The University of Manchester is urging offer holders not to splash out on “unofficial” freshers events amid claims that promoters are selling tickets and wristbands using University branding.
The events, which appear to be linked to the University of Manchester and its Students’ Union, have led confused students to reach out to the SU with questions about the legitimacy of the tickets.
Both the University and Students’ Union have said that students should contact them directly if they are in doubt about a freshers event.
Some events, although not affiliated with the University, appear to be using the ‘University of Manchester’ name – suggesting they are official. A so-called ‘Official University of Manchester Freshers Week Wristband 2020’ Facebook page, for example, has over 1500 ‘interested’ participants.
It’s unclear how many students will take up their place to study in September, due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the University has said it’s working hard on an official welcome programme for those who do.
First years and returning international students will be able to move into University halls as usual at the start of the Academic year, but will also have the option to remain at home and study online for Semester 1 if they cannot be physically present on campus.
The University is also staggering the arrival of all students at the start of the academic year, with first-years arriving on campus from the 21 September 2020.
Although the Covid-19 outbreak and need for social distancing mean it is not yet clear if traditional freshers events such as club nights and bar crawls will be given the green light, with restrictions beginning to lift this summer, the Students’ Union is hopeful that some in-person events will be able to run.
A Manchester SU spokesperson said: “As your students’ union, we will be putting on fun, inclusive and exciting events for you to take part in and meet your fellow students.
“We have seen and you have sent us links to unofficial events and groups already selling wristbands and tickets September using names linked to the SU and the University.
“We will be working closely with the University so we can get an official programme out to you as soon as we can. If you have any questions you can contact us directly”
A spokesperson for the University of Manchester added: “Official SU events will only be announced via the SU website and its social media channels.
“We are working on getting our Welcome programme out to you directly and will be done only via the official Students’ Union and University of Manchester channels.
“If you’re in any doubt, please contact us first.”
For more information on official University welcome events, keep an eye on the University of Manchester Students’ Union Facebook page and Instagram.
Reality Z is a Brazilian Netflix series based on the acclaimed British series Dead Set, created by Charlie Brooker, the man behind Black Mirror. Brooker is credited as an executive producer on Reality Z, but I imagine this creative genius had little input, because Reality Z is apocalyptically bad.
Dead Set explores what happens to the Big Brother contestants and crew during a zombie apocalypse, with the cast trapped inside the house, unaware of the apocalypse. Parallels were drawn recently, with international Big Brother casts unaware of the coronavirus pandemic. Dead Set even starred Davina McCall, Big Brother’s host at the time — yes, that’s how old the show is. Watching zombie Davina hunting the show’s producer was both terrifying and hilarious.
Whilst Big Brother Brasil exists, Reality Z focuses on a fictional show called “Olympus”, where contestants play Greek Gods, and “Big Brother” is now Zeus. This helps allude to the way humans play God(s). The first five episodes are a straightforward remake of Dead Set. Having watched the whole five episodes of Dead Set the day before watching the first half of Reality Z, I was shocked that almost every scene in the remake is a direct copy of almost every scene in the original, with many lines simply translated into Brazilian Portuguese. Even the characters look extremely similar, with some exceptions, e.g. the British blonde bimbo becomes a dark-haired fiery Latina (of course).
Meanwhile, Davina becomes Divina, a B-list fame-hungry celebrity, played by television presenter Sabrina Sato, a former Big Brother Brasil contestant – nice touch. The two young male housemates swap roles in a couple of scenes, for unknown reasons. A timely change is swapping the gender-nonconforming gay male housemate for a trans woman. The biggest change, though, is the emission of Riz Ahmed’s character: the lead character’s boyfriend making his way to the house with a brave woman he runs into. In Reality Z, these two characters are replaced with a mother and son, the mother being the architect of Olympus.
Scrapping the boyfriend has small knock-on effects, but giving the lead character a new love-interest was silly – she falls in love with a guy she’s known for mere hours?! There is also a smaller storyline involving a politician trying to escape the city.
