it’s on a B-side no one knows about. Power can be invisible, as Justin reveals. Power is in the fabric and outfit of how you dress, as Lucy reports. With great power comes great responsibility, a lesson that flew over the heads of Silicon Valley, as David argues. Relationships have potent residual power, as Alana and Kubra demonstrate. Power is often the missing ingredient, as that piece I was going to write about but lost motivation to perfectly encapsulates. The short version is: check out some Adam Curtis documentaries if you need some lockdown binging material, like the current-events relevant Bitter Lake, which is both a damning look into Western foreign intervention in the Middle East and a compelling, spiritual adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Curtis surveys contemporary history through the lens of power and as far as must-watch documentaries go, they’re at the top of the list for his marriage of content and style. 

AUT Makes Scanning in Mandatory Following Poor Scanning Rates By Justin Hu (he/him) Students and staff returning to campus must scan in with the AUT app to allow for contact tracing, the university says. “At levels 2 to 4 there is a more stringent requirement for tracing that government QR codes don’t reach, hence the need to use the AUT app,” the university said in a statement. This follows low usage of contact tracing apps before the most recent Covid-19 lockdown.

“At levels 2 to 4 there is a more stringent requirement for tracing that government QR codes don’t reach, hence the need to use the AUT app.”

Before the latest outbreak, health experts had said the rate of scanning with the Covid Tracer app was "abysmal" and would contribute to prolonging new outbreaks in the community. At the time, researchers from the University of Otago wrote that the rates were at 5 percent of what they should have been. AUT's app logged low usage at the beginning of this semester, according to a request for information by Debate.

researchers from the University of Otago wrote that the rates were at 5 percent of what they should have been.

With only around 80 check-out scans a day, the university said that the app was not designed to be used at alert level 1. The AUT app had shown higher usage following the end of March’s snap lockdown with an average of around 450 check-out scans every day.

As a result, the government has now mandated contact record-keeping for businesses with large gatherings. The change applies to nearly all public-facing businesses with the exception of shops and retailers.

“In line with the government advice, we would not expect high levels of scanning with the AUT app at alert level 1,” said university spokesperson Alison Sykora. The university says that students and staff can switch to using the government’s NZ Covid Tracer app while at level 1. Before the latest outbreak, health experts had said the rate of scanning with the Covid Tracer app was "abysmal" and would contribute to prolonging new outbreaks in the community. At the time,

It also includes cafés and eateries on university campuses. Patrons will now have to either scan in or manually register contact details with businesses. Mandatory use of the AUT app is separate to the government’s changes to record-keeping requirements. Unlike the Covid Tracer app, the AUT app stores contact tracing details on university servers for 30 days before they’re automatically deleted. The government app only stores data on a user’s device. 

Rêvons Plus Grand: Lionel Messi and the Persian Gulf’s Scramble for Global Soft Power By Justin Wong (he/him) Most have not seen it coming. Lionel Messi, arguably the best footballer in the sport’s history and the glittering icon of Catalan giants Barcelona, left the only club he has played for to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France, signing a two-year contract in August. It was a dramatic turn of events in which Messi agreed to sign a new contract, but Barcelona was forced to pull the plug because of "financial and structural obstacles”, as the club is faces mounting debt. However, the transfer is a coup for PSG, as the club signed a player who has won 35 major trophies and the Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award in world football, for a record six times. For free. But, rather than being shocked by the news, one country will be jubilant that

PSG pulled off perhaps the highest-profile transfer in football’s history – Qatar. PSG is owned by Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), a subsidiary of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority that bought the Parisian club in late 2011. Since then, Doha has invested more than €1.6 billion into PSG, amassing superstars like Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, and transformed the Parisians into a formidable force in European football. It also managed to win the hosting rights for next year’s World Cup, making it the first Arab country to do so. It is all part of a project to reshape Qatar’s future and extend its influence across the world. In 2008, Doha launched the Qatar National Vision 2030 plan which “aims to transform Qatar into an advanced country” that is “capable of sustaining its own development” by 2030.

Above: PSG's home ground, Parc des Princes, in 2019. Image: Justin Wong 6

Part of the vision would see Qatar diversify its economy by gradually reducing its dependence on oil and gas exploitation, and shift towards a knowledge-based economy instead. “Future economic success will increasingly depend on the ability of the Qatari people to deal with a new international order that is knowledge-based and extremely competitive,” the plan said. Critics have accused Doha of ‘sportswashing’ – using sports to launder its international reputation, or using Human Rights Watch Director of Global Initiative Minky Worden’s words, “egregious human rights abusers using sports to scrub their awful human rights abuses.” Qatar’s human rights record has been a concern for several non-governmental organisations, with Human Rights Watch describing its policies as discriminatory against women and LGBTQ+ individuals.

However, the transfer is a coup for PSG, as the club signed a player who has won 35 major trophies and the Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award in world football, for a record six times. For free.

The treatment of migrant workers, which make up almost 95 per cent of Qatar’s total labour force, also came into question with problems of forced labour, poor accommodation and working conditions, and wage abuses. It was recently highlighted again after the Guardian revealed in February that more than 6,500 workers have died in Qatar since it was awarded hosting rights of the World Cup a decade ago. It is likely that Doha will use Messi’s image not only to maximise commercial opportunities at next year’s World Cup, but to also create a positive image for the tournament and the country itself and a distraction from Qatar’s negative issues. Furthermore, Messi’s arrival is one of the spillovers of the regional conflict between Qatar and its neighbours into the footballing world.

Lionel Messi warming up for Argentina's game against Nigeria in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Photo: Kirill Venediktov. 7

Simon Chadwick, a global professor in Eurasian Sport at Emlyon Business School, wrote in The Conversation that PSG acquiring Messi means more than bringing in shirt sales, sponsorships, and other commercial deals for Qatar. “Qatar is not simply in the business of national strategic development, it also retains grand political ambitions,” he said. “Its government is not afraid to use football as the means of achieving other political ends.” Qatar has long standing tensions with its neighbours. Throughout the Arab Spring, Doha openly supported Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood, which the absolute monarchies in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) saw as a threat to their rule. In June 2017, a number of countries led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing them of supporting militant groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State within its borders – an accusation that Doha has long denied. Relations were only restored in January this year. But, only months after the crisis started, PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona for a record-breaking €222 million. Professor Chadwick said the message sent by Qatar from signing Messi is identical to the Neymar transfer four years ago.

“Qatar used that [Neymar] deal to show

Meanwhile, the Saudis’ strategic interest

the world (and its immediate neighbours,

became sports-centric in November

Saudi Arabia and the UAE) its financial

2016 after Crown Prince Mohammed bin

muscle and independence. “It also symbolised how the government in Doha sees football as part of its soft power armoury, a way of engaging global audiences intrigued by the signing of football’s best talent. “Some will view Lionel Messi signing for PSG in the same way. His expected contribution to the club’s success will ensure that Qatar’s projection of soft power continues, while the status, image and reputation of ‘brand Qatar’ are further burnished.” Accusations of sportswashing are not just limited to Qatar in the Gulf’s soft power struggle.

