The Brave New World, LX
written in response to loud climate activism
a young activist
throws mashed potatoes
at a Monet ...
is there anything new
under the midnight sun
FYI: The Tyee, October 20, 2022: What Makes a Successful Protest? From throwing soup on van Gogh to trucking a convoy to Ottawa, there’s a difference between loud and effective activism.
Direct action meant to shock the public or disrupt everyday activities has a long history in activism...The unfortunate truth is that the public can get accustomed to certain forms of “polite” protest, such as marches. In turn, media outlets become less interested in covering those events.Just Stop Oil’s soup dousing was loud enough to be heard all over the internet, but it still failed — because theatrics need to be coupled with a clarity of mission. This was an activism non-sequitur, all sound and fury signifying… something?
A noble effort, but right now everyone’s still talking about soup instead of oil.
