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Praha

- Marie MACHOVÁ, S7FRA

Prague. Nearly every holiday I go back to Prague, to the place where I was born and where I lived for fifteen years. The center of this wonderful city always refreshes my oldest memories, my most profound wishes and my past. We have a small apartment on the left side of Vltava, (where the Prague castle is), right under the hill of Petřín and near the park Kampa.

Every season this place changes and creates an inimitable and unique atmosphere. In the autumn, trees imbue from light green to yellow and then sadden to dark red, so saddens the river, that crosses the whole city. 

In winter everything gets rather brighter, no more leaves are on the trees, the river is covered with swans fed by families with small children. Christmas lights appear in every street, and sometimes the snow alight on the red roofs of Prague. The whole city's shining with glory and happiness. 

                                   Malá Strana

In the spring light colors come round to glaring colors, in the wardrobe winter coats are replaced by lighter jackets and glum faces change with smiles. Birds start to sing again with anticipation, because the summer's coming. Bare trees are covered with blooms so you can't see the sky from under them anymore. The world awakens. 

Summer is a living season. Tourists fully people every corner. Sun's shining, more couples walk in the center and discover the hidden streets and their secrets.

Even if tourists are very annoying, and Prague is slowly changing because of globalization or modernization, the atmosphere, maybe hidden, was, is and always will be present there, and I will never stop loving my magic Prague.

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Hope : Chapter 2

- Tess NUYTS, S4ENA 

 You know that feeling of falling? When you go on a roller coaster and it feels like you left your stomach behind? Well that is how I feel like all of the time. It is like I am perched on the edge of a cliff and then I suddenly topple backwards, falling into a void. I have no sense of direction here. I could be falling… flying… drowning… Anything is possible. If I am falling then this is definitely a bottomless pit. I like to imagine sometimes what could be at the bottom and I always come up with the strangest of ideas: a sea of blood, glittering like red rubies in the sun, a forest of lights and a valley of black roses. I can almost smell the black roses, the sickening sweetness of decay drifting from their core. But in this hell, there is no bottom. Maybe this is all a dream? Sleep is another mysterious aspect that eludes my understanding. Perhaps I do sleep and if so, then I cannot tell the difference between dreams and reality. If I do dream they should be more aptly named nightmares; straight from the deepest abyss on earth, shrouded in darkness. The Darkness is always there and after all of this time I have started to think of it as an actual being, an existence, brother to Death. Or perhaps just another form of Death. I am completely wrapped up in it with no hope of escape, bound in an unimaginable way: I am a slave to the Darkness. The name itself brings me to my knees. Names have power. They signify that a being actually exists, giving a meaning to their lives. This is why I have no name. I am no one, nothing, a spark in the endless motion of time. Imagine a single drop of water in never ending ocean. Imagine. This is such a beautiful word, my favourite word. A word of dreams and wishes. If you close your eyes, anything and everything is possible, the vastness of opportunities and possibilities are endless. The word impossible has therefore no meaning as your imagination can take you anywhere. But once you step out of your perfect world, your little carved out space, reality comes crashing back down, mocking and laughing at you. Go on, close your eyes. Imagine that you are in a field of lilies, dancing in the wind. Imagine that they are brushing against your ankles and you can feel the damp, earthy soil beneath your bare feet. Imagine that the sun is shining, glowing through the blue sky like a gem of light. Imagine that you can hear the wind whistling through your hair, caressing your neck in a loving way. Now open your eyes. Can’t you feel the desolation, the loneliness? Reality might be fine, even great, for you but for me, the Darkness is almost too much to bear. The dreams somehow make everything worse once I wake up, giving me something to compare to. But through all of this there is hope. A streak of light in a sea of blackness, no matter how fleeting or dull, it is always there. And though I am both mentally and physically exhausted, I will continue on and see this nightmare to an end. Hope, a word of light and warmth. Words are nothing yet everything. They can make up wonders and nightmares, heaven and hell, light and darkness. With words, impossible truly has no meaning at all. Words come straight from you soul, painting your thoughts and wishes onto a blank piece of paper, telling a story. Your story. This is why books are sacred: they are the physical existence of all hope, love and hate, anything really. And the words within them hold tremendous power: they can do anything, imagine anything and be anything. A rustle interrupts my thoughts and I jerk up, opening my eyes. There is no difference but I feel somehow more vulnerable with my eyes closed. I turn in a circle, scanning the darkness around me. I know that the effort is futile: I wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway but I still do it. A bitter wind crashes through my hair and I shiver, hugging myself tightly in the cold. Again I hear a rustle and I cower, my teeth chattering with the fear. I feel a presence near me and I whip around, a scream lodging itself in my throat. An icy tear slides down my cheek and I wipe it away with my numb fingers. The fear is gripping at my heart almost painfully and I shudder. A laugh suddenly echoes all around me and I whimper. “Who­ who’s there?” I stutter but I know exactly who they are: the things. Their patience has worn out. “Stay away”, I say more bravely than I feel and I clutch my stomach. “We can smell the fear off of you, little one.” A voice echoes around sending shivers along my spine. I gulp and another tear slips out. “Come out, come out wherever you are…” A childlike voice says in a singsong way. My hands start to shake and I feel myself getting dizzy. “We want to play with you.” The voice continues and I start sobbing. What is this torture? I scream in my head and my knees buckle. One thing is certain, slowly yet steadily my time is trickling out.