Whilst it is a straightforward remake, the gritty British dark comedy is transformed into a glossy Latin American drama that is neither scary nor funny. The characters are thoroughly unlikeable and annoying (they’re more likeable as zombies). Episode 5 of both shows ends with the entire cast and crew of Olympus dead or undead. Episode 6 is where ‘Reality Z’ gets interesting: the mother and son, the politician and his employee, two cops, and a criminal arrive at Olympus.
The show’s second half is sequel of sorts to Dead Set, exploring what might have come next by following these new characters reclaiming Olympus from the undead. They run into Olympus’ undead cast and crew, with some characters recognising the TV stars, but these characters are quickly killed off, resulting in a weird separation of the two halves of the show, similar to ‘American Horror Story: Roanoke’, which also explored a Big Brother-type show.
There were some missed opportunities. Reality Z could have explored the architect’s relationship with her former colleagues, which would have been especially interesting if they kept the show’s director alive. We never even find out why she was fired. The show had the chance to change the ending of Dead Set to make for something more interesting: if the lead character stayed in the locked room for a little longer, she would have been saved by the new “housemates”. The show’s architect runs into her, now undead, but she does not recognise her.
The remainder of the show was a bigger mess than the zombie apocalypse. Episode 8 opened with a dramatic, emotional scene and ended with a gripping cliff-hanger, but the middle of the episode was as poor as the rest of the show. This episode introduced split-screens, which would have been effective had they appeared continually and not two episodes before the finale. It seemed as though the editors were seven episodes in and had the bright idea to use split-screens to increase drama but could not be bothered to go back and edit the prior episodes.
The show effectively addresses political themes, including corruption, the Mafia, the monstrous nature of humans, and playing God. The latter is done effectively, with the politician taking on the role of “Zeus”, attempting to control the others. The show asks, “who are the real monsters?”. The demise of the characters in the final episode is not brought on by the zombies, per se, but the humans’ greed and bigotry. “Be more human than us,” one of the characters records herself saying, hoping other humans will arrive, take control of Olympus, and do better.
Unfortunately, Reality Z is an Olympic-sized mess, with two-dimensional characters, who die too soon and too often for us to care, and too much going on to focus on many of its promising themes and storylines, but most of them go nowhere anyway. Reality Z is another post-apocalypse show that nobody asked for and a remake of a show that was perfect as it was. If you’re thinking of watching it, just watch Dead Set instead.
In the last decade, Iran has once again proved itself to be one of the most prominent countries producing art-house cinema, with directors like Asghar Farhadi (two-time Oscar winner for A Separation and The Salesman) and Jafar Panahi (Golden Bear winner for Taxi Teheran) remaining in the spotlight. This year’s Berlin Film Festival has proven that despite major repressions from the authoritarian regime, Iranian cinema is still in a great shape, as the festival’s main prize was awarded to Mohammad Rasoulof’s There Is No Evil.
Rasoulof won the 2017 Un Certain Regard section in Cannes with A Man Of Integrity, becoming the focus of the Iranian government. He was sentenced to one year in prison and received a filmmaking ban. However, it didn’t stop him from creating another open critique aimed at the government.
There Is No Evil is an anthology consisting of four standalone short pieces brought together by their main subject, capital punishment. Doubtful judicial process and political repressions, which are often a focus of works critiquing death penalty, are not in the spotlight here. Rasoulof concentrates on a rarely considered side of the problem: those ordered to conduct an execution. In Iran, a country with obligatory military service for young men, conscripted soldiers are often those who have to carry out this task (later rewarded with a three day leave pass).
However, the film starts straying away from any soldiers and any sense of the subject that will be brought on later. We follow an ordinary day for middle-aged Heshmat. We see him picking up his wife from work, caring for his mother, treating his daughter with a pizza dinner.
But not every Iranian feels as comfortable as him, and many of them cannot cope with the harsh reality of what the regime demands of them. In the second novel we meet Pouya, a young conscript who is soon to conduct his first execution. He is panicking and desperately tries to bail out, as other soldiers tell him that avoiding to follow orders will simply result in a longer service.
