Holistic Education: Collaborating with Girls’ Schools

An issue of considerable interest to parents in our single sex senior School is what co-educational experiences Shore can embody within the overarching structure of educating boys. It is very good to know that the girls’ schools with which we cooperate, reflecting the views of their parents, are just as keen for such experiences as are Shore and our parents. This is a case of the best of both worlds, or more colloquially, having our cake and eating it too. In this case, we want to manifest outstanding excellence in the domain of boys’ education (that is the ‘cake’) with helpful, structured experiences in cooperation with girls’ schools (that is the ‘icing’). What follows is an extensive briefing by our Acting Deputy Head, Pastoral Care, Mr Derek Champion. 

Dr John Collier 
Headmaster 

Building Good Men

This article delves into the innovative initiatives undertaken by Shore in its approach to ensuring a holistic approach that is inclusive and builds good character. To achieve this end, the School has embarked on many collaborative initiatives with girls’ schools to provide boys with a comprehensive and authentic education. This approach aims to cultivate values like respect, integrity, and compassion, transcending gender, cultural, and social boundaries, and emphasising the significance of these virtues for all individuals. 

Through strategic partnerships with girls’ schools, Shore aims to engage boys with an educational model that goes beyond the norm. These collaborative efforts extend outside the classroom. From shared pastoral care programs that nurture empathy and emotional intelligence to endeavours in performing arts that involve creative exploration, we seek to promote unity and mutual understanding. Additionally, our service-learning initiatives empower students to engage with diverse communities, instilling a sense of social responsibility and an opportunity to put character into action. 

Character Education 
Our well-established Senior School Cadet Programme is a significant and vital partnership with neighbouring Wenona. This program transcends traditional boundaries, fostering an environment where young boys and girls come together to test their leadership skills within the framework of an army cadet corp. The programme focuses on developing teamwork, humility, and respect, but also creates bonds of friendship and service.  

This partnership aligns purposefully with our Character Education approach, designed to equip our young people with the tools to connect meaningfully, empathise, collaborate, and mentor. Moving outside the classroom, this experience is intentionally designed to challenge each student beyond their comfort zone, building confidence and resilience that will serve them well in every area of life. 

Annually, around 60 Shore boys and 60 girls from Abbotsleigh unite to create ‘Shabbots,’ a CRU camp held at Galston Gorge. The Shabbot’s camp stands out due to the exceptional leadership of students. Students from both Abbotsleigh and Shore take charge of planning and leading most of the activities, showcasing their dedication and preparedness in action. Alongside insightful talks, participants engage in discussion groups, singing, games, and a theme night focused on a treasure hunt. The return of former students who shared their school experiences and the enduring impact of their Christian faith is a further highlight of the weekend. 

Another significant facet of Shore’s CRU group involves Roseville College. On select Fridays, students from both schools convene for an inspiring session of conversation, games, and biblical insights. This student-led initiative has proven to be encouraging, demonstrating the commitment of both schools to mutually build and uplift one another within the two CRU groups. 

Service Learning 
Our Service-Learning initiatives also offer numerous opportunities for engagement and collaboration with various girls’ schools. Currently, Shore collaborates with Queenwood for the annual sleepout at Rough Edges, alongside Year 11 girls from that school. Students gain insights into patrons’ experiences and stories, and engage in various activities during the evening, fostering group work, reflective discussions, and inquiry. Furthermore, Queenwood and Shore engage in training for weekly service at Rough Edges Cafe, working together on risk management, communication skills, and specific scenarios to support the patrons.  

A further example is the annual Sony Camp. Each November, Shore’s Year 11 boys engage in Camp training days and the camp itself, working alongside girls from Pymble Ladies College to their mutual benefit.  

The Sony Camp’s focus on providing children with disabilities with a space for fun and skill development significantly contributes to the Year 11 students’ growth, by instilling the values of inclusivity and empathy and fostering a positive environment and relationships with children with disabilities.  

The students become role models and mentors, encouraging responsibility and leadership. Their support creates a nurturing environment that boosts the self-esteem and confidence of the visiting children. As they witness the impact of their actions on the campers’ lives, Year 11 students deepen their understanding of empathy and the importance of forging meaningful connections. As well as aiding in the social and emotional development of students, the boys gain a broader perspective on gender equality and the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity. 

Ultimately, experiences gained through working with girls during the Sony Camp training days and camp play an instrumental role in shaping these Year 11 students into compassionate, socially conscious, and emotionally intelligent individuals, reflecting the values of ‘Good Men’.

Looking ahead to 2024, we plan to work with Wenona, Queenwood, and Roseville, in collaboration with Impact 100, to create a day/night event focused on understanding homelessness. This will culminate in a ‘pitch’ style presentation highlighting six non-government/charity organisations, like the broader Impact 100 event hosted by the Sydney Community Foundation. This event will involve several Shore students in a service day within Year 10 and other Houses. 

Shore also aims to incorporate girls’ schools into their Year 11 Service week in December, alongside other new initiatives involving partnerships with BaptistCare, Bill Crews Foundation, Salvation Army, and HopeStreet. While the details are not yet finalised, these initiatives hold the potential to include girls’ schools, encompassing various houses and year groups from Shore. 

Co-Curricular Activities  
Participating in a range of co-curricular Music and Drama activities at Shore provides boys with opportunities to develop performance skills, collaborative abilities, communication skills, and confidence. Engaging with theatre and drama exposes them to the intricacies of the human condition, nurturing empathy, and social and emotional intelligence. While this aspect is integral to our programs, both co-curricular and curricular, it’s the longstanding partnerships with girls’ schools in numerous productions and experiences over the years that enable boys to grasp the essence of striving to become good men. Similarly, previous combined performances, such as last year’s Spring Concert, and masterclasses provide an opportunity to engage together with girls’ schools and enrich the breadth of our music-making. 

The shared dedication and creative energy required to bring a theatre production to life encourages boys and girls to listen, support, empower, and celebrate each other’s contributions, both as individuals and as a collective. Beyond embodying the characters they portray, they deepen their understanding of one another and themselves through healthy relationships on and off the stage. The theatre realm mirrors the world outside the school gates, encompassing challenges, triumphs, dilemmas, and moments that push our youth beyond their comfort zones in each rehearsal process. These experiences are shared by boys and girls in an environment that values inclusivity, gender equality, and respect for diversity. After all, drama, a living exploration of humanity, thrives on embracing diversity. 

The partnership with girls’ schools extends across Shore’s performing arts domain. Students from Roseville College, Wenona, Loreto Kirribilli, Pymble Ladies College, Willoughby Girls’ High School, SCEGGS Darlinghurst, and Redlands are welcomed annually for the Shore Musical on both the stage and in the Orchestra pit. Often, they are also part of the Year 8 play, Middle School play, Senior play, and Student-Directed productions. This collaboration has expanded to encompass curriculum experiences. The HSC Drama cohorts from select girls’ schools have joined forces with the boys for HSC Drama IP Monitoring evenings, offering mutual encouragement and feedback. The blend of boys’ and girls’ qualities and approaches enriches this process, fostering valuable cross-learning. Additionally, opportunities have been created for the Senior Theatre Group to attend productions alongside students from partner girls’ schools. The ensuing robust discussions about these productions are enlightening and impressive. 

The commitment to fostering these vital partnerships with girls’ schools is unwavering. The inclusion of girls in our Drama programs surpasses the mere portrayal of female characters. All participants benefit from these shared experiences, with one of the many advantages being that boys develop a deeper understanding, both explicit and implicit, of what it means to evolve into ‘Good Men’. 

A holistic approach 
The significance of a school like Shore offering a holistic education cannot be overstated. The intertwining of authentic interactions with neighbouring girls’ schools forms a foundation for a well-rounded education that prepares Good Men for life. This approach transcends mere gender perspectives. It extends to encompass a comprehensive understanding of diverse cultures and social dynamics, to foster open-mindedness, and a spirit of collaboration. 