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Inside the closet #1

-Lara KOVANDOVA & Marie KERLEROUX, S7FRC

We asked Melanie and Ilona about the meaning of what they were wearing. Thanks to them for their contribution!

 (12/12/16)

Hi Melanie, tell us something about your outfit! If anything I don’t dress expensive, for example, what I’m wearing now cost me 1€ per piece!

What inspires you to get dressed? Music and cinema

Could you describe your style in one word ? Indie

Today, you are dressed in black. Do you usually dress in black? Yes I often wear black. But my favourite color is red.

"Nick Cave is my fashion idol"

Do you feel that trends have a lot of influence in this school? Yes, I do.

What do you think about it?

I tend not to follow trends, even when at school. In fact, I don't put effort at all to dress up in my school life. I pay more attention to my clothing when I'm not in school.

How much importance do you give to how people look at you?

None at all! Since I changed schools, I told myself that I would start new and not mind what people think of me.

Do your short hair symbolise anything for you? I like to play with gender. Short hair is just another one of those things I like to do to blend the gender difference people live by. Another thing I do, for example, is not shave. And I haven’t, since forever.

What do you think about androgyny then? I love it! I don’t think there should be such a thing as a “man” or a “woman” ; we’re all human beings and we shouldn’t be differenciated by physical and sexual attributes. I don’t feel the need to fit into any particular gender stereotype and I look up to a lot of androgynous people.

What is feminine for you, what is a female? 

Well, if you feel feminine, then you're feminine. 

(12/01/17)

Hi Ilona, tell us something about your outfit!

I call it “latte macchiato enrobé by a bossy fur, and completed with some white shining ankleboots as well as money on my neck”.

Describe your style in one word.

Trashclass

What or who most influences you to dress up?

If there is any it would be Sita Abellan, she expanded my fashion horizon with her limitless style.

Do you prefer style or comfort?

Obviously style, but there are days where I am forced by the climate to combine style and comfort. There are also days during which I do not dress at all.

What is the worst trend of 2016?

Maybe Ralph Lauren caps, but compared to previous years, 2016 was quite good. I mean the trends had interesting elements. The best of this year was definitely silk, velvet, metallics, 90′s cuts and creme colors. I love everything that shines and sparkles ! 

Are you emotionally attached to any of the clothes you are wearing now?

No, I have too many clothes to which I could get attached and it would get out of control. But I love them all on a non-emotional level.