They remind him that no one is sentenced to death without a proper reason. But both we, as viewers, and Pouya, know more than well that it is not the case. Half of death sentences worldwide are those in Iran, and the fundamentalist authoritarian regime targets political activists and journalists at least as often as the worst criminals. There Is No Evil‘s director knows it as well, himself being named a propagandist and a threat to national security.
The remaining two shorts focus on yet another point, as we see how following or obeying the orders can influence personal environment of those involved – the neighbours, closest friends and family.
There Is No Evil is bluntly clear in its message, combining the four novels into a net of terrifying ‘behind-the-scenes’ dilemmas and struggles. Although the latter two novels themselves may not stand out compared to a perfectly subtle eponymous one and action-packed second one, they are well suited to paint a bigger picture and put Rasoulof’s feature among the strongest and most powerful films advocating for human rights.
Two peaceful protests supporting Black Lives Matter will be held this weekend in Manchester city centre, in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
There will be a static protest in Piccadilly Gardens on Saturday 6th June at 1pm and another protest in St Peter’s Square on Sunday 7th June at 2pm.
These events follow protests across the US against centuries of unjust treatment of black people in the western world.
Widespread civil unrest was triggered after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed in custody by a white officer on the 25th March in Minneapolis.
The separate organisers of both protests are encouraging attendees to wear masks and gloves to protect themselves against the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
People displaying flu-like symptoms or those at higher risk from coronavirus have been asked to stay at home and support the movement ‘digitally’.
The protests will seek justice for black people against individual and institutional racism. Organisers say they will stand in ‘solidarity with those who have lost their lives because of the colour of their skin’ and ‘highlight the hardships that black people face every day’.
Second-year student, Eleanor Burr told the Mancunion: ‘I am going to attend the march because it is absolutely the right thing to do. My heart breaks at the treatment of the BAME communities in the US and UK alike and I want to show my solidarity.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
Hundreds of protesters also gathered on Monday in Manchester, walking through the city centre chanting ‘black lives matter’, whilst social distancing. Smaller protests were organised throughout the week, including by activists from Stand Up To Racism Manchester, who took a knee for George Floyd outside the University on Wednesday.
For the latest updates on Saturday and Sunday’s protests, follow @manchestermarch on Instagram and @MCRBLM on Twitter.
This weekend’s protests will coincide with protests held at Parliament Square and the US Embassy in London. Peaceful protests are also being held in Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow, Sheffield and Brighton, among others this week.
Ahead of this weekend’s protests, the Manchester branch of the Green and Black Cross (GBC) have released advice on accessing legal aid for people in the city involved in social change.
The GBC are an organisation of volunteers who provide help with legal matters arising from protest and actions only. You can contact the GBC via email at [email protected] or by telephone on 07761911121.
Many students and recent graduates have had internships cancelled as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
But while some big companies have pulled the plug, a group of manufacturers in the North West are still offering paid work experience.
Made Smarter – who represent small and medium-sized manufacturers in the North West – are on the lookout for tech-savvy students and recent graduates to join them this summer.
Undergraduates, master’s students, PhD candidates and recent graduates can earn £5,760 on the 480-hour digital technology internships – which are carried out either full-time over three months or part-time to fit around studies.
Previous interns have secured jobs within engineering, design and manufacturing.
Luke Hickson, who studied Industrial Digitalisation at Manchester Metropolitan University, secured a job in design and development following a successful internship.
Working at a manufacturer called Fabricon in Ashton-Under-Lyne, he worked on projects involving 3D printing and product development.
Luke said: “Ever since I was young, I’ve had ambitions to become an engineer. This was my first experience of an actual manufacturing facility and was just what I hoped it would be.
“[The internship] gave me the freedom to learn and apply my design skills, while taking me through the ropes of learning all the functions of their operation.
“I have been able to incorporate some of my experiences as proof points in my academic work, and ultimately secure a job.”
