to support extinction rebellion - more London action tomorrow

[54321nought]

I am not sure what, but I have seen their previous demonstrations, and support their cause.

We were given badges at one event, and travelled home on public transport wearing them, and received absolutely nothing but 100% support from other travellers, which was nice, as I expected some hostility, publicly wearing their badges while roads in London were closed by them

there are much bigger fish to fry. Companies could be boycotting Palm Oil for example.

This would be covered by the aims of XR.

I am not sure why I am defending them, I am not a member, but the fact people pretend waht theya re doing is illogical is annoying me. What theya re doing makes perfect sense to me - they are trying to force the country to pay attention.

Their aim is to disrupt - disruption is a logical escalation when polite campaigning gets you nowhere.

Companies won’t boycott palm oil. They will do whatever gives them the best profits, unless they are selling to the ethical shopper.

But these methods take too long to make any difference.

We need more action like we had with CFCs and DTD, but this takes government action.

I can't fathom if this is a cynical 'clever' response, or genuinely not understanding why that is not relevant to what XR are trying to do

Does any one know what XR are trying to do other than dance, play musical chairs and hold people up. Or get enraged and scream about people not taking climate change seriously whilst munching on their Big Macs and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Why don’t you research it, bythemillpond?

But nobody is paying any attention because what they are doing is illogical, this is my point. I wouldn't attempt to convert people to vegetarianism whilst holding a leather bag, it is the same principle. Most people see them as bratty liberal rich kids with too much time on their hands or old hippies with too much time on their hands. They need a less theatrical and hysterical approach if they want to be taken seriously.

Companies could be boycotting Palm Oil for example

Research shows that boycotting products like palm oil just pushes demand onto another product. Palm oil is the most efficient crop of it's kind. Where palm oil must be used countries need to work to make it sustainable.

You only have to look at the history of Malaysia to see this in action. Initially cut down for timber, switched to cocoa when that became lucrative. Switched to palm when cocoa beans started being boycotted and targeted. SA were supported to develop more sustainable cocoa so Malaysia market went there. Malaysia then switched to palm as weren't supported to be sustainable.
Eco groups should be working on projects like this and raising public awareness of how to help.

I've seen very successful eco groups achieve amazing things. One group in Asia got villages to switch from hunting turtles to protecting them. Working with the poor not against them.

Darker

Why don’t you research it, bythemillpond

Maybe because I don’t think they know what they want apart from to make a nuisance of themselves and have a party
They say they want governments and big businesses to cut carbon emissions etc but then target people who have no influence on governments and big businesses and cost them work, hospital appointments etc and say it is ok to not use what is a responsible way to get around London and say that we should take the car when they have blocked the tube station

But then say we need to tackle amongst other things, transport,

It doesn’t make sense

Maybe when they have decided themselves what they want and have a sensible plan to try and persuade those they want to persuade then people might take them seriously

Until then they are doing more harm than good

@Bythemillpond

Maybe when they have decided themselves what they want and have a sensible plan to try and persuade those they want to persuade then people might take them seriously

Until then they are doing more harm than good

This

Their aim is to disrupt - they are doing this.
Their aim is to make people talk about them - they are doing this.
Their aim is to encourage more young people to join their movement - I do not know but would imagine they are doing this.

They don't want a tedious policy debate with some suited Tory. What would be the point of that? The environmental movement has been doing that for three decades. They don't want to be polite. They want to protest and they want to get in people's faces.

If they break the law they will be arrested. They don't care about that either!

OK so they will actually achieve nothing then.

have a sensible plan to try and persuade those they want to persuade

The question that comes to my minds is - why the heck should they need to persuade the government and the general public to do something about the biggest problem we face? How messed up is that?

I have enjoyed this thread, it has really made me think more about it. I have no idea if I am right in what I have posted about them, so apologies to any XR people if I am misunderstanding your approach!

@lannistunut

Their aim is to disrupt - they are doing this. Their aim is to make people talk about them - they are doing this. Their aim is to encourage more young people to join their movement - I do not know but would imagine they are doing this.

