2 ms·

Protesting and complaining isn’t ideal responses in democracy where almost every decision is a compromise. Especially not if you are reactive rather than proact

Protesting and complaining isn’t ideal responses in democracy where almost every decision is a compromise. Especially not if you are reactive rather than proactive. If you want real change, then you can’t just complain for a few days after something shitty happens. You gotta get out there and work for change. The school is a good example. If our parents protested instead of using the system to open private schools then the schools would probably have been closed. The parents would’ve been angry, but they probably wouldn’t have voted that differently. Instead they actually build a school within the rules, something which isn’t easy and can’t be done in a few days, and as a result they got their change. The change came at a cost of course, schools aren’t closed for the fun of it, so maybe the elderly get their houses cleaned less as a result, but they still made the change and they wouldn’t have if they hadn’t read the rules and done the hard work. It’s easy to protest, but it’s also extremely easy to ignore, and often rightly so, because complaining offers no alternatives. I’m not saying protests can’t change things though, but you need a majority to protest for a long while.

watwut 8y ago
Majority of protests are organized by long time activists and are rarely first step. It is great when discussion works and when compromise is possible. It is not easy to protest nor to get enough people in place. What you do what discussion does not work and when people who hold power are not willing to listen or compromise? Situation you described had elite playing show in public and saying and doing something different in private where it matters. They demand to hear nice sugarcoated version of reality where their policies are praised and not criticized. Had you described situation where everyone listens and people can criticize elite, then I would agree that cal discussion is way to go. Also, this sounds like a situation with low conflict and risks. Private school wont be paid by parents money, their expenses can go slightly bit up but not much more. That is entirely different then closing public school in area where people cant affort private one and state wont pay.

watwut 8y ago

Majority of protests are organized by long time activists and are rarely first step. It is great when discussion works and when compromise is possible. It is not easy to protest nor to get enough people in place. What you do what discussion does not work and when people who hold power are not willing to listen or compromise? Situation you described had elite playing show in public and saying and doing something different in private where it matters. They demand to hear nice sugarcoated version of reality where their policies are praised and not criticized. Had you described situation where everyone listens and people can criticize elite, then I would agree that cal discussion is way to go. Also, this sounds like a situation with low conflict and risks. Private school wont be paid by parents money, their expenses can go slightly bit up but not much more. That is entirely different then closing public school in area where people cant affort private one and state wont pay.