The Awakening of a Generation

This week, my generation finally took a stand.

The media has reported several reasons for this huge demonstration in our capital city. The principal cause cited was an objection to the potential re-introduction of university fees. Of course, many demonstrators themselves held this as the solitary cause for the protest and must be identified as the main reason for the strong turnout.

Indeed, an interesting cross-section of society made up this group of demonstrators. We had government supporters, anarchists, country and city dwellers, revolutionaries, drunks and students of all kinds. This diversity created a vibrant atmosphere of hope and unity. But the issue of fees pales in comparison to the real significance of this demonstration.

What this unity represents, was the real effect of the march. We can no longer be painted as a jaded and apathetic generation. If an injustice emerges, we will face it head on as a strong and driven group. We may have problematic elements in our generation, but we can deal with them and strive to create a society of tolerance while retaining a strong sense of morality and justice.

As we demonstrated in the city centre this week, the government would do well to support us - for we will inherit these streets.

-The English Student

Blur versus Oasis

With the release of a new Oasis album, an age-old and epic debate has re-emerged: who is better, Blur or Oasis?

The English Student strives to place biases and tendencies to one side when writing. It is essential that one's moral principles are upheld by strong, even-handed foundations of empathy. To argue a point, one must view the argument from all sides and weigh all points fairly and equitably. This is justice, this is integrity and indeed, this is the cornerstone of these short compositions.

However, I must (temporarily, of course) step down from these lofty and pretentious heights in order to highlight an absolute truth: Oasis are terrible. They have been playing the same insipid songs for the past fifteen years and every time they release something "new", the bile rises a little higher in my gullet. Perhaps if the band had some originality or creativity, or some respect for other musicians, or even the tiniest hint of manners, I would find them less repulsive. But even then, I'm quite sure that the obnoxious scowl of Liam Gallagher would be enough to disgust me.

Fortunately, for every evil in this world, we often find a good. Moriarty had his Holmes, Ganon had his Link, Nadal has his Federer and Oasis have their Blur. In contrast to the aforementioned talentless thugs, Blur have managed to keep their music fresh and vibrant while maintaining a very high quality of production. I truly love their intricate, fun and profound music. Every album from the band shows a new side to their interesting and creative work, while side projects and solo recordings themselves trump anything provided by the rotting septic tank that is Oasis.

Comrades, rise up and be counted! We must stop pandering to these worn out hacks and finally shovel their putrid discography onto the dung heap!

-The English Student

The Prefect: Book Review

The “Space Operas” of Alastair Reynolds have recently drawn my attention. In particular, the Revelation Space series seems to offer a reprieve to the problems found in many science fiction novels.

In my latest science fiction binge, I have been clamouring for a classic. I was beginning to think that this classic did not exist and that I would continue to flounder amongst the mediocre characterisation and shallow plotlines that fill the ocean of this genre. The Prefect, however, is a beacon of excellence in both of these areas.

The Prefect follows the story of a policing force centred within The Glitter Band - a sprawling collection of 10,000 colonies revolving around planet Yellowstone. The vastness of the setting is indicative of the immense depth of the novel itself. Indeed, an impression is created that there is a story on each of these habitats just waiting to be told. The plot weaves throughout many of these colonies and the riveting parallel plots on these places are brought together with real literary mastery. It is not long before the reader is entranced by the immense detective story that unfolds at an enticing pace.

The plot depth is further bolstered by the layered and compelling characters. It is possible to empathise with all the characters (or at least all the human ones!) of the novel and this greatly enhances its’ appeal. By creating these ambiguous and realistic characters, Reynolds engages in debates on the issues of democracy, law and free will to name but a few. More importantly, these discussions are adequately detailed and expanded on.

Science Fiction is a genre that many exercise, but few excel at. Alastair Reynolds is one of these few and this is evident in The Prefect.

-The English Student

In Defence of a National Monument

Once again I recently found myself defending the newest landmark of our capital city's skyline.

This sculpture was erected at a time when public dissatisfaction with the health system and national infrastructure was particularly high. People berated the government for using funds in an apparently frivolous manner and ignoring the problems of the country. “Decadent”, “vain” and “pointless”, how could the leaders of our country support such a waste of tax money?

But this monument was the first significant instance of public spending in order to boost national pride. This sculpture marks a determined effort to defend our individuality that has been under threat by globalisation. With the decline of our national language and cultural heritage, an icon was absolutely essential to awaken the zeal of the people. Surely this is a cause worthy of such once-off capital expenditure?

Even beyond this, by bolstering national pride more impetus is created for social change. The aforementioned health and services issues become more personal and therefore more important due to this increased cultural identity. With such icons, we can advance both aesthetically and materially, while keeping our national individuality. In short, cultural pride is intrinsically linked to all national issues.

For these effects to take place however, we must embrace this monument as a symbol of our emergence into a modern world.

-The English Student