Extinction Rebellion

[oakman]

One of the main protests is just down the road from me - I'll happily put up with the disruption for a few days because I think it's an important issue they're campaigning for. However, what does really piss me off is the fun they're having whilst protesting. So many of them are treating it like a mini festival, I walk past and they're playing music, dancing, singing, doing skits and having a whale of a time. 

[Raj]

28 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

i can smell Lush and green powder from here.

 

Wouldn't even say middle class, usually people who have nothing better to do.. why aren't these people working? 

 

has anyone seen the video of them with the broccoli, pathetic 

This is one of the dumbest things that gets said.

I went on Monday(Booked a holiday off work!) and I've probably worked more years than you have been on this earth!

[Raj]

1 minute ago, oakman said:

One of the main protests is just down the road from me - I'll happily put up with the disruption for a few days because I think it's an important issue they're campaigning for. However, what does really piss me off is the fun they're having whilst protesting. So many of them are treating it like a mini festival, I walk past and they're playing music, dancing, singing, doing skits and having a whale of a time. 

FFS, what do you want  them to do..lol...be miserable and slap each other for the damage they are doing to the planet...come on...

[yorkie1999]

1 minute ago, oakman said:

One of the main protests is just down the road from me - I'll happily put up with the disruption for a few days because I think it's an important issue they're campaigning for. However, what does really piss me off is the fun they're having whilst protesting. So many of them are treating it like a mini festival, I walk past and they're playing music, dancing, singing, doing skits and having a whale of a time. 

Please let us know if they leave loads of rubbish and litter lying around, most of the photos of festivals ive seen seem to resemble a nuclear holocaust when everyone has gone home.

[SecretPro]

4 minutes ago, oakman said:

One of the main protests is just down the road from me - I'll happily put up with the disruption for a few days because I think it's an important issue they're campaigning for. However, what does really piss me off is the fun they're having whilst protesting. So many of them are treating it like a mini festival, I walk past and they're playing music, dancing, singing, doing skits and having a whale of a time. 

Take a day off and join them!

[The People's Hero]

1 minute ago, yorkie1999 said:

Please let us know if they leave loads of rubbish and litter lying around, most of the photos of festivals ive seen seem to resemble a nuclear holocaust when everyone has gone home.

Indeed, and what method of transport they leave by.

[SecretPro]

1 minute ago, The People's Hero said:

Indeed, and what method of transport they leave by.

This gets trotted out a lot. Pointing out hypocrisies in their approach as a basis for dismissing them is not an argument. We are ALL hypocrites when it comes to climate change, we all do things that contribute to our carbon footprint, whether we like it or not. The majority of them will probably be on public transport, which tends to be the way from what I've seen when I've been. As for litter, they have a dedicated volunteer clean-up team.

[DennisNedry]

They have an important message. They're correct in thinking that the only way to get Governments to actually act is disruptive protests. How can they have any meaningful impact on the big polluters of China and India? 

 

They don't help themselves though with the amount of litter left behind though.

[The People's Hero]

Just now, SecretPro said:

This gets trotted out a lot. Pointing out hypocrisies in their approach as a basis for dismissing them is not an argument. We are ALL hypocrites when it comes to climate change, we all do things that contribute to our carbon footprint, whether we like it or not. The majority of them will probably be on public transport, which tends to be the way from what I've seen when I've been. As for litter, they have a dedicated volunteer clean-up team.

Yes. Exactly. Hypocrites like the rest of us; they just have the soundbites and the free time to point fingers at everyone else. Also saying it gets 'trotted out' suggests its 'tired' and 'worthy of dismissal' - but perhaps if they were the change and lived the change and led by example then people might go along with them? Its so hard to get any movement of hypocrisy.

 

Words and platitudes get you nowhere, there needs to be action taken and their best action would seem to be leading by example and creating a better future.

 

ACTA NON VERBA.

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

Please let us know if they leave loads of rubbish and litter lying around, most of the photos of festivals ive seen seem to resemble a nuclear holocaust when everyone has gone home.

 

2 minutes ago, The People's Hero said:

Indeed, and what method of transport they leave by.

Accusations of hypocrisy are as accurate as they are irrelevant to the larger issue (both extremely so).

