The method behind the road blocks is: Block road to hold normal people hostage -> normal people get angry and demand change -> government changes it’s policy towards your demands. Yeah everyone knows climate change to be a problem but if nothing is being done despite that you have to apply pressure somewhere, so because Fridays for future moved the needle maybe minimally, by doing normal marches, you start to be the tiniest bit annoying by blocking streets without prior warning.
The very few people getting stuck in traffic from these protest are really just innocent bystanders but, they also need to change, and both the real targets, so politicians and rich people, have enough influence to easily shield themselves from the effect of protests, apart from maybe the private yet stoppages which the same groups also organised.
And at least here in Germany the media coverage about climate change is now much more frequent than before LG started blocking the streets. And the coverage is only interspersed by talking about the protests themselves not singularly about the protests. So there is at least some noticeable change.
These people don’t do nothing, they are fighting for my right to live 60 more years in relative peace and prosperity, protests and civil disobedience is far from doing nothing. The political message that gets told whenever any of them is interviewed is certainly much more nuanced than the slogan as well. And the reason they are on the street to begin with is because they themselves also have few choices, if the people going out to the street had power apart from their time and body they would be and are using it towards that same goal, but obviously their power via other ways is insufficient.
All in all if you think you act efficiently and fairly towards climate change reversal/reduction, but write a comment defending your 45min car commute, you might be missing something.The lack of public transport in your city for example isn’t solved by just continuing to use it without reflection about why it is that way, and honest investment into fixing it.
First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
- Martin Luther King Jr, Letter from the Birmingham Jail
very much the vibes in these comments, “how dare you inconvenience us”
That is not what gatekeeping is. Gatekeeping would be saying they aren’t real climate activists or something like that.
Look at this dude here gatekeeping gatekeeping. /s
Honestly, what is this road glueing good for? You are annoying people who are not the root cause and allowing news sites and trolls to make an enemy of you.
Congratulations, you really showed them.
It’d be much more interesting and impactful to do something like espionage on oil wells or pipelines. Hurt the profits of the companies forcing it rather than everything stuck in a bad system.
They would just raise the prices of the oil they had to make up for it… for about twice as long as necessary. So they’ll make more money, and we’ll likely end up with a giant mess.
But that will decrease oil consumption as people will find more efficient ways to transport things.
NB
Why no constructive criticism?
If I was, even here is too trackable.
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I have no idea what you mean
Off you go, go do it then. Maybe don’t leave it to someone else.
I’m not in that field right now. We’ll see if I pivot that way later.
In the UK at least, Just Stop Oil did block oil infrastructure initially. The corporations worked with the government to use massive injunctions so people were getting huge penalties for very minimal disruption, and it never got any press coverage either.
The law protects the corporations, and the press doesn’t care unless the public or public figures are involved. That’s why they changed to public disruption.
You must be a car driving loser. Getting mad sitting in your car stuck in traffic. All of that impotent rage. You are pathetic
I’m sorry, but how are daily commuters not a huge part of the cause? I recognize they’re part of a larger system, and may have limited means to fix anything, but they’re still participating in behavior that is destroying the only home we have.
There are two alternatives: activists either do nothing consequential, people like you ignore them and nothing changes, or…
There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part; you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop.
- Mario Savio
You’re literally defending the moderate in the meme.
I just don’t see the point. What is “consequential” about shutting down a road? What are you trying to achieve exactly? Are you doing it just because it’s beneficial in and of itself? Shutting down one road out of the millions on Earth for like an hour does practically nothing and you should spend your time more wisely. Are you trying to win hearts and minds? People will do far more than just ignore your cause, they will actively despise it. Or is it just out of spite for commuters? Even though many of them, as you said, have limited means to change anything. Not everyone can afford to just quit their job to get one closer.
It would also kind of go against their own point if public transit was also stopped. Sometimes you can’t just live near absolutely everything. Some people have disabilities and cannot physically ride a bike to get where they need to go. That would maybe also encourage people to take a car or a carpool, where they’re more likely to be able to do a u turn.
Have these protests done anything? For example that due to the lack of public transport people are obliged to use a car, or many workplaces especially office work are put around cities not inside because of tax reasons? In my case I had to use a car for my previous work, for it was 45 minutes instead of 4,5 hours with trains and buses.
These people do nothing, but scream STOP USING OIL, STUPID! and call it a day.
Nobody is oblivious to this problem, but many have few choices.
I’m sorry, but how are daily commuters not a huge part of the cause?
But daily commuters aren’t really the problem in itself, it’s the combustion engine cars. Blocking road also blocks people in EVs or even the ones taking the bus.
Keeping everything else the same but switching to EV is still really bad for the environment and bad for people.
It’s less bad than burning gasoline by far, but your argument is only an environmental one on the surface. I just wish people like you would come out and say you’re against individual autonomy already.
“individual autonomy” except riding a bike or walking requires no (government controlled) licence no (corporate provided, and government-mandated in many places) insurance and no (government demanded) road tax.
seems like a bad case of car-brain… seek help
Have you ever tried to move a cello on a bike? It fucking sucks, and I’m absolutely not going to take my most prized instrument for a bike ride in the rain.
Sounds like a bad case of being a bike-humper. Seek help, and while you’re at it, get a fucking clue.