Donna Edwards, programme director for Made Smarter, said the digital technology internships were a “win-win” for both students and manufacturers.
She said: “Students and graduates gain industry knowledge, transferable skills and real-life experience while being paid the national living wage, and businesses can benefit from a fully-funded digital native to help them to understand how new technology can transform production.
“Internships and work placements are a vital tool for students making that transition from university to employment.
“The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of opportunities, and a lot of uncertainty as to what will be available in the future.
“Made Smarter has been successful in linking digital technology interns to manufacturers all over the North West.
“I would encourage undergraduates in their second and third year, postgraduates at any stage of their course and recent graduates from any UK university to register their interest.”
Thaddeus Anim-Somuah, a chemical engineer graduate at the University of Manchester and Mancunion alumnus, has been listed on this years Forbes 30 under 30 European division for Manufacturing and Industry.
Thaddeus, who works for Croda, a British-owned speciality chemicals company, began his career on a graduate engineering programme in 2012.
The first project Thaddeus was assigned to involved energy balance calculations and design as a process engineer in the Quarterback project, which aimed to reduce Croda’s Dutch CO2 emissions by 25%. He now participates in Engineering Manger Projects, working on strategy and strategic projects.
Thaddeus’ main focus at Croda is helping them to achieve their 2030 goals of being Climate, Land and People Positive, which he claims is his biggest challenge to date. His work on the $56 million carbon neutral plant mainly includes investigating innovative technologies and chemistries that would enable the company’s ideas to become reality.
Within Croda, Thaddeus is also involved in leading the behavioural safety program. Behavioural safety can be described as safety culture. So, when asked ‘why Croda?’, Thaddeus simply stated that “Croda was the place for me because of Croda’s values.”
Working for a company that values sustainability and where all styles of leadership are welcome, allowed Thaddeus to fit in comfortably, giving him a sense of reassurance. He gives thanks to his first line manager who gave him the opportunities to work on meaningful projects and became a real mentor to him.
Although Thaddeus credits Croda for much of his success, he really does believe that the University of Manchester was the starting point for his career.
During Thaddeus’ chemical engineering degree he was sponsored by Proctor and Gamble (P&G), working for them to improve the production of essential consumer goods such as nappies and shaving foam.
This was part of a scholarship program ran by P&G at the time for Engineering students at Manchester. He did four summer internship programmes with them and during term-time worked as a campus ambassador for the company.
Alongside this, Thaddeus went on an exchange to McGill University, where he met a fellow Manchester University student who persuaded him to join The Mancunion and Fuse FM. Although Thaddeus claims that he was never great at writing or show-hosting, he did have a lot of fun.
Thaddeus has also been volunteering with the Red Cross for just little over three years now, using skills he gained whilst volunteering with Unicef at university, and gives weekly integration coaching to refugees
Thaddeus believes his motivation to be successful is inherited, primarily from his parents, who are both doctors, and his grandmother who raised him for a small portion of his childhood. He states that having emigrated a few times, he understands some of the challenges people may face and wants to help them get past them.
Outside of Croda and his charity work, Thaddeus also works on making a sustainability impact through his role as a Board Member of Nederlandse Procestechnologen (Dutch Society of Process Technologists) to promote and connect sustainable innovators; advising at WorldStartup, a start-up incubator for impact start-ups, and GreenDeal4Youth.
GreenDeal4Youth aims to bring young climate leaders across Europe, the EU commission and national governments together to work on the Green Deal. The biggest impact he wants to achieve sustainability wise is through this project.
The organisation is hoping to get an EU Green Deal that will push not only the EU, but the whole world to tackle climate change and national policies that enable the achievement of the goals set out by the Green Deal.
He states, “It’s a big aim but you are never too small to make a difference.” A quote taken from a personal hero of his, Greta Thunberg, who also features alongside Thaddeus in Forbes 30 under 30 lists.
