We Need More Protest

[dmcauliffe09]

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[Circle E Society]

Our generation (I'm an 18 year old male) is lazy. We have lost all will to protest. We are currently in a massive economic recession and we have not even protested the fact that thousands of people are getting laid off. It really irks me to see this, because when I think of all the changes that were made in the sixties by the youn generation, I can't help but think that my generation has no chance if we don't SPEAK against the misconduct of the oppressors.
Can I be the first to say, No Shit....

[Rjevan]

You're totally right!
I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks so but in my opinion this is a special problem of Germany. While I heard of demonstrations in France, the USA and other countries, here everyone has this "Well, bad, bad but what should one already do? Besides, I'm sure chancellor Merkel does her best to save us all."-attitude. Thus spoken they walk home, watch the "Bundesliga" or "Wer wird Millionär?" and vote for the CDU or even the FDP in the next election.
I really don't know what it takes before people wake up.

[OneNamedNameLess]

I'm surprised. Forgive my ignorance but I thought the Germans were quite consistent when it comes to demonstrating.

Anyway I think what you are saying is correct. Some people (young and old) would not dare to be seen at any protest.

Let's try to be more positive. Action will be taken by the people regarding the current situation as it intensifies :)

[dmcauliffe09]

Can I be the first to say, No Shit....
"No shit?" Okay. Tell that to everyone who just sits on their asses and complains instead of doing something. All I'm saying is that our generation needs to do more, especially now. It mihg tseem like a "no shit," but even if we do know this, we're not doing anything. Sure, there are organizations dedicated to fighting capitalism and even forums like these, but until we see some actual changes, all we're going to do is talk.

[mykittyhasaboner]

Our generation (I'm an 18 year old male) is lazy. We have lost all will to protest. We are currently in a massive economic recession and we have not even protested the fact that thousands of people are getting laid off.

:rolleyes: Right, while you are suggesting that everyone is lazy, and our generation isn't doing enough; popular protests and riots have just caused the governments of Iceland and Latvia to collapse. I don't find any really substance in your argument.

I mean sure, there are people who don't actually work or do anything to make a better world. I live in America and I deal with my daily dose of ignorant/apathetic/ lazy people, and its quite annoying. But I think your over generalizing when you say that our generation is just a bunch of slobs who couldn't give a shit about politics.


It really irks me to see this, because when I think of all the changes that were made in the sixties by the youn generation, I can't help but think that my generation has no chance if we don't SPEAK against the misconduct of the oppressors.
Not much was done in the 60's really, it was just a time of radical upheaval. I think its pretty short-sighted to find nostalgia in the 60's.

[Comrade B]

It does feel like the culture around me is a very passive one. I am also an 18 year old living in the USA, and it seems to be a very self centered generation. I have met very few who share my rage. I was discussing the situation in Israel with a sort-of-friend a few days ago and he seemed painfully uninformed. He knew absolutely nothing about the history of the country, and just kept repeating the sentence "it's sad, but it has been like that for years" as if that were an excuse for people to stand down.
The modern generation has been raised to be very conservative in the United States at least.

[DancingLarry]

Comrades, I've been thinking. MayDay on Wall Street? Red flags, black flags, [email protected] and hammers and sickles? Scare the shit out of some banksters?

[Circle E Society]

"No shit?" Okay. Tell that to everyone who just sits on their asses and complains instead of doing something. All I'm saying is that our generation needs to do more, especially now. It mihg tseem like a "no shit," but even if we do know this, we're not doing anything. Sure, there are organizations dedicated to fighting capitalism and even forums like these, but until we see some actual changes, all we're going to do is talk.

Like I said No shit tell us something we don't all fucking know. You posting this on an internet message board means you're sitting on your ass and doing nothing but complaining too. Come up with a solution, organize your community, workplace, or friends and get shit done and fine ways to recruit those other people sitting on their ass and then post those.

[Circle E Society]

Comrades, I've been thinking. MayDay on Wall Street? Red flags, black flags, [email protected] and hammers and sickles? Scare the shit out of some banksters?
But is that actually doing anything...