Today you are dressed in various textures. What is your favorite material?

Silk is unbelievable, but I also appreciate fake leather and fluffy textures.

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Hope : Chapter 1

- Tess NUYTS, S4ENA

Darkness. This is my past, my present and my future. An inky, suffocating blanket that envelops me completely. This is all that I can remember: Darkness. Drifting. Forever. But that is not the only thing for I know that they are out there. Watching me. Silent but there. Things. I cannot see them but I can feel them: an evil presence that sends shivers up my spine, right to my soul. They haunt me day and night, never approaching me, never saying anything. Sometimes I think that I can hear a rustle or a laugh, an evil laugh that slinks around in the corners of your mind, torturing you. But I might be imagining it, my mind playing cruel tricks on me. I am not sure whether I have reached insanity yet but I feel as though I am balancing right on the edge. A gust of wind could send me right over into the deepest corners of my mind. I have no idea how long I have been here and why I do not just wither away into nothing. Time is a concept that I simply do not, cannot, understand. For all I know a second could be an hour, a year or a decade. I just stay in my little corner, shivering in the cold. You may wonder why I have never ventured around, trying to find out where I am. But you do not understand the fear. The bone chilling, heart stopping fear that overcomes me when I think of leaving my safe corner. Tucked away in this nightmare, all there is left for me to do is dream. Dream about the sun shining on a lake of glittering waters. Dream of flying among the clouds, as light as a feather, soaring above the skies and stars. Seeing the moon, a large lidded eye, staring out at an immense forest. You may ask how I know of these things if all I remember is darkness. You see, I came to be with images of the world, a beautiful, happy world full of laughing children and tears of joy. Slowly though I am starting to forget some of these visions and so I try to cherish the ones I have left. They make the loneliness bearable. I dread the time when I will have nothing left but the fear and the darkness. My mind is my prison and yet also my escape: somewhere I can retreat and no one can find me, not even the things. I fear that I am going completely mad and there is nothing that I can do about it. At this point I wonder whether it would be a mercy. A mercy to be free of the darkness, the fear and thepain. But mostly to be free of the loneliness. Loneliness fractures the mind and the soul: leaving behind a thousand shattered pieces.

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Cybernetic childhoods

 - Inigo ESTEBANEZ, S7ESA

A recent study carried out last week by the American Academy of Pediatrics, resulted in a series of recommendations to all the parents with children of schooling age. The AAP strongly suggests the reduction of the hours spent by kids in front of electronic devices, and depending on their age, even suggests to stop the toddlers from using them. The scientists have proved how harmful the results are for correct brain development and for the child's interpersonal relations ability.

 Whether parents should follow or not the advice is up to them, on the basis of their criterias, and how they want to raise their children.

But from a critical point of view, the proper existence of this study shows how society has changed in a relatively short period of time, and how this change might be irreversible. It is now a reality that technology has invaded almost every single aspect of our lives, and this 'invasion' starts in the younger ages.

Every morning, when you are going to school or work by public transport, it is not rare to see a toddler sitting on the legs of his mother, eyes wide-opened, playing with an iPad. Today, the favourite present for Christmas amongst young kids is not a skate or an RC car anymore, but the brand new smartphone or tablet, and it’s more and more the case as time goes by.  

If we look ten years back, this 'technological-dependence' of very young children would look very implausible, but now it is more than accepted as something normal.

 Sadly or not, the times during which the 'social media' was going out and play with friends in the park is over, since the 'Millenial generation' got in touch with Internet and its almost infinite possibilities to entertain and help communicate with each other. This means that the word childhood from now on will acquire a new concept where playing with toys or a ball in the streets will be seen as something from the past. This might not be considered very relevant, but until what point playing online Call of Duty transfers the same educational values as playing football in the park with your friends?

 The purpose of this article, however, is not to criticise technology or its early use amongst new generations, but to propose a question which will not to be responded until a couple decades from now: how will this structural change in childhood be influential in the development of our society?

