Dear Readers,
Sometimes, what we desire is the encapsulation of our being. Sometimes, it is a momentary attraction, a passing fancy. A quiet life, a heated love, a mountain to scale. For many of us right now, it is simply for the summer holidays to begin as we endure long, long June. Wants and needs big and small, and the distinction between wants and needs. Spiegeloog 445: Desire is our reflection on this ever-changing topic, and one intended to help you reach a little closer to your desires, whatever they may be. We hope you enjoy the final issue of the 2025/26 academic year!
Cover by Jules Kotowicz
Achilles and Patroclus kick off the issue in Alex’s piece on The Song of Achilles, after Words to Start. Varsha transitions from print to screen with her Camera Obscura, delving into the quiet passion of Portrait of a Lady on Fire. For a change of pace, Ask the Expert covers Leon Hilbert’s question to Hannes Rosenbusch about what being funny actually means, and how LLMs fit into this definition. Merkury then takes a more personal angle with their interviews on how different people experience desire, which marks the return of The Corridor after nearly two years! Marie’s piece tackles a different side of the same coin, talking about the difference—and how much of it there really is—between romantic and platonic relationships. Arya covers the underdiscussed topic of how children understand the desires of themselves and others, and Jules ends the issue, as always, with Bacchus.
With their piece, Jules also caps off their time as Editor in Chief of Spiegeloog. Jules is responsible for many wonderful contributions to the magazine, and we wish them the best of luck in their psychological, editorial, and personal endeavours. Thank you!
Until next time,
Barnaba & Jules
Dear Readers,
Sometimes, what we desire is the encapsulation of our being. Sometimes, it is a momentary attraction, a passing fancy. A quiet life, a heated love, a mountain to scale. For many of us right now, it is simply for the summer holidays to begin as we endure long, long June. Wants and needs big and small, and the distinction between wants and needs. Spiegeloog 445: Desire is our reflection on this ever-changing topic, and one intended to help you reach a little closer to your desires, whatever they may be. We hope you enjoy the final issue of the 2025/26 academic year!
Cover by Jules Kotowicz
Achilles and Patroclus kick off the issue in Alex’s piece on The Song of Achilles, after Words to Start. Varsha transitions from print to screen with her Camera Obscura, delving into the quiet passion of Portrait of a Lady on Fire. For a change of pace, Ask the Expert covers Leon Hilbert’s question to Hannes Rosenbusch about what being funny actually means, and how LLMs fit into this definition. Merkury then takes a more personal angle with their interviews on how different people experience desire, which marks the return of The Corridor after nearly two years! Marie’s piece tackles a different side of the same coin, talking about the difference—and how much of it there really is—between romantic and platonic relationships. Arya covers the underdiscussed topic of how children understand the desires of themselves and others, and Jules ends the issue, as always, with Bacchus.
With their piece, Jules also caps off their time as Editor in Chief of Spiegeloog. Jules is responsible for many wonderful contributions to the magazine, and we wish them the best of luck in their psychological, editorial, and personal endeavours. Thank you!
Until next time,
Barnaba & Jules
