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Nearly all US activism is ineffective theatre. It's theatre by people who don't understand how their own government works, nor cares to learn. So they look for

Nearly all US activism is ineffective theatre. It's theatre by people who don't understand how their own government works, nor cares to learn. So they look for shortcuts with ineffective protest theatre so they can pat themselves on the shoulder for "doing something about it" Meanwhile their government continues rightward unimpeded.

lern_too_spel 1y ago
People voted for segregation and ICE deportations. The point of protest theater like sit-ins and ICE protests is to make people confront what they voted for instead of being blissfully unaware of the harms. We live in a democracy, so the most effective way to reverse something that people voted for is by education, and voters will not seek out that education themselves. Often, it is the people who don't understand protest who understand the least about government. Many have the idea that if a democratically elected government does something they don't like, violently overthrowing the government will solve the problem. If the next government is a democracy, the same people will vote for the same policies.
- JeremyNT 1y ago
  I suppose the problem with it is that such "protest theater" could only work if the people who support the regime are capable of empathy for those who are objecting. In this case the opposite is true - this administration won on an explicit platform of retribution against political enemies of the right and an erosion of the constitutional order. Which is to say... they're getting what they wanted. Presumably every reminder that they're causing distress amongst people they are targeting will only increase their satisfaction.
  - lern_too_spel 1y ago
    I don't believe that more than 50% of voters are die hard racists. You just need to draw the attention of the portion of Trump voters who aren't.
- mathiaspoint 1y ago
  As someone who voted for it I'm entirely aware and don't think it's going far enough. If you truly think there's a moral problem here you need to campaign for secession.
  - curionymous 1y ago
    > As someone who voted for it I'm entirely aware and don't think it's going far enough. Don't let your dreams just be dreams. Have you tried joining ICE yet? Looks like your kind of kink to traumatize people who can't defend themselves, while wearning a full blown combat uniform, but afraid to show your face because you don't want your life choices to reflect on your "family values". Make your parents and country proud.
    - mathiaspoint 1y ago
      [flagged]
- gruez 1y ago
  >The point of protest theater like sit-ins and ICE protests is to make people confront what they voted for instead of being blissfully unaware of the harms. ??? How does a bunch of diehard democrats holding up signs in front of some government building make people "make people confront what they voted for"? I'm sure democrats don't need any extra convincing, and any Trump voters isn't going to suddenly change their mind, any more than a bunch of evangelicals picketing outside an abortion clinic is going to convince a democrat's mind.
  - lern_too_spel 1y ago
    > How does a bunch of diehard democrats holding up signs in front of some government building make people "make people confront what they voted for It doesn't. Democrats didn't vote for it. Perhaps you should try addressing my examples instead of a straw man. How do violent attacks against people just sitting at a counter not make people confront what they voted for? How do protests at Alligator Alcatraz drawing attention to the conditions within not make people confront what they voted for? If people didn't protest what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, nobody in the US would pay attention, and we wouldn't have seen the shift in public opinion in that we are now seeing.
duxup 1y ago
I'm not sure it's limited to the US. I think most activism is up against fairly strong powers ... so it's going to be ineffective most of the time isn't it?
- reliabilityguy 1y ago
  I think the issue is that in order to be effective, you have to know what you are doing. I think what the comment implied is that many activists are too lazy to learn, and rather engage in theatrics to feel good.
  - duxup 1y ago
    I think that's almost certainly universal. Heck if most activist groups accomplished their goals they might not exist anymore. Simply existing means they're not getting what they want to some extent / aren't great at doing the thing.

lern_too_spel 1y ago

People voted for segregation and ICE deportations. The point of protest theater like sit-ins and ICE protests is to make people confront what they voted for instead of being blissfully unaware of the harms. We live in a democracy, so the most effective way to reverse something that people voted for is by education, and voters will not seek out that education themselves. Often, it is the people who don't understand protest who understand the least about government. Many have the idea that if a democratically elected government does something they don't like, violently overthrowing the government will solve the problem. If the next government is a democracy, the same people will vote for the same policies.

JeremyNT 1y ago
I suppose the problem with it is that such "protest theater" could only work if the people who support the regime are capable of empathy for those who are objecting. In this case the opposite is true - this administration won on an explicit platform of retribution against political enemies of the right and an erosion of the constitutional order. Which is to say... they're getting what they wanted. Presumably every reminder that they're causing distress amongst people they are targeting will only increase their satisfaction.
- lern_too_spel 1y ago
  I don't believe that more than 50% of voters are die hard racists. You just need to draw the attention of the portion of Trump voters who aren't.
mathiaspoint 1y ago
As someone who voted for it I'm entirely aware and don't think it's going far enough. If you truly think there's a moral problem here you need to campaign for secession.
- curionymous 1y ago
  > As someone who voted for it I'm entirely aware and don't think it's going far enough. Don't let your dreams just be dreams. Have you tried joining ICE yet? Looks like your kind of kink to traumatize people who can't defend themselves, while wearning a full blown combat uniform, but afraid to show your face because you don't want your life choices to reflect on your "family values". Make your parents and country proud.
  - mathiaspoint 1y ago
    [flagged]
gruez 1y ago
>The point of protest theater like sit-ins and ICE protests is to make people confront what they voted for instead of being blissfully unaware of the harms. ??? How does a bunch of diehard democrats holding up signs in front of some government building make people "make people confront what they voted for"? I'm sure democrats don't need any extra convincing, and any Trump voters isn't going to suddenly change their mind, any more than a bunch of evangelicals picketing outside an abortion clinic is going to convince a democrat's mind.
- lern_too_spel 1y ago
  > How does a bunch of diehard democrats holding up signs in front of some government building make people "make people confront what they voted for It doesn't. Democrats didn't vote for it. Perhaps you should try addressing my examples instead of a straw man. How do violent attacks against people just sitting at a counter not make people confront what they voted for? How do protests at Alligator Alcatraz drawing attention to the conditions within not make people confront what they voted for? If people didn't protest what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, nobody in the US would pay attention, and we wouldn't have seen the shift in public opinion in that we are now seeing.

duxup 1y ago

I'm not sure it's limited to the US. I think most activism is up against fairly strong powers ... so it's going to be ineffective most of the time isn't it?

reliabilityguy 1y ago
I think the issue is that in order to be effective, you have to know what you are doing. I think what the comment implied is that many activists are too lazy to learn, and rather engage in theatrics to feel good.
- duxup 1y ago
  I think that's almost certainly universal. Heck if most activist groups accomplished their goals they might not exist anymore. Simply existing means they're not getting what they want to some extent / aren't great at doing the thing.