The noodle man

  • 1 Post
  • 120 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 17th, 2023

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  • I was quite active. But less and less as time goes on, sadly.

    The content is drying up, the only really active communities are either tech or political, and my main interests either never left reddit or have a home elsewhere. The nail in the coffin for me will be when my instance dies, which is looking increasingly likely given that the admin is AWOL.

    It’s ok here, but it’s too fragmented to be a full replacement for anything else.



  • I don’t own a car so I’m confident I’ve not killed anyone on the other side of the world, but my neighbour has a car. I’m pretty sure he hasn’t killed anyone recently either.

    But your neighbour’s car consumes something for fuel, which does kill people. No, he hasn’t mowed someone down. But the system for producing that fuel is exploitative, has been the motivation for wars, and pollutes the atmosphere. You can’t claim to be innocent when the system exists to supply the demand.

    You might not own a car, but you use electricity at least. Electricity comes from the grid that uses gasoline and coal at some percentage. Your computer and smartphone contain rare metals that are literally the product of mines owned and operated by warlords.

    In short, there is no ethical way to stay like this. As time goes on more and more some people will become sick of the middle and upper class acting like they shoulder no responsibility. That’s why we are seeing more direct activism.



  • Oh no, he actually thinks this.

    Fruitful language aside, is he wrong? Maybe his wording makes you think he literally thinks people are being lined up for gas chambers. But many of the poorest people in the world have suffered horrendously, just so humans on the other side of the world can drive a car. The environmental effects will continue to worsen until whole countries are completely displaced. It’s as close to a genocide as it gets, it’s just in slow-motion.

    Like I said. I don’t think their current strategy will work. People need to be the driving force behind the changed.

    But this “disrupt MP’s” tripe is just that - tripe. The needle won’t move until the general public are prepared to put some skin in the game, and they won’t unless they are directly inconvenienced. Because like you say, they support someone doing something. Except not themselves. Let the government (pretend to) sort it out, they say. Total apathy. And that’s why you end up with groups like Just Stop Oil - they are sick of inaction and excuses.



  • But the art is never damaged. The pieces on display are in protective displays designed to weather a lot worse than food or glue. Not only that, they are often just replicas of pieces rather than the originals. Your point hinges on you being (actually) deprived of something, when you are not.

    This is intentional - you are (figuratively) deprived of something to highlight how others have been deprived by the actions of the fossil fuel industry.

    Assuming you mean Rodger Hallam? I don’t want to ascribe malice but how well can you understand him if you got his name wrong?

    I may disagree with XR and JSO out of principle but pretending like Hallam’s comments are a declaration of war is absurd. He clearly feels that the poor are already the victims of class warfare and sees their actions as a justified response. It’s clear to me he sees people like you and I as part of the ignorant masses, oblivious to the path of destruction the fossil fuel industry has carved through the lowest stratas of society.




  • As depressing as it is to admit, the group need a rethink of their approach. Making art pieces their targets seemed like a good strategy at first (art is wealthy peoples’ business, the art is never damaged, its guaranteed to get front page coverage) but the reaction from the general public was near wholly negative. The Tories absolutely do weaponise it, too.

    I don’t have the answer, but I can recognise that these forms of protest are losing their edge in this day and age. Add in that protesting is now basically illegal, I just don’t see why activists should continue to pour energy into them.