Power, Sex & Feminism by Mia Wignall

Essay Ideas

mwignall1 — 2021-11-10 17:34:00 UTC

-Power and the effect it has on the body and brain. When someone is in power usually they don't give too much of shit about the world and i want to know why and what causes it on a biological level.

-Power in nature. How powerful nature is on this planet and how ironically it is being ignored and killed by those in power.

-Understanding the vagina. The orgasm gap, women speaking up for what they want and why it's scary to do so. How men can learn how to please a woman and why this SHOULD NOT be taught by men.

-Men having control over women's bodies. Abortion law in Poland and USA. Why is this still going on?

Power and how it effects the brain & body.

mwignall1 — 2021-11-10 17:46:37 UTC

'One’s place in social dominance hierarchies is one of the strongest, and yet underestimated, shapers of the structure and function of the human brain.'

'Just thinking about a time when you had a little power over someone makes you more likely to think in more abstract, and even more creative'

'Power, then, may not only be a cognitive enhancer – it may also have anxiolytic and mood-enhancing properties and this may be a factor in the famous Whitehall study results (Marmot et al., 1991) showing higher morbidity and mortality in more junior civil service grades, irrespective of health behaviours.'

'But power’s effects are not all positive. Even small, experimentally induced power levels increase hypocrisy, moral exceptionalism, egocentricity and lack of empathy for others. Take the example of gambling. It is folly of may gamblers to believe that they can somehow control the roll of the dice. Whether mediated by superstitious pre-bet rituals, or by a belief in luck or destiny, fortunes have been lost under the illusion that a person has personal control over events, which are in reality randomly determined – like the spin of the roulette wheel.'

Source: Robertson, I.H., 2013. How power affects the brain. How power affects the brain | The Psychologist. Available at: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-26/edition-3/how-power-affects-brain [Accessed November 10, 2021].

The Power Of Nature.

mwignall1 — 2021-11-10 17:58:51 UTC

'Homo sapiens is the only species in Earth’s long history to have been able to fundamentally alter the geochemical cycles that regulate the planet in a mere few decades.' -Atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen

'For all of our ingenuity and power, recent human actions are a perturbation on the vast and complicated machine that is the Earth. A perturbation that has been able to throw this big machine off balance, for sure, but one whose perpetrators are also a primary victim.'

Plants and the eco-system on this planet will live on without us. In this article it suggests that humans are the more fragile in power and continuation of species. We are killing our own kind by the way we are treating this planet. For us to stay here in harmony we have to respect and take care of the world and its powerful systems in nature otherwise it will continue on without us once we have destroyed ourselves. Those in power are so clouded by their ego and ignorance that without realising this on a deep emotional level ,we humans have no hope.

'The camera needs to turn around. Nature is looking at us. We are the fragile creatures that have chosen to undermine the very foundation that keeps our home from collapsing. We are the unwitting victims of our own success. And, if we are going to survive—and hopefully even thrive—we need to turn to nature for the answers'

Source: Boccaletti, G., 2020. The power of nature. The Nature Conservancy. Available at: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/power-of-nature/ [Accessed November 10, 2021].

In-built patterns of pleasure and identification impose masculinity as “point of view”

mwignall1 — 2021-11-10 18:56:35 UTC

This image from the week 1 powerpoint caught my eye. The image makes me, as a woman, feel powerful. Usually a gun would be seen in a mans hands protecting a woman etc as a form of masculine energy and this idea that women need protecting. In reality the only people men are protecting women from is more often than not, other men. Which makes this whole idea of 'men are the strong' and that they are the protectors/ we should feel safe in their hands, complete bullshit. Women hold power without the existence of men. In different aspects both genders and all those in-between add a lot to the table, but without respecting one another's strengths and weaknesses and accepting them ourselves, I feel we cannot go about society in harmony. For powerful white men in particular, will always seek higher power over women, and more significantly black women, because of the feminine energy and class in comparison. This exists because of a system created by white men, for white men to keep them consistently existing at the top.

Surprisingly, we find that in more gender-equal societies, certain professions are mostly populated by men and others mostly by women. In those countries, the gender skew does not reflect inequality but rather differences in personal inclination.-

2022-02-20 18:37:53 UTC

Solá, A., 2022. The science of sex differences is nothing for feminists to be afraid of. [online] Quartz. Available at: [Accessed 20 February 2022].

Essay Question Ideas:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-07 14:45:26 UTC

How the UK's education systems conditions teens brains for 'success' instead of wellbeing and how this ties into consumerism and power.

How the UK's education system, In supporting young women out of education, affects the structure of our brain.

How the power of what we consume daily, changes the structure of our brains and the way we see the world.

How our capitalist society structures our brains for success and hierarchy rather than embodiment and a healthy lifestyle.

what do i want to write about: mindfulness and the effect the world has on our brains with how wired we are from a young age to chase power, hierarchy, money and success rather than simplicity, healthy relationships to money and mindfulness practices to become more embodied and free.

"the notion of industrial society was the preferred term to capitalism" (Delanty, 2019)

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 15:34:48 UTC

'the modern capitalist economy is more than a market; it is primarily a system of production that has a determining effect over the rest of society and, as a mode of production, it became the dominant one since the sixteenth century, making possible the modern capitalist era.'