Shore’s Pastoral Care team has thoughtfully partnered with girls’ schools for many years to facilitate essential social and emotional learning experiences for boys. The annual Building Connections initiative with Roseville College and Queenwood encourages joint learning about respectful relationships, as well as discussions on critical topics such as consent education, mental health awareness, and cyber safety. Currently, we are partnering in a joint research project in Year 10 with North Sydney Girls High School, focused on gambling prevention for young people to develop financial literacy. It’s crucial that students collectively learn and engage with these significant themes, fostering open dialogue and the sharing of personal insights and perspectives. 

Shore’s commitment to fostering connections extends to engaging in various social events with neighbouring girls’ schools. One such example is the participation in school dances, such as the Year 10 Formal, which Shore shares with Pymble Ladies College. This partnership goes beyond the dance floor, as students from both schools connect prior to the event to establish friendships and collaboratively plan the occasion. This approach exemplifies the value of student voice in promoting agency, empowering students to work together, and honing their social and emotional skills. By participating actively in the planning process, students not only create a memorable experience but also foster lasting friendships across schools. 

Furthermore, this commitment to connection and camaraderie is reflected in the Year 12 students’ engagement in a series of friendly sporting contests with neighbouring girls’ schools. These contests provide an avenue for students to have fun while engaging in healthy competition. This approach promotes physical wellbeing and overall wellness. As students engage in these friendly sports events, they develop skills in teamwork, collaboration, and sportsmanship.  

Our schools share in a unified purpose to nurture young people of character who are respectful, compassionate, and principled. It is foundational to our Christian ethos and guiding virtues.  

The commitment to providing a complete education, grounded in diverse and challenging experiences, sets the stage for our boys to thrive and embrace the complexities of a global society with an open heart and an eager mind. 

Mr D Champion 
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care 

Chaplain’s Chat

Hope is a powerful force for all of us. All of us have hoped for things and even longed for things to get better. The expectation or desire for a particular outcome is strong in all of us. A lack of hope can lead to paralysing fear or a self-interested control of events as far as we can manage! So often for many of us, when our future is not secure or sure, we can be very anxious, whether this is simply the result of not knowing how a day will unfold or being anxious about that big upcoming event.  

In Chapel, we are looking at the book of Exodus, and we have just seen how the Israelites have been delivered from slavery by a mighty act of God. And yet, as they leave Egypt and are confronted by the Red Sea in front of them and a vengeful Egyptian army coming after them, I am sure many were anxious. Indeed, they complain to God and Moses and seek to return to slavery in Egypt. And yet, in a seemingly impossible situation confronting them, God again intervenes and miraculously rescues his people as he causes the sea to part and the people travel through on dry land. This amazing Biblical narrative speaks of the God who rescues us. It speaks of the God who is in control, and it speaks of the God who cares for his people. And of course, it points to the great rescue that God has won for all people, in the person of his Son Jesus, who dies on a Cross and rescues us from our sins. Because of Jesus, we are reminded that we have a ‘living hope’ in life. As 1 Peter 1:3 says: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” While never knowing what each day will bring, a hope found in Jesus means that we can face each day knowing that God is with us, he cares for us and our future with him is secure.  

Rev. Anthony Benn 
Chaplain 

Confirmation Service

On Sunday 27 August we held our Annual Confirmation service in the Shore Chapel. In a service that was presided over by Bishop Chris Edwards, 11 boys stood publicly to declare their desire to follow Jesus in their lives. In a time when many might think twice about sharing their thoughts and opinions, these young men did this before their family and friends. We were reminded by the Bishop that because of Jesus and his death on the Cross for us, we can have a relationship with God. Bishop Edwards referred to John 14 and the preparing of a place that Jesus has already done for those that follow him. These 11 boys were declaring their desire to follow Jesus. Of course, we need help in all sorts of areas in our life and we were also reminded as people to support each other, affirm faith and pray for each other. Our desire is to do this for these confirmees into the future.  

Rev. Anthony Benn  
Chaplain  

CRU Update

When you think of a king, what comes to mind? Possibly King Charles and Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace, perhaps a crown and royal attire. But this week we saw that God’s choice of a new king for Israel was not based on outward appearance, but the heart. 

Mr Sheldon was speaking at CRU this week, looking at 1 Samuel 16. We saw how God sent Samuel to Jesse’s family to anoint one of them as the new king of Israel after Saul, the first king, had drifted away from God. As Samuel saw some of Jesse’s sons, he began to guess which one was chosen. However, while humans so often focus on the outward appearance of people, God views people differently as He looks at their hearts. One by one, God rejected the sons of Jesse until there were none remaining. But when Samuel asked if there were any more, Jesse mentioned his youngest, who was a shepherd tending the flock. This was David, one of the key figures of the Old Testament. God chose David as his heart was set on God. Mr Sheldon spoke about how this story shows us that God uses unexpected people throughout the Bible to accomplish and achieve his will and purpose.  

Ultimately, this story is pointing to the coming King Jesus, who was an even greater king than David, completely obeying God in everything. He gave up everything in physical appearance and came down from his seat of glory to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus is the eternal king, and if we trust in him as the king of our life, we have crossed from death to life. What amazing news!  

CRU Group meets in the Christian Studies building on Friday lunchtime – we will be continuing 1 Samuel in the coming weeks and would love to have more boys coming along to hear this good news.  

Daniel Becker 
Year 10 TY4 

Boarding Update

Weekend Activities

When I look at the variety of weekend activities that the Boarders are involved in, I do so with admiration for the Housemasters and Assistant Housemasters. They certainly provide many opportunities for Boarders from all Houses to have fun. In the past couple of weekends, Boarders have enjoyed each other’s company in the Houses on weekends as they have cooked Saturday night feasts, walked to Kirribilli and enjoyed ice creams, played golf, visited various girls’ schools on social outings, gone to the beach, been involved in the City to Surf, and watched The Matildas play extraordinary soccer. There is still much to be planned, with a ‘Lip Sync’ competition and Interhouse Trivia competition planned for the next couple of weeks. Many of these activities involve students mixing from across Houses – so encouraging to see. 

Study, Bowling, Pizza Night In, More Study and a bit of Cricket Catching Practice in the Gym! 

One reason the vertical system in the Boarding house works so well is seeing a Year 11 student studying for his Physics Examination, wandering over to a Year 12 student’s dorm, and getting some advice on his studies from someone who completed that very content a year earlier. It is even better when senior boys go out of their way, without prompting, to help the junior boys with any tasks at hand. As Year 12 finishes their last Shore Examinations (well done, gents!) and Year 11 embarks on their End of Year Examinations, the House has been fairly quiet with tutors working overtime! A few activities over the weekend kept everyone busy, with a few boys heading out to Strike Bowling on Saturday morning, followed by a Pizza and Footy Night, a few competing in Grand Finals for Club Rugby, and a session in the gym on Sunday afternoon sharpening the catching skills for the upcoming cricket season.

Can You Believe It’s Winter? 

It is the middle of Winter, but that didn’t stop us as we enjoyed a BBQ lunch outside and hit the beach. On a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed gourmet sausages, sirloin fillets, salad, drinks and cupcakes. Afterwards, we headed to Balmoral  Beach for a swim and games, then home for dinner and footy on the telly. Nice one! 

Weekend in Robson House 

It was a fairly quiet weekend, and the boys enjoyed another firepit night with some scotch fillets, brownies and ice cream. Sunday saw a few of the boys making the most of the amazing facilities here at Shore, including the gym floor and trampolines. We continue to wish the Year 11s good luck as they continue their exams this week. 

Adjusting to Boarding School is always expected to be a challenge, but the Shore community made the transition very easy. I have joined Shore this Term and have already made friends that could last a lifetime. My highlights of the Term so far are Friday Feeds and scoring my first try. I feel supported and encouraged to try my best at Shore by my peers. These are the factors that have made Shore the best for me. 

Campbell B
Year 9, Hodges House

If you are interested in weekly Boarding, please contact Director of Boarding, Mr Roland directly at boarding@shore.nsw.edu.au.

