Why Don't People Protest Anymore?

[seagull_special]

Whatever is thrown at us we just seem to accept it (I include myself in this) people are losing their homes, businesses and jobs, yet the government have thrown money at the banks who are absolutely liable for this mess and you can guarantee they won't be lending it too ordinary people just stockpiling it. there has been a slight bounce in the markets followed by another recession driven drop and I think this could be the tip of the iceberg. Why haven't there been tax cuts, reductions in the fuel duty and pressure on the utility companies who charge us more than they charge in mainland Europe. Gordon Brown has wiped the floor with Cameron and he must be weeping in his cornflakes when he sees GB portrayed in a superman outfit. Are we so insipid and accepting that we will just take whatever is given to us or will we ever stand up and be counted. P.S maybe we don't have protests cos all the uni students work in Sainsburys or as barmaids?

 

[Mendoza]

there was a pretty big one in Brighton just yesterday

 

[Drizzlecake]

Whatever is thrown at us we just seem to accept it (I include myself in this) people are losing their homes, businesses and jobs, yet the government have thrown money at the banks who are absolutely liable for this mess and you can guarantee they won't be lending it too ordinary people just stockpiling it. there has been a slight bounce in the markets followed by another recession driven drop and I think this could be the tip of the iceberg. Why haven't there been tax cuts, reductions in the fuel duty and pressure on the utility companies who charge us more than they charge in mainland Europe. Gordon Brown has wiped the floor with Cameron and he must be weeping in his cornflakes when he sees GB portrayed in a superman outfit. Are we so insipid and accepting that we will just take whatever is given to us or will we ever stand up and be counted. P.S maybe we don't have protests cos all the uni students work in Sainsburys or as barmaids?

Well these chaps were having a bit of a protest yesterday in the Lewes road:

smashEDO

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I used to be apathetic but now i can't be bothered.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Panem et circenses.

 

[Fungus]

Serious question - what would you expect/hope that protests would achieve? What would you expect the government to do differently? Yes, the banks are (mostly) responsible, but keeping them afloat will hopefully keep everything else afloat.

 

[seagull_special]

there was a pretty big one in Brighton just yesterday

I must have missed it, what was it about?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

How has Old Gordon wiped the floor with Cameron?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Panem et circenses.

Not enough these days. What people demand is cake and pornographic ice spectaculars.

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

We've seen some pretty massive protests over the last few years against various things. I got chased chased down Western Road by a bunch of baton-wielding thugs for popping out to have a look at one no so long ago. (Yes, that would be the police.)

Did people *really* protest all that much more in the past?

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

There have been loads of high-profile protests in the past few years. Against the Iraq war, against the fox-hunting ban and even a march by serving police officers on Westminster.

Has there been a major protest about economic policy (rather than trade or employment policy like during the miners' strike) in Britain since the Corn Laws were repealed?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I got chased chased down Western Road by a bunch of baton-wielding thugs for popping out to have a look at one no so long ago. (Yes, that would be the police.)

I was once at a meeting on the fourth floor of a building in London. It coincided with the state visit of the President of Israel, whose itinerary included passing by in the street below, in a carriage, accompanied by HM the Q.

All the people at the meeting were officially warned not to look out of the window, or we might be SHOT.

 

[clapham_gull]

There have been loads of high-profile protests in the past few years. Against the Iraq war, against the fox-hunting ban and even a march by serving police officers on Westminster.

Has there been a major protest about economic policy (rather than trade or employment policy like during the miners' strike) in Britain since the Corn Laws were repealed?

Poll Tax riots ?

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Poll Tax riots ?

Oh yeah. Apart from them.

 

[Brovion]

I agree we should protest more often. We are too supine and we should be more like the French who take to the streets everytime something threatens their jobs or lifestyles. Consequently the French government has a healthy respect for its citizens.

Here we have 'peaceful' protests which are a complete waste of time, and when we DO have proper campaigns nowadays they're invariably about causes which aren't worth a wank like this EDO thing, bypass protests or animal experiments. It's odd that British are the only nation who seem to self-flagellate in this manner. Bring back the Poll Tax riots!

 

[beorhthelm]

its just not british is it?

we nver did protest that much, its just time is compressed with history. I think we recognise that its usually fairly pointless and is used as an excuse by anarchist rent a mob muppets to have a fight then cry for compensation when a policeman twats them one.

or put another way, we've all got more important thigns to do like go to work.

 

[seagull_special]

How has Old Gordon wiped the floor with Cameron?

Old Gordon has had a lot of positive press in Europe and US for acting decisively and the world has adopted his model by buying chunks of banks and he threatened to kick the S*** out of Iceland. I think it will be a short time respite but Cameron has been pushed out of the picture for the time being

 

[Peteinblack]

Three main reasons why people don't protest anymore, I guess:

1) Most people suspect that a protest march or demo willl make no difference: governments and big business will do what they want regardless. For example, 1.25 million people protesting against the imminent invasion of Iraq in February 2003 made no difference whatsoever to the Government's policy.

2) If you protest, you are liable to be branded a trouble-maker or subversive, or an enemy of the state, or a 'rent-a-mob rabble'. Demos are also heavily policed (although when you get burgled or assualted, the Old Bill claim they are too under-resourced or tied-up in red tape to respond for three hours).

3) Most people have been brainwashed into passivity by our celebrity and consumer culture. The masses are more interested in watching the latest Big Brother (ironic, because in the original book by George Orwell, obedience was maintained not just by surveillance and punishment, but by 'prole-feed' - giving the proles cheap entertainment, trivia and titttle-tattle to stop them challenging their so-called leaders) and soap operas, reading about celebrities in the tabloids or OK/Hello magazine or going on another weekend shopping spree to buy stuff they don't really need (designer labels. etc).

Between them, governments, big business and the media have created a dumbed-down population which can't be arsed to protest, and 'the people' have colluded in this, allowing themselves to be treated as morons by those at the top.

 

[Lankyseagull]

Perhaps it's because it costs too much!

 

[Brovion]

Three main reasons why people don't protest anymore, I guess:

1) Most people suspect that a protest march or demo willl make no difference: governments and big business will do what they want regardless. For example, 1.25 million people protesting against the imminent invasion of Iraq in February 2003 made no difference whatsoever to the Government's policy.

2) If you protest, you are liable to be branded a trouble-maker or subversive, or an enemy of the state, or a 'rent-a-mob rabble'. Demos are also heavily policed (although when you get burgled or assualted, the Old Bill claim they are too under-resourced or tied-up in red tape to respond for three hours).

3) Most people have been brainwashed into passivity by our celebrity and consumer culture. The masses are more interested in watching the latest Big Brother (ironic, because in the original book by George Orwell, obedience was maintained not just by surveillance and punishment, but by 'prole-feed' - giving the proles cheap entertainment, trivia and titttle-tattle to stop them challenging their so-called leaders) and soap operas, reading about celebrities in the tabloids or OK/Hello magazine or going on another weekend shopping spree to buy stuff they don't really need (designer labels. etc).

Between them, governments, big business and the media have created a dumbed-down population which can't be arsed to protest, and 'the people' have colluded in this, allowing themselves to be treated as morons by those at the top.

Spot on. Best post on NSC for years.

I also think it might also be a generational thing. Back in the 1970s we were always going on protests and demos for some cause or another; indeed the first time I met Attila was in 1975 on a student march to protest about Grant cuts - and I wasn't even a student! I remember he had a banner saying "The fight to save education is the fight to smash capitalism." Ahh those were the days! We marched up Oxford Street and then threw bricks at the Police guarding Centrepoint (which was seen as some symbol of capitalism, can't remember why now).