26 February 2011

Why I generally don't trust VIOLENT PROTESTS

I am not entirely opposed to violent protesting. I recognise it is sometimes necessary or useful. But I don't trust violent protest.

Firstly I don't trust it, simply because violence can be fun. It's fun to smash and burn stuff and throw things at the police etc. It's also romantic. It's very instantly gratifying.

Violent protest is also a bio-chemical rush. A high. And similarly to when we're high on drugs it can all too often delude us into thinking and feeling that we are actually achieving something, when in truth we are not. We're just full to the brim with a chemically induced good feeling.

Similarly, and probably my main reason for not trusting violent protest, it is too easy to be led by violence. The rush of the crowd, the thrill of it all. It's too easy to get caught up in the wave. And therefore it's too easy to be manipulated, especially by agent provocateurs.

And the final reason that comes to mind is that, in my experience, far too many people automatically get their buttons pushed by authority figures or institutions that represent authority. Far too many people have unresolved issues from their pasts, usually with their parents (or whoever the principle adults were in their childhood) and therefore they all too quickly turn into irrational zombies who are no longer really reacting to the present situation at all.

Ultimately I guess I believe that violence is the easy option.

I believe that Non-violent protest requires more conscious and deliberate effort from everyone involved. Non-violence requires more originality and innovation, more strength and more determination.

Time and time again it is the state that shows itself to be addicted to violence and brutality. I believe we have to be better than that.

22 February 2011

Transarmament

... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transarmament ...

Transarmament (closely related to civilian-based defense) is the partial or total replacement of armed forces with the physical and social infrastructure to support nonviolent resistance.

Self Organised Learning



... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk60sYrU2RU ...