 

And pointing this out without providing a salient alternative to get the job done implies that the problem they highlight can't or shouldn't be solved, too.

 

1 minute ago, The People's Hero said:

Yes. Exactly. Hypocrites like the rest of us; they just have the soundbites and the free time to point fingers at everyone else. Also saying it gets 'trotted out' suggests its 'tired' and 'worthy of dismissal' - but perhaps if they were the change and lived the change and led by example then people might go along with them? Its so hard to get any movement of hypocrisy.

 

Words and platitudes get you nowhere, there needs to be action taken and their best action would seem to be leading by example and creating a better future.

 

ACTA NON VERBA.

Nope, they won't.

 

The scientific community has been pointing out the facts now in a clear and calm manner, including having unimpeachable personal credentials, for decades, and yet the appropriate action hasn't anywhere nearly been done.

 

[JonnyBoy]

11 minutes ago, Raj said:

This is one of the dumbest things that gets said.

I went on Monday(Booked a holiday off work!) and I've probably worked more years than you have been on this earth!

and you wonder why? every single video you see of extinction rebellion is embarrassing. Blocking the streets and tube lines to stop people getting to work? standing on top of trains? trying to arrest a broccoli whilst on drugs? breaking glass panels? how on earth is that getting the right message across. it has made me do the opposite and think they are a bunch of clowns. Convince me otherwise! 

 

i am very much FOR saving the planet, I drive a plug in hybrid and did Veganuary. Extinction Rebellion are sending out the WRONG message 

[yorkie1999]

7 minutes ago, SecretPro said:

This gets trotted out a lot. Pointing out hypocrisies in their approach as a basis for dismissing them is not an argument. We are ALL hypocrites when it comes to climate change, we all do things that contribute to our carbon footprint, whether we like it or not. The majority of them will probably be on public transport, which tends to be the way from what I've seen when I've been. As for litter, they have a dedicated volunteer clean-up team.

I can guarrentee that i have never contributed to anything like this in my life, but i bet a few of your ER's have.

[SecretPro]

12 minutes ago, The People's Hero said:

Yes. Exactly. Hypocrites like the rest of us; they just have the soundbites and the free time to point fingers at everyone else. Also saying it gets 'trotted out' suggests its 'tired' and 'worthy of dismissal' - but perhaps if they were the change and lived the change and led by example then people might go along with them? Its so hard to get any movement of hypocrisy.

 

Words and platitudes get you nowhere, there needs to be action taken and their best action would seem to be leading by example and creating a better future.

 

ACTA NON VERBA.

I can guarantee those who are not bandwagoners and actually do care have made many significant improvements in how they live their lives. I know I have. Nobody can reasonably do everything, but the naysayers who criticise them being 'hippies' the 'unwashed', 'jobless' or "look they are eating McDonalds and driving a car" probably do far far less themselves. Too busy sitting on t'internet labelling people and chucking insults around. Criticism of environmentalists as a first response is usually born out of ignorance of the subject (or lack of understanding about what the actual issues are) or a need to justify ones own laziness and shortcomings. Might be wiser to actually understand the message and look at the issues than knitpick at the tiny things that bare absolutely no significance in the grand scheme of the argument and the scale of the issues the planet faces, then if you still believe all that matters are human beings and that extinction is a load of bollocks and anthorpgenic climate change doesn't exist then you can start expressing some random criticism (however flawed that criticism will be).

Edited 26 August 2021 by SecretPro

[ealingfox]

How does one know that people at the XR protests aren't practising what they preach? Has every individual been privately investigated? Just sounds like classic projection assuming that because you don't do something, others can't be doing it either.

 

You might not lead a zero-carbon lifestyle, but carbon offsetting schemes are widely accessible now.

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

I do sometimes wonder how much difference I'm making seperating my plastic in to different bins while billionaires blast themselves in to space in rockets and countries like China exist. Still, I'll make sure to wash out my tin of mushy peas before I put it in the correct bin because not all heroes wear capes. 

[Kopfkino]

It’d be great to have an environmental movement that isn’t co-opted by a fringe left ideological purity movement. If you’re really bothered about averting environmental disaster you’d see the short amount of time left and set about solving that within the current constraints of society rather than match it up with a laundry list of existing ideological goals.