Will our society 'suffer' from the future adults that now enjoy playing computer games and interacting with friends online, without having experienced the former childhood habits? We can only wait and see.

[thexlweekly-blog]

Feel-good suggestions to get you through the rest of 2016

- Una NI BHRIAIN, S7ENB

Let’s be honest, 2016 has been pretty miserable in a lot of ways. And with exams approaching (or already happening) for a lot of us, it’s not about to get any better. So here are seven suggestions to help you stay sane until 2017:

1.     For when you need a quick, easy and delicious snack 

I’m a big fan of microwave mug cakes- as stated above, they’re easy, quick and taste delicious. For those of you that don’t know what they are, microwave mug cakes are what happen when you put a bunch of cake ingredients in a mug and then microwave that mug for about a minute and discover you’ve actually created a miniature (extra gooey depending on how long you leave it) cake using a quarter of the energy and a tenth of the time it would take to actually bake a cake. My personal favourite is the cinnamon banana cake in a mug (recipe found here) but there are so many other wonderful and beautiful mug cakes out there (for example these)

 2.     For when you need to cry, but in a good way (and when you need to remember people are capable of kindness)

 For a lot of us exam time is approaching, and around exam time everyone gets a little…tense. People stay up so late studying (or procrastinating) that in the morning most of us don’t even have the energy to be decent people. People get tired, grumpy and downright mean- so it can seem like everyone around you is completely negative. Your friends and everyone else will go back to being kind, funny, and warm again once exam time is over but this video is perfect for when you need a reminder that people are inherently good and can be kind, even to strangers.

 3.     For when you just need a hug

This is the nicest and most heart-warming place on the internet. It shows video after video of strangers hugging and smiling at the screen. So it’s the perfect place to go when you’re feeling down and you just need a hug, but you don’t have any actual people around. You can also send in a video yourself, if you feel like sharing in the love.

4.     For when you just need to hit something (or someone)

 We all need to hit something sometimes, but we also know that it’s better to restrain ourselves because we know we’re going to regret breaking our possessions later. This website lets you shatter your screen over and over- perfect for anger relief. Or, if you’re looking for a slightly more entertaining way of releasing your anger, this website lets you slap a man in the face with an eel as many times as you like.

 5.     For when you just need a break from the studying

 Sometimes (meaning a lot of the time) studying becomes a bit too much, and you need a rest. However we all know that taking a break to go on Facebook, YouTube or really any other website with a lot of content is going to kill your will to work, and you’ll end up wasting hours. So what you really need is a website that’s fun, that takes your mind off studying, but that isn’t going to get you hooked. Luckily for you all, I’ve found two. This website lets you create interactive silk art, and this one lets you create a picture using different coloured sand. These websites are the ultimate stress relief.

 6.     For when you want to help others

 Don’t you wish it were possible to simultaneously answer really simple questions and feed rice to people in poverty? Well, using this website it actually is. You get to answer challenging questions such as ‘what does dirt mean’ with the possible answers of soil, heat, lamb, and finish. For every question you get right, the website donates 10 grains of rice to people in poverty. English isn’t the only category, there’s also chemistry, geography, maths, and many others. It’s the perfect way to do a little bit of good in the world without even leaving your chair. This website is run by the United Nations, so it’s the real deal.

7.     For when you want to look on the bright side of things

 Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past year, you’ve probably already seen these. But I just felt I had to put them here to remind us all that as bad as this year has been in a whole lot of ways, there’s always a silver lining. For example, the silver lining to this year’s disastrous US presentational election outcome was definitely the way the current Vice President Joe Biden reacted (this video especially), and more importantly the way people assumed he reacted behind closed doors.  

So here we have the crème de la crème of the Joe Biden memes.

