Thursday, January 08, 2004
I totally ecklered today in my Social Movements class, it's like I had a bowel movement in front of everyone...ok not really, but I do find myself feeling like an ass.
The discussion of why protests diminish in relevance came up and I put forth the notion that maybe it was because public protests have become over time fairly mundane, regulated, orderly events conducted hand in hand with the police. I realize this isn't true for all protests, but it does seem like a number of protest events that I have attended or witnessed have been pre arranged events where the police have mapped out parade/protest routes. Nothing happens, there's no disruption of anyone's day and everyone goes home feeling as though they've accomplished something. I suppose you could argue that awareness of issues is accomplished, but the seemingly oversaturation of march protests and the clockwork like mundaneness of them, to me, seems to sap them of their relevancy and urgency and perhaps to some extent, their legitimacy. No spontaneity, to me, seems to be boring and at times useless. I'm not arguing this for all forms of protest, namely just the idea of march protests.
I put forth this opinion in class and I don't think I made any friends because of it. Oh it's not like the majority of the class cared what I was saying, I'm sure most of them tuned me out, but some girl seemed to kept giving me these weird "YOU ARE SO WRONG" looks and I felt like I had insulted her anti globalization sensibilities. The professor seemed to think that I was on crack as well. I think he's a pinko.
It's not actually any of the above that bothers me or makes me feel irritated, it's that I'm actually feeling rattled enough to write something about it that makes me feel like an ass.
I feel a little silly muttering to myself under my breath that "they just don't understand, can't they see" like some trench coat wearing old man who shuffles around his apartment in slippers trying to find the papers that prove his theory correct and makes fools out of all the nay sayers.
Welcome back to university, Einstein.
The discussion of why protests diminish in relevance came up and I put forth the notion that maybe it was because public protests have become over time fairly mundane, regulated, orderly events conducted hand in hand with the police. I realize this isn't true for all protests, but it does seem like a number of protest events that I have attended or witnessed have been pre arranged events where the police have mapped out parade/protest routes. Nothing happens, there's no disruption of anyone's day and everyone goes home feeling as though they've accomplished something. I suppose you could argue that awareness of issues is accomplished, but the seemingly oversaturation of march protests and the clockwork like mundaneness of them, to me, seems to sap them of their relevancy and urgency and perhaps to some extent, their legitimacy. No spontaneity, to me, seems to be boring and at times useless. I'm not arguing this for all forms of protest, namely just the idea of march protests.
I put forth this opinion in class and I don't think I made any friends because of it. Oh it's not like the majority of the class cared what I was saying, I'm sure most of them tuned me out, but some girl seemed to kept giving me these weird "YOU ARE SO WRONG" looks and I felt like I had insulted her anti globalization sensibilities. The professor seemed to think that I was on crack as well. I think he's a pinko.
It's not actually any of the above that bothers me or makes me feel irritated, it's that I'm actually feeling rattled enough to write something about it that makes me feel like an ass.
I feel a little silly muttering to myself under my breath that "they just don't understand, can't they see" like some trench coat wearing old man who shuffles around his apartment in slippers trying to find the papers that prove his theory correct and makes fools out of all the nay sayers.
Welcome back to university, Einstein.
I realize that on the third day of school, I should not be missing classes, especially the one that is shaping up to be my most interesting. I decided this morning when Frank Cameron came over my radio and insinuated that the temperature was dropping quickly and that it would go down to or feel like it was down to minus thirty, that maybe just maybe, my first class would be cancelled due to the cold. I'm sure it happens...maybe...sometimes.
Now I have all this energy stored up for the two classes which are easily my most boring. I need to think this out better. I guess I really shouldn't take Frank Cameron's word on anything. He's like pushing 8 Billion. I think the only reason I trust him is because on the sick kids telethons he always use to do the bits with the elaborate looking puppets. It was the only part of the telethon I'd even bother to watch. It was like for a little moment in time Nova Scotia had its own muppet.
I wanted so badly for sad muppet to have its own show, but it never happened.
That wasn't part of the deal Frank Cameron, that wasn't part of the deal!
Now I have all this energy stored up for the two classes which are easily my most boring. I need to think this out better. I guess I really shouldn't take Frank Cameron's word on anything. He's like pushing 8 Billion. I think the only reason I trust him is because on the sick kids telethons he always use to do the bits with the elaborate looking puppets. It was the only part of the telethon I'd even bother to watch. It was like for a little moment in time Nova Scotia had its own muppet.
I wanted so badly for sad muppet to have its own show, but it never happened.
That wasn't part of the deal Frank Cameron, that wasn't part of the deal!
"Baby it's cold outside" and after doing all my homework, I'm bored as hell. Maybe ennui is a better word, maybe it's the same word that just sounds less well uh boring.
I shouldn't be loafing around, but I'm just feeling bummed out, let down, basically just feeling sorry for myself. I hate that I can't get a hold of anyone one the west coast and 1 am is too late to call anyone in this city. I should start cleaning up the basement in anticipation for future rock and roll shows down there, but if I start now I have this feeling that I won't get to bed before 2 am. Ah I'm just being sore at myself. I'll always be Goon.
I shouldn't be loafing around, but I'm just feeling bummed out, let down, basically just feeling sorry for myself. I hate that I can't get a hold of anyone one the west coast and 1 am is too late to call anyone in this city. I should start cleaning up the basement in anticipation for future rock and roll shows down there, but if I start now I have this feeling that I won't get to bed before 2 am. Ah I'm just being sore at myself. I'll always be Goon.