 

They could accept the reality of the situation and work on driving realistic solutions through the political process, or they can sit in Oxford Circus prioritising performative input and generating little useful output.

[SecretPro]

4 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I can guarrentee that i have never contributed to anything like this in my life, but i bet a few of your ER's have.

Yes, you can deifnitely know that, 100%.

 

And I'm sure there are litterers in all sections of society - we tend not to tar the majority because of a minority.

just another unfounded (and strange) accusation.

Edited 26 August 2021 by SecretPro

[Buce]

4 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I can guarrentee that i have never contributed to anything like this in my life, but i bet a few of your ER's have.

 

Did you go to Madrid?

 

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

I do sometimes wonder how much difference I'm making seperating my plastic in to different bins while billionaires blast themselves in to space in rockets and countries like China exist. Still, I'll make sure to wash out my tin of mushy peas before I put it in the correct bin because not all heroes wear capes. 

Small gestures, mon ami.

 

Change has to come at the governmental level, but then that's what the ballot box is for.

 

NB. Manned spaceflight contributes very, very little to carbon footprints.

 

7 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

It’d be great to have an environmental movement that isn’t co-opted by a fringe left ideological purity movement. If you’re really bothered about averting environmental disaster you’d see the short amount of time left and set about solving that within the current constraints of society rather than match it up with a laundry list of existing ideological goals.

 

They could accept the reality of the situation and work on driving realistic solutions through the political process, or they can sit in Oxford Circus prioritising performative input and generating little useful output.

It would be, wouldn't it?

 

Or people could perhaps see the science rather than XR and look to lobby their governments more for the changes needed. Meeting halfway.

 

Edit: I honestly can't get my head round the idea of someone who wouldn't want to avert environmental disaster, though.

Edited 26 August 2021 by leicsmac

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Yeah and I do do those small things, just don't think it does anything worth while in the grand scheme of things, makes it all a bit depressing. 

[The People's Hero]

9 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

 

Accusations of hypocrisy are as accurate as they are irrelevant to the larger issue (both extremely so).

 

 

I'd actually say they are very relevant since if you want people to change and society to change and people to get behind your movement/crusade, then you have to be squeaky clean and live the change you want in others.

 

But there again maybe its a bit like the religious and the more you speak about (a) god, the less you have to act as they'd like; or put another way, the more Christian you are, the less christian you have to be. Hold people to standard you refuse yourself to meet.

 

You may not see hypocrisy as part of the issue; but I think its a huge part in terms of how much support ER will ever get from the normal people whom they point the finger at.

 

 

[Raj]

13 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

and you wonder why? every single video you see of extinction rebellion is embarrassing. Blocking the streets and tube lines to stop people getting to work? standing on top of trains? trying to arrest a broccoli whilst on drugs? breaking glass panels? how on earth is that getting the right message across. it has made me do the opposite and think they are a bunch of clowns. Convince me otherwise! 

 

i am very much FOR saving the planet, I drive a plug in hybrid and did Veganuary. Extinction Rebellion are sending out the WRONG message 

Again, like I've already said, what would YOU do to get the message across???

Let's hear it...

[Raj]

4 minutes ago, Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot said:

Yeah and I do do those small things, just don't think it does anything worth while in the grand scheme of things, makes it all a bit depressing. 

You shluldt think of it like that.

YOU can only do what you can and you should feel proud. It's not a competition  BUT we need the big boys to do bigger stuff.

It's like stamping out racism at lower league football  but the problem still exists at Premier league and the world stage(Probably  not the best scenario!)

[The People's Hero]

17 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

and you wonder why? every single video you see of extinction rebellion is embarrassing. Blocking the streets and tube lines to stop people getting to work? standing on top of trains? trying to arrest a broccoli whilst on drugs? breaking glass panels? how on earth is that getting the right message across. it has made me do the opposite and think they are a bunch of clowns. Convince me otherwise! 

 

i am very much FOR saving the planet, I drive a plug in hybrid and did Veganuary. Extinction Rebellion are sending out the WRONG message 

Agreed on the 2 main points

 

1- I want to save the planet

2- I find a lot of XR's activities repugnant and weird.

[Houdini Logic]

I completely understand and agree with the cause but I find it difficult to get past the inevitable, even if accidental, hypocrisy with these types of protest