September 2023
Inefficiency
57/01
Inefficiency
After the relaxing holidays we delve deep into the issue of "inefficiency". What does this theme mean to us? Explore through the different articles written by both our editorial team and pen pals.
Maja's article (page 4) delves into architecture's role in perpetuating gender stereotypes. Join penpal Joey on a journey (page 8) through the expression of queerness in Parisian boutiques, pondering whether shopping can regain its allure.
From Maison du Plaisier, Playboy Mansion and Casa Mojo Dojo House we proceed with a trip to Disneyland, or actually Florida, (page 12), we examine how hyper-real suburbia embodies the American Dream.
Discover our film festival 'Good, Bad and In-Between' (page 16) and Sem's exploration of reality and authenticity in society (page 18).
Nathan discusses our shift from literature to TikTok (page 22), and Jessica reflects on the internet's impact as a drug or societal skin (page 26).
In our new section "What are you Watching right now?" Nathan and Tuyen discuss and review the film "Oppenheimer" (page 30).
Explore inefficiency in our world, a thought-provoking journey awaits!
Editorial team
Tuyen Le, Maja Liro, Sem Verwey, Nathan Döding, Nina Lamers
With contributions from
Joey Lageschaar, Jessica Kuurstra
Cover design by
Nina Lamers
Editorial
Another academic year has passed. How do we feel following the summer break?
Relaxed? Stressed?
Are you ready to jump back into the stream of utmost productivity? This issue, looking back at sunnny holiday weeks, focuses on topics revolving around "Inefficiency”.
We begin with an article written by Maja. In her piece she explores architecture as the driving force of desire that typifies gender stereotypes in our society (page 4). Then, we introduce you to one of our penpals, Joey, who continues to write on the topic of queerness. Referring to the expression of queerness in Parisian boutiques, he wonders if shopping could become a suspenseful and sensual experience again (page 8).
From Maison du Plaisier, Playboy Mansion and Casa Mojo Dojo House we proceed with a trip to Disneyland, or actually Florida, where Walt Disney Productions have attempted to create the American Dream in hyper-real suburbia, using racial diversity, postmodernism and privatisation (page 12). After a short interruption where our filmfestival 'Good, Bad and In-Between' is announced yet again (page 16), we keep on questioning the reality of experiences in Sem’s article. Elaborating on the spectacular encounters that compile our society, he takes us drifting through the city in search for authenticity (page 18).
The influence of the internet on our lives plays a big role in the next part of this issue. Nathan paints an image of how we consistently moved away from reading Hemingway, towards scrolling on TikTok all day long. What is the reason for the big success of this platform and what role does urban planning play in it (page 22)? Nathan is followed upwith another penpal, Jessica, reflecting on the fact that the internet has become a drug for the mere and a skin for society. Read the article to find out what that Jessica specifically means, and see how she argues that the art of disconnecting may have a positive effect on us (page 26).
Finally, we end with a new section in Bnieuws! Where we have gotten used to the regular book recommendations at the end of every issue, we would now like to finish with a film review. The movie for this edition is Oppenheimer, which left our team with various opinions (page 30).
Contents
From the editors
4-7
pg.
Sexual identification and sexual practices cannot be separated from the architectural spaces in which they take place. Architecture, as the physical design of the space and as an atmosphere, becomes a substantial part of our fantasy as we travel the path between desire and pleasure in our sexual relations. There is no desire without a constructed and projected image; there is no desire without a space for projection. The article explores architecture’s role as a driving force of desire that typifies gender stereotypes in our society.
Pen Pal
8-11
pg.
Do you look at me the way I like to look at you? I love the way he looks at you and I would love it if he directed those eyes at me, too.
Continuously yearning for one another, but together only in this place, without fear. I long for eyes, like his and yours, not to meet mine and connect our sights, but to linger right here.
From the editors
12-15
pg.
When we think of the most magical place on Earth, where do you think of it? One of the obvious answers would be Disneyland. And when the Disney Company built a town named Celebration in Florida, they ensured their charm was ingrained through every neighbourhood corner. When we take a closer look, this certain charm is also a product of the New Urbanism movement in Florida. Celebration is a controlled beautification of American suburbia, which makes it the main inspiration for the neighborhood in the movie The Truman Show. They hold a parallel essence of a perfect suburban town. However, in reality, the formula to such perfection is not simple, and a few of the ingredients are a pinch of racial diversity, a tablespoon of postmodernism, and a large cup of privatization.
From the editors
18-21
pg.
I have to say that I do enjoy train rides. Even more so if they take longer than 13 minutes. After a hasty rush through a world full of turmoil, I often find myself relieved whenever I find a free train seat where I can settle down. Somehow, such a seat always comes across as one that is kept free specifically for me – as if my name is written on it.
From the editors
22-25
pg.
Reading Hemingway has taught me a lot of things. The, for his time, modern writing style brings festive scenes in Paris to life. In Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway romantically describes his vacation to Pamplona. Hiking through arid mountains, fishing in a creek, having drinks at bars, and rising tensions between friends and lovers fill Jake’s life with spectacles. Fast-forward 100 years: Western society is richer than it has ever been. The internet connected the world and Hemingways romantic scenes of human interaction have developed into: TikTok. The absolute pinnacle of contemporary entertainment.
Pen Pal
26-29
pg.
Internet addiction is a term that has been used since the early days of the internet (Court, 2022). In 1996, the New York Times published an article titled ‘The Symptoms of Internet Addiction’, in which interviews were taken from ‘internet addicts’. These internet addicts were classified as people who “spend more than 6 hours a day online, and more than an hour reading his email” (Belluck, 1996). Nowadays, almost everyone working with an internet connection qualifies as such an addict. The same goes for teenagers in the US, who already spend more than 7 hours a day online without including school or homework (Court, 2022). Is being on the internet and being connected something we want or is it something forced upon us?
What are you reading right now?
32-34
pg.
Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster enjoyed high expectations by the public, a far from modest cast and a budget of $100 million. According to the first box office reports, it was a major success, grossing out $80 million in its opening weekend. But the Bnieuws team has a lot to say about Nolan’s first biopic, with some members leaving the cinema in ecstasy, and others feeling relieved to go home. This is the first of our new Film Reviews section, in which members of the team discuss their praise and disgust for new films.