AAGPS Athletics

Each year, the major AAGPS Sporting events provide an opportunity for the boys of the School to come together to show support for their School and our athletes.  

All boys in Years 8, 9 and 10 are required to attend the AAGPS Athletics on Saturday 16 September.  

Boys in Year 12 are welcome to attend.  

A train has been arranged to transport boys to and from Homebush, with the cost added to boys’ next fee statement. Boys are expected to wear School summer uniform (no coats or boaters) with their yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap. A separate communication has been sent home to parents with more specific details. 

Dr A S Mansfield  
Deputy Head Operations 

Term Dates 2023 – 2024

Introducing our Boarding Virtual Tour  

Boarding allows students to engage and experience all that Shore offers. Not only do the boys receive access to a high-quality education and world-class facilities, but they also gain a community that fosters independence and self-reliance, preparing them for success outside of the School.  

We understand how difficult it can be for regional families to get to the School for a tour; therefore, our virtual tour is designed to give families interested in Shore Boarding the ability to see inside School House and view our fantastic facilities without travelling.  

Take the virtual tour now!

Emotionally Intelligent Parenting

Tuning in to Teens^TM

A six-session parenting programme for parents of students in Years 7 to 10. 

Would you like to learn how to: 

• be better at talking with your teen 
• be better at understanding your teen 
• help your teen learn to manage their emotions 
• help to prevent behaviour problems in your teen 
• teach your teen to deal with conflict. 

Tuning in to Teens^TM shows you how to help your teen develop emotional intelligence.  

Adolescents with higher emotional intelligence: 

• are more aware, assertive and strong in situations of peer pressure 
• have greater success with making friends and are more able to manage conflict with peers 
• are more able to cope when upset or angry 
• have fewer mental health and substance abuse difficulties 
• have more stable and satisfying relationships as adults 
• have greater career success – emotional intelligence may be a better predictor of academic and career success than IQ! 
   

Where: Shore Senior Campus 
When: Thursdays, Weeks 2 to 7, Term 4 
Time: 8:00am – 10:00am  
Contact: Madeleine Wilson (School Psychologist), mwilson@shore.nsw.edu.au  

Spots are limited, so get in early! 

Career News – University Open Days

Students across all years are encouraged to visit and explore. The earlier you start the research process of post-school options, the better informed decisions you will make. You can meet lots of people and learn about the latest research developments across many subject areas. 

There are many info sessions, workshops and campus tours available.  

Upcoming Open Days

The latest issue of Careers News, has been released, which has a wealth of events and opportunities for families to explore. It can be accessed on the Careers Lampada page.

Ms V Shirriff 
Head of Careers Education 

Holiday Workshops

Holiday Workshops will be offered from Monday 25 September, to Year 12 boys for the upcoming school holidays. These have proven successful in providing boys with structure that complements their individual study programmes.  

Each three-hour Holiday Workshop session will consist of coverage of important HSC topics in that subject. A mix of strategies will be used in order to maximise learning: revision lecture, structured tutorial and discussion. Workshops will generally be limited to a minimum of seven and a maximum of approximately 20 boys. A fee of $70 (incl GST) will be charged per workshop, which represents excellent value compared to externally run HSC lecture courses. Boys are encouraged strongly to make good use of the workshops and are expected to stay until the end of each workshop.

A selection form will be handed to each boy in Year 12 and is to be returned to Ms Ducrou, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Headmaster – Academic. Boys may choose as many sessions as they like. Every attempt will be made to accommodate all boys, but it might be necessary to restrict the number of boys in a particular workshop, depending upon demand. This will be done on a first come, first serve basis. 

Charges will be made to the next fee statement on a no-refund basis.   

A list of all available workshops is available through the school’s portal, Lampada.

Boys will not be required to wear school uniforms.

Boys are not encouraged to drive to school for the workshops. However, if they do drive, they are not allowed to park on school property under any circumstances.

We do hope that each boy will participate in the workshops, which, according to boys in the Classes of 1999 – 2022, contributed well to their success at the HSC examinations.

Mr I M Middleton
Assistant to the Deputy Head Academic

The Ultimate (and Objectively Correct) English Text Tier List 

Ranking The Literary Extravaganza That Is Shore English

M. D. Kwak

ENGLISH ISN’T JUST A SUBJECT. It’s an intense, life changing experience. Upon the completion of each book, film or literary opus, you emerge a different being.

Presenting to you: every single text from Years 7 to 11 ranked on a tier list with accompanying commentary. 

GOAT: All-time greats, undisputed masterpieces, boasting unparalleled literary genius.

Fantastic Mr Fox: Goat teacher (the much-missed Mr Clarke) + Goat filmmaker (Wes Anderson) + Goat storyline (anthropomorphic foxes stealing a bunch of turkey and cider from farmers). No, genuinely, this movie remains an all-time classic for Shore students of English and unironically has some beautiful moments and elegantly masterful moments. If I can still remember the waterfall shot and the Boggis, Bunce and Bean: One Fat, One Short, One Lean song, this film has literally transcended time and space with its cathartic musical score and stop-motion animation. It’s a hugely entertaining film but also one you can write a heartfelt, tear jerking essay on – a growing rarity in English these days.

Catcher in the Rye: I am literally Holden Caulfield – cynical high school dropout, red hunting cap, teenage vernacular and all. Mr Penn made it ten times better, bestowing unto us a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual opportunity. Year 10 Term Two English was something of an existential awakening – a peak of existence I’m not sure will come again. Also, the Old Spencer “life is a game” chapter hits a bit too close to school.

S: Excellent pieces of fiction that keep me up at night with intrusive thoughts.    

Parasite: Must I say more? It’s got everything. The peach montage. The stairs. Late-stage capitalism. American imperialism. Precise, geometric camerawork. It’s simply a masterpiece and as 11EE3A-1 should know by now, I can watch it without the subtitles on. If you need any excuse to do Extension English, this film is it.

Macbeth: The guy’s character arc goes crazy, and the spooky witches and Lady Macbeth are chef’s kiss.  

Blade Runner: Vangelis really pops off here. This isn’t a movie. It’s an immersion into the cyberpunk genre itself – that features Prodigal Son 2.0 but with ocular motifs.

A: Texts that made me love English classes.  

Dracula: It’s that good, so go read it. It’s honestly amazing how many veiled sexual insinuations Stoker makes in the novel (an art of subtlety I am fervently studying in order to reproduce in future articles). Contextually, this book is fascinating, and it boasts the whole package: early feminism, voluptuousness, and religious doctrine. Have I mentioned the staking and piercing white teeth?

Merchant of Venice: Shylock hard carries – nothing more to be said. Stocksy is dearly missed as well.  

Moonrise Kingdom: Unpopular opinion, I’m aware, in all its profound Wes Anderson complexity (this is a joke, please don’t hurt me). I only recently found out that there’s a whole sequence filled with biblical allusions to Noah’s Ark, and it makes sense conceptually too? And the colours and cinematography are really nice to look at. Although I’m sure most of us were too enthralled in the prepubescent love story to take notice.

C: Decent – showed hints of excellence at times.

Never Let Me Go: Some nice writing at times but slow to get into at the start. Can appreciate what Ishiguro is trying to do but requires you re-reading it two or three times to really gain the fullest experience on offer.

King Lear: The messier, weirder and harder (to write an essay on) cousin of Macbeth. 

Hot tip: Stay away from the Freudian psychosexual analysis (as appealing as the Reverse Oedipus “Leir” Complex may seem).

Mystery Road: It would have been lower but Mr Penn cooked up some cracking analysis to compensate for its realistically slow plot (showing us cinema verité was actually a clever technique purposefully employed by Sen).

The Happiest Man on Earth: A good read and I would recommend it to anybody, but unfortunately I didn’t spend enough time on it to rate it higher.

E: Questionable texts but nevertheless bearable.

I am Legend: Will Smith fights zombies with his dog.

Romeo and Juliet: My least favourite Shakespeare.  

Maus: The Holocaust, reimagined with animal species. A clever graphic novel but it didn’t get the time it deserved, so my experience with it is limited.