Salman set up the Sports Development Fund to promote new sports events as part of the kingdom’s own Vision 2030 plans to improve its ultra-conservative reputation. Despite Saudi Arabia’s historic oppositions against Western-influenced sports events and atrocious human rights record against critics and dissidents, Riyadh has hosted events such as boxing fights and even WWE women’s wrestling matches. The kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund also backed an attempt to buy Premier League club Newcastle this year but it withdrew the bid in July. Football has evolved beyond the idea

Since buying English football club

of the beautiful game – the sport is now

Manchester City in 2008, UAE's deputy

awash with money and has become a

prime minister and senior Abu Dhabi royal,

powerful tool for oligarchs or states to

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan,

assume more power over the world.

has invested more than £1 billion into the club, transforming the team into Premier

As of writing, PSG have already embarked

League giants.

another campaign to finally claim Europe’s

Although the UAE faces criticisms

League – and they will be feeling it is now

of abusing detainees and practicing

achievable with the sport’s icon.

oppressive policies against women and

biggest footballing prize – the Champions

those who identify as LGBTQ+, fans

Using sports to achieve political gains is

of this PR campaign (“that played fifty

nothing new, but with the playbook set

games a year to an audience of millions”)

in stone by the Gulf states, no doubt more

still unfurl banners and sing songs to

will go this way, and fans can do little

thank their rich owners.

about it. 

It was recently highlighted again after the Guardian revealed in February that more than 6,500 workers have died in Qatar since it was awarded hosting rights of the World Cup a decade ago.

AUT Has Implemented One in Three Recommendations From Its Harassment Review By Justin Hu (he/him) Students living in AUT accommodation will undergo mandatory consent training from next year, according to the university. The changes come as the university

To implement the new complaints procedure, AUT says it's revising an existing complaints procedure model from Wellington’s Victoria University

reports that 12 recommendations from its harassment review have been carried out thus far, as of early August. The 36 recommendations were accepted in full

A course on bullying and harassment is

by Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack

also now mandated for the university’s

in February.

450 “people managers.”

Implemented recommendations include

The university is also trialling a new

establishing a 14-person “culture change

workplace wellbeing app to monitor staff

transition group” that the university says

welfare levels. The “Chnnl” app has been

will lead culture change on harassment

piloted with 100 staff and the university is

and bullying. The group is being led by

monitoring the app’s results.

Prof Judith McAra-Couper, who is also the head of AUT’s School of Clinical Sciences.

Yet to be complete is the “three-tiered” complaints procedure outlined in the harassment review. The model would

The university has also completed

see complaints assessed informally,

a draft of its first standalone sexual

independently through a complaint

harassment policy document that will

resolution service, and formally through

now be subject to approval by the

“legislation and employment agreements.”

culture change group.

To implement the new complaints

As previously reported in Debate, the

procedure, AUT says it's revising an

university has also implemented new

existing complaints procedure model

rules for postgraduate students. The

from Wellington’s Victoria University.

new rules codify practices such as not

In the meantime, an interim complaints

drinking alcohol in supervision meetings

service is now running for staff while

and having meetings in public places.

new processes are being set up.

Background The university-wide review, led by QC Kate Davenport, found that AUT had botched investigations into two cases of harassment by senior leadership and that the uni had an unresolved culture of staff bullying. The review did not find significant issues with how the university handled cases of student harassment. Dubbed “AUT’s #MeToo moment” last year — accusations that the university had mishandled allegations of sexual harassment were first reported by Stuff journalist Ali Mau. The reporting led to the dismissal of two deputy vice-chancellors (there are six deputy vice-chancellors), claims of a broken culture, allegations of lying, and ultimately the external review. The report’s recommendations, released in February, led to calls for Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack to step down. 

She Wears the Pants By Lucy Wormald (she/her)

pants I feel shockingly powerful. I feel both magnetic and repellent. I feel brazen.

Two weeks ago I bought a pair of highwaisted suit trousers. They are grey and soft with a beautifully cut pleat front. They have a wide leg and are a little long, puddling around the top of my shoes. I relish putting my hands in the pockets – a luxury not often bestowed upon women’s pants. In doing so, my walk turns into a saunter, my expression slips to nonchalant, borders on icy. This character I take on, I have yet to fully make sense of. But I know when I am wearing these

Entirely in control of how those looking at me consume my image. It is undoubtedly strange that a pair of pants is having such a profound effect on me. But try to take them from me and I will come to your house and shred your shoes. I am up with the play enough to understand that I am engaging with a symbol laden with an elaborate history of feminist discourse. The battle to unbind women from

the restraints and trammels of corsets, crinolines, and bustles was one of the first iterations of negotiating gender power dynamics through clothing. The casting off of the corset in the 1920s, together with adoption of a shorter dress, loose-fitting on the frame, coincided with the gaining of voting rights; a release of the body mirroring a political liberation. But pants were a doorway to another world entirely. Starting with the bloomers, popularised by women’s rights activists, the baggy trousers were scandalous and controversial, allowing women to stretch their legs outside of their social seat for the first time. In the 20th century, women’s pants were sanctioned for ‘occasional dressing’. Pants were to be worn at designated times as hostess pajamas or horse-riding breeches. By the 1930s, stars like Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn dared to wear full pantsuits to movie premieres. The statements, both sartorial and social, were iconic and inspiring, but the consequences for such an act of rebellion were buffered by their celebrity. The rules that bound everyday women remained. The two World Wars saw pants deemed practical for women as they joined the workforce. But upon the return of men to the economy and business, this freedom was ripped away. As women were expelled back out of the workplace, plants were relegated back to sports and leisure. Women have returned to the workplace many times since this. In each case, claiming power in these environments has been a near impossible campaign. Defying the male gaze and obtaining recognition took negotiating. That negotiation began, in part, with the 1980s power suit. Women appropriated men’s styles of dress in an attempt to access the social and economic capital that lay on the other side of the glass ceiling. Evolving in tandem with female emancipation, the pant as symbol has come to signify women’s power. Pants are for big strides, bike-riding, picnicking, protection, for softness, for sensuality, for security, for politicking. Pants are for whatever the hell you want.

They are a form of armour; clothing weaponised. They are for self-possession. They announce. It is curious that I, who by no means is navigating a corporate or social environment where such a symbol is prevalent, find a pair of suit pants such a loaded political arena in which to sight and strain the parameters of my own power. I wear them to the supermarket. I wear them to class. I wear them in the mirror while dancing to music. I march in them, glowering, past men leering out of their car windows. I wear them sitting at my desk writing.

and, political opportunities attached to their appearance. These debates hover over the meaning of female identity and womanhood. Did non-traditional, androgynous, or "masculine" selfpresentations help to create a new feminist version of womanhood, free from socially constructed gender roles? Or did rejecting traditional feminine gender presentation signal that feminists sought to abandon their heterosexual female identities? And so I am unsure as to whether I find the fact I feel this powerful in a traditionally masculine piece of clothing problematic or fantastic. I feel torn between

Pants are for big strides, bike-riding, picnicking, protection, for softness, for sensuality, for security, for politicking. Pants are for whatever the hell you want.

imitating masculine symbols of power as

I feel torn between imitating masculine symbols of power as a woman, and the power that comes with commandeering and subverting the same symbols.

that we can harness clothing and use it for

Sometimes I worry that it is because pants are associated with men that I am associating them with power. Women

a woman, and the power that comes with commandeering and subverting the same symbols. Perhaps what is crucial is to not reduce women to their appearance, as is too easily and frequently done. But to acknowledge and interpret clothing as part of our communications of power. If, as a feminist, I ignore clothing, I am ceding my power to influence it. History has shown political purposes. Self-presentation, particularly through clothing, is a deeply personal experience. Feminists have worn a multitude of styles, expressing the multiplicity of womanhood. Yet debates on gender presentation seem to return to a common question: what does it mean to be a woman in an era of women’s liberation? Though this question remains unanswered, and perhaps rightly so, I feel closer to feeling the truth when wearing my pants.

have borrowed from men’s dress to claim

As gender fluidity becomes more visible,

the authority long-associated with it.

power dressing continues to be an

The move has not always worked and

agent for negotiating gender roles in the

some feminists critique that it comes at

mainstream. Of course, wanting power is

the cost of reinforcing the gender binary

not the same as having it. Putting on a pair

in which feminine attributes are not

of power pants does not grant its wearer

viewed as powerful. If clothing has been

power. But as a symbolic act, it projects

used to introduce new ways of expressing

a prowess that tells the world its wearer

womanhood, it has also been a tether

knows their own power and is ready to take

that keeps women’s social, economic

on another day. 

