Comment on Mass protests have failed to bring about social change. It’s time for a new strategy.
fiat_lux@kbin.social 8 months agoPolice can arrest someone for playing a vuvuzela and being in the background of a photo? Probably, but... what do they charge you with, a noise disturbance? Better than an assault charge. The police are going to defend the rulers no matter how peaceful the protest.
CW: police violence
Remember when those UC Davis students got pepper-sprayed while sitting? Or "don't tase me, bro!"?
Deceptichum@kbin.social 8 months ago
So instead of lame immature protests, just kill ‘em.
fiat_lux@kbin.social 8 months ago
And that's how you get revenge killings and more death and suffering. Humanity has tried murder a few more times than peaceful protest already to "solve problems" and it hasn't created a safer world for innocent people or better lives for the poor or sustainable environmental practices.
First you are concerned police won't let people play vuvuzela, but you're not concerned that they'll torture and kill you for murder? Or is it because you are ok with letting others do the dirty work for you?
Deceptichum@kbin.social 8 months ago
It’s simple.
I know they’ll suppress any peaceful revolt, so the only logical step left is active revolt.
Also this is a war, you can play pacifist all you want but don’t complain when you get killed.
fiat_lux@kbin.social 8 months ago
I'm not playing pacifist, I'm trying to determine the best course of action with the least suffering.
Which active revolts would you point to as successes to model your tactics on? What was it about those that made them succeed? Are you sure it was the violence, or was it other contributing factors?
And which target have you chosen to sacrifice your life for? Are you happy to have the hospital your family are in bombed when it's determined there are "enemy combatants" inside?
Maybe instead of adding fire to fire, we could try to stop selling oil to the people holding lighters and deciding fire extinguishers are useless when plain water doesn't work like we hoped.
The people who benefit from war are the tank makers and gun sellers. Everyone is aghast when industry is causing climate change and then... turning around to fuel the military industrial complex to solve problems war has also failed to solve. Brilliant. It will surely work this time!
Streptember@kbin.social 8 months ago
If all there is is suffering for us, then why not ensure that those in power are along for the ride with us?
fiat_lux@kbin.social 8 months ago
Because why add to the unnecessary suffering in the world if we don't want it for ourselves and we don't need to create it at all?
For example, I have a chronic pain medical condition. It blows chunks and I wouldn't wish its effects on anyone - even the people who would kill me for not being as able-bodied as most others. If the people who cause misery experiencing my pain wouldn't cure me, what would be the purpose? At best they would be more miserable and then inflict that additional misery on others who don't deserve the extra misery either.
It seems like a futile and painful self-perpetuating cycle.