What is your reaction to the idea that no one in that society is allowed to read books?

While reading Fahrenheit 451, I came across the concept of banning the reading of books by people in the society. This idea was quite disturbing for me to envision because of the crucial part that books play in my life. I read when I am overjoyed and when I am depressed, I read when I am angry and when I am excited. Hence, I cannot imagine a world where I cannot turn to books for support or to provide me happiness.

However, such a scenario may soon hold true in our own society. This is because many people have completely stopped reading books in favour of other popular media, like- movies, television, etc…A lot of books have also been banned due to them containing content that hurts the emotions of a particular community/group of people. Therefore, the idea of completely banning the reading of books is not a long shot.

If something like this does occur in the future I do hope that some books still remain available for people to read.  I wish those books would be the following- 1. The roll of thunder, 2. Oliver Twist, 3. Jane Eyre, 4. A doll’s house and lastly, Fahrenheit 451. I hope that these books remain available to read because these books present many great ideas to the world and most importantly they hold stories about the humankind. In conclusion, I would say that books should never be banned but if that holds true in the future, some books should be spared.

What role does poetry play in your life ?

Poetry, sometimes treated like the less affluent cousin of plays and novels, holds no less influence than either of them. I think a good poem is worth its weight in gold. This is because poems have the power of communicating an important idea in just a few words. To me personally, Poems are quite like chocolate milkshakes, I enjoy one every once in a while.

I tend to experience poems by relating the expressed ideas/feelings to something that I may have experienced in my own life. For example- When reading a poem about a beautiful sunset, I try to reminisce a time when I saw a magnificent one. Alongside, I turn to poems for inspiration when I feel low. I do this by reading poems about somebody’s struggles or about how someone overcame their fear of something.

Reading these pieces never leaves me uninspired. These poems are like a pillar of solidarity for me to hold onto during low moments. Lastly, there are many wonderful poems out there that one can read just for the sheer pleasure of it, they aren’t any less entertaining than mainstream literature. In hindsight, poems are like a hidden paradise that is yet to be discovered by the masses, but when this paradise is discovered it will become the peoples’ favourite for a long time.

How can we help one another during the coronavirus outbreak ?

The coronavirus outbreak, ever since it began, has caused the world to change in multiple ways. The disease which has physically affected at least 2 million people has mentally affected many more. When people are introduced to the idea of staying at home in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus, they may not realise that it means not being able to meet friends/family for extended periods of time.

Alongside, living in isolation, being secluded from the rest of the world, causes many people to feel severe anxiety. In this situation, the feelings of loneliness and being trapped are quick to arise.Many of our family members/friends may be experiencing these feelings right now and we may be unaware. The objective of this post today is to help some people bridge that gap and help the people around them escape these feelings. In order to bridge this gap, the element of utmost importance would be communication.

Communicating with people around us, perhaps video-calling them once or twice a week can be a lot of help to them in these tough times. This is because this connection would make them realise that even though they cannot leave their house to physically meet their friends/family, they can still meet them virtually, hence they are not alone. Alongside, it would also be great for their mental health and ours to text them once a day, just to ask how they’re doing. Ultimately, we have to remember that we are all in this together.

Is advertising a corrupt and manipulating influence on our lives ?

The advertisement industry is often perceived as a billion dollar industry designed to trick consumers into buying things they don’t have any real use for.It is true that a lot of advertisements corrupt people’s lives and lead them into a downward spiral, for example- The advertisements for fast food chains use many photos of appetising food to attract consumers to their respective establishments however the negative impact of eating this food is largely ignored.

A lot of companies also make false claims in their advertisements in an effort to woo customers. For example- A certain yoghurt company claimed that their yoghurt had more nutritional benefits than any other, something which was completely untrue. Alongside, a lot of companies now use the process of “greenwashing” or claiming that their products are environment-friendly, when they are not. This manipulates the customer into thinking that they are doing their bit to save the planet but in reality the only entity benefiting in these transactions are the company owners.

However just like a coin, this industry has two sides. This industry helps millions of people earn their livelihood and although some adverts do employ appealing images, colours, humour and making false claims to manipulate their target audience into buying their product, some adverts are ethical in nature, designed to merely convince the audience of their products’ great features.

Alongside, now there are various governmental organisations which monitor advertisements and penalise companies for making false or misleading claims. So, it would be incorrect to assume that the advertisement industry is farce or in the disinterest of people. In conclusion I would say that consumers should keep an open mind while watching all adverts but be careful in order to avoid being manipulated in any way.

 

What songs matter to you now ?

Until quite recently, I had been listening to all sorts of songs, from Kpop to  hiphop. However, now I mostly listen to songs that I feel a very strong personal connection to. This could be due to the fact that uncertain times like these, make me extremely anxious and edgy, so I try to make myself feel better by reminiscing instances where I was extremely happy. One song that I frequently listen to is Torn by Nathan Lanier. This song holds a space very close to my heart because I had choreographed my final piece for IGCSE Dance to this song. It never fails to put me in a jovial mood.

 

It is said that our favourite songs are our favourite because we attach significant memories to them. Perhaps “torn” is always able to brighten my mood because it reminds me of a task that I had done for the first time and upto my satisfaction. Hence, this is my go to song when I am sad. I personally think that having such songs can be very beneficial to our mental health. However, everyone is different and different songs are of different significance to everyone. In conclusion, I feel that it is important to embrace the practice of “go to” songs but also maintain individuality.