Boxer David Nyika Is Unstoppable By Nathan Limm (he/him) Fresh after locking up New Zealand’s first Olympic boxing medal in 29 years, David Nyika is already fielding offers for professional bouts.

His amateur record speaks for itself - with 62 wins from 76 bouts, Nyika is confident he’s served his apprenticeship long enough.

The Olympic bronze medallist is looking to focus on his pro record after getting knocked out of heavyweight title contention in Tokyo by Russian world champ Muslim Gadzhimagomedov. Nyika has emerged from managed isolation in Christchurch and says numerous potential opponents have been in contact. “We’re basically taking stock of what options are available. Once we’ve got all of our options laid out in front of us, we can start actually negotiating and figuring out what our best move is.” The two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist made his professional debut earlier this year on the undercard of the Joseph Parker versus Junior Fa bout. It took Nyika just 28 seconds to knock first-up contender Jesse Maio to the canvas and take his record to 1-0. However, whilst the 26-year-old has shown great promise in his juvenile career, he says fulfilling his potential will require a move overseas. “We just don’t have the sparring available that I need to keep developing as a boxer and athlete. I’m looking tentatively

at the UK at the moment and maybe even going to train for a while with Andy Lee and Joseph Parker.” His amateur record speaks for itself – with 62 wins from 76 bouts, Nyika is confident he’s served his apprenticeship long enough. He says having a full team around him in a professional framework will give him the platform to flourish as a fighter. “Boxing is a lonely sport. For me it’s been difficult being self motivated, being disciplined to write my own boxing programme. So taking the load off by training with a group and a coach that already has a boxing stable will be quite important.” Despite the pointed move towards professionalism, Nyika is hesitant to break ties with his amateur setup. He says High Performance Sport and the New Zealand Olympic Committee have been a constant source of support. “[They’ve] been crucial in terms of keeping me afloat, not just financially but with my mind and body. I’ve been working with my strength and

conditioning coach for about seven years now. Working with some of the physios and sports psychologists; it’s an incredible format.” Nyika admits he is tempted to continue to pursue amateur glory on the side. He says there is a chance he could still turn out for New Zealand at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham to defend his title. “A professional career is where I’m going to be making money and making a living. There’s a big future for me in professional boxing. I just don’t want to shut the door on amateur boxing just yet.” Money is a key factor in Nyika’s vision for the future. He is well aware of the distant yet impending life he will lead after his time in the gloves is over. Nyika says boxing is all-consuming as a sport and he does not want to make the mistake of overstaying his welcome. “A lot of guys and girls probably get too deep in the sport and it gets really hard to get out. Especially when they’re doing it to make a living. I don’t want to be relying on my physical attributes when they might not be there anymore.” 

Expectation Society By Lizzy Carmine (she/her), illustrated by Yi Jong (she/her)

The weight of expectations in society are pressures that can help motivate us to achieve our goals, but on the other side of the coin, they can be crippling. Our inner critic, societal pressures, and healthy relationships are built on surpassing our expectations to become better and more acceptable beings. Or that’s the dream we’ve been sold. Expectations are commonly used and seen as a healthy push in

anxious at the thought of that) and finally living a more financially stable life. My reality certainly didn’t match my expectations and I faulted myself for my “losses”. The daunting question of “so what are you doing now?” haunted every conversation I had, and set my inner critic into overdrive. This year in June I emotionally broke down. I was

the right direction, so we can successfully achieve milestones in life. But the pressure to have a successful career and stable relationship in a world with “endless limitations” and “equal opportunity” has resulted in our extreme anxiety caused by our work = reward society. It’s more nuanced and complex than this, and we need to acknowledge the many factors at play when it comes to becoming “successful” or achieving greatness.

mentally and emotionally exhausted from stress that

We spend most of our adolescent lives in schooling institutions, and once we are no longer bound to the structure of classrooms, studying, and exams we are sprung into the world with an immense amount of new authority over our own lives. Whether you attended university fresh out of highschool, or waited until your mid twenties to start tertiary education, the sudden sense of postgraduate freedom waiting for you at the end of your studies is an exciting prospect. For many graduates it’s the first time in their life where they are able to decide what their daily life will look like. I like to call this strange period: “post-graduation blues”. Post-grad blues launches you into full control of your own destiny, and that responsibility can be simultaneously liberating and terrifying. I thought my life after university would revolve around working in a fast-paced newsroom (I’m extremely stressed and

self-esteem and flared up the rage of my inner critic.

was induced by feeling like I didn’t achieve my goal within society's expected “life milestone” timeframe. Leaving my hospitality role behind for a “real job” in the media industry was an expectation I had for myself that would solidify my intelligence and worth in the world, or so meritocracy had taught me to believe. As I watched my fellow classmates update their job titles on LinkedIn, I saw my inbox fill up with automated rejection letters that felt like leeches on my Six months of countless hours spent perfecting job applications whilst struggling to pay rent, and with nothing to show for it had left me doubting my selfworth, intellect, and future. Meritocracy is a term coined by British sociologist Michael Young, a true proponent of social equality. Young wrote The Rise of Meritocracy in 1958, a dystopian portrayal of a society in 2033, where IQ + effort = merit. It was a satire, used to criticise such a society, but unfortunately interpreted in a way Young did not intend. From then on, meritocracy has become the notion that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and if you work hard enough you will receive what you deserve; money, status, and the respect that follows etc. Louis Menand said “attributes extraneous

to merit, such as gender, skin colour, physical ableness, and family income, are not supposed to constrain the choice of educational pathways.”1 The key words are not supposed to. I think meritocracy is a scam that tricks people into believing they are failures if they don’t get the results they worked hard for. The path to success isn’t so black and white, institutions run on bias, racist, sexist, and classist systems that reward rich white men within an ideology that is supposed to allow equal opportunity. Meritocracy doesn’t care about employers' personal biases that influence their perception of you, and their expectations of how well you will perform in a role based on a forty minute interview. Meritocracy also doesn’t consider the effort and privilege getting into networks involves, and the career opportunities that are only available to people within those networks. Meritocracy truly is a fruitless attempt at equality. Every day the social construct of meritocracy is reinforced by people who measure their worth by comparing themselves to other people’s lifestyles, to determine who is more interesting, smart, or rich. We analyse each other's job titles, relationship statuses, and living situations and create expectations for others to live up to, based on who we think they are. The power dynamics that meritocracy enables has created a bizarre superiority complex I’ve experienced at work; white collar workers snapping their fingers at me for service is my lived experience of this societal construct in action. Being treated as less than according to another person's expectation of who and how I should be according to my job title ignited my initial need to “get a real job”, to not get treated like shit by people who believed they were better than me.

