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Which sociologists say "not to bother"? Is it 9 out of 10 of them, like in a toothpaste commercial?
And why do you think people who participate in these things only do it once and stop? Generally the people who participate in one thing are the same people who continue participating in more things. Movements rarely spring full-force into existence at once, they build as more people are affected and/or become aware. Awareness is definitely starting to grow as even oblivious parts of the county are now starting to hear stuff getting through their bubbles that doesn't match the propaganda from their usual feeding trough.
TBH this post reads like a copy of the typical "your efforts are useless so don't bother" propaganda that every. single. post advocating activism gets--there are at least 5 times as many posts lie this trying to dissuade people from taking action as posts advocating action. Gee I wonder whose interests that helps?
If you want to argue about what works best and encourage more effective activities, go ahead and do that instead of just complaining about people who are doing something instead of nothing.
They're not saying that. They're saying those efforts are useless so do something that actually matters. Like a general strike.
They literally said what I quoted and what I responded to: That sociologists say not to bother (who? which?) and that if people do one thing they think they're done and stop (not at all in my experience).
Okay I got one for you. The No Kings protests amounted to absolutely nothing and things have only gotten worse. From my experience it sounds like the person you're replying to is more correct.
Protesting isn't effective until it is. Maybe it never will be or maybe the tide will turn or who knows what. We only know doing nothing accomplishes nothing. There are plenty of cases on video of people in Minneapolis preventing ICE from taking people when a crowd showed up yelling, recording, and blowing whistles, where ICE turned around and left. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
Now since you know so much about what doesn't work, tell me what should people be doing and what you have done to help make whatever that is happen? I'm tired of every time people try to take action and there's a post about it on here, you all come swarming out of the woodwork to repeat your same old talking points saying it's useless and no one should bother. What is your agenda?
Either actually start doing something you think will be effective or shut up about it. Stop trying to dissuade the people who are actually doing something, whether you think they're effective or not.
Protesting is only effective because there is the implication that if nothing changes, the people will make a change.
What happens when the powers that be realize that the US people are all bark and no bite? Well, exactly the sort of stuff that is happening in Minnesota right now
I quit my job and am advocating for a general strike. A method that will have an actual effect. I will also inform people about methods of protest that are ineffective because there's too much on the line here to be so soft. Not everyone is as privileged, or they think fascism coming for them and their families will not be as harmful as lost labor.
You're advocating for a general strike? Great! Except ... then why are you disparaging the very people this thread is about who are doing exactly that, why are you saying "those efforts are useless" to: "Unions, faith groups and local leaders urge residents not to work, shop or go to school after killing of Renee Good". That is a general strike. Even though it's just one day per week for now.
I know what your next reply will because I've seen it many times. You'll say it's not enough, that everyone has to strike every day all at once or it's useless. Nope. That's never going to happen and isn't how it happened in places where protests and strikes were effective. It doesn't have to be everyone every single day, though the more the better. It has to be enough that they can't be ignored or shut down.
Will enough happen here? I really don't know because there is so much propaganda flooding the zone to suppress information, to scare and to dissuade people, and you're contributing to that. If you really do want to help, maybe at least just stop contributing to that.