L: Shore should consider changing these (if they haven’t already).

Road to Winter: Maybe the surfing and the dog were meant to be relatable to Shore boys? If Shore insists on doing dystopian novels for Year 9, may I suggest A Clockwork Orange as a far more compelling and age-appropriate text to study?

King of Shadows: Forgettable. A story about a guy performing Shakespeare with a weird time travel plot does my King Shakespeare no justice at all. Seems like the English department realised – as far as I’m aware, only one cohort (my own) was lucky enough to get the King of Shadows experience.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The experience of chilling in Clarke’s classroom watching a fever-dream movie with fairies and potions? 10/10. For studying literature? N/A. The vibes were there, but the Englishing wasn’t (not that I’m complaining too much).

Full view of tier list.

Race To The Podium

How America’s Current Frontrunners Fare in Opposition

B. N. Dent

AS THE 2024 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION looms ever closer, you would think that the frontrunners would start to get their act together, right?

You would think that they would want to be putting their best foot forward by making logical decisions and upholding a formidable public image. However, over the past few months, we have essentially seen the opposite unfold as the future leaders of America have been placing themselves in the spotlight for predominantly wrongful reasons. With this, the degree of tribalism and political unrest continues to intensify within Uncle Sam’s Dominion. 

I’m currently studying William Shakespeare’s King Lear for Advanced English (something to look forward to for all you eager word-lovers), and every time I look at US political news, the parallels between this fictional play and our current reality become ever clearer. So, let’s have a look at the frontrunners and some of the silly shenanigans they have gotten themselves into as of late. To give some context, the most recent nationwide presidential polls for the 2024 election show a split with 43% of voters electing Trump, 43% electing Biden, and 14% not voting – probably the decision I would make with the current candidates. Nevertheless, let’s get into the alpha males currently leading their red/blue packs.

For the Democrats, coming in at the young and mentally optimal age of 80, we have current president Joe Biden or “Sleepy Joe ” as labelled by main competitor, Donald Trump. However, as I review the recent inaccuracies during President Biden’s term, I aim to avoid fixating solely on the prominent traits that the right-wing media has targeted. 

These areas of target include allegations such as him nodding off during interviews or his struggle, nine times out of ten, to articulate cohesive thoughts. The rationale behind the right-wing media’s focus on these attributes stems from the seamlessness in being able to present these aspects to their audience as the core shortcomings of their present leader. Rather than opting for a more difficult and intricate approach, such as critiquing Biden’s foreign policy acumen, these media outlets are choosing the straightforward path, confident that their audience will eat it up. I guess that’s the job of media outlets: to put down what their audience will pick up, but in the case of Biden, I think that it has led to a misrepresentation of his value as president, and this has been perpetuated by memes and TikToks which have heavily influenced younger generations’ perception of their leader. 

Nevertheless, let’s take a look at some of Biden’s recent shortcomings in the political realm. Specifically, his inadequate management of the United States’ trade relationship with China. Upon election, Biden was posed with the conundrum of whether he should be accommodating to China or follow in the steps of his predecessor in worsening US-China relations which had hit a low-point under the Trump administration. Initially, it seemed as though the Biden administration was going to try and rekindle their relationship with China, as we saw the president decreasing trade restrictions previously imposed on the nation and desiring to meet with Chinese leaders more frequently. However, since February of this year, with threats of China invading Taiwan and the Chinese spy balloon incident, Biden’s political agenda regarding China has majorly shifted. This transformation is evident in his imposition of substantial trade restrictions and tariffs on China, strategically aimed at undermining their economic prowess and diminishing their overall influence. These restrictions have been met with complementary trade policies from China, which has in turn, shattered the level of international trade between the two nations. 

Biden’s most recent weapon in this economic warfare was banning private sector investment into the most sensitive technologies of China. So, although Biden may be appealing to some voters who might be anti-China or anti-globalisation, he is also creating the possibility for the US to face long-term economic consequences. The predominant source of America’s imports from China is rooted in the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Chinese goods. Disrupting this symbiotic connection would compel the United States to turn to pricier imports, potentially exacerbating the financial strain on an already heavily indebted nation. 

Now, coming in for the Republicans, at 6’3” and 215 pounds (according to the Atlanta gaol report) we have former President and billionaire Donald J. Trump. Unlike Biden, this man’s recent shenanigans are far more black and white. Just a week ago, Trump turned himself into Fulton County Jail and became the first ever former president to have a mugshot taken. He is currently facing a total of 13 criminal allegations relating to interfering in Georgia’s 2020 election in an attempt to have it overruled. Trump has labelled these charges as a political persecution. And whilst there is a chance that he may be innocent, the image of an upcoming presidential candidate in goal is very bad for his campaign.

Former US President Abraham Lincoln once said: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” This sentiment finds resonance in the recent deeds of both Biden and Trump, and as political uncertainty looms, it lays the groundwork for a captivating 2024 election.

No Time for Title

No Time For Tagline 

M. J. Kim

THERE IS NOTHING I LOVE MORE than relearning all of the year’s material for one exam. In light of the Year 12 Trials and Year 11 Yearly Examinations, I want to share my tips so that when Term 4 rolls around, you can feel just as prepared and confident as I do going into the exam room, and enjoy the preparation process as much as me.

You want to start your exam preparations by thinking about how inefficient you’ve been in the past. Really, you’re probably just feeling a bit lazy at the moment – but surely there’s a way to get top marks without studying? You can either get started early and aim to pace yourself, but I personally think it’s better to spend the weeks leading up to an exam watching videos on how to prepare for exams. That way, you can realise that it’s too late to implement any of the strategies the self-proclaimed ‘study gurus’ offer, and then tell yourself that you’ll 100% do them next time. But don’t fall into the trap of actually listening to those videos.

When preparing for exams, you want to make sure you aren’t burning yourself out. Mental health is very important. That’s why I try to offset all work for future me, so that present me can focus on enjoying the moment. At the end of the Term, you want to get into the habit of telling yourself that you’ll do most of the work during the holidays to get ahead. But obviously, holidays are for rest and recuperation. Don’t worry, there are still around six weeks until you get back to School to prepare for exams. 

Wait, it’s Week 6 already, and you’ve still done no preparation! You thought you were still in Week 5? Don’t worry, because at least you’re winning the obligatory “I’m less prepared than you are” bragging competition between you and your mates.

In all seriousness, from here on out, you want to establish a rigid schedule according to the order of your exams. On Monday, you have English. Great, so you can start reading the text on Sunday. On Tuesday, there’s math, so you can work on that Monday night, etc. If you’re feeling really determined, you can organise a group cram session final revision session with your classmates, so that you can all distract each other even more.

It’s 12am, and you’re starting to realise why the teachers tell you to start working early, and work consistently. But it’s too late for that, isn’t it?

If you’ve read this far, you’ll now realise the pain of leaving things to the last minute. While we can laugh at the irony of watching youtube videos about studying rather than studying for examinations, I think you’ll realise that the best preparation is practice. You can understand why the adage is ‘practice makes perfect’.

As challenging as it is to put aside youtube or any other procrastination tools, my advice is don’t leave things to the last minute. Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will all have examinations coming next term. Listen to your teachers, don’t leave things to the last minute.

Shore Sciences

A Horatian Satire On The True Shore Five

A. J. Li

THE SCIENCES OFFERED BY SHORE ARE A BELOVED PART OF ANY STUDENT’S SUBJECTS. In light of the upcoming Year 10 subject selections, here is a quick summary of the five sciences on offer and some things you can expect from them should you choose to pick a few up.

In no particular order, let’s begin with Biology. It is the study of living things and the course certainly reflects that with a strong focus on cells and broader biological topics such as the organisation of living things and the ecosystem in Year 11. Year 12 delves into the more nitty-gritty topics such as heredity and diseases. Memorisation is key, intuition and logic won’t help you as much here. Memorise your cell diagrams, memorise your evolution trees, memorise the time the continents separated, and memorise your enzyme pathways. You do get a nice opportunity and some freedom for a research project and while there are plenty of cool devices you can use with a friendly and knowledgeable lab tech team.