It’s common for acquaintances to

played an important role in helping me

ask each other what they do, to get

understand that I was subconsciously

an understanding of who they are

anxious about my status and that is

talking to, and compare lifestyles to

why I was so stressed about not living

create conversation. In doing so the

up to my post-graduation expectations.

conversation is inadvertently reinforcing

I overcame overbearing emotions and

comparison and judgement, instantly

stress when I realised that my job title

creating a set of expectations we believe

doesn’t equate to my worth in the world.

that person should abide by. Having expectations is a normal part of life, coming to the realisation that we can’t control the outcome of anything or any person is an essential part of not letting those expectations rule our emotions and trigger our inner critic.

have become so interconnected with who we are. There is an extreme variety of choice in choosing what career you want, and our jobs have intertwined into our identity. This means, if we work in a job that society thinks is unimportant then we often feel unimportant too. There's meritocracy making a guest

Meritocracy is a scam that tricks people into believing they are failures if they don’t get the results they worked hard for.

appearance once again. We need to ditch meritocratic ideas and let go of other people's opinions to create a happier state of mind to live in. You can study in your 30s, start your career (if you want one) in your 40s, find love when you're 60! – reaching milestones within a timeframe is irrelevant to living a happy life. When I decided to let my ego go, I was able to unlock joy from the smallest of things. I went from feeling embarrassed about serving and cleaning up after customers to being proud and thankful to be able to work part-time, and use my “spare” time doing more of what I love. Living off a low income

My favorite modern day philosopher, Alain de Botton, uses the term “status anxiety” to explain the suffering that is caused by what others think of us. If

can be challenging at times, but I make it work and I’d rather be happy than stressed trying to force something that is out of my control. I battled with

people think we are wealthy or attractive,

feeling like I was being lazy for a short

then they will treat us with kindness.

while thanks to society's excellent job

Marketing professionals use our status

of conditioning us. But once I finally

anxiety to capitalise off our insecurities,

released the expectations I was holding

and this adds to the unattainable

myself to, I started to gain a sense of

expectations we uphold ourselves to,

calm and life started falling into place

to please others. De Botton’s teachings

organically. 

1 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/09/30/is-meritocracy-making-everyone-miserable

In the current state of the world our jobs

The power dynamics that meritocracy enables has created a bizarre superiority complex I’ve experienced at work; white collar workers snapping their fingers at me for service is my lived experience of this societal construct in action. When I decided to let my ego go, I was able to unlock joy from the smallest of things.

Giveaways We’ve been propelled into lockdown, and that means we’ve all been responsibly bunkering down at home. And though we don’t have the luxury of going out, at Debate we’ve compiled some pretty amazing giveaways for you to support small businesses, while also getting some new listening material, art, and coffee. Enter by following us on Instagram @ debate_mag and DM something that makes you feel powerful.

Bandcamp Voucher In case we haven’t said it enough, streaming doesn’t financially support an artist as much as it should. So, we’ve got $20 Australian dollars to spend on an indie musician you want to support. Or, if you get stuck, check out their extensive blog where you’re guaranteed to find some cool new music. From albums of the day to monthly genre round ups, it’s a great resource for discovering new musical obsessions. Plenty of people also sell their music on a pay-as-youwant basis so you can go as broad as you’d like.

Commission drawing from @jake_n_jazz Spice up that profile picture or treat yourself to fanart of one of your favourite characters with a commission from Jake (he/him), a local artist. We’ve teamed up to give away a personalised, digital illustration. The commission is for a colour bust and could be a person, pet, or fanart. Some restrictions apply (:

Atomic Coffee – Fruit Punch Blend (special release) If there’s one thing that quickly becomes a hot commodity in lockdown, it’s coffee. Atomic Coffee Roasters has been an Auckland staple since 1992, when café culture really boomed. Based in Kingsland, Atomic specialises in small-batch, ethical, and hand-roasted coffee. The Fruit Punch is a series of seasonal blends released each year. Carefully selected, the coffees showcase high quality arabicas. This specific blend features a trio of Colombian coffees made with different processing methods. A fruity palette that is complex and textural. Yum!

Reviews By Alana McConnell (she/her) and Nam Woon Kim (he/him)

What to watch: Pen15 (2019-) A while back I stumbled across a trailer on YouTube for the show ridiculously titled Pen15. Curiously I watched, and I immediately knew it was going to be an incredible show. The comments underneath the trailer though were a mixture of confusion and questions, and then of course replies to those comments making fun of how clueless they were. The reason for all this is that Pen15 is a show about two thirteen year old girls in middle school, experiencing the highs and lows of being an awkward, moody, and hilarious teenager in 2000. But the two actresses who are playing best friends Maya and Anna, are 31 year olds Maya Erskine and Anna Kronkle. They are playing 13 year old versions of themselves, amidst actual 13 year old kids who are playing their classmates. The premise is undeniably unique, and it asks the viewers to suspend their disbelief and cynicism. It’s not hard to do, and I

found myself quite quickly forgetting that Anna and Maya were nearly old enough to be their characters' mothers. They play the roles convincingly, with their womanly shapes strapped down, with retainers and braces, with awful haircuts, and mannerisms so eerily similar to most of us when we were thirteen. It’s an amazing feat, and it clicks so soundly with what it was like to be that age, especially in the early 2000s. I wasn’t thirteen in 2000, but so much still resonates. Especially having a best friend at that age and doing everything together, feeling like they were the only one who really got you, and conquering means girls, popular boys, and clueless parents together. I only jumped momentarily out of the universe at times when for a split second I thought that they were actually going to kiss their crushes, who were underage. But the show never crossed any sexually unethical grey zones, keeping it 100% kosher but never sacrificing the quality. Pen15 may not be a bingeable show, because it does have extremely high levels of cringe comedy, where at points

I had to genuinely look away (think of those first couple episodes from Season 1 of The Office). But the two seasons of Pen15 are consistently hilarious, a homage to growing up in the 2000s, the awkwardness of puberty, Care Bear hoodies, and AOL messaging.

What to listen to: Big Red Machine How Long Do You Think It’s Going To Last? (2021) When Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner collaborate, you know it’s going to be good. Big Red Machine is a musical project by Bon Iver’s Vernon and The National’s Dessner, a masterful and dynamic combination of talent, vision, and storytelling. Their first self-titled album was released in 2018, feeling more like a product of their musical community and not simply an album. You could hear Bon Iver’s trademark vulnerable but ambiguous lyrics, along with Dessner’s polyrhythms and eccentric time-signatures. There is also of course the electronic experimentation Bon Iver has dabbled with in his last two albums 22, A Million, and i,i. I wouldn’t say Big Red Machine is instantly accessible to the listener, and that probably wasn’t the intention behind the collaboration. It’s a slow burner due to its complexity and multi-layered nature. The more you listen the more you appreciate the sound, and what they are trying to achieve. Perhaps Big Red Machine’s new album is more accessible to those who aren’t just diehard lovers of the artists' well known bands. Taylor Swift can probably be thanked for that, as she is responsible for helping the likes of The National and Bon

Backxwash I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES (2021) This one’s for the metalheads in the crowd, anyone with an appetite for abrasive, experimental hip hop, or those of you looking for more queer artists to listen to. If you lie at the centre of this Venn diagram, it’s your lucky day. “The purpose of pain is to get our attention, that something is wrong, protect us from further damage and request care. It’s in this sense that a little bit of pain is a good thing.” Iver come into the popular music sphere,

it’s released. But if you are less familiar,

with their collaborations on folklore and

after a few listens you may begin to

evermore. 'Renegade' was released in July

appreciate the thoughtful production, the

featuring Swift, and is an upbeat indie

collaborative artistry, and the emotionality

tune, contrasted by lyrics that describe

that connects it all together.

