It isn’t the representation of violence in the Gaza Strip that is so disturbing; it is the absence of representation. The grief and despair of a child is penetratingly real. The extreme realism of these events has now driven a wedge between our realities, material and social. The scale and speed of this suffering has destroyed our ability to sustain any belief in the symbolic values of “the international community” and “human rights”. We can no longer even pretend these ideas correlate to any form of reality. This issue of Real Review is dedicated to the current mood, the Phantom of Liberty.

How long has the emperor been naked? We interview cultural theorist SHUMON BASAR on the unwinding of colonial modernity. ELIZABETH II contributes a 1p UK stamp. POSTPOSTPOST asks if jokes can bring down governments. SHAM JAFF reviews the news, while ELIAS TAMER reviews the passport. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL reviews the occupation of water. PIET OUDOLF talks to JACK SELF about being in the garden. CAN SUN presents the perfect lover. DECENTRALIZED AGENCY review public relations, while DEEP reviews the Amazon, and LEA MOREAU reviews the Id. MADDY WEAVERS reviews snooker, AMBER HUSAIN reviews meat, and THEA MCLACHLAN reviews girlfriends. Plus much more.