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Movies that will mess with your mind

- Marie KERLEROUX, S7FRC

Movies can impact you in different ways, they can be extremely funny, extremely scary, or have super awesome special effects… But talentful movie directors can also touch people’s minds by elicitating strong feelings of incomprehension or stress, which can lead to fear. In my opinion, those effects are long-lasting effects and they can affect viewers for a long time. You can tell how effective a movie director is by seeing how much influence his work can have on people. For instance, if there’s a film that you previously watched and you didn’t like, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad movie if you’re still talking or thinking about it a week after.

Why do we like to be afraid, or unsettled, when watching a film (or reading a book) is an old, and interesting question. But the fact is that anxiety, mystery and shock are powerful forces in art.

I came up with a list of movies that troubled my mind and/or which brought a psychological fear in me. This list includes movies that I watched up to two years ago, but somehow I can still talk about them today, because they have influenced me so much. By the way some of the films mentioned here are not necessarily recommended for younger readers.

THE SHINING (1980, dir. Stanley Kubrick)

Jack is offered a job as a janitor for the Overlook, a hotel lost in the middle of nowhere. After having accepted the offer, he goes there with his wife and his nine year-old son. When the family arrives in the palace, they are told about the previous owner, who apparently went mad, because of the isolation he suffered from during his stay, and killed his whole family. Despite the tales going on about the empty hotel, Jack keeps his intentions of working there.

                                   Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance

In my opinion way better than any Exorcist or Insidious, The Shining portrays the consequences and the gradual stages of isolation and solitude in the scariest possible way. By means of Kubrick’s different techniques and aesthetics, this psychological horror movie is worth watching !

                                              The Overlook Hotel

FIGHT CLUB (1999, dir. David Fincher)

Edward Norton is the insomniac and depressed narrator of the movie, and he doesn’t find anything interesting in life anymore. After having tried every possible way of enjoying living, he eventually meets Tyler Durden,  an impulsive soap seller and finally finds something to live for. During one of his support groups, Edward meets Marla, a woman as strange as the other characters. He and Tyler decide to set up a fight club in the basement of their mouldy cohabitation ; the club becomes very popular and Edward’s pleasure in fighting becomes unhealthy.

Something else is not as sane as it used to be and it’s the relationship between Edward and Tyler. The narrator starts questioning himself.

                                     Helena Bonham Carter as Marla

It’s a long movie and the start is like a dead beginning : Edward is tired, depressed, and nothing happens to him. After meeting Tyler, his life becomes full of action and everything changes quickly until reaching a peak but after this peak, an incredible plot twist is revealed and this sudden change is so unexpected that it gives rise to a feeling of anxiety as we can realise how much madness was previously going on in the movie.

MULLHOLAND DRIVE (2001, dir. David Lynch)

Now, if you have already watched a movie by David Lynch, you will know what kind of atmosphere you should expect when it comes to his work. Mulholland Drive takes place in Los Angeles, CA and depicts the story of Betty and Rita, two young women that met up after Rita had a car accident on the famous californian road. Betty is ambitious and her main desire is to become an actress. Her life seems to be full of success, and on top of that, she falls in love with her friend Rita ; but it’s not that simple. As the two lovers try to find out what happened to Rita, every aspect in life starts being confusing.

     Naomi Watts in the role of Betty and Laura Harring in the role of Rita

First I have to say that I must have had two or three heart attacks while watching this movie, but this is not the worst part. David Lynch, with his slow and calm scenes, makes you expect the worst by putting you in a very oppressive atmosphere. On top of that, the troubling mix between dream and reality makes it a confusing movie, which can belong to the cinematographic genre of Fantasy.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995, dir. Bryan Singer)

Roger Kint, also known as « Verbal » is the only member left of the former group of five criminals composed of Mc Manus, Keaton, Fenster, and Hockney. He is very talkative and never stops verbalizing, which explains why he was given this nickname.

Verbal is interrogated by an FBI agent, who asks him about previous events (such as several smuggling operations and massacres, including one on a boat). The criminal talks about Keyser Söze, known and feared by everyone but whom we don’t see. The flashbacks that Verbal talk about make up the whole plot of the movie.