This is how I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES starts. Spoken in a cold, clinical tone, this sample repeats itself for just under a minute and a half as it loops and overlaps to create an unsettling introduction that sets the tone

a claustrophobic relationship, and the unsaid thoughts of dating someone with a mental illness. It shows Swift and Big Red Machine bringing their strengths to the table, combining lighthearted production with heavier topics. The other songs on the album feature an impressive array of collaborators, from Fleet Foxes, Sharon Van Etten, and Ben Howard. The first song, 'Latter Days', is one of my favourites. Featuring Anais Mitchell, a consistent collaborator with Bon Iver, the tune is a melancholic ballad about loss of innocence and nostalgia, made less lonely with Bon Iver’s additional voice in the chorus. Big Red Machine’s latest album is worth a listen, from start to finish. If you are already a fan of Bon Iver or The National, high chance you’ve probably already dived right in. Most Bon Iver fans rabidly devour any work Vernon produces as soon as

for the rest of the album. The repetition gives these vocals an ominous, sarcastic authority as it slowly folds into itself as a platitude that even sounds threatening at points. It’s eerie, patronising, and alienating and it’s the perfect lead-in for a relentless run of songs that doesn’t stop until the album ends. The anger and pain Backxwash taps into here is a response to the paternalism that haunts her as a trans woman. She often candidly recounts the difficult journey thus far in interviews, spanning Zambia to Canada, which offer insight to what she’s had to navigate to be able to express herself and her music. Her latest destination is I LIE HERE…, where she reviews what went wrong and what could have gone worse. Christianity intersects with colonial horror among other themes where she embraces the transgressions she’s accused of (note the 33 minute, 3 second runtime). From Street Fighter references to an Angela Davis sample, Backxwash casually includes a bit of everything that inspires her too. The production itself embodies this as the album is built on a library of sounds ripped straight from horror cinema. Embedded into every layer and instrument is the same frustration Backxwash channels as she raps, growls, and screams her way through an impressive soundscape she produced mostly herself. Synthy bass, menacing piano lines, and literal wailing accompany her scathing indictment of the status quo. “The colonies and their vision/Robbing me of my diction,” she laments on the title track. Although each song and feature hits a different pocket, this song deserves specific mention. Guitars revving like chainsaws announce the beat where Ada Rook, who also mastered the album, comes in with an earth shattering hook. To say Rook understood the assignment would be underselling just how thoroughly she murders her part.

Lil Simz Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2021) Chances are you’ve at least heard of Little Simz on TikTok through the viral hit ‘Venom.’ My introduction to her was ‘Garage Palace,’ a Gorillaz bonus track among bonus tracks that became an instant fan favourite after its live debut. If you haven’t gotten to know her yet, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is an excellent place to start. Little Simz the musician and Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo the person, the balance between the two is the dynamic under scrutiny here as she says herself on opening track ‘Introvert’. Across Broadwayesque interludes and a deep pool of laidback anthems and effortless heaters, Simz looks inwards to reflect on what keeps her going. Ten years is a long time in the music game and SIMBI shows she still has plenty to say. ‘Introvert’ is a bold, six-minute, battle march of a song that also kicks off her mustwatch Tiny Desk performance and will surely open her shows too. (Don’t sleep on a Little Simz gig – the energy she brings with her backing band is such a satisfying experience.) This opener has Simz touching on her past and her future

while offering her takes on the world today, too. It’s also an unapologetic affirmation of what we call introversion. Although it’s misattributed to shyness more than anything else, Simz demonstrates how she uses it as an anchor as she notes down societal ills as experienced by black women. Some attention should be given to her producer, Inflo, as well, who continues to be an integral part of Simz's sound by letting her take on whatever she wants sonically. You’re going to hear trumpets, synths, colourful percussion, as well as the odd sample. Featuring a melody from Smokey Robinson, ‘Two Worlds Apart’ is one of this year’s smoothest tracks that’s going to get plenty of play on many a sunny day. The second to last track, ‘How Did You Get Here’ is another standout. Introspective bars that catalogue one’s ups and downs after success is a hip hop staple and Simz’s take is an essential addition to this tradition. Both reassuring and motivating, it cements the album as a celebration too, on top of her doubts and questions. The question of what having a platform as an artist means, which Simz poses at the start, is something Kendrick Lamar also speaks to in his music, who in 2015 called her one of “the illest doing it right now”. Listen to SIMBI to see why this is still the case. 

Did You Win the Breakup, or Are You Just Emotionally Constipated? Process your feelings! It’s Good 4 U.

By Alana Rae (she/her) and Kubra Iqbal (they/them) It’s been three days since you two have broken up, and you’re thriving. You’re out every night, God complex in full force, and suitors in tow. Your old relash is the furthest thing from your mind. You feel unstoppable, immortal. Is this you? Or is this your ex? To win a break up is to feel indifferent, untouchable, and as though the tenure of your relationship meant nothing to you… or at least for it to look that way. In the digital age, getting sucked into this toxic little game is all too easy and even a little fun. You post a boomerang to your story, clinking glasses, flashing lights, you know how it is. Feeling smug when you see that familiar username view your story in the first ten seconds. You think to yourself, "I’m definitely winning the breakup". News flash, you’re not. Here’s why: The concept of winning a breakup isn’t actually about your own feelings, it’s about how others perceive you and how you feel validated by that. And let’s be real, everyone froths at a little validation sometimes. The toxicity is then heightened by the assumption that the so-called loser is worse off because their emotional process looks different to your own.

“Losing” is an ego crush because no one wants to be seen at their worst. We’re at our most vulnerable when we are in a relationship, so having someone see that side of you and decide to leave it? That shit blows, dude. Speaking of hot messy break ups, let’s take a look at the case of Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo. Lil Joshy was dragged in Olivia’s Sour slamfest, so at first glance you’d think she definitely won the breakup. She’s got the fame and money to back it up. Her album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and Driver’s License, the song you had on repeat for weeks but now can’t stand, has well over a billion Spotify streams. Meanwhile, Joshua was pixel-punched by defensive Livies and anyone with a Twitter account. Rodrigo: 1, Bassett: 0. Or so it was perceived. The complicated reality is that neither of them won. Olivia found an outlet - albeit a public one - to process her emotions, and Joshua is now here, queer, and back to being loved on social media. This goes to show there is no reigning supreme in a breakup, you just need to get a grip. And while your breakup may not have been as public, this relatable rollercoaster may hit

And what better way to channel those emotional loop-de-loops than into a petty competition with your ex, right? Wrong. Maybe instead of worrying so much about how they and others perceive you, do a little soul-searching and figure out why “winning” is so important to you. Putting genuine effort into yourself as opposed to your image is eventually going to make you hotter than ever. What we’re trying to say is that there’s no right way to deal with a breakup, but bottling up your feelings and posting about how great you’re doing definitely isn’t it. This short-lived power trip makes a cute band-aid, but it isn’t enough to distract from your real feelings. Don’t be afraid to feel your breakup. Punch a pillow. Cry to Taylor Swift. Maybe drive to Taupō with some friends, get an Airbnb and get fucking plastered. Not speaking from experience. As long as you’re not being a dick to the other person or a dick to yourself, everyone’s a winner. 

just as hard.

