[extropy-chat] (POLITICS) Utility of Protest was:Exhibitionism(no, not THAT kind)

[Brett Paatsch]

I live in Australia. I don't know any intelligent people that are not
interested in and that don't have an opinion on the Iraq war and
the Bush administration's and our Prime Minister John Howard
and the UK Prime Minister Tony Blairs part in bringing it about.

I don't know anybody that doesn't want reassurance about it,
and I suspect that that comment could also be levelled at George
W Bush, John Howard and Tony Blair. 

But let's be realistic. If you are American over 50 you are more 
likely to die of a heart attack or cancer than you are of any 
terrorist attack or indeed of anything the Bush administration may
or may not do in time between now and 20 Jan 2009 when the
next US President will be sworn in.

A series of dirty bombs on the mainland of the US let off in the
cities would not change the existential risk for you in that cancer 
and heart disease would still be statistically more likely to kill you.  

The header of this post is about politics and the utility of protest.

Yes, some protesters have egos and indulge in things that are 
partly exhibitionism. Yes most forms of protest are inept in terms
of their statistical chances of actually achieving what the protesters
want them to achieve. 

But I prefer that even silly people protest, that they feel they can,
that they are free too. Because the humanity of silly people is 
humanity too. 

I haven't watched Cindy Sheehan, I know of her only as a stereotype,
but I have heard of her protest here in Australia through snippets of 
media when I wasn't looking for it. 

I have heard other people, less publicly and in quiet conversation
with a few others or maybe just myself, anguish about the shooting
of the guy in the UK that did not in fact turn out to be a terrorist, and
I know that people are concerned about the loss of civil liberties and
I am glad that they are concerned. I *like* them the better for their
concerns and for their protests however inept their protests may be.

I think that when we stop protesting we stop appealing to the humanity
of others. I don't want people to stop appealing to my humanity, I find
the reminders of my sociable nature useful and encouraging toward
the desire to solve certain sorts of problems.

We can, I hope, empathise even when we cannot cure.
 
Brett Paatsch


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Al Brooks 
  To: ExI chat list 
  Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 9:14 AM
  Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] (POLITICS) Utility of Protest was:Exhibitionism(no, not THAT kind)


  Your logic is absolutely impeccable, Bret. No more comedy posts. Just one more observation though: if this war goes on to a worst case conclusion, then we'll have no extropian future-- this is a platitude but it is a relevant platitude. Saying 'give it time' or 'it will work out' is no longer reassuring.
  Optimism is only justified if it is not baseless optimism.
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