Reply To: On Tyranny Lesson 13: Practice corporeal politics
I don’t think time online necessarily dissipates your emotions, but it does encourage an apathy, a disconnection from taking action. Passively watching or reading news or scrolling through social media doesn’t do anything to counter those in power or change the situation, so of course those in power prefer a docile public.
Demonstrating in the streets certainly is one way to protest in a way that sends a clear message to those in power. I’m not so sure that mass protests always have an effect on the power structure as much as they once did or one would hope. But there usually is a tipping point if the protests are large and frequent enough. And there have been, and continue to be, successful mass protests that have ousted leaders and regimes.
Snyder’s example of the Polish solidarity movement of 1980-81 is a great example, I think. I could see a similar movement arising in the US as it becomes clearer to both left, right, and independent voters that they all are being taken for granted and that government does not have their best interests at heart and is not serving them. I can see Americans waking up and recognizing who the true “enemy” is — it’s a system that rewards the oligarchy and wealthiest corporations at the expense of workers and their rights.
The misdirection and chaos going on right now are all in service of extending that huge tax break to the wealthiest in the US. When enough workers recognize that their tax dollars and their human rights are being taken away, I envision people from all walks of life coming together. But what Snyder recounts doesn’t sound easy. The movement took years of hard work and required concerted effort, and even then it was suppressed and crushed. It only resulted in success 8 years later, but thankfully it succeeded.
I have not participated in peaceful protest as I have not had need to, so that’s a privilege and I don’t take it for granted. I feel strongly about Canada not becoming the 51st state and about tRump weaponizing tariffs to undermine our economy and sovereignty, so if there are potential protests that might arise around these issues, I think I would want to participate.