They don't want a tedious policy debate with some suited Tory. What would be the point of that? The environmental movement has been doing that for three decades. They don't want to be polite. They want to protest and they want to get in people's faces.

If they break the law they will be arrested. They don't care about that either!

Actually, surely some do. An arrest can damage you career prospects.

Or do they not need to worry about that? Why?

How will they continue to attend on benefits?

Their aims are pointless because they aren't getting support.

I actually asked my 17 year old about this I am mixed race, therefore she is. She is also a lesbian. She is very familiar with protesting, fighting for good causes. She is hugely into preserving the environment, which we are as a family.

As far as she knows, everyone she socialises with in RL and on Social media think they are a bit of a joke. They view them as lots of older people do. People with privilege using that privilege to cause a bit of anarchy. Like alot of people she says people don't like the damage they cause and don't feel that, they actually care about the environment.

So while, I imagine they do, recruit some young people, it's not in droves. She doesn't speak for all teenagers, but it was interesting to get her pov as it's not something we have discussed.

And she is a privileged teenager in alot of ways. But the fact that she also has some things that make her a minority, seems to have balanced it out.

Also we went through a period of living pay check to pay check, when me and her dad first split up. She is old enough to remember when, a few days lost pay would have put us under. She was really aware at the time, but as she has got older, looking back, she can see that period.

Its only been in the last 16 months she has lived in a household with a big income.

She says she feels disgusted at what they do to underprivileged groups.

This is the problem XR, are viewed in a poor light by lots of people. Which means their 'demands' will never get the support they need.

So they may be doing what they set out to do (cause Underprivileged people problems) but it's not getting them anywhere.

@Bythemillpond

Maybe when they have decided themselves what they want and have a sensible plan to try and persuade those they want to persuade then people might take them seriously

Until then they are doing more harm than good

they have very clear aims

This made me laugh, I think a few of these have appeared on this thread: twitter.com/XrSouthEastUK/status/1429403855905820674/photo/1

Clear aims... yet no sensible plan.

Those saying no one is paying attention, it’s on the news and in the media.

People howl at the hypocrisy of Emma Thompson flying (rightly so, imo), which reinforces the message that flying is bad for the environment.

lannistunut

Their aim is to disrupt - they are doing this
Their aim is to make people talk about them
-they are doing this
Their aim is to encourage more young people to join their movement - I do not know but would imagine they are doing this

So nothing to do with climate change then.

Just a group that says let’s congregate, piss off a load of people trying to live their lives and have a party and do what you want and if you get arrested no one cares.

The only way to get things done is by tedious policy debate with the people that have the power to do something.

Playing musical chairs is not going to do anything part from making the whole group look silly

Problem is 54321nought their aims either have nothing to do with Climate change or their aims are getting lost when they cost people money, shout at them, make them miss hospital appointments or are seen dancing or playing party games and eating McDonalds

The plan is for governments to work out. XR wants to get them to stop kicking the can down the road.

So nothing to do with climate change then

Literally everything to do with climate change.

Darker

The plan is for governments to work out. XR wants to get them to stop kicking the can down the road
By the time they have worked that one out there will be a new person in power and then they have to start again.

Is the hard stare an attempt on telepathy

dancing or playing party games

Earlier people were complaining about Greta having a sour face, now it’s wrong for people to try to keep morale up for a few hours.

What is the appropriate level of gravity?

@Darker

Those saying no one is paying attention, it’s on the news and in the media.

People howl at the hypocrisy of Emma Thompson flying (rightly so, imo), which reinforces the message that flying is bad for the environment.

But they don't want people just talking about climate change. They want to force the governments hands.

And people aren't really talking about climate change. They are talking about XR. And not in a very positive light, the majority of time.

Darker

So nothing to do with climate change then

Literally everything to do with climate change

Where does it reference climate change

Their aim is to disrupt
Their aim is to make people talk about them
Their aim is to encourage more young people to join their movement

Genuine question did XR publicly state they would have preferred Emma Thompson to not take that flight?