Thaddeus’ resilience throughout his life is empowering, as he hopes to inspire students across the world, and in particular at the University of Manchester. After becoming a Manchester Gold Mentor, he hopes to “pay forward” the advice he was given, to students that aim to make the same outstanding impacts that he has contributed to.
Thaddeus believes that “If everyone does a little bit for each other, then all those little bits will be a lot.” After demonstrating just how much Thaddeus has done for this planet, it’s difficult to imagine who else Forbes would have on the receiving end of such a prestigious title, and little would you know that it was one of our own.
The Manchester branch of the University and College Union (UMUCU) has warned UoM that if it fails to renew the contracts of fixed-term staff due to coronavirus, it will view this as unfair dismissal.
UMUCU has told The Mancunion that the University’s cost-saving drive – which includes voluntary severance packages, unpaid career breaks and reduced working hours – has left some staff worried that their fixed-term contracts are unlikely to be renewed.
A union spokesperson said: “Staff [on fixed-term contracts] in SALC (School of Arts Languages and Cultures) have been told their contracts are definitely not being renewed. Others have been told [it’s] highly likely they won’t be. And [some] haven’t been told anything.”
The spokesperson said that should staff on fixed-term contracts be let go, the union would view this as unfair dismissal.
“[Staff] are being told that this is due to the crisis and would ordinarily have expected their contracts to be renewed.
“Therefore, they are being dismissed by reason of redundancy and should be entitled to a fair redundancy process which hasn’t happened.
“We will fight this with everything we can. If they get away with it, it won’t just be SALC it happens in – all jobs should be protected in this crisis. Fixed-term staff are not disposable.”
The University said it “must prepare and plan for all possible eventualities” in the wake of the outbreak.
Branches of the UCU across the country have voiced concerns over the future of casualised university staff following major financial losses at UK universities during the lockdown.
🚨 6.30pm tonight! Meeting to urgently defend casualised staff, many of whom have already lost their jobs, not had their contracts renewed, or are likely to be redundant in the coming weeks https://t.co/fcQterZDTb
The fears over staff on fixed-term contracts have been echoed by students. Helen Stott, a first-year English Literature student, said: “One of the main reasons behind the strikes was the high proportion of fixed-term contracts and the University’s over-reliance on precarious labour at the expense of the security and mental health of academic workers.
“We can now see why those disputes over job security took place – because in a time of humanitarian crisis those workers are treated as entirely disposable.”
Student societies have also begun speaking out, with the Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) society publishing an open letter criticising the University.
The letter reads: “We wish to express our solidarity with Professional support staff, teaching staff and GTAs facing the prospect of unemployment.
“If the plan to not renew fixed-term contracts and to cut the [graduate teaching assistant] budget goes ahead, we do not see how HCRI can continue to deliver the great quality teaching and support it prides itself on.”
Over ONE THIRD of the work done at the University of Manchester is done by precarious staff.
That's 34.5% of staff when expressed as 'full time equivalents' (FTEs). By headcount, we are 44.3% of the entire university. 5861 of us.
— Manchester Anti-Precarity Network (@Mcr_Precariat) May 28, 2020
According to UCU data, approximately 45% of the teaching staff at the University of Manchester are on fixed-term contracts. This could mean that cuts have a significant impact on the student learning experience.
Last week The Mancunion reported that that the University is planning to scale up class sizes for the 2020/21 academic year, with staff members saying that the measures could result in tutorial classes being increased by up to a quarter.
When asked if cuts to fixed-term staff could lead to suspended modules and larger workloads for remaining staff, a University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The University understands these are challenging times for everyone, especially our staff and students.
“Staff on fixed-term contracts (FTCs) are of great importance to our University and make a very valuable contribution to our teaching, research, social responsibility and professional services.
“We recognise their inevitable concerns about their future careers, especially under the challenging current circumstances. That is why we are working closely with our university colleagues, and in consultation with the trade unions on this issue.
“Given the potential impact of COVID-19 on University finances for us and across the sector, we must prepare and plan for all possible eventualities. However, in all our decisions we will be seeking to protect and indeed enhance the student experience here at Manchester.
