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'to the dogs'

15/9/2021

 
Volume 20, Issue 8
Picture
Dear Readers,

I am writing this piece in my personal capacity as a third year student at MLS, not the Managing Editor of this frivolous paper. 

This piece is inspired by a comment from ‘DM Editor From Years Gone By’ on the recent ‘You Cannot Be Pro Brain and Pro De Minimis’ article. For those who didn’t see it, the comment essentially laments the decline in quality of De Minimis and calls on students to join the editorial team to rectify the ‘low effort year’ of the 2021 committee. This prompted me to reflect on what De Minimis actually was in ‘years gone by’ and how it has become what it is today.

The paper began in 1948 and dissolved in the late 60s/early 70s. In that time it evolved from being a news bulletin for the staff and students to becoming a gossip-driven, scandal-ridden magazine. The paper was revived in 2012 and has been in operation ever since. In 2019, my first year at MLS, I noticed that this revived version of the paper had slowly but surely inched closer to the controversial gossip tabloid of the late 60s. When COVID-19 came banging on the world’s door and the paper could only operate online, this direction only escalated. When I joined the committee I wanted to start this year by publishing an array of pieces from the archives to give students an idea of what the paper has been like in the past. If you head to the February 2021 archive you’ll be able to read those articles for yourself. I hoped displaying those older pieces would inspire students to get involved and contribute. This somewhat worked.

At present De Minimis has a team of five fantastic regular contributors: a satirist, media reviewer, current affair reporter, everyones’ Dear Learned Friend, and more recently, a wannabe astrologer. It has been my pleasure to get to know these people and work with them to produce the bread and butter of the paper. They have written on the Family Court merger, given advice to anxious clerkship applicants, and commended MLS for securing the latest season of The Walking Dead thanks to its ability to produce zombie-like students. De Minimis also has an insightful podcast, with recent interviews from Julian Burnside QC on public interest advocacy and Scott Stephenson on constitutional law.

So, what about The Other Stuff? Why is it that everyone I approach is not interested in sharing their nuanced opinions and the only students submitting work do so via auto-generated gmail accounts? I am not here to discuss any pieces in particular. I am instead interested in how the trend towards the inflammatory came about.

The most obvious cause I can see is precedent. Again, my cohort came to know De Minimis as the controversial paper that prompted heated discussions between classes or over a round of beers at PAs. This reaction was mitigated in part by seeing physical copies around the law building that also displayed lighthearted comics and satire, as well as people having the opportunity to talk to the editors face to face. Having a human to confront tends to increase peoples’ ability to give constructive criticism instead of writing anonymous comments to no one in particular. Since COVID lockdowns have almost completely destroyed the collegiality MLS is famous for, De Minimis has been reduced to a website where readers can be more selective about engaging with certain pieces over others. No more Kirby comic next to an anti-LGBT law firm hit piece. 

Another cause is likely the state of our lovely little world. Try as we might to bring joy to MLS, staff and students alike are struggling mentally and emotionally. I remember during my time as one of the MULSS Education Directors in 2020 we received a couple of particularly mean-spirited emails from staff members who were clearly not coping well with the pandemic pressure. At present my friends and I are constantly anxious and exhausted. The desire to air any complex opinions on current affair topics is weak to non-existent. Anger and frustration reign supreme.

And finally, I hypothesise that the function of the De Minimis of the past has been replaced by meme groups. Why read about double-speeding a lecture in your university paper when Dank Law Memes posted about it two months ago? We’re going elsewhere for our laughs, and with a plethora of enriching legal and current affair critiques flooding our screens 24/7, there are plenty of other places people may wish to have their opinions published.

What now? 

Well, as James Wilkinson wonderfully and completely unsolicitedly articulated, nothing would bring me greater joy than having the student body contribute. Remy Marshall’s response to Publius would have been another fine example of the back and forth debate that De Minimis used to publish had she chosen to send it to us. Of course being the new MULSS president, for which I congratulate her immensely, I understand why she chose the MULSS-produced Purely Dicta platform instead. 

On a more personal note, I appreciate any criticisms you may wish to discuss with me. I guarantee there is very little you could say that would hurt my feelings. Even better, I would love to hear from anyone interested in taking over De Minimis in 2022 and talk about the future direction of the paper. I will endeavour to read the comments on this article, but I admit that I too am exhausted and will be channeling my energy into interim assessments rather than refreshing the website. If you’d like a more personable conversation, please email [email protected] with the subject line ‘to the dogs’.

Wishing you all a restorative mid-sem break,

Rebecca
Jimmy
15/9/2021 09:10:57 pm

Thanks for the fascinating read Rebecca! It's great to see some of De Min's history charted out, and I'm excited to continue to have my jimmies rustled through 2022 by this curious and ever-engaging publication.

Also thanks for the shout out xoxo

Here here
15/9/2021 09:14:34 pm

Rebecca, great piece. De Min, with its highs and lows, is something that makes this law school unique and forms a critical part of the collegiality that MLS is known for.

