Courier Summer 2021

Oxford University Cancel Culture Willow Biggins “Cancel Culture” is the act of de-platforming and publicly shaming another person due to their different beliefs or actions, most commonly celebrities and politicians, although it can happen to anyone. It’s dismissing an individual or an idea without an opportunity to defend themselves. It actively works against our human right to freedom of speech and often at times, it becomes closer to online bullying than “educating” those on their wrongdoing. Nick Cave, an Australian musician, stated that “cancel culture” has an “asphyxiating effect on the creative souls of society.” It’s hard to say where it came from, as it's not a movement with a leader and defined members, although, some say that it arose in the 1960s through the civil rights movement and the leftist movement, which was greatly impactful and influential at the time, though, coming from good intentions it has progressed into something dangerous. However, I believe that it’s always been an idea, through rumours and hearsay, yet, recently, social media has amplified it as it has given people an opportunity and platform to express how they feel leading to disagreement on all sides. Page 13 A number of our Year 10 students spent the Spring and Summer terms working with Exeter College, Oxford. Alongside hearing about how a collegiate university works, they were also invited to write a thinkpiece on an issue affecting them. Anne Law Poverty Harry Matthews I believe that there are two stand-out solutions for the current social issue of poverty. Firstly, the introduction of unemployment benefits could greatly reduce poverty amongst people who are actively trying to find work but unfortunately cannot. This scheme would provide those who are searching for work (yet unemployed) with enough money to surpass the poverty line in their country or area; undoubtedly leading to less poverty amongst those who are genuinely attempting to find work. Although I can see the disadvantages to this solution, I believe that the government could also save some money that they spend on the effects of poverty each year. In addition to this, I believe another good solution would be an increase in minimum wage. If the minimum wage was increased to an amount that was calculated at above the poverty line, it is inevitable that poverty would be extinguished. As for the government, I must urge you to push to introduce one of these solutions. Although thus far you have provided money towards poverty, I believe that more can be done, more money should be invested into solving the social issue of unemployment and therefore poverty. Technology Kazuma Davies Technology and the internet. They've shaped bothmodern society as well as how modern society functions, while also bringing countless social benefits. However this is not what I will be writing about. Generally, the consequences of the internet are ignored, and swept under the rug but problems that may seem small and insignificant now could result in being much larger in a few decades. Firstly, with the introduction of technology, society underwent drastic changes extremely rapidly. This left the older generation oblivious to how the younger generation functioned and formed a massive disconnect between parents and children. Money Iona Whitchurch Bennett Money can buy you a great defense team, but what if you can’t afford one? Over 80% of those charged with felonies are indigent, this means that most poor people rely on public defenders when being charged. Itall started in1961whenClarenceEarlGideongot charged with breaking into a pool hall, stealing some Cokes, beer, and change, and was handed a five-year sentence after he represented himself because he couldn’t pay for a lawyer. This led to him writing a note to the US supreme court, asking them to take on his case. Eventually, his pencil written note formed the high court’s historic 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright ruling, establishing the right to a criminal defense and requiring states to provide a defense attorney to those who can’t afford one. Although this law gave everyone a lawyer, it didn’t necessarily give them a good one. In fact, the use of public defenders often leads to an unfair trial due to their enormous workload however, private attorneys have less work and therefore more time to analyse their defence with their clients as well as answer any questions they may have. This issue is a systemic issue causing the poor to suffer from the government's mistakes; to fix the system it would take masses of funding however this would result in higher taxes, again, affecting the poor.