“With regard to class sizes, no changes have been agreed or announced.”
The continued need to fight for society’s most marginalised communities shouldn’t take a backseat during the lockdown. Now is a time for protest.
The Mancunion spoke with several of Manchester’s activist groups, from those representing the Black Lives Matter movement, to climate and LGBT activists. We asked them how people can continue fighting for important causes during the coronavirus pandemic and this is what they said.
Voice your support on social media
Letting your voice be heard on social media has many benefits. Social media can be used to communicate with other activists and let them know they are not fighting alone. It can also be used to condemn unacceptable behaviour.
Always take time to ensure you do your research, and do not detract from the voices that most define the movement.
You should make sure that what you share on social media is sensitive and well-informed. This is particularly important for those who ally themselves with a cause in which they are not the primary victims.
Always take time to ensure you do your research, and do not detract from the voices that most define the movement. Remember to amplify the work of the people most directly impacted by an issue. This might include sharing their work or opinions, or posting links to their public social media accounts so your friends and family can follow them.
Ensure that your actions are not merely performative, and that you take other actions that invest you in a cause. This means that when you call others to action, ensure that you also follow through yourself.
Donate to impactful organisations
Donate to organisations, funds, and charities that directly aid those in need. But remember to check that the bodies you donate to are credible and effective.
If you are unsure, you can consult the websites or social media accounts of well known campaigns such as the official Black Lives Matter website. Here you can find information about where your money should be going, in order to maximise its impact.
Most official campaigns have compiled lists of charities that they support.
Donate to organisations, funds, and charities that directly aid those in need.
If you are unable to donate, there are still ways to financially support your causes. You can plan a fundraiser event, such as an online pub quiz or a live stream or by simply asking your friends to donate on social media.
Many activists have also created Youtube videos which contain advertisements in order to raise money for causes. Just watching these videos could help your causes a fair bit but remember to turn off any ad-blockers you have installed.
Remain aware and educated
Many of us have much to learn about the problems that our society needs to overcome and about how existing injustices impact the lives of people around us.
It is important to understand how situations evolve in real-time to understand what still needs to be done.
Take this time to not only stay updated on the news, but also read longer pieces or analyses of the structural issues that make these injustices difficult but necessary to solve.
Many organisations have compiled reading lists to help their members gain a better understanding of the movement. Also, following various campaigns on social media can help you stay informed about events being organised and what you can do to help.
— University of Manchester Students’ Union (@ManchesterSU) June 3, 2020
Write a letter to your MP and sign petitions
Even out of lockdown, writing to your MPs and signing petitions is a good way to remain politically involved with your cause. It can provide pressure for MPs and public officials to take substantive action to aid your movement.
If you are drafting an email, letter or a petition, remember to introduce who you are and why you care about the issue you are raising. Be as specific as possible about your concerns and what tangible actions you would like to be taken.
Ask your local MP to provide evidence or a track record on their public stance and voting history. This may help you make informed political decisions in future elections. Try not to be discouraged when you do not receive a response straight away and always follow up if you do not get a reply.
Many of these issues have localised and devastating impacts on marginalised people in society. Try to keep in mind that the groups impacted by an issue are not just abstract collectives, but are real individuals.
In times of lockdown, tragic political events can feel especially isolating. Take time to reach out to them and check that they are okay, listen to them, and ask how you can help them personally and ensure that you reach out in a way that helps them.
If you are in a privileged position, do not communicate guilt, meekness, or fear as they may feel compelled to comfort you. Try not to ask them to educate you on how you can aid the cause because it may add to the mental labour they already have.
Instead, start with a sincere apology that they are going through a difficult time and clearly communicate that you wish to help them. Word it carefully so they have room to either accept your support or gently push you away if they need space.
Attend public protests responsibly
There is no getting around it, public protests are a very real vector of COVID-19. However, not all public gatherings are equal. Some are trivial, can be delayed or are simply motivated by unsubstantiated concerns. Other public gatherings can be underpinned by immediate moral urgency, hence it is understandable that public protests still have a place during the lockdown.