                                             Verbal (Kevin Spacey)

This movie is filled with action and can be confusing. I immediately thought of The Usual Suspects for this list because of an INCREDIBLE plot twist happening at the end of the story.

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000, dir. Darren Aronofsky)

In Brooklyn, Harry lives with his girlfriend in a world of drugs. Deeply addicted to heroine, he has ambitious projects in drug-dealing, which could make him earn a lot of money, with his friend Tyrone. His mother Sara is addicted to reality shows and watches TV everyday. One day, she’s unexpectedly invited to participate in a television show, and decides to start a diet by taking slimming pills so as to be in good shape for the big day.

                       Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and Harry (Jared Leto)

It is impossible to forget about this movie quickly after watching it. The themes of drug abuse and psychosis are illustrated through four different portraits of characters whose evolutions are extremely chaotic and upsetting.

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Is the use of the new media beneficial or detrimental to a society?

- Adrien LONG, S7FRC

Recently a different type of media has flourished. Usually referred to as New Media, it is composed of all content available through the Internet using different forms of electronic communication. The good and the bad side are both that there are (almost) no filters ; they are two sides of the same coin. This is especially the case of social media which’s use has exploded since the beginning of the century. The traditional (or old) form of media (which includes radio, television, newspapers but also books) has existed for quite some time and has always played an important role in any society. It was a tool for some people to express their opinions and like many things in life it had some positive aspects as well as some negative ones.

Human kind is usually characterized by the fact that it is social, which makes the sharing of ideas essential and interesting for any person. With the creation of the internet and the accessibility to so many, new media have followed and it has become a tool which almost anyone can now use, at least in the « developed » world. This new form has not however destroyed the old form but it basically gives the power to all of us to become mini-journalists. Ideas now travel faster and further, almost as if the Internet had no borders. This means people can usually have access to information from abroad and this therefore increases one’s ability to create his or her own opinion. People can even open up their minds to ideas that go against what they were taught or what their culture promotes.

One of the main problems with traditional media is that it can, even if it is not everywhere, be controlled by the government; which is the case in dictatorships. This is why social media play such a vital role in countries which do not have democracy as it allows people to get around such restrictions. One good example that I believe should be mentioned is what is called the Arab Spring. This revolutionary wave of protests and demonstrations took place in several Arab countries at the end of 2010. Networks of young citizens managed to simultaneously revolt against their respective governments which they considered undemocratic due to the difficulty of expressing one's point of view. When everything started in Tunisia, social media allowed the information to spread to many surrounding countries which were in a similar situation, giving courage to many people. Social media allowed collective activism which was not possible with the state-operated media channels and to open the eyes of the people regarding their government. The consequences of the Arab Spring are debatable, but it made it possible to overthrow dictators and change the way some governments ruled.

Social media can also be used to raise awareness, mobilise people, organize some social actions or to denounce problems, and is done by many different people for these purposes. For example after a natural disaster they can be used to collect money and supplies to help the impacted area, after terrorist attacks to mobilise and organise demonstrations but also to show respect for the victims or for example for NGO’s to raise awareness about their cause. These are usually all very good aspects that are very simple to do with the new media.

In the vast majority of places social media and new media in general are not controlled in terms of their content or access to them, even if some dictatorships try to do so by various means it is often difficult due to the desire of each citizen to keep their freedom of speech and because of how big it is. Only very few countries managed to take control over it, but one very big country, China, does so to a large extent, as most foreign websites are blocked and people cannot express freely their opinion on the internet.

But, in all the other places (where the majority of internet users are) social media aren’t regulated by anybody. There are therefore also many negative outcomes such as: propaganda, nonobjective information, trolling, no verification of the truthfulness of what is said, uncontrollable trends, cyberbullying and many others. So maybe we should ask ourselves: is it really normal and acceptable that social media aren’t controlled by anyone and have no limits? Have we lost control of this enormous ‘monster’ which is causing so many problems? But at the same time aren’t we stuck between not invading people’s privacy and not letting people do whatever they want?

