#tiffanyferg

"learned helplessness" & the tech literacy crisis | Internet Analysis

Another amazing video and also props for always being aware of disabilty, nuerodiversity’s, audio process difficulties, hard of hearing, and other difficulties/disabilities.

Learning how to solve your own problems and ask the right questions is a skill, like all the others.

Rebecca Makkai ☑ (@/rebeccamakkai)

I'm trying to get to the bottom of why we associate rising early with moral goodness. If I get up at 10 am and work till 2 in the morning, I'm lazy. If I get up at 5 am and work till 6 pm and go to bed at 8, I'm a Good Person. Is this some kind of agrarian holdover, or what?

Sleeping in to get enough rest = self-indulgent Going to bed early to get enough rest = gold medal wtf

Fast fashion is a global and profitable business. The industry is categorised by fast production and distribution on a mass level. Many fashion retailers fall under this umbrella, including Zara, H&M, Cotton On, Shein, Fashion Nova etc. These stores produce a large quantity of clothing, often with little consideration for ethical concerns. For example, these practices have devastating consequences for the environment. Estimates place the global industry as a producer of 10% of the world's carbon emissions. The short lifecycle of fast fashion clothing also means that a significant amount of textile waste is produced. Additionally, due to the industry producing such a massive amount of clothing, resources are stripped from the environment at an unsustainable rate. Furthermore, as Kristen Leo observes in her YouTube video, 'Fast Fashion Explained in Under 5 Minutes' (2018), fast fashion also regularly uses exploits cheap labour in its production cycle, relying on sweatshop labour to fulfil demand at a low price. Workers in these factories are often employed at meagre wages and work in poor conditions.

In response to the ethical concerns posed by the fast fashion industry, the slow fashion movement has emerged. The slow fashion industry acts as the antithesis of fast fashion, focused on using sustainable materials and practices to produce durable clothing in smaller amounts. As Brewer (2019 p. 7) comments, "firms in the slow fashion movement promote sustainability in sourcing, production, and consumption".

The slow fashion movement also relates to broader ideas of digital citizenship. Some people have chosen to use platforms such as YouTube and Instagram to further promote the slow fashion movement. These 'slow fashion influencers' (e.g. Kristen Leo, Tiffany Ferguson, Venetia La Manna, Sarah Hawkinson) use social media to push back against the fast fashion industry, highlighting the fast fashion industry's ethical implications and strategies for sustainable participation in the industry overall. These videos have the intention of empowering viewers with the knowledge and skills to oppose the fast fashion industry themselves both through digital methods and their shopping habits.

However, while these videos promote helpful ideas concerning sustainability, there are still barriers to participating in the slow fashion movement. For example, using ethical production and materials means that often slow fashion garments are produced at a higher cost than fast fashion garments. Consequently, slow fashion garments are often sold at a higher price point, leading to issues of accessibility and a reluctance from consumers to switch from buying cheaper fast fashion items. Lai et al. (2017, p. 93) comment that, for many, when choosing between slow and fast fashion items, price is a key determining factor in decision making. Additionally, convenience also plays a significant role, with many unwilling to search out sustainably produced clothing. The implication is that while fast fashion brands can sell their clothing at a significantly lower price and in a more convenient way, slow fashion will be limited in its reach.

Additionally, while some believe that employing sustainable practices in fashion is a good step towards an ethical industry, others point out that the slow fashion industry still contributes to the textile industry and textile waste. These people suggest that the only ethical way to participate in the clothing industry is to buy clothing secondhand. Clothing resale platforms such as Depop capitalize on this idea, allowing users to trade and sell clothing, extending its lifecycle. Through Depop, a community has formed around selling secondhand clothing between users, often at prices comparable to fast fashion.

Despite the genuine efforts of many to counteract fast fashion with the slow fashion movement and sustainable production, many fashion retailers see sustainability as more of a trend or marketing tactic. Some of these companies will use greenwashing; when companies brand themselves to appear more environmentally friendly or sustainable than they actually are (Hawkinson 2020). For example, H&M has a 'conscious collection' (Farra 2020), marketed as an ethically produced line. However, while this particular collection may use sustainable practices and materials, some point out that H&M still produces many collections which do not. Additionally, these 'conscious collection' items are still produced in mass quantities. While they may last for a longer time, many of these items will eventually contribute to textile waste.

In general, the slow fashion and sustainability influencers act as a positive force against the destructive impact of fast fashion. However, slow fashion is not without its own issues. To improve the effectiveness of the movement, issues such as accessibility must be considered. Additionally, slow fashion influencers must continue to empower their viewers to be proactive digital citizens, using their platforms to advocate and educate.

Reference List:

Brewer, M. K 2019, 'Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility', Laws, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1 - 9

Farra, E 2020, 'H&M Takes a Step Toward Circularity With a Collection of Garments Made From Waste', Vogue, 18 November, viewed 25 May 2021, <https://www.vogue.com/article/hm-conscious-collection-recycled-waste-circularity>.

Hawkinson, S 2020, we need to talk about greenwashing ... companies are lying to you, March 10, viewed 24 May 2021, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xaz2-IM4Olo>.

Kristen Leo 2018, Fast Fashion Explained In Under 5 Minutes, 27 September, viewed 27 May 2021, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR7bXsoNwwE>.

tiffanyferg

Luke Alexander 

Strange Aeons

Olivia Kathryn 

Check them out! If you enjoy things like my Trisha Paytas video, you’ll probably find these guys interesting. 

She's right, four hour work day, four day work week, the dream, overfill jobs which are understaffed for no reason. How did they become understaffed. Infuriating. Lot's of social safety nets and sense of choice. Simple things to make society more mentally healthy. Extra time to spend on hobbies and passions. Extra time for social life. Extra time to just live. All good....With a little satisfaction of having a job which actually matters or pleases you.