— Manc Culture Bear (@mancculturebear) May 31, 2020
Doctors and public health officials have issued advice on how to minimise the spread of COVID while taking to the streets.
Maintain social distance and wear protective masks and regularly use hand sanitiser. Do not yell, and try to use signs and noisemakers instead. Stick to a small group of people you know and keep contact with unknown people low. Campaign group decolonise UoM also urge people to read up on their rights.
Doctors and public health officials have issued advice on how to minimise the spread of COVID while taking to the streets.
Do not attend physical protests if you feel ill or if there are vulnerable people in your household. Instead, consider other ways of protesting like putting a sign on your window or your doorstep to show your support on the day.
Plan to protest? Here are tips to reduce the risk of spreading #COVID19: ✔️Wear a face covering ✔️Wear eye protection to prevent injury ✔️Stay hydrated ✔️Use hand sanitizer ✔️Don't yell; use signs & noise makers instead ✔️Stick to a small group ✔️Keep 6 feet from other groups
It was about two weeks ago that my therapist said: “treat yourself to something nice, it’s a pandemic, you deserve it!” And to be honest, I did. It would be unfair to say that my therapist is the one who gave me the idea of online shopping, as I had intended on splurging regardless as an act of ‘self-care.’ So a few days later I found myself surrounded by my little splurge from ASOS and yet, my anxiety about the pandemic remained. The only difference was that I had two cute tops and £27 less in my bank account.
Recently, the founder of AO.com said that lockdown had accelerated the rate of online shopping by five years in just five weeks. It’s more popular than ever and it seems we simply can’t get enough of it. If my experience of lockdown has taught me anything, it’s that there are two things on hand for me: restlessness and an endless supply of online shopping that can be done.
There is no one explicit definition of self-care, and capitalism has, for the lack of a better word, capitalised on that. It seems like every company is now selling their products, some with hefty discounts due to the pandemic, under the guise of an ever-present ‘treat yourself, you deserve it!’ motto. The growing presence of this ‘treat yourself’ culture begs the question: how do we recognise the line between self-care and indulgence?
Self-care culture and capitalism have joined hands in commercialising taking care of yourself. But it is important to remember that self-care is ultimately about you taking care of yourself in whatever capacity you need. Capitalism has turned this language and belief on its head and equated taking care of yourself with spending money. Why shouldn’t you buy that expensive face mask? You’ve been stressed and you deserve some time off – with a face mask, of course.
This became apparent in the language of a Buzzfeed post I read recently. The article seemed almost seductive in its promise of comfort and reassurance in this time of unprecedented anxiety, encouraging me to do some ‘soothing’ activities. I couldn’t help but feel bewildered by the list of ‘must-have’ products – this soothing content just felt like a tool in a huge marketing plan.
There are now websites focused on self-care budgets which suggests self-care may only be available for those who can afford it. If you don’t want to spend money on an adult colouring book that apparently helps calm your anxiety, does that mean self-care is not for you? It is apparent that these websites seem to miss the point; self-care isn’t exclusively for those who can afford it and you don’t need to buy something in order to be kind to yourself.
It is okay to be indulgent in this time, however this does not need the guise of ‘self-care’ to make it valid. This disguise of self-indulgence has distorted the image of self-care and only seems to focus on how ‘instagrammable’ an activity can be. That ‘instagrammable’ cup of tea next to your aesthetically pretty journal. But, sometimes, self-care can be reminding yourself that you need that glass of water more than a glass of wine, or watching an entire Netflix series instead of doing some yoga, regardless of how that would look on social media. Importantly, self-care isn’t just taking care of yourself temporarily by impulsively buying something, it is about the long-term care and kindness that you give yourself and the coping mechanisms you find.
It seems that self-care marketers do have one key detail right: it is a good time to practice self-care. So whip out your face masks, bake a cake, call a friend, stay in pyjamas, or do something that will truly allow you to take care of yourself. Most things don’t need to come with a price tag.