[Rebel_Serigan]

Oh my brother I am right there with you. I am surrounded by these catatonic people all day long. They don't ever seem to even think about what is going or more over what they can do to help. They are so blind the might as well not even have eyes; this is not because they are not around the oppression and recession, it is because they are pacifyed. Not only that but also they are selfish, more selfish than ever! In fact sociologists have began calling our generation I-Gen( refering to the I focused persona and of course because of the I-Pod which is further helping the meltdown of the personal connection) or Generation Me( that reasoning is obvious). We are around people who are more concerned with the next generation Apple tec or texting thier friends. These are people who are being socialy degraded by allowing them to comunicate with machines more than real people. This is not saying that these new media sources are all bad. it is much easyer to send out a message with the media's help. A little public display or massive amounts of fliers all over a niehborhood's doors gets attension. If you bring the message onto the TV and Pod-Casts then these little sheep start seeing what the enlightened wolves already know. The people in our generation are not going to take action any time soon, if at all, we have to make our message appear before them in ever facet. Do not allow them to escape the truth of what is going on. They already recive constant bombardment from stupifying media, we just need to turn that against them. I live in the Reddest State in the Vicious American Empire and it is full of people who do not listen. I have made a few of them listen though. I used my speaking skills and pervuasive talents to get a small little following out here in ID (The Revelution Line). Bottom line is that we need to make ourselves known to these sheep. we must make our message undenyable and we must use the outlets that the sheep are glued to.

[Reclaimed Dasein]

But is that actually doing anything...
It might be said,

The best lack all conviction, while the worst are filled with passionate intensity.

Perhaps we should rethink the status of the protest as such. It's not at all clear they have all that much of an effect. It seems, a protest only solves a problem if the problem is related to somehow not being allowed to express oneself. Instead, it seems possible we might want to critically withdraw from action until we have a better understanding of the problems facing us, and how to best address them.

[dmcauliffe09]

Like I said No shit tell us something we don't all fucking know. You posting this on an internet message board means you're sitting on your ass and doing nothing but complaining too. Come up with a solution, organize your community, workplace, or friends and get shit done and fine ways to recruit those other people sitting on their ass and then post those.
"Sitting on my ass complaining..." Actually, I have organized with my friends, we have protested certain things. I live on a military base, so the right-wing presence is very strong here. Any time we do something, we face ridiculous repercussions. i don't understand why you're coming with such hostility; all I was attempting to get across is that this generation is too comfortable for its own good. All I'm saying is that we need more protest and change. And you come off telling me "no fucking shit" and all that other b.s. instead of offering constructive criticism. I'll take the high road and ask you, is there anything that you personally have done in protest? Maybe we can discuss that instead, because telling me that I'm stating the obvious (which I know I am, but sometimes we lose sight of the obvious) doesn't help.

[dmcauliffe09]

:rolleyes: Right, while you are suggesting that everyone is lazy, and our generation isn't doing enough; popular protests and riots have just caused the governments of Iceland and Latvia to collapse. I don't find any really substance in your argument.

I mean sure, there are people who don't actually work or do anything to make a better world. I live in America and I deal with my daily dose of ignorant/apathetic/ lazy people, and its quite annoying. But I think your over generalizing when you say that our generation is just a bunch of slobs who couldn't give a shit about politics.


Not much was done in the 60's really, it was just a time of radical upheaval. I think its pretty short-sighted to find nostalgia in the 60's.
I must respectfully disagree with you about the 60s. It was a time of drastic change and protest. I just wonder why in America, there has been no such time period for a long time. It may happen in smaller countries, which is indeed a start for global revolution, but I'd like to see more of that in the Unites States.

[dmcauliffe09]

Ok. I guess I have once again worded my argument wrong, because people are getting the wrong impression of what I am saying. Let me try to break it down. My generation is hard pressed on video games, the Internet (not for educational purposes or forums such as this one where the real world is discussed and analyzed), iPods, etc. There is no doubt that this is a generation of comfortability and ignorance. Yes, ignorance. Not stupidity. We are ignorant to the way the world is and why it is that way. That is why we must strive to educate ourselves. Obviously, there are some members of this generation who do educate themselves, as is evident from the young people in this forum as well as countless others. The under-18s who organized to help Obama get elected were a clear contradiction of the argument that all youth are unaware and lethargic when it comes to society. But a frightening majority of us are ignorant. I am about to graduate high school and go out into the world in the midst of one of the worst economic times for America, as are thousands of other students. But many of them don't think about this; all they know is that "the economy is bad." What I was attempting to state with my posting this thread is that now, during these troubling times, it is pertinent that we change the system. We need more protest, we need more involvement, and we need more awareness. We cannot simply allow ourselves to live in this ridiculous system that dooms us for struggle. It is an unnecessary struggle that has been brought on by capitalism. This generation needs to focus more on its long-term survival than the newest fucking iPod or Chris Brown beating Rhianna. Yes, this might be stating the obvious, but we sometimes lose sight of the obvious because we think it's so...well, obvious. We think, "Ok, I know that already," then we stray from that which we know. In short: the youth needs to get more involved. Hope that helps.

