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Showing posts from February, 2021

Introducing Mukbang!

The internet is the birthplace of many bizarre challenges and trends. For the past decade, people went crazy over various absurd trends like ‘Naked Butts In Front Of Pretty Scenery’ photography, people showing off their colored armpits and glittery beards, the ghoulish Kylie Jenner lip challenge and the freezing ice bucket challenge. These trends I’ve mentioned are equivalent to just a drop of water in a sea of hundreds of trends which went viral in the internet. Introducing Mukbang! Yet another seemingly unrealistic trend brought to life by The Internet. And has now become a full-blown viral sensation. What is Mukbang ? 👀 The word Mukbang is a blend of two Korean words: “mukja,” or “let’s eat”; and “bang song,” meaning "broadcast”. It is an internet trend that originated from South Korea where it spread amongst the masses. In this, hosts record themselves eating massive, calorie-rich   spreads, large enough to feed a family in one sitting. However the interesting thing abou

House at the end of Hope street

A Hope street. A house at the end of it. Unseen by many, seen and visited by a handful of very special people. To be more specific, famous writers, painters, doctors, social activists from the 19th century onwards. What is so special about it? You would wonder. All of the boarders of the House at the end of the Hope street were women. Women who were struggling through a desperate period of time in their lives. This is the House which provided them with Hope! A space which provided them with ample  time to listen to their own hearts. A place where they formed new friendships with each other. The book "House at the end of Hope street" is a whimsical novel that addresses hope, feminine strength and wisdom written by the 21st century novelist Menna Van Praag. I read the book recently and was fascinated by the storyline and the beauty of the language used, after reading the first few chapters. The story is about Alba, a young university undergraduate who is going through many d

The cost of being Black in America

                           On June 16 th , 1944 George Stinney Jr, a fourteen year old African American boy was executed by electrocution for allegedly murdering and attempting to rape two young white girls. George’s tragedy is set in motion when one afternoon on his way to the fields with his sister, Aime he comes across two white girls, Betty (aged 11) and Mary (aged 7). They ask him whether he knows where they could get some Maypops, a purple colour flower. George replies with a “no” and goes on his way but hears the girls planning to go down towards the railway tracks to look for the flowers. The morning after, the two girls were found murdered and their bodies dumped in a ditch by the railway tracks and George is immediately arrested simply because only he knew where the girls were. He is intimidated and pressurized by white police officers in the absence of his parents and is coerced into confessing to a crime he did not commit. After being put on trial he is found guilty by a ju

A Perfect Match: News of a Kidnapping and Narcos

                     I’m sure many of us are big fans of the TV series Narcos , but have you read News of a Kidnapping by Gabriel Garcia Marquez? If you are into docudramas or historical narratives, Narcos and News of a Kidnapping are a must. From romances, crime, action, politics, history, drug trafficking to civil wars, Narcos and Marquez will keep you hooked from the beginning till the very end.                 Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of those novelists whose words will make you slip into the most magical world filled with romance, wars, impossibilities and fantasy. I remember reading Love in the time of Cholera for the first time and instantly falling in love with Marquez. The effortless humour and simplicity with which he narrates the most exciting stories never fail to make a lasting impression. The novel News of a kidnapping is a blend of both fiction and non-fiction that focuses on the series of kidnappings and murders of 10 prominent Colombian individuals and journa

Cows over girls: Tanzania’s child brides

It’s the 21 st century and things are much better for women than what they used to be a century ago. Owing to many brave women who fought for equal rights in the past centuries, we have now gained many basic rights which we were deprived of in a misogynistic society: basic rights which we women should’ve naturally been entitled to in an otherwise utopian world. But are things really that different for women in some parts of the world? Taking you to the other side of the globe, Tanzania, Shinyanga Province, where society is still stuck in archaic gender roles and extremely discriminatory ideologies against women. A society where cows are more valuable than girls. That’s right. Cows. Despite how absurd it may sound, in this particular social hierarchy, women are below cattle.   Watching documentaries is one of my favorite modes of entertainment. That is how I came across the topic of child brides in Tanzania. Titled as “Bride Trade: Fighting Tanzania’s child tradition” (2017), this do
  Fun Fact Corner: Countries, Clichés & Conundrums. *Includes hyperlinks (text highlighted in blue) to music and videos Do you find the meme on the left amusing? Flattering? Or offensive? It reads 'Roses are red, violets are blue. There’s always an Asian better than you'. Now, I do feel partially flattered although this is clearly a stereotype. It’s subjective really, because you, unlike me, may feel offended. There is no escape from stereotypes. From gender, to beauty and even in the spheres of academia, stereotypes have made their mark. Listed below are four stereotypes of countries that I personally found amusing and hope you do too. If you know any other countries and cliché’s, don’t forget to share them down in the comments! Since we are delving into the murky waters of stereotypes, why not submerge ourselves completely with some cliché music to go along with the countries! Feel free to play the suggested music as we journey into the territory of countries and cl