Moving onto Chemistry, the study of the properties and behaviour of matter. It’s perhaps the only subject where you’ll ever get to set things on fire and pretend it’s educational. You will also get to learn about questionable substances and how to make them. Once you do get past the realisation that you are not the second coming of Walter White, you will be ready to begin verifying that oil and water indeed do not mix (I can’t interfere, it’s a canon event). The Year 11 course starts off a little slowly by setting a few foundations before speeding up as you learn about reactions. Year 12 builds on this as you learn about acids and bases, and organic chemistry, and puts it all together with a specific module on applying chemical ideas. Intuition and logic will serve you well here and you also get a nice chance to have your own research project.

And now for Physics, the study of matter and its motion through space and time. It certainly is a maths-reliant subject, although many questions can be answered using a given formula. As Richard Feynman once said, with some euphemistic paraphrasing, “Physics is to maths what the real deal is to flying solo.” In all seriousness, if you want to pick up physics purely to have a feeling of superiority that you are doing a harder subject than your peers, you’re better off attempting Maths Extension 2. The Year 11 course is fast-paced with more or less three distinct topics of: kinematics & dynamics, waves, and electricity. Year 12 then goes into advanced mechanics, light and electromagnetism. Don’t be disheartened if you do poorly on a test; the average is usually below 50% anyway, but if you do want to do well, the best study technique is to memorise the scaffold rap (search it up on YouTube!).

Physics students cramming before their exam

Earth and Environmental Science explores the Earth’s renewable and non-renewable resources and also environmental issues. There’s plenty of overlap with geography, so don’t worry if you find yourself questioning whether you’re in geography or science. Year 11 focuses on Earth’s resources, energy, and human impacts, with the Year 12 course building on to managing the Earth’s resources, hazards, and climate science. More so than the other sciences, fieldwork is important here, so be prepared to go on excursions to verify that different types of rocks do exist. All jokes aside, this is an underrated science that would complement any geography or Earth lover’s subjects.

Finally, investigating science is all about making good observations and learning about the scientific process itself. Year 11 focuses on the centrality of observation in initiating the scientific process and examines the human tendency to draw inferences and make generalisations from these observations. Year 12 builds upon this with your own experiments and scientific investigations, as well as learning about how progress is made in modern society. This is a course that would complement any of the other sciences and is worth exploring if you are the type to like asking “why?” and conduct your own investigations.

All in all, every science has its unique allures and I highly recommend you look into pursuing at least one of them. In every science, you will find yourself well supported and understanding more about the world around you. 

Smile, We Can See You!

The Human Crop in Digital Data Harvests

K. L. L’am-Li

LOCATION, CONTACTS, BIOMETRICS, KEYSTROKE, CAMERA, WiFi networks, clipboard, restart permissions.

That’s just a smidge of the data that TikTok collects on the phones it’s installed on.

Whilst one of the most extreme examples of a company subverting user privacy, TikTok is far from the only firm guilty of performing mass data harvests on its users. Social media corporations are especially predatory in breaking personal privacy to obtain data from their users for algorithm optimisation, sale to third parties and utilisation elsewhere without customer consent.

Except we gave them permission. Pretty willingly, as well.

Realistically speaking, few of us have given the terms and conditions more than a scrutinous glance when signing up for a new service. Even fewer have delved into the legal jargon that plagues the document, but within the terms and conditions of Instagram and various other companies, it’s listed right there:

“By using such Applications, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (i) if you use an Application to share information, you are consenting to information about your profile on the Service being shared; (ii) your use of an Application may cause personally identifying information to be publicly disclosed and/or …”

                     Terms of Use, Instagram, 2022

However initially shocking it may have been, Instagram and the social media cohort understanding us better than we do ourselves is known commonly enough (and concerningly accepted), so to avoid beating the decomposing horse, I’d like to touch on a personal aspect that’s rarely considered when the subject of digital privacy is brought up.

Your health, and all the information about it.

I had a fascinating discussion with my science teacher last week. We’d been studying pedigrees and she mentioned something I’d never thought to consider. When paying for an ancestry test, we willingly give our genetic information to a company that could, theoretically, sell it to third parties that had a use for such information. If an individual took an ancestry test and found that they had the genes for potential early-stage dementia, arthritis or another cocktail of physical maladies, it would be a simple check for health insurance companies to deny someone coverage for mental illness or rehabilitation if they find that the person is especially susceptible to it, based off their genetic makeup.

Whilst a frantic Google search reassured that common ancestry companies didn’t sell personally identifying data to third parties, several provide the aggregate data of a population to private companies involved in health research. It’s not a leap to see how, given enough time, the sharing of data for purposes beyond medical research and not-for-profits could be a very real part of the future.

Nice Fitbit you’ve got there

The current privacy policy for Fitbit is sound. The company doesn’t sell any information to third parties and is very clear about the data they collect to inform their customers as accurately as they can about their personal health. No issues here.

The issues stem from this small bit within their terms and conditions. It states that:

“You may also direct us to share your information in other ways, for example, when you give a third-party application access to your account, or give your employer access to information when you choose to participate in an employee wellness program. Remember that their use of your information will be governed by their privacy policies and terms.”

Fitbit Privacy Policy, 6^th June 2023

Through another feature of Fitbit that encourages users to interact with and meet other users within their local area, Fitbit has unintentionally provided a loophole for social media companies to exert their rules onto some of the most personal data a person can reveal. Instagram’s parent company, Meta, has collaborated with the company to provide Bitmoji (the personalised stickers used on Instagram and Snapchat) services to Fitbit, which requires a linking of at least one of their two social media platforms to your watch; and by association, with your data.

The Fitbit company has shown its best in maintaining integrity with its customer’s data, but social media companies thrive on subverting rules to get where they aren’t meant to be. It’s not just Fitbit that’s sharing data, though by no means is it the fault of the company in Fitbit’s case. Thousands of other business operations, selling everything ranging from health-tracking watches to diet apps, both domestic and international, are far more malicious with their privacy policies. Particularly in applications from countries laxed in regulations around user data and usage such as China’s media titan, TikTok, the problems presented extend well beyond a minor issue to brush off. As time passes and their databases store increasingly private details of users, it raises serious concerns about what data should legally be available to companies regardless of customer consent, and changes the risks of a security breach from serious to downright ruinous. 

Privacy is as much a component of life as security and love are, but like those two, the fabric surrounding it has been stretched thin. As we advance and integrate and automate large portions of our lives for convenience’s sake, we need to keep in mind what we’re giving in return for these shortcuts in life.

We’ve all been taught the saying no pain, no gain. What on earth have we gained, really?

The Power of One Man Part 2

How King Leopold II Destroyed An Entire Nation

T. G. George

THE POWER OF ONE MAN CAN BE SO EXTENSIVE, THAT EVEN DEATH DOES NOT HINDER THEIR EFFECTS. This is part two of the article about King Leopold’s colonisation of the Congo. In last week’s article I explored the atrocities committed under Leopold’s reign from 1885 to 1908, and how he prolonged his rule through his intricate press bureau, which consequently enabled these atrocities to ingrain violence and repression into Congolese life. 

In this article I will be looking at the relinquishment of the state to the Belgian Government, and how Leopold indirectly enabled the continued implementation of dysfunction, making him the most prominent reason for the troubles in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Poverty in the DRC

Leopold’s colonial coverup of the Congo Free State, as well as the economic prosperity he brought to Belgium, heavily influenced the destructive continuation of Belgium’s rule from 1908 to 1960. Leopold had a vision of making Belgium, particularly Brussels, a “mini-Paris” through the construction of famous structures such as the Cinquantenaire, as well as developing Belgium as a strong economic world power. At the cost of the Congo, Leopold achieved this, and therefore Belgium honoured Leopold as a hero, and avoided the bleak truth, as Martin Ewans states “Belgium went into a state of denial about Leopold’s record in the Congo.”