The few and far between gossip/hit pieces are worthy because they cause discussion and reflection on what we as a student body want to represent. They have reflected parts of the MLS cohort that is often overlooked in MLS media and Purely Dicta. De Min also plays a vital role in holding the law school and the student society to account for their actions.

I hope De Min never dies, it is one of the few things many of us look forward to on a week to week basis at this school.

Editor gone by
15/9/2021 09:15:14 pm

Excellent commentary on the state of De Min. Hopefully this gets the people writing again!

IT IS NOT THIS DAY
15/9/2021 09:22:24 pm

You have stirred this weary old veteran's heart, that much is for sure. The people must rally again! For De Minimis!!!

Seriously?
15/9/2021 09:28:51 pm

De Minimis: Repeatedly publishes inflammatory articles which any competently run paper would refuse to print.

De Min gets a reputation for publishing inflammatory articles.

De Minimis: 😮



How about instead of blaming COVID-19 or Facebook meme pages, Rebecca and the rest of the editors take some responsibility for trashing De Min's reputation?

Last week's "You cannot be pro choice and pro vaccine mandate" article was the second time this year De Min has chosen to publish material no reasonable organisation would consider appropriate to publish (the first being the "On China" article last semester).

You're the people who choose to keep publishing inflammatory articles, and now you're writing about how you're "interested in how the trend towards the inflammatory came about."

You. Are. The. Problem.

Oculus reparo
15/9/2021 09:48:28 pm

Broke: De Minimis should censor things I disagree with.

Woke: In recognising the shortcomings of the world around me, I have taken the first step to repairing it. I shall temper my opinions on the anvil of reason. I shall leap into the battle for the soul of MLS. I SHALL WRITE FOR DE MINIMIS!

Soft
16/9/2021 12:11:01 am

Rebecca is a Queen.

Bec 1: James 0
15/9/2021 09:40:21 pm

Just here for the comments

Managing Editor
15/9/2021 10:00:23 pm

Editor

Noun

1. a person who is in charge of and determines the final content of a newspaper, magazine, or multi-author book.
"the editor of The Times"

Not: 1. a person who sits back and watches their platform become a joke and an embarrassment due to their misguided editorial policy.

Reconsider your stance on an absolutist form of ‘editorial neutrality’ and actually exercise some editorial discretion. Stop publishing inflammatory and poorly researched articles, maybe then you might attract the higher quality articles you seek.

thank you
16/9/2021 05:48:16 pm

thank you so much for saying what's on the minds of literally everyone i've spoken to about de minimis over the past year. thank you so much. applauds

Faith in MLS
15/9/2021 10:31:14 pm


Great points Rebecca!

As a first year, it’s been unnerving seeing the conflict between some student-run associations.
We’re one MLS student body and although we have diverse opinions, student engagement and responses to such, should refrain from being a means to instigate resentment towards another association. I understand this is not done deliberately, but as a first year engaging with law school mainly online (thanks covid), the division between groups of students is very evident and just, not a vibe.

Love and peace XX

Harry
26/9/2021 02:24:08 pm

I think the real issue De Minimis is ignoring is the looming career disaster you are all making. You are getting into disastrous 120k plus debt for a degree where you will not only like never get a job in law, but will also be stigmatized very strongly for any other job.

If you look closely at your school's 'statistics' you will see they are selectively compiled, and can't really be relied upon.

I urge you to reconsider your enrollment.

I know none of you will listen, but you'll sorely regret not doing so now when you find out how bad it really is.

Who even are you?
27/9/2021 11:20:24 am

You've been doing this for two years dude - give it a break?

Harry
28/9/2021 01:26:18 pm

Ok, so you're not listening to what I'm saying. This is unfortunately very typical of law students, who very often see themselves as 'special snowflakes' and dont understand the unemployment/debt disaster they are entering into.

Note the 120k plus you are borrowing for your 'degree' is non dischargeable debt- it will hang over your head until you die. And remember that law degrees have a very powerful negative stigma for any non law jobs- they will also stop you getting one, for life.

Its a shame we can't see the private little smirks on the face of the faculty when they reflect on how much their students are paying, when the whole degree used to cost 5k or so.


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  • Home
  • ABOUT US
  • Podcast
  • Your Learned Friend
  • Anonymous Feedback
  • Art
  • Get published!
  • Constitution
  • Archive
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2017 >
      • Semester 2 (Volume 12) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (election issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
    • 2016 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 9) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
      • Semester 2 (Volume 10) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8 (Election Issue)
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
        • Issue 13 (test)
    • 2015 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 7) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
      • Semester 2 (Volume 8) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
    • 2014 >
      • Semester 1 (Volume 5) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
      • Semester 2 (Volume 6) >
        • Issue 1
        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 12
    • 2013 >
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      • Issue 3
      • Issue 4
      • Issue 5
      • Issue 6
    • 2012 >
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        • Issue 2
        • Issue 3
        • Issue 4
        • Issue 5
        • Issue 6
        • Issue 7
        • Issue 8
        • Issue 9
        • Issue 10
        • Issue 11
        • Issue 12
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