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Agitprop as tactical media | 10 comments
[new] Various answers, and dangers (Avg. Score: none / Raters: 0) (#9)
by amy on Sat Oct 18th, 2003 at 06:32:27 AM EURODISCORDIA TIME
(User Info) http://plagiarist.org

This question comes up frequently, as well it should. And I've heard various responses: "The point of resistance is not to suddenly overturn the situation, but to keep gradually chipping at it", "The point is to let others know how you feel"... etc... These are related, and I think valid. Imagine what would happen if nobody publicly resisted? Nobody would ever say anything, thinking they were "the only one who doesn't agree." There would be no support for differing opinions. Things would get even worse - both psychologically, and because there'd be absolutely no incentive for people in power to exercise any self-control at all - they'd just steamroller ahead with even more unbelievable abuses. We've seen this happen at various points in history - the United States immediately after 9/11 being one recent example.

However, the danger is when resistance turns to complacency. It seems like an oxymoron, but it's what can happen when resistors come to believe they are enacting radical change when in fact, they are simply expressing their dissent. This can stifle development of more radical strategies, negate the useful effects that public expression of dissent itself yields, and lead to the feelings of frustration you've expressed, Aileen, that dissent doesn't seem to be "working." We heard some of these comments after the recent Next 5 Minutes - i.e. that it was more self-congratulatory than effective. But was it? I think it's important to frame acts of resistance realistically in terms of their goals - at least within the group of resistors themselves.


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Agitprop as tactical media | 10 comments
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