Cinquantenaire

This is evident in the historiography of the Belgian textbooks. Up until a new standardisation of textbooks in 2019, King Leopold had been promoted as “brilliant, wise and generous”, while Indigenous peoples were presented as primitive and uncivilised. Therefore, it is clear that there was a nationwide sentiment towards Leopold’s colonisation. They hence replicated his involvement in the Congo, subsequently making Leopold the cause of troubles to follow. They adopted Leopold’s use of propaganda, as Matthew Stanard states, it created a “tradition of pro-empire propaganda that set much of the tone for information produced during subsequent decades”.

This is reflected in the creation of the Colonial Charter laws, a close resemblance of laws Leopold represented, such as the General Act and the Brussels Conference Act, stating “Nobody can be forced to work on behalf of individuals or for the profit of companies.” However, following in the footsteps of Leopold, they continued forced labour, and the assumption that white European culture was preferable, even superior, to African cultures.

Belgium was also able to continue the Force Publique because Leopold II justified its violence as a humanitarian enforcer. For example, he suggested that pushing out Muslim slave traders in the Congo Arab war was a “Christian anti slavery crusade”. Although his real intentions were to ensure all slave labourers belonged to him, it enabled Belgium to continue the legacy of the Force Publique as a civilising measure, further inflicting violence and terror into Congo society, stemming from Leopold. This is evident, as Congolese people consistently commit organised crime in gangs, similar to the Force Publique, to seek a gain. For example, criminal gangs kidnapped over 170 people for ransom between 2017 and 2020. The DRC also has the highest crime rate out of any country in the world.

Force Publique

The Belgians also engaged in indirect rule to affirm the separation of cultures and mimic the detachment Leopold created between himself and the Congo, as he never set foot in Africa. This was a cheap alternative to controlling a colony, involving allocating restricted power to traditional rulers. This excluded educated elites from colonial administrations, while also preventing Africans from having a role in legislation. This created divide and tension within these areas, facilitating corruption, forced labour and violent protest. It is evident that these problems persist today, as the DRC ranks 166 out of 180 on the Corruption Perception Index. Therefore, the policies, exploitation and coverup practised during Leopold’s rule of the Congo transferred into Belgium’s rule and have systemically embedded dysfunction across the DRC’s political and cultural climate, making Leopold the most prominent destructor.

DRC in 2023

King Leopold II’s colonial rule over the Congo Free State is the primary reason for the Congo’s dysfunction and societal crisis. The atrocities committed in the Congo Free State have ingrained structured violence into Congolese society. Leopold’s intricate press bureau was able to cover up these atrocities, prolonging his rule and amplifying the short-term impacts. This also constructed a facade that Belgium adopted, along with crippling exploitative methods of colonisation, following the relinquishment of the state in 1908. These compounding influences have left the Congo deprived, crime ridden and politically backwards. This reality exposes the true ramifications of granting people with too much power.

Democracy, Tolerance And Reason: Has ‘Woke’ Defeated Them All?

Should Society Be Wary Of The Rampant ‘Wokeism’ Of Our Dangerously Progressive Society?

H. A. G. Longstaff

THE WARRIORS OF WOKE wage their campaigns of ‘tolerance’ using the weapons of cancellation and contempt to silence their critics. Their aim is to impose on the rest of us an ideology to which, in fact, only a narrow band of elites subscribe, who purport to speak for the oppressed and disadvantaged everywhere. It should be deeply concerning to us, whose beleaguered Christian ethos is being continuously threatened. Across the globe a vicious wave of leftist activism has threatened the status quo, bringing to the spotlight; trans-rights, gender identity and racism. Although sometimes effective in tackling issues plaguing modern-day society, wokeism has now gone too far. Now, wokeism has become counterproductive. Many shrug off their cries for change as simply cries for attention.

What was once a movement that aimed to achieve real headway in societal change, the woke movement has become too radical for the majority of moderate society. Woke movements in the past have driven the most significant societal shifts in modern history, such as the fight for Civil Rights in America during the 1960s and the Women’s Suffrage movement of the early 1900s. These movements were real and conscious efforts to alter a deeply misguided society and should be rightfully studied and respected. Modern wokeism has an inability to be receptive to differing perspectives. Currently, the emphasis on maximising people’s feelings of acceptance has outweighed all forms of judgment and reason. Now the highly regarded J.K Rowling has been accused of “killing trans people with her hate” (Twitter) after simply liking (not writing herself, yes, just liking) a tweet stating a simple fact of human anatomy “male people are not women”. The absurdity of someone receiving such brutal exclamations of hate for expressing such her personal viewpoint is the epitome of the impotence of ‘wokeism’. The woke of the past would be ashamed of the woke of today. 

It is rather concerning to notice the intolerance of the so-called woke to opinions that don’t align with their own. The woke movement characterises themselves as progressive and the most receptive and supportive to new, alternative ideas, except for when that opinion doesn’t align with their political agendas.

The woke movement can be unequivocally boiled down to beggarly bids for attention. “The woke, in majority, are not activists based on principle, but on public image and external validation” (The Falmouth Anchor). People now use the once commended term of activist as a guise to mask their insecurities and flaws, as their peers further pursue more radical forms of “advocacy”, they too seek to be more flamboyant in their approach in order to fulfil their feeble need for recognition. It reflects a slow-burning degradation of society where individuals have been deprived of genuine connections, relationships and recognition from the emergence of technology and destructive social media, that they need to resort to such radical actions to receive a minute form of temporary self-validation. In which they convince themselves they are combatting real issues just for their attempts to make no real changes to the society they attempt to dismantle.

No ingrained and divisive problem can be solved with only one side listening. It takes a dialectic with both sides, it takes logic, it takes reason. For the woke movement to be effective in positively changing the problems that trouble our society, they need to be able to appeal to all of society. There will need to be an exchange of their extremist grabs for attention with a moderate, intelligent approach to catalyse societal change.

What Is Next for Australia’s Economy?

Where Will The RBA’s ‘Narrow Path’ Take Them?

T. S. Gupta

INFLATION HAS BECOME THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE that the Australian economy needs to overcome. Australia had a reasonably strong recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly due to the effects of JobKeeper and JobSeeker. Yet, due to a myriad of international and domestic factors, the fear of recession, that once dominated headlines, has returned.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has always been the guiding force behind the path of Australia’s economy, through adjustment of the cash rate. However, it seems as if they have backed themselves into a corner with recent rate increases. Inflation is currently at 5.4%, with the cash rate having steady increases of 25 basis points throughout most of this year and last year.

The Ex-Governor of the RBA, Philip Lowe, gave a speech at the Morgan Stanley Australia Summit on the 7th of June, detailing the narrow path the RBA finds itself on. Lowe’s appearance shows how the RBA is particularly worried about inflation, which is proving incredibly sticky and hitting different parts of the economy in vastly different ways.

And even though the RBA does aim to do the best for Australia, Lowe expressed how he has little choice but to hit a divided economy with the blunt instrument of interest rates. While he argued that the Australian economy “remain[s] on the narrow path” to a soft landing, it is becoming increasingly evident that inflation is posing greater and greater risks to the Australian economy.

As rates continue to rise, with economists predicting even further rate rises, it begs the question of when we will see inflation return to the target of 2-3%.

Households and businesses are struggling to cope, and the threat of rising unemployment, not to mention rising rates, jeopardises the RBA’s proposal of a “soft landing”.

The primary issue with tackling this inflation is that the RBA does not have much power to influence it. The RBA has no influence over government decisions as an independent body. As a result, the government did not consult with the RBA on the structure of JobKeeper and JobSeeker, leading to many workers being overcompensated. The Russia-Ukraine war has further exacerbated the nature of this inflation. Adjusting the cash rate has a marginal impact on the effect of reducing the effect of these factors on the inflation crisis.

It appears that the RBA’s idealistic “soft landing” may not eventuate. For now, the nation waits until next Tuesday to see what will happen and where the economy is going.

Lost in the Screen… Can I Ever Return?

