What should we do with LSELove?
Zulum Elumogo: Leave it alone? It’s fine as it is.
lsepunz4gaddasfis_sonsfundz: I’m Harry Compton, I run [Instagram page] lsepunz4gaddafis_sonsfundz, it’s fully regulated from yours truly. The one danger I see with LSELove is the way I understand it, it’s formatted so that they can pick and choose what the content is. Obviously some posts are fairly harmless but some you look at it and you think that actually does overstep a certain mark.
ZE: Yeah, it’s a bit of a Wild West and some policy control wouldn’t hurt.
Alex Selway: I think just having an LSE student on there moderating [would be a good idea]. I know the creator is outside of LSE. There’s this sports guy that was getting some really vicious abuse. Either way, it shouldn’t have been tolerated, this level of abuse.
LP: It seems like self-destructive humour. I feel like there’s a point where it’s just a satire, it’s self-deprecating. We need something better so people can vocalise themselves, that’s why I’m advocating for a better student welfare system.
AS: There is that, but also the aspect of anonymity. My concern is the majority is fine, but if LSELove allows that kind of thing to be posted, that’s degrading student satisfaction.
Will Stein: It’s hard because it does have its pros and cons. When there’s good posts out there, it does unite the university. On the other hand, there can be some toxic ones. I’ve been the victim of a few. All it takes is one post to completely demolish your self-esteem.
What is your secret talent?
ZE: I’m a great chef.
LP: I like to sing James Blunt. I can do quite a good impression. (Editor’s note: check FLIPSIDE’s Facebook for the video!)
WS: I can go 48 hours without sleeping. I don’t know if it’s a talent, but I’ve done it a few times this year. I’m nearing it now. I think it’s my ADHD. It used to be a disadvantage, but now it’s like having an extra battery in the pack.
AS: I would say First Aid, but I kind of abused that in my first year campaign. I can’t do James Blunt, but I did used to sing.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
WS: Mine’s quite boring, but if I could, I would fly. I’m always running late, and I spend so much money on the tube. To get anywhere in London in the space of 5-10 minutes would be unbelievable.
LP: I think that I’d love to be able to swim. But like, really fast, to the point that my feet are webbed. Like, imagine the Eurostar, but I’m thinking faster. Like ‘where’s he gone?’ I’m swimming.
AS: What happens when you hit land?
LP: I haven’t thought that far, good question
ZE: I’d speak every language in the world, I’d be a polyglot.
AS: I’d have the ability to grow, just height on demand, that would be perfect. I’d be able to ride all the rides at theme parks.
What book or movie would you bring to a desert island?
WS: I don’t really watch movies or read books.
AS: Something that’s really comforted me as a kid is this book, The Phantom Tollbooth. It’s big in the States, I don’t know how popular it is in the UK. It’s a really nice book, it brings positive memories.
ZE: It would be the Bible for me. I’m a man of God.
LP: It’s got to be my guy, Forrest Gump. He can run man, he can run. He’s so cool.
WS: I’ve got a book. I’ve read the first chapter, it’s been next to my bed for about six months now. It’s called Factfulness by Hans Rosling.
What’s your favourite Greggs meal?
ZE: I’m so glad you asked. There’s a new one on the corner, I’ve been obsessed ever since, dangerous territory. Mine is a sausage roll and caramel custard doughnut – and a flat white.
AS: I normally go for student meal deals but I’ve been watching my weight. So at the moment my favourite thing is the vegan sausage roll.
LP: The vegan sausage roll is very good. Honestly, 3 sausage rolls, Lucozade originals, and 6 yum yums.
ZE: In one sitting?
LP: They’ve got the plastic between, so it’s well spread.
WS: I used to sell Greggs at school, I was known at the Greggs guy. I love the cookies, it depends on which [store] you go to, because some are better at cooking it.
What made you decide to run?
ZE: To build on the strong foundation that I’ve stablished in my first year. There’s so much more I want to do. I’ve done so much in seven months, build relationships, getting things done.
AS: I think students at LSE are very unhappy. I’ve had a fairly positive experience at LSE, and I’m just disappointed other people aren’t having the same. I think that LSE and the Union to an extent has failed them so I’m running to change it.
LP: If there’s one thing I want to mark on LSE is that I want to leave it a more happy place than what I came to it as.
WS: When I started in first year, I was very anti all these formal roles, I always had these ideologies that if you want to make a change, you can just make it happen. But I’ve realised that in order to do these things, you have to get in the room with the right person.
What are you going to do if you lose?
LP: Going to work at the pub, travel the world, go back to the cul de sac.
AS: Probably end up in government. IR and history!
ZE: Full time creative: dance and choreography.
WS: With all this Geography Ball stuff, I’ve become friendly with this events company. With all this, they’ve offered me an internship.
How would you improve the relationship between The Beaver and the SU?
WS: I think it all just comes through, meeting people in the right environment. I don’t really know what’s going on besides intense budget cuts, but from my experience there’s so much aggression when you’re on separate pages.
ZE: I have a great relationship with the Beaver. We’ve been talking throughout the year. I intend to support the Beaver through the creative network of course. I think we need to write a Memorandum of Understanding.
AS: I’m running on a platform of accountability. The Union for a long time has been opaque and not really addressing itself. It’s important to hold the SU to account and I’d be willing to be held to account.
LP: I don’t really know how the SU and the Beaver cooperate. I feel like there’s fundamental issues with the Beaver about knowing other people and getting them involved.
What do you think about the fact that there is only one woman running for Gen Sec?
[Editor’s note: There are no serious female candidates for General Secretary. Stephanie Zahlan de Cayetti was nominated by a friend.]
AS: Everyone can spitball solutions of how we can address this, but it’s making people feel more comfortable with the Union and making them want to be a part [of it]. If you improve the Union, more people will want to run.
ZE: Positive representation. For example, promoting female part time officers and sabbatical officers and getting them to talk to younger women.
LP: My basic argument is that it’s historically been institutionalised. It’s something that definitely needs to be dealt with.
WS: I think it all comes down to inspiring people. The past three years, the Geography Society has all had male presidents and it’s been a male-dominated society despite it being a majority female course. This year for the first time, we’ve had two females going for the role and I think that it’s because I’ve realised they’ve got talent, I’ve given them platforms, [telling them] “you need to put yourself out there.”
Where do you stand on accusations of elections rule breaking?
LP: Don’t think they’re that great, are they? Just stick to the rules.
WS: Of course, you’ve got to stick to the rules and I think candidates should support each other doing so instead of criticising. The campaign last year was very clean and the candidates agreed amongst themselves that there wouldn’t be any problems. They agreed on the terms. It’s hard because obviously stick to the rules but I think candidates should stick to the rules but support each other instead of criticising.
ZE: So, I don’t know too much about the allegations. I think they should focus on their campaign and present their best self to voters.
AS: I think it’s really important, presenting themselves in the best light, but at the same time the rules are there to make a fair election. They’re there for a reason.
Who would you vote for if you weren’t running?
WS: I would go for Harry. He seems very authentic and you need someone who you could see yourself with and Harry would be that.
ZE: Harry. More memes, better platform. It’s where the budget should go.
AS: I think the most likeable thing about Harry is he came out on stage with a single policy he was going for, and it’s an important one!
LP: I don’t think anything radical has happened [in the last 10 years]. Nothing has really changed. I look at a General Secretary and think what’s happening next. I want something to change. If people want continuity, that’s what they should get. I am here as a protest candidate to say what I want, but that’s not necessarily what everyone wants. For that, I think Zulum, he was there last year. I want things to change, I want things to be different.