I would like to have a look at an example which affected most of us recently: terrorism. It has been a strong concern to many of our citizens, as when for example we were not allowed to go to school for two days due to the Brussels lock-down. I can identify several ways in which new media played a role in it. On the one hand, it is known that the Islamic State uses propaganda on social media in order to recruit and form people to carry out attacks for them. A very tiny part of the population fall for this propaganda. Social media allow Islamic State's propaganda to be seen by many more people than it would otherwise be the case and this is very important for them due to the relatively small number of Islamic State sympathizers out there. One interesting fact, which appeared in The Washington Post, is that a cameraman is apparently paid « seven times the sum paid to typical fighters » the social media are therefore a strong tool for Islamic State.

Secondly, a consequence of social media (but also traditional media) is the excessive fear which they create, for example, the fear of terrorism which reigned in Belgium and other countries. It is due to the fact that attacks happening in Europe or America receive very strong media coverage. It is important to be aware of precise statistics and numbers, rather than just follow news headlines.

I would also like to compare two relatively recent similar events and their respective social media coverage, the terrorist attack in Paris in November 2015 and the attack in Ankara (Turkey) which occurred one month before. Both incidents were horrendous, with a death toll of respectively 130 and 102 people. Facebook offered for example the possibility for all its users of creating a temporary profile picture with a French flag as an overlay, in order to show one’s support to the victims of the attacks in Paris, which wasn’t the case after the attacks in Ankara. Both events were very similar and both were carried out by the Islamic State. The one in Turkey was the deadliest attack in all of Turkey’s history. Of course, on a national level it is normal to mediatise more attacks happening near to us as people feel more affected by what is close to them. But the gap between the media coverage of the two was disproportional. This is why I want to underline that social media can be misleading and show us only part of what actually happens over the world.

Other problems we can encounter with the fact that no verification is done are for example the fact that much of what is said can be false or distorted and therefore cannot be trusted, it can even be used in order to promote propaganda. Also, the fact that people are behind their screens makes some feel more powerful and allows easier bullying. Studies show that approximately 1/3 of adolescents have suffered some kind of cyberbullying and there is often no control over it.

In conclusion, I believe that social media are probably not sufficiently regulated and this is probably the case because it is not in the interest of major companies, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all the others, to limit the use of their social media. They want to maximize its use and therefore impose very few restrictions. I don’t believe that restrictions to social media, which don’t function with borders, should come from governments as they can abuse of this power. This is the case in China with the Great Firewall which blocks people’s access to many websites, limiting one’s right to privacy and freedom of information and expression. Perhaps we should consider creating an international organisation in order to provide a regulatory framework for this new social phenomenon.

Social media and some other forms of new media are not only about watching videos of cats or about some of the trends we can see online, they are much more than that and are an essential tool in the world in which we live in. This is why I believe it is important to be aware of all the potential problems which exist before using it and try and make our use as beneficial to all as possible. Having social media being more beneficial for citizens whilst preventing the misuse of these new technologies would be great progress. But of course the tricky part is achieving all of this whilst respecting people’s privacy.

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Donald Trump wins the elections… and this happens

-Inigo ESTEBANEZ, S7ESA

If you have not been in a deserted island for the last few weeks, you'll know the name of the President-elect of the United States of America: Donald Trump. And you have probably also heard a lot of controversial things he said and/or did, which involve the will to send back millions of illegal immigrants to their countries, the defence of racist and discriminating ideas, and how he grabbed women by the p****.

And now, to follow the natural course of events, people, after a 2-year long exhausting media campaign trying to characterise Donald Trump as the typical villain of any movie (which, let’s be honest, he kinda was), are literally crying on social media, warning that the end of the world is near. Furthermore, as has been happening in many cities in the States, riots have broken out, burning cars and damaging streetlights, at the uniting shout of 'Trump is not our president!’