The Stomping Lamp Part 1 – WALL-E

J. K. Tang

HOW FAR CAN ONE ESCAPE INTO A FILM? One morning in the September break of 2022, I was woken by an alarming chime that echoed through the house. My 10am awakening was premature. I scurried wall to wall to find the source of this chime. Eventually, it was coupled with small, muffled screams from our front door… Am I expecting anyone? I pressed one of my eyebags against the peephole to see who it was, but no one was there. I sighed and opened the door to the blinding lights of a Sunday morning. AAAHHHHH!!!! Three little gremlins tackled me to the doormat. It was my little cousins, each bouncing on the walls as I welcomed them into the house. These gremlins were at a different tempo… I did not know what to do. I thought back to my 2010s childhood. What would keep me entertained on a quiet Sunday morning? With the cartoonish lightbulb hovering over my head, I rushed into the TV room and opened Disney+ —hoping they shared my love for Pixar films. 

My sweaty palms gripped the remote as I searched for something meaningful, beautiful, and sophisticated for my cousins to appreciate now or when they are older. They gathered around, intrigued by fluffy blue monsters, orange fish and fast red cars. After frantically switching between these animated masterpieces, I was caught by the horrors of copious pollution and became eager to switch back to a less alarming narrative. As I was ready to exit the ruins of a capitalist dystopia, giggles crept into the silence of my Sunday morning. Amused by a rusted robot and his resilient cockroach, my cousins and I were trapped in this cautionary tale, one that became sweetened by love, hope and curiosity.

We often overlook these G-rated films and forget the spectacular storytelling on this ever-developing medium. Pixar’s Wall-E [2008] explores the excessive prominence of corporate power in our lives and its oppressive grasp on our existential journeys. “Way out there beyond this hick-town”, the starring expanse of empty space emphasises the illusion of humanity’s ‘second chance’ and the significance of ecological sustainability. To juxtapose the immense beauty of these celestial bodies, the blue pearl that we call home wears the burden of our waste and ignorance.

The monotonous bronze landscape, coupled with Crawford’s hopeful lyrics, suggests the excessiveness of human idealism—constantly striving for the American dream— and its repercussions on our consumerist mentality. Mirroring John Carpenter’s 1988 sci-fi flick, They Live, the apocalyptic remains of Western society address concerns of monopolistic corporate power and invites audiences to reflect on their individual responsibilities in facilitating hyper-consumerist culture. Like Google, Apple or Facebook (Meta), ‘Buy-In-Large’ allegorically represents the homogenising agenda of our modern corporations. Whilst gluing our eyes to our new iPhones, we mindlessly google and scroll through these lifeless websites and Facebook posts; buying into the profit-hungry ethos of these mega-corporations, are we living fulfilling lives?

As a voice for the contemporary middle class, WALL-E, a Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class unit, embodies the soullessness of employment and struggles to seek purpose and meaning beyond the ‘9-to-5’. In every minute of every hour of every day, he compacts rubbish into finely precise cubes and continues to do so, despite the odds against him. Through various extreme long shots of the desolate city, the robot’s relentlessness and determination seem to be spontaneous, perhaps, it is in his programming. Slowing, the camera shots are scaled down and begin to focus on Wall-E’s time of leisure. 

By revealing his true motivation—what keeps his cogs turning—to be film itself, I realised love, hope, and curiosity are conceptually imprinted into us through this medium. To escape his cruel world, Wall-E enters Hello Dolly [1969], a tale of pursuing connection and meaning in the unknown. This intertextual link diverts from the initial nihilist depictions of Wall-E’s world and emphasises the importance of indulging in literature and art, for it is our ticket to dreaming and discovering the impossibilities of our lives.

Film is a pivotal art form, one that inspires individuals like Wall-E, to break the chains of corporate oppression and to explore the unbelievable, unconceivable possibilities of our human experience. 

“It only takes a moment 

To be loved a whole life long 

And that is all

That love’s about

And we’ll recall when time runs out

That it only took a moment 

To be loved a whole life long!” 

• Michael Crawford, Hello Dolly 

The New Age of Music

A Deep Dive Into The Modern Interest Towards Vinyl Records

E. O. Milne

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT A VINYL RECORD that makes it so well-loved by the people of the world in 2023?

It most definitely is not the convenience as that is out of the question.

There is no part of record collecting that is convenient and yet since 2006, the industry has begun to thrive. There is no exact explanation for why people aren’t content with just streaming music on their phone, but after having been a collector for a year now, I think I may have a reason.

In August last year, I got a free Audio Technica LP60 turntable on Gumtree. I got into that form of music not because I was excited but more curious.

I was curious why some like myself at the time would listen to Spotify for free and have access to all the music in the world, while others would choose to spend anywhere between $20 and $100 on average for a single album. It made no sense.

But to understand this form of music, we need to look back in time to the 1970s. This was a time before CDs, or the iPod, were a thing, and the only real way to listen to music was through Vinyl records. Back then, nearly every single person in the world had some form of turntable, while others chose the Walkman Cassette player.

But the difference between then and now is that back then, vinyl would go for less than half the price of what it does today. In fact, in comparison, it would have been cheaper back then to buy the latest, most famous album than to buy a CD at today’s prices.

In the 1970s, vinyl was so cheap that it was something people didn’t think twice about before buying. But then came easier ways of listening to music, such as the CD and iPod. They were more convenient and had superb quality compared to that of a plastic disk. So over time, demand for vinyl subsided, meaning that in the early 2000s, less than 900,000 vinyls were being made every year. And that was why the price went up so drastically.

But then in 2006, something changed in the mindset towards vinyl because it was no longer seen as unnecessary but instead seen as an art form.

It was a way to appreciate music and the creator of said music without just carelessly streaming it. Because with Spotify you don’t really think about what you’re listening to. You can listen to it while making dinner or you can have it as white noise as you fall asleep.

In today’s day and age, music is a distraction to pass the time. Something in the background. But with vinyl you have to really enjoy music to want to play it.

Further, it allows you to understand what you enjoy listening to instead of being pressured to listen to the latest Spotify hit by society. Because it makes you question if you are willing to spend a certain amount of money on it.

A personal experience I had with this was with artists like Post Malone or The Weekend. Vinyl allowed me to develop a new music taste and find artists I enjoyed, such as the Strokes, Cream, and more.

It is the highest form of appreciation for music because you not only have to invest in an album, but you must go out of your way every time you listen to it.

Because it is not like you can put it on in the background because halfway through an album, you have to flip it over.

So, this is why I believe vinyl has become so popular nowadays.

Because even though it may not be easy, the feeling of placing the needle on the groove of a vinyl and listening to the crackle of the song is one of the best feelings in my week.

Because you have to immerse yourself into the album and experience the music the way that the artist intended, with every word being engraved into your mind.

So, I know that it may sound like a burden to many, but it is an art form that is making its way back into the world and it doesn’t look like its production will be slowing down anytime soon.

Or at least I hope not.

All’s Right With The World!

L. M. Chavdarov

YOU GET WHAT YOU GET, AND YOU DON’T GET UPSET. This age-old adage, familiar from childhood, and echoing through generations, transcends its playful tune, and hides an uncomfortably accurate understanding of human hope, desire, and contentment. In more academic circles, the truth within holds another name: the “Hedonic Treadmill”. This theory elucidates that people’s happiness is a relatively stable value, swiftly recovering from ecstasy, and misery alike. Like a child’s fleeting excitement over a new toy – and their parents’ dissatisfaction at seeing it cast aside and covered in dust a few weeks later – adults too are forever chasing ephemeral joys, yet unable to escape their perennial dissatisfaction.

From an evolutionary perspective, this constant cycle of both craving and complacency makes a lot of sense. Our distant ancestors, never fully satisfied with their current conditions, would have been driven to seek more: more food, more safety, more mates. And, in harder times, it would’ve comforted them, and enabled them to live their lives happily. However, in today’s modern world, where our evolution has grown stagnant; where the next source of pleasure – be it material possessions, adrenaline-filled experiences, or social media likes – is just around the corner, delicately manufactured, and ready for your consumption, the implications of this evolutionary trait become more problematic. A hundred-thousand-year long pursuit is over; everything we’ve ever dreamed of is within our arms’ reach, and now that we’ve stopped running, we’re borne back on the treadmill’s inertia.