Ode to Storytelling By Lucy Wormald (she/her)

Lifestyle and Culture Editor Lucy muses about the power of telling stories, and her own love of storytelling and its ability to transform, reveal, and nourish. What is writing if not the holding up of an enchanted mirror? That which witnesses and asks for witnessing. A way to give voice to your own astonishment, says Annie Dillard. A way to know. The writing of a story makes clear what I think, what I see, what I know, what it means. To use language to reflect a reality, to chronicle a shard of being, is surely a form of magic. But not only a reflection of reality, storytelling holds the ability to shift and mould it. Dangerous, boundless and regenerative like a deep and dark soil, storytelling is an inherently human act. Since the beginning of humanity, we have given shape to experience by constructing myth, fairy tale, parable, history. Our cultures are built on these narratives. Stories both reflect and

shape what we know about ourselves. A force on loop, story feeds reality while simultaneously revealing its nature. And this, as with all human deeds, has become a domain for negotiating power. It is how we endow and transfer power between our structures and our knowledge. We give voice to some things, paying no heed to others. We spin narratives so insidious, it is forgotten they are merely interpretations of the world, becoming instead sanctified truth. Consider: gender is a story, progress is a story, religion is story. The responsibility of storytelling, of conducting this power, is not to be belittled. Think, the stories in the Bible alone may have caused more death, brutality, and oppression, and more love, charity and redemption, than any other collection of

stories in human history. And we have all read things which have had an impact on us. We have glimpsed a moment in a film, or listened to a story uttered late one night, which may have shifted something inexplicable inside of us. As I have grown, I have realised the responsibility that comes with telling a story. The power of storytelling is neither good nor bad, rather it depends on what we intend to do with it. And so as I write, I consider how might I best interact with this power? How to step with integrity onto my small platform, plugging in my megaphone to speak? And what do I have to say? What should I say? What to do, with a poised pen, knowing that the telling of a story may have, albeit tiny, an influence? I have always been in love with storytelling. The bravado of it, the romance. It's humble, it's sweet, it's possibilities. It has always been the most natural way for me to receive and react to the world around me. On account of a love of reading instilled

in me by my mother, and a reverence for myth taught by my father, I find grace in language’s ability to conjure something thought to be out of reach of articulation. To make real with words an abstract moment, is wherein my interaction with this power lies. And so I realise the potential of storytelling is two-fold. What I say engages this cycle of power, of creating and reflecting reality. But the mere act of saying is one of power as well. When I started writing it didn’t properly occur to me that my pieces would be read,

an understanding of one of the ways the world is being experienced. Meeting my own voice through print, I have written to know myself. And I have written to let things be known. In this way I am both writer and written. This act has said I am here, mapping my experience of the world, and locating myself within it. There is power, existing both for oneself, and noumenally, to be found by throwing a pebble into the void, speaking into the silence. I can hear its small sound. And perhaps others too will hear its reverberation. Maybe some will recognise it. And what comes from it, we shall see. 

or even perhaps enjoyed. This made for a feeling that I was writing in secret. With no prying eyes, or looming judgement, I was able to write without guard. According to narrative theory, stories often convey a sense of purpose – or perhaps a lack thereof – on behalf of the narrator. The nature of the story, the delivery, the hollow carved out in the heart or the mind from consuming it, provides

No One App Should Have All That Power By David Williams (he/him)

Social media has become one of the biggest disrupting forces democracy has met in the 21st century. David Williams investigates its consequences, good and bad. Ten years ago, the Arab Spring was in full bloom. People across the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) were revolting against authoritarian governments and demanding greater democratic rights. This time, protesters used a tool never before seen in revolutions: social media. They used Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to mobilise people and spread their cause. These platforms were helpful because they evaded government censors while also quickly dispersing information. Social media was seen as a great democratising force that could chip away at the control authoritarians had on the countries' press. Moreover, the movements organised on social media had real political impacts.

#BlackLivesMatter. It has now become a rallying call under which protesters and activists fight against police brutality and racial inequality. MeToo was first coined in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke. However, #MeToo reached mainstream popularity in 2017 with Harvey Weinstein.

The revolution that sparked the Arab Spring was in Tunisia. Street protests – organised on social media – led to the Tunisian president stepping down and allowing for parliamentary elections in the country for the first time in 24 years. But, the democratising abilities of social media were not just limited to the Arab Spring.

In the past, politicians who wished to stop the spread of information could simply ban it. However, they can now just as easily spread their own narrative. This muddies the water, confuses people, and leads them into echo chambers. With the speed by which information spreads across social media, traditional media struggles to keep up. By the time the information can be proven false, the damage is already done; the narrative has taken hold and supporters will not believe otherwise. A 2018 MIT study found

The term Black Lives Matter is credited to Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in 2013. This phrase soon turned into the trending hashtag

Social media is a promising tool to mobilise activists and spread progressive messages. However, the democratising power of social media can also bring dark forces to the surface. While politicians saw that social media could spread information holding them to account, they soon realised it could also be utilised to spread whatever information they want – whether that information is true or not.

1 nytimes.com/2018/03/08/technology/twitter-fake-news-research.html 2 nytimes.com/2020/11/23/technology/election-misinformation-facebook-twitter.html 3 theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/24/republicans-2020-election-poll-trump-biden

that “True stories were rarely retweeted by more than 1,000 people, but the top 1 percent of false stories were routinely shared by 1,000 to 100,000 people.”1 Anti-democratic forces take advantage of this phenomenon to spread misinformation that undermines democracy. The relentless Republican propaganda that Joe Biden stole the election from Donald Trump spread like wildfire across social media following the 2020 American election. According to a New York Times report, “Across Facebook, there were roughly 3.5 million interactions – including likes, comments and shares – on public posts referencing “Stop the Steal” during the week of Nov. 3.”2 Even six months later, according to a Reuters poll, “The 17–19 May national poll found that 53% of Republicans believe Trump, their party’s nominee, is the 'true president'."3 While not producing this content, social media companies provided the ideal platform on which such information could find an audience. The heads of these companies, meanwhile, didn’t care. When testifying before Congress in 2019, Mark Zuckerberg said “Our policy is that we do not fact-check politicians’ speech. And the reason for

that is that we believe that in a democracy

While social media companies

it is important that people can see for

maintained a hands-off approach, they

themselves what politicians are saying.”4

were making billions from the spread

This hands-off approach allowed disinformation to run rampant on their

of disinformation. They did not care about the status of democracy because they were not beholden to democratic

platforms. They saw these sites as big

institutions. They cared about making

empty spaces where, providing it doesn’t

money. More views equaled more

break the law, people can say whatever

advertisement revenue.

they want, including politicians.

