Buncha Talk in This Here Coupla Sections

[ssl]

But what actions can/do we take?

 

[Margene]

But what actions can/do we take?

About what, specifically?

 

[ssl]

well, if we just speak our minds, what good does that accomplish?

actions speak louder than words (except for PresO.. he just got a prize for speaking eloquently)..

so, what are we going to do about the issues we bitch about?

 

[Accountable]

Collective action requires trust. It will be nearly impossible to get individuals to act unless we can convince them to trust that large numbers of other people are there to support them.

I was teaching my 9th grade class about political power. I asked them what they would rather be doing. Big surprise, none of them had my class as their #1 priority. I asked them "Who gives me the power to keep you in this classroom?"
"Your ID." "Your position." "Your age." "Your pen."
"The principal." "The school." "The district." "The government."
The suggestions were all outside.

I asked, "What would happen if you got up and walked out?" "We'd get in trouble."
"That's if ONE of you walked out. Do you think anybody would go to the trouble of finding just you if the whole class got up and walked out? Would I be able to stop you? Do you think I'd go to the trouble of doing 35 separate write-ups?"
The students answered "No."
"Of course not. So it's not any law or organization or principal that gives me power. It's you. YOU give me the power to keep you here. If you all decided to get up and leave there isn't a thing I could do about it."
I waited a very uncomfortable 10 or 15 seconds, sweating bullets that they might try this new revelation, but in the end each individual did not trust that the other individuals would act as a group.

We carried on with the lesson.

 

[Tangerine]

Collective action requires trust. It will be nearly impossible to get individuals to act unless we can convince them to trust that large numbers of other people are there to support them.

I was teaching my 9th grade class about political power. I asked them what they would rather be doing. Big surprise, none of them had my class as their #1 priority. I asked them "Who gives me the power to keep you in this classroom?"
"Your ID." "Your position." "Your age." "Your pen."
"The principal." "The school." "The district." "The government."
The suggestions were all outside.

I asked, "What would happen if you got up and walked out?" "We'd get in trouble."
"That's if ONE of you walked out. Do you think anybody would go to the trouble of finding just you if the whole class got up and walked out? Would I be able to stop you? Do you think I'd go to the trouble of doing 35 separate write-ups?"
The students answered "No."
"Of course not. So it's not any law or organization or principal that gives me power. It's you. YOU give me the power to keep you here. If you all decided to get up and leave there isn't a thing I could do about it."
I waited a very uncomfortable 10 or 15 seconds, sweating bullets that they might try this new revelation, but in the end each individual did not trust that the other individuals would act as a group.

We carried on with the lesson.

I'd be happy to walk out of your classroom any day!

 

[Accountable]

I'd be happy to walk out of your classroom any day!

I have to admit I was a little disappointed that none of them tried to test the idea.

 

[ssl]

Collective action requires trust. It will be nearly impossible to get individuals to act unless we can convince them to trust that large numbers of other people are there to support them.

I was teaching my 9th grade class about political power. I asked them what they would rather be doing. Big surprise, none of them had my class as their #1 priority. I asked them "Who gives me the power to keep you in this classroom?"
"Your ID." "Your position." "Your age." "Your pen."
"The principal." "The school." "The district." "The government."
The suggestions were all outside.

I asked, "What would happen if you got up and walked out?" "We'd get in trouble."
"That's if ONE of you walked out. Do you think anybody would go to the trouble of finding just you if the whole class got up and walked out? Would I be able to stop you? Do you think I'd go to the trouble of doing 35 separate write-ups?"
The students answered "No."
"Of course not. So it's not any law or organization or principal that gives me power. It's you. YOU give me the power to keep you here. If you all decided to get up and leave there isn't a thing I could do about it."
I waited a very uncomfortable 10 or 15 seconds, sweating bullets that they might try this new revelation, but in the end each individual did not trust that the other individuals would act as a group.

We carried on with the lesson.

Buncha scaredy cats.

I'dda gone, even if anyone else did not.

because YOU can be singular or plural.

 

[Margene]

Buncha scaredy cats.

I'dda gone, even if anyone else did not.

because YOU can be singular or plural.

Excellent poing.

I'm surprised none tried, or...maybe not, it is 9th grade. Possibly 12th graders would have had more chutzpah.

As to your ealier question:

well, if we just speak our minds, what good does that accomplish?

actions speak louder than words (except for PresO.. he just got a prize for speaking eloquently)..

so, what are we going to do about the issues we bitch about?
​

Individually and collectively, I have taken action on more than one occassion, resulting in a successful outcome after speaking my mind. Although I think the majority is more talk than action.