'the modern capitalist economy is more than a market; it is primarily a system of production that has a determining effect over the rest of society and, as a mode of production, it became the dominant one since the sixteenth century, making possible the modern capitalist era.'

How does the economy effect mental health, is there a correlation between the two?

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 15:54:06 UTC

'A clear link exists between social and economic inequality and poor mental health.' -

There is consistent evidence supporting the link between socioeconomic inequality in terms of income, employment, and neighbourhood environments and poorer mental health outcomes (Silva et al., 2016).

the connection between experience of socioeconomic disadvantage and increased risk of suicidal behaviour has also been established (Platt et al., 2017).

Here we see that there are direct links between mental health and the anxiety and stress that comes from money, environment and being in a situation in your life that feels unsafe and unstable. As recognised in us all, there is an immense pressure to find your way in life and a huge fear of not having money and not being able to survive. As humans that is our key mode as it is with any animal, survival and surviving. The key issues i want to draw upon here are the pressures on top of these factors that make it increasingly hard for young peoples developing minds, the education system constantly nags at our brains and adds intense pressure to have everything figured out. To go to college, to get a high paid job and add to the economy. Instead of focusing on money in a toxic way for capitalism, addressing this is in a way that informs young people of their options, possibilities and easing them that there is time to find their way and education them of what the world is like realistically and not based in fear/ pressure to be the best and earn the most in order to be happy. This way of teaching kids programmes their brains like working machines rather than animals that have needs and embody them first before turning to money and survival in our society.

Article: Macintyre, A., Ferris, D., Gonçalves, B. et al. What has economics got to do with it? The impact of socioeconomic factors on mental health and the case for collective action. Palgrave Commun 4, 10 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-018-0063-2

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 15:54:12 UTC

the social determinants of mental health are strikingly understudied (Shim et al., 2014).

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 15:54:32 UTC

In Europe, research on the prevention of poor mental health has received a comparatively low level of investment (Wykes et al., 2015).

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 15:55:54 UTC

Yet the economic cost of treatment and lost productivity related to mental health and substance use disorder is well documented. While the National Institute for Mental Health named prevention as a core objective in its strategic plan for research (National Institute for Mental Health, 2015), there is not a clear picture of the scope and scale of investment in mental health prevention across government and philanthropy.

Thoughts on these quotes.

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 16:05:08 UTC

I don't think it's coincidental. The pharmaceutical industry and drug industry brings in huge revenu for the capitals across the world. Why would they fund for effective mental health support when they are making so much money from treating patients with anti-depressants and drugs.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression for years of my younger years and still now, i know first hand that the first thing they offer you most times for mental health disorders is drugs and support from a busy and unorganised mental health system. When i was 17 i was referred to Cam's mental health services, my situation was pretty bad, but i was rejected support because they were so busy with a waiting list longer than ever that they had to prioritise the worst cases that desperately needed help. As the increase in peoples mental health declining surges, there is a huge demand for support from professionals but there is no proper evidence into financial help from the government Because, if we all get the support we need and get better, who's going to buy the 'quick fix' drugs anymore?

On the other end, the government can't go down for everyone committing suicide. As it does fall on their systems and failing us all as a country.

Updated Essay Question ideas:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-08 16:13:29 UTC

How our economy and capitalist society has a direct link to mental health declining in the UK.

How the education system in the UK structures children's brain's, to view success and money as more important over mental health.

Updated essay Focus:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-09 14:04:24 UTC

Focusing on the creative subjects specifically within secondary schools education curriculum and to what extent there is an importance for them/ emphasis on them and how this impacts the kids mental wellbeing.

linking this to illustration and drawing!

Essay Plan:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-09 15:47:10 UTC

Title: To what extent do creative subjects benefit the mental health of kids in secondary schools?

Introduction:
Here I will talk about the overall summary of the essay and what i aim to focus on. Points I want to explore:

-The purpose of creative subjects in school and its origins.
-The psychological effects of creativity on the brain, positive and negative? discuss
-Schools that have a strong emphasis on art vs schools that done don't and the psychological difference in students.

- my own opinion on the subject, schools should implement creativity in all forms and put a stronger emphasis on experimenting/ trying new things instead of huge pressure join the working world and quickly find something you love.

Conclusion:
Here i will summarise the points made, to conclude i will create an action plan going Forward for schools and how the creative subjects should have more priority in the curriculum to benefit the kids mental wellbeing and stress management to prepare them for the real world.

Research Into Creative learning.

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 14:20:34 UTC

'Teresa Cremin, professor of education at the Open UniversityThe US researcher Sternberg argues that as children move through school, they quickly learn how the system works and suppress their spontaneous creativity'

'A key issue in my view is being convinced that play and creativity have an important role in education, and that as professionals we have a responsibility to nurture these.'

'The world is changing and is more uncertain than ever before. Surely creativity is a critical component in enabling us to cope, to find pleasure, and to use our imaginative and innovative powers.'

