ATAR Notes: Forum

HSC Stuff => HSC Subjects + Help => Topic started by: nickglyn on October 14, 2016, 11:04:36 pm

Title: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: nickglyn on October 14, 2016, 11:04:36 pm
Hey guys. So I wasn't exactly sure where to post this question so I just came to this forum...it isn't exactly exam related but I just wanted to see what your thoughts where on the Rachel Corbett article? If you haven't heard about it, it's the journalist who made that ridiculous rant about us HSC student's complaining too much and needing to suck it up...I just wantsd to see what you guys had to say about it! Do you agree?
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: sudodds on October 14, 2016, 11:16:54 pm
I thought it was really strange!
She entered an "HSC Discussion Group." It's literally in the title of the Facebook group. Of course people are using it to whinge. That is basically the whole point of the page haha, to vent frustrations and joke around with your cohort (as if she wasn't stressed and whinging when she was doing her exams!)
If people had been had been just generally posting this stuff on facebook, to the point where her newsfeed was impacted, then I'd say she'd have the semblance of a point, still a bit odd some of the stuff she said, but I could understand why she was frustrated. But that is not what happened at all haha, instead a 35-40 year old women, of her own free will, joined a facebook group for 17-18 year olds doing a set of exams that she hasn't done in almost two decades, and complained about the content of it. I just, ughhhh.

She has got a point that some people take things too far on that page (though most of her examples where not that bad tbh), but thats what happens whenever you have a group 6000 people large. You're always going to get some dickheads. But yeah I don't know, I just think the whole situation is pretty funny, especially when I saw what the HSC apparently looked like back in 1998 when she took it. After comparing it to todays exam, I don't really think she can play "the we all had to go through this" card haha.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: RuiAce on October 14, 2016, 11:20:55 pm
Let's keep the open discussion of this to a minimal. There's been heaps of drama over it as is.

Feel free to PM me if you're interested in my stance.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: brenden on October 14, 2016, 11:41:36 pm
Let's keep the open discussion of this to a minimal. There's been heaps of drama over it as is.

Feel free to PM me if you're interested in my stance.
Discussion is fine.

My stance is that the article isn't worth the digital paper its written on and that... if any HSC students feel like having a whinge... ATAR Notes is here for you (and maybe we can even fix the thing you're whingeing about! :) )
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: elysepopplewell on October 14, 2016, 11:43:48 pm
From a Journalism point of view - that article would have got thousands more clicks than most average articles. Nonetheless, I think it's poor ethical reporting to make such an article in an enormous time of stress for thousands of people.

Basically, don't let your stress, anxiety, worries, happiness, celebrations, etc, be undermined by someone (who is several years older and out of touch with modern HSC reality) who is writing for clicks on an article, at the end of the day. I completely empathise with students feeling upset or just plain bothered by the article. It undermines the strength and unity of the cohort in extremely tough times. Bottom line is: don't feel invalidated or undermined through the article - everything that you or any other HSC student has felt, is real.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: Aaron on October 14, 2016, 11:57:02 pm
I agree - the discussion here is fine. However i've moved it from English Advanced to HSC (thought about moving it to News but figured since its HSC specific, may as well leave it here!)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: RuiAce on October 15, 2016, 12:21:42 am
I could've sworn I briefly saw a news report backing up the students but I've already lost the link
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: sudodds on October 15, 2016, 12:24:57 am
I could've sworn I briefly saw a news report backing up the students but I've already lost the link
Was it this one?
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/60k-raging-hsc-students-are-roasting-the-hell-outt/f56a2998-4fab-42ae-b135-0d07e4b2c928.htm
Idk how reputable this source is but this is the only kind of news article i've seen reporting it.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: ml125 on October 15, 2016, 12:36:57 am
Was it this one?
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/60k-raging-hsc-students-are-roasting-the-hell-outt/f56a2998-4fab-42ae-b135-0d07e4b2c928.htm
Idk how reputable this source is but this is the only kind of news article i've seen reporting it.
There was a Lew Spears one as well haha got a good laugh out of it lol
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: RuiAce on October 15, 2016, 12:44:51 am
Thing is it was definitely a video clip I saw...
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: daatarz on October 15, 2016, 12:55:32 am
Thing is it was definitely a video clip I saw...
the channel 9 guy doing the exam whilst we do, or something like that?
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: brenden on October 15, 2016, 02:22:46 am
Was it this one?
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/60k-raging-hsc-students-are-roasting-the-hell-outt/f56a2998-4fab-42ae-b135-0d07e4b2c928.htm
Idk how reputable this source is but this is the only kind of news article i've seen reporting it.
Pedestrian TV are in the top 500 Australian websites!

Thing is it was definitely a video clip I saw...
Karl Stefanovic on Sunrise g-ing up
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: elysepopplewell on October 16, 2016, 12:33:46 am
Was it this one?
https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/60k-raging-hsc-students-are-roasting-the-hell-outt/f56a2998-4fab-42ae-b135-0d07e4b2c928.htm
Idk how reputable this source is but this is the only kind of news article i've seen reporting it.

