B2_#023 // The Fake Newsroom // Sabrina Syed

The race of the mind is personal, a never-ending marathon.

The 64m³ is occupied by the hybrid metaphor of a “newspress” treadmill, turning indefinitely. We (the runners) power through news of all forms: digital, spoken, printed – in an effort to stay informed. Stay relevant. Stay Woke. Like the treadmill, motivations for the race can be consciously driven, or ego-fuelled. Consuming news is not limited to our social-media vacuums. Even when we exit the race, our minds are still racing. Our bodies are physically affected. And after a moment of processing, we get back on to continue running.

Analytical news provokes critical thinking. Fake news provokes emotional reactions. The click-bait culture of our Newsfeed is easily consumed yet deprives us of substance. Sensationalism in a digital age is the RedBull of reading; after a high, we crash. At worst, in our exhaustion of fake outrage arrives apathy. But we can pace ourselves. We can question, why is it that we are racing at this moment? To sound intelligent? To contribute to an argument? Maybe to challenge our views. Or have a conversation with someone that doesn’t confirm our narratives, but explains the reasons behind theirs.

There are so many reasons to race. Why do you race?

Sabrina Syed is an M.A. Architecture Graduate from the University of Edinburgh (ESALA)