Quotes/Facts/References Flashcards
1
Q
Inequality
A
- UN Chief António Guterres said that migrants and refugees have been vilified as a source of the virus, and then denied access to medical treatment.
- COVID described as a ‘threat multiplier’ by UN Deputy Chief, compounding existing threats, particularly to developing nations and already marginalised groups.
- After COVID it will be interesting to see whether the changes which were made (e.g. increases in social security/Jobseeker) will be transformed into more longterm solutions or if many will be plunged into poverty.
2
Q
Minorities/Majorities
A
UN Chief António Guterres said the COVID-19 crisis has unleashed a “tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scaremongering” leading to a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment.
3
Q
Poverty
A
- Developing nations with less economic prowess will be less likely to provide stimulus surrounding the crisis, and less likely to recover quickly from the damage.
- Remittances (money sent) to developing countries have already fallen by 20 percent in a time when it is needed most.
- The World Bank estimates that 49 million people could fall back into extreme poverty as a result of COVID-19.
4
Q
Climate change
A
- The Guardian reported that global CO2 emissions have dropped by roughly 17 percent during the pandemic compared to the same time last year, however this is not an accurate representation nor a substitute for sustained climate action.
- This seems however to be only temporary as restrictions are lifted bringing the predicted annual drop to around 5%.
5
Q
War
A
- “Every war, however justified, reduces the stock of human good, and diminishes civilization – sometimes destroying in seconds what centuries built.” A.C. Grayling.
6
Q
Consumerism
A
- The Daughters of the Moon - Italo Calvino
- The story uses the moon in contrast with all the new products and shiny things to highlight and critique the notion of consumerism and how it marginalises members of society.
- The path of the moon being dragged through the sky by the naked girls and followed by marginalised populations of the city is directly juxtaposed to the Consumerism Parade which apotheosises production and consumption.
- “Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy ready-made things in the shops. But since there are no shops where you can buy friends, men no longer have friends.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
7
Q
Tradition
A
- The Lottery - Shirley Jackson.
- Uses irony to depict a lottery in which the ‘winner’ is stoned to death.
- The lottery is described as a long running tradition in the town and thus, the short story is a critique of blindly following tradition.
8
Q
Perspective
A
- “A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
9
Q
Love
A
- “But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
10
Q
Humility
A
- “It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
11
Q
Friendship
A
- “Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy ready-made things in the shops. But since there are no shops where you can buy friends, men no longer have friends.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
12
Q
Racism
A
- “The concept of race has no genetic or biological basis…The concept of race is entirely artificial.” A.C. Grayling
- Since the introduction of the concept of race through botanist Carl Linnaeus’ taxonomy genetic advances and DNA analysis have disproven the accuracy of such taxonomies.
- “DNA analysis dismantles the idea of race completely.” A.C. Grayling
- Yale University Professor says that “race is a social, cultural and political concept based on superficial appearances and historical conditions.”
- The observed human diversity is a mere function of differing environmental/geographical influences over the course of history.
- John F Kennedy: “There are not “white” or “coloured” signs on the graveyards of battle.”
13
Q
Freedom
A
- Rudyard Kipling poem ‘The Old Issue’: “He shall mark our goings, question whence we came, Set his guards about us, as in Freedom’s name.”
- This quote from Kipling’s poem alludes to the notion of freedom as a ruse to impose harsh laws/surveillance. This is a good quote in relation to COVID19 and the concerns voiced by people surrounding the Australian Government’s COVIDSafe app.
- “Politicians react to terrorism by limiting liberties.” A.C. Grayling. E.g. Terrorism, Europe, refugees, the rise of the Right.
14
Q
Media, fear-mongering, censorship
A
- Three journalists were removed from China after reporting on the initial outbreak of COVID-19
- “Under the Dome” documentary by Chai Jing, showed the negative effects of China’s air pollution.
- Removed from the internet by CCP after only 4 days, having accrued 150 million views in that time.
- The CCP are known to remove and/or censor potentially damning content from the internet.
- Cambridge Analytica Scandal, data analysis firm, harvesting data from social media platforms for targeted advertising.
- Trump 2016, Brexit.
- “Information warfare”
15
Q
May 1968
A
- Protests began by students from Nanterre and Sorbonne Universities in Paris, before spreading all across the Hexagon.
- Against capitalism, consumerism and the traditional French societal hierarchy.
- Paved the way for Gay and Women’s rights.