'think about play as a biological drive. We should be asking ourselves what right we have in not allowing play to be a major part of children's learning experiences. Who do we think we are, suppressing another human being's natural way of engaging with the world?' -Philip Waters

'Adults who tell children not to giggle, laugh, whisper, shuffle in their seats or stare out the window and dream, might as well gag and nail those children to the floor.' - Philip Waters, reader and participant in the live chat, is a play project coordinator for the Eden project, Cornwall.

(Jenkin, 2013)
-Referenced in Bibliography

Adults who tell children what, when and how they are going to learn, and stifle every interest or self-pursuit, might as well sit all children in front of a screen and press the download button.

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 14:24:26 UTC

-Philip Waters, reader and participant in the live chat, is a play project coordinator for the Eden project, Cornwall. -

Stats and stuff:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 14:39:42 UTC

'The number of UK enterprises in the creative industries increased by a third (33.2%) between 2008
and 2014,3 demonstrating that this is both a fast-growing and important sector in the UK economy. '(Creativity and the arts in the curriculum, 2022)

'The drop in teacher numbers for the other arts subjects and for D&T was even more marked, with media down 18.2%, drama down 19% and D&T down 22.3%. '

'Data about total hours taught also reveals that there has been a significant decrease in the total hours allocated to teaching arts subjects and D&T.'

The UK's Curriculum:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 14:58:03 UTC

'In all of these instances, creativity forms a very small element of a wider programme of study, with the focus of creativity being on preparing the pupil to fulfil particular roles, rather than on developing them as a creative person.'

2022. Creativity and the arts in the curriculum. [ebook] NASUWT. Available at: [Accessed 11 March 2022].

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 15:01:05 UTC

The following table provides data on the numbers of teachers employed to teach art and design,D&T, drama, media and music in secondary schools in England, including by key stage over the period 2011 to 2015. It also provides data on the number of hours of teaching in those subjects,
including by key stage.

National curriculum requirements mean that every local authority maintained secondary schoolmust teach art and design, D&T and music at KS3 and offer at least one arts subject and D&T atKS4. However, 61% of secondary schools are academies and therefore not bound by this requirement.

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 15:02:00 UTC

Free schools, Academies and state schools:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-11 15:08:50 UTC

Academies, free schools and other state funded schools that are not maintained by the local
authority are not required to teach the national curriculum. Instead, they are required to provide
a curriculum that is balanced and broadly based.

The RSA Academies’ mission is to: ‘provide an
inspirational and creative education for all pupils which relates their learning to the wider world, provides experiences which broaden horizons, and enables children and young people to develop the skills needed for success and personal fulfillment’.

'Wac Arts College in London offers an alternative education programme for 14-19 year olds through a creative arts and media curriculum.'

The importance of mental health in youths:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-16 16:49:16 UTC

Statistics that show the importance of mental health issues in youths:

-'Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults between 15-34 years.'

-'Between 2008–2009 and 2018–2019, among youth there was a 61% increase in emergency department visits and a 60% increase in hospitalizations for mental disorders.'

-'When it comes to mental illness, youth is a critical period: most people living with a mental illness see their symptoms begin before age 18.'

-'One thing is clear: it’s time to think differently when it comes to how we engage our minds.' (Martin, 2022)

Creativity and the Brain:

mwignall1 — 2022-03-16 17:09:24 UTC

'Its neurological study will therefore elucidate not only the source of one of the richest subjective experiences of which we are capable but also the determinants of the variability in its creation and appreciation, and hence elucidate one of the most important characteristics of the human brain.' Charles Darwin (Zeki, 2022)

mwignall1 — 2022-03-16 17:15:53 UTC

'Those scoring high in everyday creativity also reported feeling a greater sense of well-being and personal growth compared to their classmates who engaged less in everyday creative behaviors.'

research shows that expressive writing increases immune system functioning, and the emerging field of posttraumatic growth is showing how people can turn adversity into creative growth.

(Kaufman, 2022)

mwignall1 — 2022-03-16 17:20:10 UTC

'Creativity happily flows between both our rational left brain thinking and our intuitive right brain, contrary to the myth of artists' being right brained. We can utilise creativity as a tool to help not only design a better external world but a better internal world. '

'Finding a sense of purpose and peace can be challenging amid endless chaos. Yet somehow a simple act of mark making with some careful and caring instruction can help reveal so much of our subconscious that felt previously trapped or invisible.'

(-Camus, 2022)

mwignall1 — 2022-03-17 13:04:42 UTC

The state of creative flow is caused by changes in brain function. Brainwaves slow down, and original thoughts are better able to form. Additionally, the prefrontal cortex temporarily deactivates, or “goes quiet,” making us less critical of our ideas and more courageous. Lastly, during a flow state, our brain releases “an enormous cascade of neurochemistry,” including large quantities of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. These are pleasure- and satisfaction-inducing chemicals that affect creativity and well-being.

Arts education has been slipping for more than three decades

mwignall1 — 2022-03-17 16:26:00 UTC

"If they're worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less," says Tom Horne, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction. "There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests."

mwignall1 — 2022-03-17 16:27:17 UTC

"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two."

mwignall1 — 2022-03-17 16:39:03 UTC