The European Rugby Cup Ablaze

Sport is often not just about physical or mental prowess.

The European Rugby Cup and Challenge Cup are prime examples of the vast areas that sport can deal with. While some competitions focus on individual effort and exemplify the drive and ambition of the human spirit, these rugby competitions deal with something else entirely: tribalism.

There is of course latent elements of tribal behaviour in modern life. In fact, many sociologists theorise that tribalism is often encouraged within society in order to create a common national feeling. In the past, these tropes have often taken violent and destructive forms that have created death and permanent division.

However, rugby seems to deal with this without bloodshed, Every weekend provincial teams across many European countries face each other to test their skill and strength. The fanaticism of the spectators and the phenomenal intensity shown by the players has to be seen on a common level with past tribal behaviour. These matches are not just about rugby, they are about the Hundred Years War, the Battle of Flodden Field and general sovereignty. Every try scored is an advantage over an ancient rival and a banner of national pride. More than this, when the battle is over equal respect is shown to the victor and the vanquished with on pitch guards of honour and dignified spectators.

Clearly, if something like rugby can alleviate these tendencies towards tribalism we should embrace such a healthy release.

-The English Student

A City of the Dead

I recently visited a nearby city that has claims to being a 'City of the Dead'.

This seems like an odd description for any living city, especially one with such a vibrant night life and cultural heritage. The name comes from many extensive vaults buried in the city, along with it's bloody history. Many 'Ghost Tours' have sprung up amongst the city that recount this interesting past, show the tortue museums and take tourists into the vaults.

Embracing this facet of a city can be deemed morbid and of bad taste, but that is not the case. As previously discussed in many entries to this collection of writings, a city's present is intrinsically linked to it's past and future. The past is certainly preserved here and while many people have embellished the stories and myths, the core of the darker sides of it's past are retained. It is refreshing to find a group of citizens who engage with all these facets of their history.

More than this, the current virtues of the city are exemplified by these tours. Walking through one of the many graveyards in the dead of night gives a real impression of past atrocity that by itself highlights a contrast to the contemporary city. One can hope that by recording these grusome memories of the past they will not be repeated.

This world would be in better shape if more cities embraced their past in order to create a better future.

-The English Student

Aeon Flux: The Purge

The adult and child worlds are constantly opposed in Bregna.

At many times, children are afterthoughts for the main provocateurs in Bregna. The child trapeze artist is literally left hanging and any apparent connection between Trevor and his children or Bambara and his young partner are all undermined by mental manipulation and a lack of free will.

There are, however, some attempts to bridge this gap. Most notably, the use of nursery rhymes by both adults and children is evident throughout. Many toys are also used as important tools and at important junctures by these adults. But these examples leave us feeling uneasy. These nursery rhymes and toys are often allied with violence and sexuality and this association with children is initially disturbing. It seems that such issues have no place in our common view of children as more innocent and naive than adults.

The close of this story offers a final word on these apparently troubling instances of child sexuality and brutality. In the end, Trevor himself is only a toy and as such is neither an adult or a child. There no longer exists a separate world of children and adults in Bregna. Instead, these issues are highlighted as universal for all people. We may not find the idea of children as being affected by violent or sexual forces, but they are just as vulnerable to these tropes as adults.

There are plenty of things that divide humanity, but age should only be viewed as a continuum.

-The English Student

Time and the City

I know of few public clocks that keep correct time in this country.

Walk through any thoroughfare of our capital city and you will see this for yourself. We may carry many means of telling the time on our person, but one will be hard pressed to find a public clock that is in concord. There is far more to this than a simple lapse in the maintenance of clocks, especially as this phenomenon is evident throughout the city.

Many timepieces in this city have frozen at a long forgotten time. These clocks expose an era that we thought past, but has never truly left. The previous atrocity, hardship, glory and triumph of this metropolis are not, as some claim, foundations on which we have built. Instead, they are constant occurrences that have never been removed from the continuum of city life. These clocks can no more be put forward than the city can be divorced from its' past.

One can also observe many clocks in this city that are running at a much faster pace than we would deem normal. Again, I do not believe that this is coincidental in a city that is constantly striving to view, shape and create the future. Many pockets of this capital are dealing with the emerging conveniences, luxuries, crimes and depravities that the future will bring. This future is as inescapable as the constant metronome of the clock.

The city does not control time, but if one looks carefully, it is evident that time is not in control of the city either.

-The English Student