Latest Stories from Annie
Opinion – why giving weight loss jabs to unemployed Brits is problematic
The government’s proposal endorses the stereotype that larger people without jobs are ‘just lazy’ and implies that a body that ‘works’ is measured by how much labour can be extracted from it. These days, it’s almost too easy to compare ourselves as we binge episode after episode of fatphobic media like The Biggest Loser, or My 600-lb life, or Supersize vs Superskinny, watching as people told they’re unhealthily large...
The problem with AI playlists on Spotify
Spotify algorithms are alienating us from each other and casting shadows over smaller artists by playing the same music over and over again. Is there a way we can rediscover the joy of sharing through streaming and continue to expand our tastes and experiences through sound? Whether you’re passionate about podcasts or crazy about carefully curated playlists, chances are you’re no stranger to Spotify, the world’s most...
What is the IKEA effect and how does it apply to relationships?
We value IKEA furniture more because we’ve invested time and energy into reading the instructions and then assembling it. This has taken on a whole new meaning online. For gamblers, the ‘sunk cost fallacy’ might sound familiar. Defined as ‘a reluctance to abandon a strategy or course of action because one’s invested heavily in it, even if it’s clear that abandonment would be more beneficial,’ it’s a phenomenon that sees...
Why are men sabotaging the ‘she deserved the purse’ trend?
Men have been sabotaging women’s pay-it-forward scheme by wrecking baby aisles and taking money intended for young mothers. Is this a clap-back against the unnecessary spectacularisation of generosity or against women experiencing privileges men have excluded themselves from by unequally distributing parental responsibility? Across the US, women have been hiding money and gift vouchers among baby products in popular supermarkets as part of a new pay-it-forward scheme developed recently by...
The dangers of gymcel culture
As the worlds of incels and gym nuts collide, the impacts of this are not only concerning for women, but for the susceptible men whose wellbeing is at stake as a result of these trends. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the infamous red pill community, whose members rule the online manosphere. Incels reign supreme in this space, the term a portmanteau for ‘involuntarily celibate,’ which describes a person...
When did British festivals get so messy?
Every time festival season rolls around in the UK, attendees make headlines for destroying the sites (and their livers alongside them). In other parts of Europe, this recklessness is less common – or at least less renowned. Should we be looking beyond British borders for an example of how to regulate environmental impact and substance use at multi-day music and arts events? Whether you’ve found yourself in the midst of...
Opinion – bring back the fat chefs
The online convergence of food and fitness influencers on social media means that people are focusing on the protein and ‘fuel’ quotient of their quick-to-make meals, rather than delighting in the flavour of their culinary creations and the process of cooking them. I vividly remember the first time I saw culinary skills depicted on-screen. It was the infamous cheese toastie scene in Jon Favreau’s 2014 film Chef,...
Opinion – we need to take self-care from the screen to the streets
Though scrolling on social media gives us the short-term dopamine hits we crave, ceaseless overexposure to tragedy means that many of us have developed a guilt complex. To combat this, we’re increasingly switching off in the name of self-care, but what if we redirected that to bringing about tangible change and helping others the way we’re helping ourselves? Without doubt, social media is having detrimental impact on our mental...
Is accessible news making Gen Z narrow-minded?
With young people getting most of their news from social media, their political interests are being swayed by algorithms and a limited exposure to diverse perspectives. In recent years, the number of people for whom social media is their go-to news source has soared, with 44 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds using Instagram for this very reason. These platforms – originally intended to...
Where in the UK is best for Northern creatives?
Though creative brain drain has seen Northern graduates move South for years, Manchester now boasts more jobs per person than the UK’s capital – but is it affordable to live there? Already regarded as the powerhouse of the North thanks to its rich (literally) industrial history and iconic music scene, Manchester’s booming economy, exciting nightlife, and media links have recently put it on the map as a more manageable London. With...
