[Whitecrab]

One thing I've seen a lot of, and agreed with, is cynicism about protests, rallies, and other public displays. I always thought this sort of activity was futile, and the "drive your SUV to the Iraq protest" aspect of peak oil just makes it displays all the more silly. However, I have since changed my mind.

No, this isn't a feel-good story about me attending some protest. What changed my mind was reading a rather dry book about the psychology of genocide. About the cultural drivers that cultivate the necessary attitudes and let it happen. The author correctly pointed out that spectators do matter, and that they can have a real effect. By not complaining about or protesting biased violence against a group, you give tacit approval to it, allowing people to continue devaluing victims and justifying that everyone "secretly wants" the violence. If people speak up for and assist people who are targets of violence, it makes it harder for perpetrators to see them as less than human.

Meanwhile, protesting matters too. For example, complaints led by doctors, families, citizens, etc. was able to stop the Nazis from (officially) exterminating the mentally handicapped. The Nazis continued in secret, but at a drastically reduced pace, because the German people stood against this part of their policies and the Nazis were afraid to go against it. The effectiveness of the extermination of the Jews also varied vastly among the countries conquered by the Germans. Those who had a history of anti-semantic turned their people over quite rapidly, while in other countries, progress was quite slow and the common people resisted and helped the Jews. There are plenty of other examples (the mothers of Argentina, etc.) where getting a new message into the national or international conciousness changed the situation.

Even extreme ideas matter. For example, even if in protesting slavery you can't get people to accept the extreme position "slaves should be set free and have equal rights," you are at least getting a discussion going. In hearing your arguments and debating the merits of slaves as equals, it makes people more inclined to at least see slaves as people, as more than property, if not quite equal citizens.


In applying this to peak oil, this would suggest any kind of public statement or civil protest you can do does have an impact. If you cannot convince someone of the die-off, you may at least prep their mind for worrying about oil supplies. Shouting out against the bullshit that goes on in our oil-gorging world can affect the thoughts and norms of some people.

Don't go nuts, but if you have an easy opportunity to speak up or write about PO or any of the related issues, do it. It's not always worthless.

[gego]

If peak oil were a problem that could be solved so that changes would insure a continuation of the 6 billion plus lives on earth, then I would be shouting from the top of my lungs.

My view, however, is that peak oil cannot be solved and a massive dieoff will follow. By massive I mean 60 to 80% over the 50 to 75 years following peak.

If you recognize that this will be a life and death struggle, and those most prepared will have an advantage, then why in the world would you want to hurt your chances of survival by giving someone else an advantage.

Presently you might have a small chance by moving to the countryside and developing your little self sufficient homestead. If you clue in all the rest of the planet, then only those with lots of money who can make the trek to the country will be able to afford the land which will be bid up to very high levels by all those who you have alerted.

[aldente]

Don't forget that a large portion of the population that you try to communicate these matters to is concerned primarily about issues that require less thought projection towards the future.

[The_Virginian]

spontanious dis-organized rowdy protest is great, but dangerous.

when it is organized, please scrutinize the ORGANIZERS and keep in mind they are likely to be co-opted by controlling powers.