BLOG TWO.
My knowledge, prior to starting LCF in September, was rather slim when it came to the world that we live in. Coming from a fairly small town, my secondary school was hardly diverse, and the term ‘sustainability’ just meant recycling and using a tote bag. LCF and Better Lives has really widened and fulfilled me with knowledge on important topics that has really restored my thinking towards my work.
Especially at the moment, I think social responsibility is so relevant during lockdown which has haltered peoples’ everyday routines, businesses, schools, universities and pretty much every aspect of life. Social responsibility has become present everywhere by staying at home to save lives and working from home. It does make me question if it wasn’t labelled a “pandemic”, would everyone be as socially responsible as they currently are by staying at home to stop the spread of COVID-19 or would they turn a blind eye to the situation? I found adapting to online university a quick transition and I do not think it has affected my work ethic, even if I am watching a lecture in my pyjamas!
Regarding the other themes, sustainability and diversity, it has without a doubt changed how I think about my work, in particular wanting it to always be inclusive and sustainable as much as possible. It has broadened my knowledge on different subcultures and the world around us. As a fashion journalist student, I now understand the importance to write about topics such as women’s rights, the welfare of workers in the fashion industry, mental health, minorities and sustainability in fashion. For instance, my assessment in fashion journalism is to come up with a prototype magazine, so I have come up with the idea of a unisex magazine on sustainable sportswear. I do think that better lives and in & out of fashion: sportswear styling has had a great influence on this decision.
The themes of better lives have made me realise that I do have a voice and should write about topics that should be heard about. Perhaps it has brought out an activist side of me! I have also looked into different movements, such as the PussyHat Project and I think fashion is such a good way to convey political messages and as symbols of support. The PussyHat Project has, also, currently started knitting PPE masks, for those who need them, to help with the mask shortages.
Overall, better lives have made me research a lot more into brands, companies and organisations that are sustainable, diverse and socially responsible which is influencing my work and the way I now think. I do think it is important for people to educate themselves on these topics and understand how important they are especially for future generations.
5th May 2020 @ 11:20 pm
Peer Review
Kaylee-Rose Payne’s blog post regarding her reflection on the Better Lives themes is an active exploration of her changing ideologies since moving to London, starting university, and engaging with the Better Lives course. She discusses how the substantial change of living in the capital city after spending her life in a small Essex town has widened her knowledge and understanding of what it means to be diverse, responsible and sustainable.
Concerning the theme of ‘social responsibility’, Payne notes its relevance in the current Coronavirus climate, acknowledging how much the pandemic has “haltered peoples’ everyday routines, businesses, schools, universities” and “every aspect of life”; the crisis of Covid-19 has forced the public to become socially responsible by doing something as simple as staying inside, at home. Interestingly, she questions whether this societal responsibility would be regarded as significant as it is if the Coronavirus outbreak wasn’t labelled as a pandemic. Similarly to Payne, I believe that the aspect of togetherness that the virus has created would not be present in a world without it. It takes a significant thing to happen to everyone (like Coronavirus) for individuals to take on the responsibility of a society, otherwise people would continue to maintain their personal responsibility with the majority of care for the lives of themselves and their immediate peers, without regard for those deemed as ‘other’ or strangers.
When talking about the themes of diversity and sustainability, Payne recognizes how learning more about the two themes has changed how she works for the better, and even sparked an interest into researching activist movements, such as the PussyHat Project. Though her recognition of the Better Lives themes of diversity and sustainability is an interesting reflection, she could give an insight into how exactly the two themes have changed how she works by giving examples.
As a whole, Payne’s reflection upon how the Better Lives unit and the themes of sustainability, social responsibility and diversity have changed how she thinks/ works in the world is more than valid; she goes into detail about how important the theme of social responsibility is, giving current examples of how it effects the world today, whilst acknowledging how she has learnt about diversity and sustainability, an element that has encouraged her to participate in further research on the subject (the PussyHat project). Overall, it is clear that Kaylee-Rose was an active learner during the Better Lives course, and the unit has changed how she thinks in the most positive way.
Link to blog: https://1920betterlivessmc.myblog.arts.ac.uk/2020/04/28/blog-2-8/