[Qayin]

put down your cell phone and pick up a rock;)

[Greenman]

You, and every other pissed off person in Europe and the world who can get there are cordially invited to London on 28th March to "greet" ;):D our magnificent rulers at the G20 summit of that week. You may wish to stick around as actions are planned for the rest of the week as well......

[dmcauliffe09]

Wow. I didn't realize people here could be such sarcastic smart-asses. Can anyone offer me something more than adolescent bullshit comments?

[Sam_b]

What a completely ridiculous thread this is. Seriously. I also love the irony of someone talking about our 'generations laziness' while sitting in front of a computer'.

Its nothing to do with laziness at all. The way that capitalism is so effective is that it grinds people down, it gives them a feeling that there is no alternative, and that there is absolutely nothing that can be done. Such a position of helplessness leads to a downturn in the struggle, which breeds either apathy or concurrance of the system itself. However, the 'our generation' which as i'm guessing you're referring to, means young people, often aren't in a position yet where their livelihoods are threatened and have not had a need to take any industrial action. The job here is to get young workers unionised, and also to build up a movement which can be a credible alternative to capitalism in the eyes of the class.

So, instead of whining, why don't you go out and start building the movement?

[dmcauliffe09]

What a completely ridiculous thread this is. Seriously. I also love the irony of someone talking about our 'generations laziness' while sitting in front of a computer'.

Its nothing to do with laziness at all. The way that capitalism is so effective is that it grinds people down, it gives them a feeling that there is no alternative, and that there is absolutely nothing that can be done. Such a position of helplessness leads to a downturn in the struggle, which breeds either apathy or concurrance of the system itself. However, the 'our generation' which as i'm guessing you're referring to, means young people, often aren't in a position yet where their livelihoods are threatened and have not had a need to take any industrial action. The job here is to get young workers unionised, and also to build up a movement which can be a credible alternative to capitalism in the eyes of the class.

So, instead of whining, why don't you go out and start building the movement?
I guess you didn't read my other post. And by the way, "our generation" is indeed one of frightening apathy. How can you possibly disagree with that? Capitalism hasn't made young people think there is no alterntive: young people don't even realize what they live in is capitalism because they aren't informed. And by the way, my point was exactly that the "position yet where their livelihoods are threatened" is now. Which is why I posted this in the first place.

[Sam_b]

I think I get pissed off more with people like you than the apathetic generation.

Why don't you do something instead of whining?

[Reuben]

Misanthropy is a pox upon the left. It appears incisive but in reality is pernicious to our politics.

[dmcauliffe09]

I think I get pissed off more with people like you than the apathetic generation.

Why don't you do something instead of whining?
Thanks, I'll take that advice.

[mosfeld]

There have been mass protests in my country, Iceland, for months.

[DancingLarry]

But is that actually doing anything...

My apologies for suggesting it, and I withdraw the suggestion. Just thought it might be useful to scare the piss out of the banksters. Upon reflection, it appears the consensus is that the course of withdrawing from all action as the best course of action is the way to overcome stasis and political paralysis.

[Rebel_Serigan]

I think we have gone off on a tangit about symantics. I believe I am correct when I say that this thread does not refer to physical laziness(which is a problem as well) but more like political laziness. The people who are born into capitolist societies and taught from a young age that it is the best thing ever and you should never think any different are quick to accept this. They should think this over once they are old enough to research other things and make an informed decision about which system is the best. This would be ideal, however most young people don't give enough of a shit to even think about something else, they just want to be told everything's alright so they can go on in thier happy ignorant lives. I feel that the only way to "wake these people up" is to make the other choices unavoidable and irrefutable. Simplely force people to know there are other ways of life, let them know they are oppressed. Perhaps protest isn't the best way to get the idea across in the current world but we do need to do something and build a following. We might be enlightened but like Lenin said "Revelutionary ideas mean nothing unless there is a revelutionary situation."

[Circle E Society]

My apologies for suggesting it, and I withdraw the suggestion. Just thought it might be useful to scare the piss out of the banksters. Upon reflection, it appears the consensus is that the course of withdrawing from all action as the best course of action is the way to overcome stasis and political paralysis.
No I mean the symbolism would be cool but there would have to be more to it than just that for it to be affective.

[Reclaimed Dasein]

Wow. I didn't realize people here could be such sarcastic smart-asses. Can anyone offer me something more than adolescent bullshit comments?
Well, to be fair, I did offer you a critical theoretical position to which you have yet to respond. I do agree however, some of these responses lack a certain camaraderie.

[dmcauliffe09]

Well, to be fair, I did offer you a critical theoretical position to which you have yet to respond. I do agree however, some of these responses lack a certain camaraderie.
Yes, that comment was in no way meant for anyone who offered something other than "that's obvious."