While human history has long been punctuated with periods of rise and fall, the unprecedented ease with which we can now gratify ourselves is extinguishing the ancient fuel of our relentless progress. We’re forever willing to accept less, and acclimatise to longer working hours, and poorer living conditions. Even when we do seek out the fulfilment of our ambitions, we’re permanently distracted and misled. Videogames, participation awards, likes – everywhere you look, the modern world has mechanised the falsification of true achievement, leaving us with all of the temporary joy, and none of the long-term satisfaction.

When looking upon the global stage, the ramifications of this collective cultural complacency are clear, and alarming. Like Robert Browning’s Pippa, we’re cheerfully dancing past a whole host of unresolved issues. This isn’t an article about climate change, or economic inequality, or war, or disease, or any of that; by now, everyone’s heard it, and is sick of hearing about it. But why isn’t anything being done? Issues which would have historically been the cause of revolt often fall to the wayside in public discourse, overshadowed by the newest tech gadget, or celebrity scandal. The news cycle, once a vital tool for informing the public, and spurring action, has become a whirlwind of fleeting distractions.

This prevailing apathy is particularly concerning in the context of human ambition, or lack thereof. It is what has driven humanity to conquer unknown lands, explore scientific frontiers, and challenge societal norms. Today, however, there seems to be a growing sense that most of the world’s significant challenges are beyond us, as individuals; either insurmountable, or inconsequential. Why worry about the world when you can just spiral down another YouTube rabbit hole? We’re increasingly fostering a culture of stagnation, and undermining our own potential for groundbreaking innovation and change. 

Moreover, there’s a fallacy in equating comfort with satisfaction, as anyone who’s ever procrastinated knows. In a world where instant gratification is often just a click away, there is a temptation to substitute deep, meaningful pursuits with shallow, ephemeral joys. The allure of the immediate overshadows the satisfaction derived from persistent effort, and hard-won achievements. The digital age, with its infinitely flowing streams of entertainment, information, and interaction, often feels like an endless buffet. And, like any buffet, the initial thrill of abundance can quickly give way to a feeling of overindulgence, leaving one lethargic, and unfulfilled.

In this bleak landscape, it’s also worth considering the role of education in our brave new world. Historically, it was our most powerful tool, as we strove to tame a chaotic world, and cast light into the darkness. It fostered critical thinking, instilled values, and equipped the youth with the tools they needed to confront, and overcome the challenges of their time. But today, there’s a risk that education is becoming merely another commodity – a means to an end, rather than an end in, and of itself. The focus on standardised testing, rote learning, and the relentless pursuit of grades relentlessly eclipses the deeper, more holistic goals that education ought to strive for.

It’s a challenging conundrum. On the one hand, humanity has never had it so good. The marvels of technology, medicine, and communication have opened doors that our ancestors could only dream of. Yet beneath this sparkling opulence and luxury lies a spectre of indifference, and myopic blindness to the countless hardships that paved the way to our quality of life. The hedonic treadmill is our past, present, and future; dread it, run from it, it’ll be there all the same. But, as the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and nobody gets happier, if we’re to avoid a second dark age, we’ll need to be aware of what we are as a species:

Language Learning

Why Every Shore Boy Should Choose A Language

C. T. Lovell

LANGUAGE IS WHAT HAS DEFINED CULTURE and tradition for centuries. In the ancient world, people were distinguished by their language, and the same continues today. The learning of a foreign language is an integral part of one’s education, and I believe that every Shore student should choose a language as one of their electives or, when it comes to Years 11 and 12, their subjects. 

Learning a language presents a plethora of opportunities. I am learning French, and it is my favourite subject. Other than the joy of having Monsieur Gorge as my teacher, French has presented me with several advantages. 

Most obviously, choosing a language is advantageous as it provides one with practical and applicable skills to take into the real world. The ability to converse in the local language next time you travel overseas to Asia or Europe will make it easier to navigate the confusing and overwhelming landscape of a foreign country and your friends and family will be most impressed by how cultured you are. These skills can make travelling or working overseas much easier and more enjoyable too. 

The most wonderful thing for me about choosing French is the chance to foster and understand a new culture. While my mates were surfing the breaks on Queensland’s coast over last summer, I spent ten weeks in the North of France, in perhaps the coldest weather I have ever experienced. And what an experience it was. The opportunity to live with a foreign family, and to eat new food, to attend a new school benefited my character and broadened my understanding of the world. I will carry many precious memories from my exchange throughout my life and I cannot recommend the experience enough. Additionally, my French improved exponentially, presenting a lifetime of opportunity to work, live and travel in France and the Francophone countries around the world. Without taking French in Years 9 and 10, this would certainly not have been possible. And of course, it has given me a bonus in the French classroom at school and ameliorated my chances of performing well in the HSC.

Furthermore, learning a language improves one’s understanding of English. An increased comprehension of grammatical concepts and language devices has improved my level of writing and given me an understanding of the language we speak every day. 

Ultimately, choosing a language has been an invaluable opportunity for me, and I encourage every Shore boy to consider choosing French, German, Chinese, Japanese or Latin as one of their subjects in their senior years.

The Friendship Recession

Dealing With A Loneliness Epidemic

C. J. C. Mattison

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON REGRETS amongst the ageing population is their longing to have stayed in touch with more of their old friends. Yet in a world that you would expect to be more connected than ever, with friends being a mere two swipes away, society has been struck by a ‘friendship recession’ with more than 15% of individuals claiming to have no close friends. These alarming statistics pose the importance of why friendships are a necessity and what the cause of these stark numbers is.

But how bad is being lonely? I mean, it’s how we punish criminals – by trapping them in gaol and taking away their freedom of sociability. Yet broader society, as the statistics have shown, seems to be doing similar things subconsciously to itself. Loneliness fosters negative mental health, with the journal PLOS Medicine boldly claiming that loneliness has health impacts that are comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. This culminates in individuals feeding off their own internal negativity and lavishing on their own self-deprecation, which fosters alienation and feelings of detachment from society. Loneliness is also causing increased stress which leads to a magnitude of physical health issues such as sleep deprivation, weight gain and poor heart health.

Social media may be one of the main contributors to this pressing issue. Individuals find themselves thinking inadequately about their own circumstances as they find themselves languishing over their peers’ seemingly perfect lives. These façades of social media shovelling constant images of success can make individuals jealous that they can’t live similar lives, causing social disconnect and an inability to foster healthy relationships as a result. The data very much supports this trend, with younger generations being the primary users of social media whilst also being the primary demographic facing mental health issues.

Globalisation is also one of the key causes of the supposed ‘friendship recession’ as it has caused increased productivity and a growing risk of technological progress exacerbating this pressing issue with “emergency departments being overrun by mental health patients with a 76% increase in mental health related emergencies from 2005-2017” (Daily Telegraph). 

A key thing to note is that this issue may make individuals feel more pressured to form relationships and act in a certain way to become more personable and create more friendships. However, individuals shouldn’t change in an attempt to seem more popular or funnier and risk social isolation and overall sense of detachment and impersonality. Instead, engage with activities that you love. Life is about experiences and through these experiences, relationships will flourish with the people you meet along the way. It’s due to such relationships that individuals can find fulfilment in its purest form, and ultimately increase the sociability and well-being of our society.

Ethan Cook – School Sports Australia Swimming Championships

Congratulations to Ethan Cook who competed last week in the School Sports Australia Swimming Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).  

Ethan was selected to represent NSW due to his performance at the NSW All School Championships, and he competed against the best from the other states and territories in the country in the 16-year-old’s 50 metre Breaststroke, with an impressive heat swim of 30.49 qualifying him through to the finals. In the finals, he backed up and posted a time of 30.95 to come away with a 6th place finish.  

Well done Ethan! 

Mr T O’Keeffe 
Acting Head of Swimming