 If it is completely acceptable to say that Donald Trump is not the prototype of the wise person and his character and manners are not the desired ones, or at least the expected ones for a president of the United States, it is also fair and very interesting to look at the reaction that his election has caused in society and to make remarks on a couple of incongruent aspects of it. However, we have to remember that he hasn’t been named President yet (this ceremony will take place on 20th January), so all of these protests against him are based on words only. So I ask myself, aren’t these people aware of how politicians make populist promises which are unaffordable, and say things during their electoral campaigns only to gain votes, to finally do the complete opposite once they are in power?

 Before the 8th of November, the media and social networks, which took for granted Hillary’s victory, were wondering how Trump supporters were going to swallow their defeat. They described how these ‘illiterate, racist and radical’ people would react : by causing damage and not accepting Mrs. Clinton as their legitimate president. It turned out that the polemic businessman won the presidential race, and not the democrat candidate. The reaction of the crowd was as expected, with a slightly fundamental difference: the riots were formed by pro-Hillarys instead of ‘trumpies’.

And this, in my opinion, should be something upon which to reflect. How could it be that those who blamed Trump, criticizing him and his supporters for being anti-democratic and violent are now doing the exact same thing they have spoken so negatively about? Is it, after all, that there isn’t such a big difference between them? Or is it that neither of the candidates transmitted the correct values to their supporters?

One of the most heard point in Trump’s campaign was his promise to build a big wall separating Mexico and the US in order to avoid illegal immigrants to enter the country. But sometimes people seem to be completely wrapped up into what the media tells them, and do not take a break to think about what has actually just been said and the way it was said, nor to contrast this information with their own knowledge (if any).

It seems to be forgotten that there was already a wall, which was started during Bill Clinton’s (yes, Hillary’s husband) mandate in 1994, with the excuse of a project against illegal immigration (known as Guardian Operation). Therefore, the fact that Trump wants to make it stronger and longer should not be the main issue, as the wall was already there.

But why does everything get so messed up through Trump’s words then? Isn’t it much more relevant that there already was a border wall, constantly guarded by armed patrols? Or is it just because the media didn’t pay too much attention to it, so virtually nobody complained about it?

Indeed, if we take a look back on American history, we see it was probably just a matter of time before someone like Trump appeared. We are talking about a society where every week several shootings take place (which result, in most cases, in the death of young black men). Some people would argue this is due to the freedom to have fire arms that American citizens ‘enjoy’. But this is not entirely true: Switzerland has more than 40 guns for every 100 people (third in the world after USA and Yemen) and its criminality rate is the second lowest of Europe. Therefore, the issue must be something else.

If we examine the other controversial points of Trump’s campaign, we get to a visible and obvious conclusion: neither racism, discrimination, nor violence was introduced by the now president-elect, Donald Trump, but are problems which have always been present in -not only- the American society. One doesn’t need to be very informed to know about the school shootings, mass assassinations, or racial violence and discrimination that -unfortunately- take place in the US apparently more frequently than in other ‘civilised’ countries.

 Let me finish with the fact that it is clear that Trump’s way of thinking might not be correct for the President of the United States, and for half of the population of that country, he is obviously not suitable for the job. But on the other hand, the controversial values he is transmitting are not new at all in the American society, so it can be seen as hypocritical to protest now when the problem has always been there. All he’s doing is speaking the thoughts of many Americans out loud. But the media somehow seems to be forgetting this point.

In any case, posting a cringy video, crying or tweeting a word game against Trump won’t be the solution to our problems. And what’s more: Donald Trump hasn’t done anything bad (nor good) yet as President, so there is no point in complaining about the results of this democratic election. The only thing we can do, is wait and see.

And as has been said before, remember how politicians tend to easily change their minds and do things they had sworn they’d never do… right, Obama?