Climate Activism Protesters

[LordFall]

Curious what you guys think about this. Apparently common in Germany/Europe where these activists will sit in the road and block traffic until the public/police have to violently remove them.

There are more violent ones where the police came up with the "pain grip" which is basically torture to force them to move otherwise they just refuse to. 

It's an interesting ethical issue because I'd say they're backing the right cause but interfering with civil life causes a lot of chaos for the general public just trying to live their lives. Thoughts? 

[BlueOak]

A repeat of my previous comment on it:

Activism achieves nothing without overt display. It achieves little with overt display but something is better than nothing. People only remember spectacles or grand gestures.

It's a very basic way of approaching a problem, but some of that energy is required for any change to happen. Most climate protesters then have no further plan, which is why this doesn't change a lot. But again, something is better than nothing. You can relate it to the emotion or anger you might feel upon encountering something you don't like in your life.

As people point out they still use cars, planes, and/or energy, and the same systems we do. Over time some will realise they can make progress from inside these systems more effectively, as opposed to always being outside of them, some won't. They will have to learn to adapt or make small adjustments where they can within those systems to achieve any lasting or measurable change.

The spectacle is useful to get through to people who are completely unaware that anything is wrong or needs attention, especially given how our media operates, he who shouts loudest or makes the most spectacle is listened to the most.

*Going beyond this sort of gesture activism does require some personal sacrifice of ongoing time and energy. Also a realization that things won't ever be as you want them in your lifetime, even in the rare case that the majority of society were moving in that general direction. You have to be willing to do things for others, as you won't necessarily experience the results. Climate work, or the work to better it, can be a good example of that ethos.

Edited July 30 by BlueOak