Dr Ethan Plaut says “Social media has

Yet a key part of the social media

great democratic potential but this will

sites allowed disinformation to spread

likely be corrupted and squandered as

faster than any politician could say it:

long as the platform's raison d'être is to

the algorithm. The goal of any form of

enrich distant shareholders.”6

media is to keep the user engaged. For a platform like YouTube, that means people watching more videos. They designed an algorithm that would recommend videos to users that might be interesting based on the video they were watching currently. For content creators who wish to spread undemocratic messages, this was gold. They didn’t need to spread their messages because the algorithms were spreading it for them. Former YouTube staff members have said “company leaders were obsessed with

However, social media companies' hands-off approach may have reached a climax. The stolen election lie turned violent when, on the 6th of January 2021, thousands of right-wing insurrectionists stormed the US Capitol building, hoping to overturn the results of the recent election. All of them believed the “stop the steal” narratives that proliferated on social media. The next day, Twitter suspended Donald Trump’s social media account. That ban would later become permanent.

increasing engagement during those

Now, social media companies are taking

years. The executives, the people said,

greater steps to stop the spread of

rarely considered whether the company’s

disinformation. At the end of 2020, Twitter

algorithms were fuelling the spread of

began adding warning labels to certain

extreme and hateful political content.”5

tweets that contain misinformation.

Facebook began restricting political ads a week out from the 2020 US election and created posts encouraging voting while removing any misinformation about voting. Governments are taking steps to rein in social media companies as well. The EU is pushing a Digital Services Act which will contain rules on how big platforms regulate illegal and harmful content. The French and German parliaments passed similar legislation in 2021 and 2017 respectively. While these changes are a good start, is it already too late? Recent studies have shown that animosity towards opposing political parties is higher than support for one’s own party. There is no doubt that social media has exacerbated these trends. To have a functioning democracy, voters at either end of the spectrum must be able to talk to each other. Otherwise, peddlers of divisive rhetoric will continue to thrive. Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey opened Pandora’s box when they chose to ignore the spread of disinformation on their platforms. Freedom of speech is something that we must all guard, but it comes with responsibility. Social media platforms can no longer hide behind the cloak of "we’re just a platform". They are part of the structure of society now. And when you are part of the societal structure, you have a responsibility to that society, and every facet of that society, including democracy. 

“Social media has great democratic potential but this will likely be corrupted and squandered as long as the platform's raison d'être is to enrich distant shareholders.”

4 newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/facebook-and-the-free-speech-excuse 5 nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/08/technology/youtube-radical.html 6 www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/05/31/taking-issue--social-media---good-or-bad-for-democracy-.html

Closing The Medicine Gap By Alana McConnell (she/her), illustrated by Kwok Yi Lee (he/him)

At some stage in your life, either you or your loved ones will experience life-shattering medical diagnoses. Aotearoa is lagging behind other developed countries when it comes to medical funding, testing, and treatment. Alana interviews Rachel Smalley, creator of The Medicine Gap, who are working to change the system and ensure New Zealanders will be able to have access to life-saving medicine and treatment. Just over a year ago, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. Before that, nothing was really out of the ordinary. He was a healthy, lively, high-functioning individual. The only cause for concern was a fainting spell which prompted him to eventually reach out to a GP and get some further tests done. The news hit us like a ton of bricks. The memory of sitting with him inside the doctor’s office and receiving the colonoscopy results will never leave my mind. It was bad. The cancer had been there for a number of years, and had spread to his liver and his stomach. In a split second, my dad’s future was painfully fragile. We didn’t know what the

a caveat. There’s a 75% chance that it will come back.

prognosis would be, we didn’t know if he had months or years left. Would the treatment be life-extending or curative?

test that will give me answers. When I found out about

In the past year, my dad has undergone three major surgeries, operating on his colon, his stomach, and taking away a large portion of his liver. The recovery was difficult. Hospitals drained his energy and spirit. It was heart wrenching seeing my dad so vulnerable, a position I wasn’t used to witnessing. Chemotherapy was effective, reducing his tumours by huge margins, but the side effects also took their toll. Now, against so many odds, my dad has been told that by the looks of it, he is cancer free. But with cancer, there’s always

Those who are told they are cancer free have to live with the looming threat and anxiety that the cancer will show up again, maybe worse, maybe with more spread. Recently, we also found out my dad tested positive for something called Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome is an inherited genetic mutation, increasing someone’s likelihood of developing certain cancers, including bowel cancer, and for women ovarian and uterine cancer. There is a 50% chance that my sister and I have inherited this gene. I am now waiting to get a genetic Lynch syndrome, I was immediately propelled into existential fear and dread. I felt cursed in a way. I felt hopeless and terrified. I didn’t want to function in the world anymore. Now in retrospect, a lot of us have genes that don’t work in our favour. From Huntington's disease to amyloidosis, many of us have to grapple with the fact that we have a 50/50 chance of inheriting something that has the capacity to inflict huge suffering on us and our offspring. Lynch syndrome affects the way your body reacts to chemotherapy. Although my dad was lucky with the first round of chemo, the second round didn’t work.

That means if his cancer does come back, alternative treatments would be the only option, such as immunotherapy. But, a majority of alternative treatments and drugs in New Zealand are not publicly funded by Pharmac. For instance, Avastin is a biologic therapy that is registered by Medsafe but not funded. In New Zealand it comes with a huge price tag, usually $50,000. Some health insurers will cover a small portion, but those who have been told chemotherapy is not an option will have to fork out huge sums of money by remortgaging their house, dipping into their retirement funds, or using Givealittle to ask for help. It’s utterly wrong that we need to rely on friends’ and strangers’ goodwill, instead of being able to trust and rely on the medical system in New Zealand. For those who are facing a devastating diagnosis, it’s salt in the wound and even humiliating to resort to crowdfunding. It’s a vulnerable act. They are desperate to extend their life, to see their children marry, their grandchildren celebrate birthdays, and spend precious time with their spouses. A change needs to be made. Desperately. Quickly. It’s only natural to feel disempowered within a medical system that seems rife with flaws and holes. It’s easy to feel shocked and demoralised that even though we live in a developed and prosperous country, we have quickly fallen behind with cancer care, funding, and screening. One of the answers to this overwhelming problem is The Medicine Gap. The Medicine Gap is a social initiative created by Rachel Smalley and Carla Hofler, to highlight the huge medicine gap and disparity in Aotearoa. Rachel is the storyteller and Carla runs the digital side of the initiative. They work together to tell the stories of New Zealanders who are personally affected by Aoteroa’s lack of medical funding. I reached out to Rachel as soon as I found out about The Medicine Gap; I felt immediately connected with the work and wanted to do my part to help. After my dad was diagnosed, I quickly became aware of

the huge flaws in New Zealand’s medical system, especially when it comes to funding and cancer care. I was taken aback by just how much we were lagging behind other countries.