Pedestrian TV is the best! Solid reporting in a banter-style. You've gotta get on it! :)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: sudodds on October 16, 2016, 12:37:24 am
Pedestrian TV is the best! Solid reporting in a banter-style. You've gotta get on it! :)
Awesome! Can't believe I haven't really seen it before haha. After HSC I have a lot of catching up to do with the real world it seems ;)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: elysepopplewell on October 16, 2016, 09:32:29 am
Awesome! Can't believe I haven't really seen it before haha. After HSC I have a lot of catching up to do with the real world it seems ;)

A year post-HSC and I'm still trying to catch up! You'll love it :)
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: heids on October 16, 2016, 10:31:36 am
About the article: I thought she wrote it with less than no tact, but has a lot of super relevant and accurate points, and I actually stand by it and think the outraged (and kinda childish) response just proves her point.

Sure, it's tough, and I'm a huge advocate of our need to support each other and look out for when it's honestly getting beyond us.

But we have to accept that it's just a part of life.  Everyone goes through it.  Lots of life is stressful and tough, that's what life is, uni and jobs and parenthood aren't going to be easier, we've just got to face up to it, learn to deal with it, and fight on.  Not gonna kill us [normally].  We're being kinda childish...  rather than just 'chin up' and deal with it, we expect sympathy for every single tiny first-world-problem, we expect a giant party for ourselves when we survive through one single maths test, we're behaving like victims who need wrapping up in cotton wool.  Challenges were meant to make us STRONGER, not to run away from or cry about... that only makes it worse.

I reckon we're saying bye-bye to resilience.

D'ya disagree?
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: sunshinelollipops on October 16, 2016, 10:35:28 am
As much as I disliked the way she went about it, attacking us like that, she did have somewhat of a point with the bullying and all that. But in previous years authors and composers who have been included in the HSC have laughed it off, none of them have taken THIS much offence to our banter! Like we all just need an outlet to destress and laugh off the joke that was paper 1 and 2.

This article from BuzzFeed just totally shuts her down: https://www.buzzfeed.com/laranavarro/australian-journalist-successfully-ticks-off-6000-2mxki?sub=4375666_9793482&utm_term=.urvrykPrne#.rwAVMAkVG3
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: jamonwindeyer on October 16, 2016, 12:54:41 pm
About the article: I thought she wrote it with less than no tact, but has a lot of super relevant and accurate points, and I actually stand by it and think the outraged (and kinda childish) response just proves her point.

Personally, I would say that the article is what is childish.

The author has decided to use isolated expressions on social media; in a group meant to be just that, an expression of frustration and stress; and used it to characterise individuals. How dare she claim to know the ambitions, talents and qualities of individuals based on their interactions in a satirical online forum. I have no issues with her saying that she views the actions/commentary as immature; she is entitled to that opinion. And had she just said that I don't think it would have sparked the uproar it has.

The issue is statements like this:

If this kid ends up building an app that makes $30 billion, I give up.

This precise statement for me is what turned the article into a stupid opinion piece from someone who is clearly out of touch with how young people express themselves, to someone who is applying stereotypes and using isolated instances to claim the worth of that person. It's a really narrow minded piece, and it's really insensitive.

I was in the Discussion Group for my HSC. I posted a meme once, I think (though it didn't get many likes, I'm not very meme-ish). I liked the memes that poked a bit of fun at the situation, the group was a way to turn a tough situation into a laugh. Have a bit of a vent. So, I suppose I'm one of those people who needs to grow up, according to the author of the article. I'd love to show her the dozens of past papers I did in between liking those memes, all the hours I spent at my desk. The hard work I put in to succeed just like so many of the students in that group have.

Now don't get me wrong; posts that directly threaten or even suggest physical violence are totally not on. I don't disagree with some her points, nor some of your points on resilience Heidi. The thing is, it's clickbait journalism at its finest, she knows what she said and she knew what response she'd get. It has been blown out of proportion. That said, her sweeping statements and stereotypical judgements are not the right way to go about it, and they show that there are definitely HSC students in that group with more sensitivity, and more maturity, than she had when she wrote that article.

Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: Blissfulmelodii on October 17, 2016, 01:44:21 pm
I have to admit coming out of English paper 2 and reading that article definitely made me mad and I would be lying if i said I didn't have thoughts like "how dare she" and "who does she think she is" running through my head (perhaps it was the fact that i still had the adrenaline of the exam running through my veins).

As a society and culture student I attempted my best to try to understand her opinion with as much of an unbiased view as I could muster and I do admit there were small pieces of sentences that I could pull out and semi-agree with however as a previous individual said, the title of the group page made it obvious to what it was about and for that reason, I concluded much like Jamon said that she perhaps knew the reaction she was going to get and that is precisely why she did it in the first place.

That being said part of me is also very confused about her motives. What could possibly make a 35 year old journalist who should have so many other things to report about want to specifically target a cohort of year 12 students? Surely there would be more important things to discuss and share then the misery and banter of a group of 17-18 year olds. As someone who makes a living through media you would think that she would want to counteract all the hate that goes on not add to it.

This article was just a dig. I think we should all just ignore it and move. we have had our fun will all the harmless memes but we shouldn't let it distract us from our own goals and achieving the best result that we can in these exam.
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: jamonwindeyer on October 17, 2016, 03:24:37 pm
This article was just a dig. I think we should all just ignore it and move. we have had our fun will all the harmless memes but we shouldn't let it distract us from our own goals and achieving the best result that we can in these exam.

Well spoken ;D
Title: Re: Thoughts on the Rachel Corbett article?
Post by: Blissfulmelodii on October 17, 2016, 03:48:19 pm
Well spoken ;D

Thanks Jamon  :)