Have you ever tried to move a cello on a bike? It fucking sucks, and I’m absolutely not going to take my most prized instrument for a bike ride in the rain.
honestly, i haven’t.
but i’ve moved heavier and more fragile shit in a bike trailer, and 2 minutes of internetting located this cellist who toured with not only her instrument, but entire-ass gig setup, by bike: https://can.org.nz/article/cyclist-musician-to-tour-with-cello-and-recycled-solar-powered-electric-assist-bicycle-trail
either way, a comically large musical instrument (which let’s be real, those of us with a vision for a post-car future would probably still sign off on as “sure I guess an occasional van is fine for this”) doesn’t address the nonsense take that private car ownership, and widespread car-centric public space, is a core part of, or even compatible with, “individual autonomy”. you’ve been lied to, and you’re now doing free PR work for an industry that’s poisoning our lungs, killing our friends and family (especially older and younger people), and torching the planet.
brb making some “bike-humper” stickers.
The point is to be seen.
It’s generally an issue in children when their developing brains are unable to discern the difference between positive and negative attention.
I think the point is to actually cause change.
And I don’t think how you’ll accompish that, when your actions piss of the majority of people that are actually on your side.
Reminder that until profit is the only metric companies are judged on, they will continue destroying our planet.
until profit is the only metric companies are judged on, they will continue destroying our planet.
I think you meant while
yup, thanks! I think I was going for until profit is no longer […], but turned to while profit is […] in the middle of writing.
Holy fuck the comments. Is it this community or people who came from elsewhere? Jesus what a shit show
yes, in my country’s subreddit this also happens a lot. a lot of carbrains, and maybe paid astroturfers too.
Because yeah, people are either with me or just paid actors.
That’s exactly what a bot would say.
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I protest by kicking dogs end starting forest fires. Thanks for supporting me unconditionally as long as we have the same goals.
Be a retard elsewhere
Republican 🚨
You can spread awareness without assaulting others, which tend to be the route for many activists.
Agression generates defensive reactions. If you question a person, patiently, pick at their knowledge or lack of it, you can create a change.
Approaching someone and calling them monsters because don’t do this or do that is not a good conversation starter.
If you question a person, patiently, pick at their knowledge or lack of it, you can create a change.
In which universe, exactly? Certainly not in the one I inhabit. At least not at any real scale.
If you’re in the US, I’ll agree, wholeheartdly.
What do you mean? I primarily see people taking direct action, and then people complain and say “I agree that this is a problem, but don’t protest in this way”.
I bet you have the same problems with blocking roads as you do with welding oil pipeline flow control valves shut or storming a coal plant.
No problem whatsoever with that.
My problem is that usually only foments violence - against the protesters - and distrust against the cause.
Agression generates defensive reactions. If you question a person, patiently, pick at their knowledge or lack of it, you can create a change.
Literally ALL of history disagrees with you.
Are you proposing we implement change via war? No. Enough of that for the last, lets say, 10.000 years. How about we start getting our collective heads out of our asses and force change the right way?
The politians are crooked? Vote them out. No good option? Lets form another partie. Create lobby groups. Well organized, backed by science and data, not neo anarchist/hippie groups that think playing drums is a form of protest. Propose alternatives, force good and true information onto the public. Denounce mal practice, corruption and other bad actors behaviours, file actions against them.
What good violent protest turned out? People arrested by the hundreds, assaulted by police, killed.
It hurts a lot more a company or companies to have good unions and general strikes than violent protests in the streets.
Do you know what, it’s easier to just refer you back to the top comment on this post, since you clearly are the moderate in question, more concerned with the appearance of justice (and your own privileged comfort) than you are with actual justice.
The sad thing is you probably would never consider yourself a bootlicker, yet here you are, vigorously licking that capitalism boot that’s stood on all our necks.
Well done?
Its good we don’t see eye to eye because as long as you have me to bounce your points of view you have the opportunity to refine them and, hopefully, draw out some of that anger.
Or would you be more satisfied if I aimed for the low street and returned your vitriole?
By acting as you are, you’re demonstrating my original point. I’m actually willing to listen to you.
I don’t care if roads are blocked. I care if the people blocking it get the police crosshairs on their chests. Violence breeds violence. People lose their lives, gunned down or worst.
Want to hurt the system? Use the rule books. The system rules. Malicious compliance. This isn’t a war.
Climate change is killing people now and is going to Kill a lot more later. The violence is packaged up really nicely so you don’t feel bad about it, but it’s violence, and it’s real. The system has failed to take action for 40 years, how long do you suggest people wait before concluding that in system action isn’t going to do anything?
What are we, exactly, proposing? Enlighten me. Because right now I’m eager for fresh solutions. I am painfully aware the shit show this planet is and sick and tired of being called guilty for not doing more, when my humanly available resources are exausted and I clearly can’t garner enough support to create a ripple movement because everybody is too angry to actually think and act in accord to achieve a grander goal.
saying “many activists” are “assaulting” others is a great example of the behaviour described in this meme, yes
Protest is not about awareness making, though. You’re apparently confusing it with advertising.
Actually stop blocking the roads dumbass
If you won’t care about the issue because it’s too inconvenient, then the issue must become more inconvenient for you.
Protests are not about quietly holding placards and being easily ignored. They’re about disruption. If you’re not being disrupted, you get to ignore the protest.
That’s why I protest by walking into people’s homes when they are at work and shitting in their kitchen sinks. Then I leave a pamphlet explaining climate change next to it. They think about climate change while they clean it and change their voting patterns the next day I imagine.
What other methods of direct action do you propose?
How about protests at the headquarters of the most polluting companies?
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