Pause and Reflect

The sun starts to seep through the windows of my room. I slowly inch open my eyes and, as I start to regain my senses, I realise that I'm not waking up in the comfort of my London flat. There is no luxurious duvet keeping me warm. No soft carpet to cushion my feet when I stand. Instead, I awake and see that I'm encapsulated by a very small mosquito net, scattered with holes, which negates the point of using the net in the first place, but the thought of some sort of protection, despite its flaws, still provides me with a sense of security. I fumble my way out of the bed and search for my flip flops to provide some respite from stepping onto the cold, concrete floor. I look out at the room and see the boxes which clutter my room, behind which I am certain I have some sort of lizard room mate, based on the sounds I remember hearing throughout the night. I scutter over to the corner of the room and grab my wash bag and some clothes from the temporary table I have made using one of...

I have never really been an avid reality TV follower. Ask me to name all of the Kardashians and I would struggle. And don't even bother asking me anything about Love Island. Ask me about one of my favourite music artists, however, and I'll know all of the latest gossip and releases. I'll sit through the Grammys and read every online review of the performances of artists I like. Whoever you are, there is some form of entertainment that interests you and you will follow it intently. Being entertained is a crucial part of our society. It allows us to escape the reality of our day and focus on something else for a while. This isn't a new concept. Think back to Medieval Times and the involvement of jesters at large banquets. We have always had a desire to be regaled. As I look around now, though, I wonder if our society is facing the consequences of putting too much emphasis on entertainment. To put this in context, a jester in Medieval Times would not have been paid incred...