Pharmac’s objectives haven’t changed since the 1990s, it’s driven to be costeffective and to acquire cheap drugs. As to what propelled the creation of The Medicine Gap, Rachel started by saying “there are very few New Zealanders who are aware of the predicament this country is in, and a group of people I know, decided to try and change that.” They realised most of us were contributing to Givealittle campaigns to help those fundraising for life-saving drugs and treatment, but the situation was escalating. Givealittle has become a mechanism for survival in New Zealand. Like myself, this perplexed Rachel. “New Zealand is not a poor country, this is not an underdeveloped country. There are thousands of families who are impacted by this and that’s why we developed The Medicine Gap”. The goals of The Medicine Gap call for huge and transformative change. There needs to be a large overhaul in the way we approach funding medicines in New Zealand. “First of all, we need to allocate $400 million a year to Pharmac to increase funding. That will help us address around 100 medicines on the waitlist, and give our doctors the tools they need to treat modern diseases and reduce the level of suffering in New Zealand, and untimely deaths.” Pharmac’s objectives haven’t changed since the 1990s; it’s driven to be costeffective and to acquire cheap drugs. Rachel stated, “it doesn’t consider the societal cost of not funding medicines. For example, if we don’t fund a new

biologic drug to treat Crohn’s disease, some people will spend the rest of their lives in and out of hospital, and on a benefit. The cost comes out of other budgets, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Health, and the local DHB. Collectively, it costs the taxpayer a lot more not to fund the medicine, however Pharmac is only mandated to look at its own budget, not the cost to the country.” Looking forward, what changes need to be made? Aotearoa’s health system doesn’t have a future focus. There have been rapid advances in gene technology, making huge breakthroughs in the way diseases are treated. We have the potential to turn off a disease with one injection, instead of it causing years of emotional and physical pain to people. “Our approach to modern medicines is pedestrian and sluggishly reactive,” says Rachel. “It’s failing New Zealanders. Now, more than ever, we need courageous leadership from within our health sector and within Government.”

“Our approach to modern medicines is pedestrian and sluggishly reactive,” says Rachel. “It’s failing New Zealanders.” It was hard for me to stop questioning just why New Zealand is so far behind other countries. We are quite literally at the bottom of the list of most developed countries who fund life-saving and life-enhancing drugs to their population. Rachel explained: “if you’re a well New Zealander, it doesn’t matter if a political party says it’s going to spend millions of dollars addressing the health needs of the sick. That won’t swing your vote. Interestfree student loans will. A new cycle bridge might. Support for Team New Zealand might. But medicines don’t.”

I can freely admit, I didn’t care that much about health budgets in New Zealand before my dad was diagnosed, and before I experienced my own health scares. “The issue is though, all of us at some stage, will develop a disease or will need the support from our health system to treat cancer, cardiac complications, a rare disease, the list goes on.” Rachel puts it clearly: “Every single one of us is one diagnosis away from going on a Givealittle to literally fundraise for our lives." It’s not just about funding medicines, it’s about the all-of-life costs of not funding a medicine. For us to be empowered within a health system with gaping holes, we need to be able to find our voices. We need to understand how political change occurs. Governments are constantly polling to get a clear idea of what makes up the public narrative. If something is important to you, then the first step is to start talking about it. Get up to speed with all of the research, all the reading online.

I can freely admit, I didn’t care that much about health budgets in New Zealand before my dad was diagnosed, and before I experienced my own health scares. As Rachel put it, “change occurs when you step up and refuse to step down. No one changes the world by sitting on the fence.” The older we get, we will experience more and more health problems, either personally or with those we love. I never expected my dad to get such a huge and devastating diagnosis. It came like a suckerpunch. As a survival mechanism, we like to think we are exempt from scary words like cancer, the possibility of near-death, or painful treatments. But truthfully, we never know

what’s behind the corner, or what the next day will bring us. So at least, we can do our best and connect together to make sure we are living in a country with a medical system we can trust and rely on when we need to. 

Above: Photo by Jo Currie

H o ro s By Naomii Seah (she/her)

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22)

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)

It’s the end of Virgo season, babe, no wonder you’re feeling down. You’ve been filled with all that manic energy, look at how productive you’ve been! All that hard work is finally paying off. What’s the saying again? Do the mahi get the… burnout? Oop.

Sagittarius, I don’t have anything to say to you. You’ve been absolutely killing it, and the stars say good job! How does it feel to be the chosen one? How are you doing it? How? Please, help.

Fortnightly power trip: saying no. Just try it once, please–I–

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 23)

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)

Finally. FINALLY. IT’S LIBRA SEASON. It’s been a cold, hard winter, babe. I hear you. Don’t worry. It’s spring now. The flowers are out, the trees are waving. Hell, even the thunderstorms are giving you a weird God-complex right now. Look, even in the northern hemisphere Libra season is aesthetic. So go dress up, I know you want to.

Good job Capricorn, you’ve been really grounded recently. Like, too grounded. Like, you’re bored. You can have a break every now and then, you know, life isn’t all about being productive. Do some harmless escapist shit for a bit. May I suggest tying a bunch of balloons to your roof like you’re the old man from Up?

Fortnightly power trip: narciss–*ahem*–your Instagram feed.

Fortnightly power trip: absolutely losing it.

Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 21)

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Very rarely are you too nice, Scorpio. But you’ve been a bit careless recently. Of all the signs you’re the one to guard their *vibes*. But as Mars moves into Libra you’re starting to think about your energy more closely. What do you want to do? Who do you want to be around?

Okay you can come out of your dungeon now. The moon is coming out of Virgo and into Pisces, which means you’re letting go of your antisocial, get-away-from-me-I’m-busy aura and leaning into your fun, creative presence. Welcome back friend, we missed you.

Fortnightly power trip: being dramatic.

Fortnightly power trip: actually??? Having it???? Together??????

Fortnightly power trip: hanging out with us for once.

copes Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20)

Pisces, your creative spirit has been off the charts recently! The moon in Virgo has really

Vesta is moving into Scorpio, baby! For you, Gemini, that means your extroversion score

been keeping you disciplined and active. Unfortunately you’re about to get hit with the block. Hey don’t get mad at me, I’m just the messenger. Woah, Pisces, calm down – why so aggressive?

is going off the charts… and so are your horndog instincts. For once you’re not being a narcissist, everyone is in love with you! All I can say is godspeed.

Fortnightly power trip: winning staring contests with strangers.

Fortnightly power trip: (for legal purposes this is a joke) homewrecking.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)

Cancer (Jun 21 -Jul 22)

Phew, it’s been a minute since you’ve stepped outside, Aries. What’s that smell? For the last time, hand-san wipes are not a shower. It’s okay babes, we all go through it sometimes. Luckily the moon is in its first quarter this fortnight – use that momentum to get you through. You’ve got this!

Yeah sorry, the moon thing is fucking us all, Cancer, but as a fellow water sign, the upcoming moon in Pisces is gonna hit you harder than puberty did. The good news is that the current energy of the new moon in Virgo with the first quarter is giving you time to plan. Schedule in the self-care now, bestie.

Fortnightly power trip: cleaning your room :)

Fortnightly power trip: crying on the Zoom.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)

Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22)

You’ve been umming and ahhing about things a bit recently, haven’t you, Taurus? The moon is moving from Virgo to Libra, which means your perfectionism has packed a toothbrush and a suitcase of clothes and moved in with your indecision. They’re in a throuple with your laziness tendencies. Just reign it in okay?

Damn, this moon is putting you in action, Leo! You’re even more assertive and decisive than usual. Unfortunately, Mars is about to be in Libra and you’re about to rethink some of those decisions. Maybe you judged… too quickly? Fortnightly power trip: humility.

Fortnightly power trip: executive decisions.

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