I passed by the #climatestrike yesterday here in Naples. I really can't feel like I belong to this movement.
* I don't like slogans, and the ones I heard were pretty violent, including death threats to right wing people, and far left typical songs.
Anger was the feeling I perceived the most, which may biased because angry people shout the most.
* People knew a lot about climate and environment. That is, until you ask questions. There is no place for doubts in this climate action.
* The traffic was stopped by a human wall. I had to exchange insults and raise my bicycle to get past the fu**ing barricade.
* I do not know how to feel when kids, like 12 yo, engage in such political actions. I still feel like they are too young to really get what's happening.
I'd like to repost a picture that @freemo posted a long while ago
By the same token, the people who are polite, educated and don't block traffic are the people who are ignoring the preponderance of the evidence, acting solely in their own interests, and inflicting real harm on future generations. Even if you don't like the protesters - and you don't have to - they are nontheless not wrong.
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But ther not. The vast majority of people actively tring to address environmental concerns arent really going to have a majority of that group protesting. Most people recycling and reducing their footprint are also just going about their lives and not spending their weekends protesting.
Your statement sounds good but I wouldnt say lines up with reality.
@freemo @arteteco Simply recycling and reducing your footprint won't be nearly enough.
We have to transform the power grid, transportation network and agriculture to zero-emission status. That will take a major effort from government and industry, one they have shown no interest in undertaking.
The people doing nothing but recycling and reducing their footprint, and who are not asking more from government, are part of the problem.
@Downes @freemo @arteteco Government cannot achieve any of those things by itself, unless it turns into a dictatorship(for most countries even that won't work), and industry is not in any way a singular entity, everyone is part of it(as producers, consumers, marketers etc). At this point what people should be doing is raising awareness and serving as examples, each in their own capacity. These "strikes", in many parts of the world, don't seem to be doing either.
If you don't believe the protests are of value, then I am not going to convince you in a Mastodon discussion, and won't engage further in such an attempt.
I will say that the efforts of people to date have been a failure. We are still increasing emissions. We are still on track to extreme climate change.
I don't care whether or not you like the protesters. The protesters aren't the issue. Our global failure to fix this problem is the issue.
