this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
18 points (78.1% liked)

Ask Lemmy

29989 readers
2631 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either [email protected] or [email protected]. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email [email protected]. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


6) No US Politics.
Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try [email protected] or [email protected]


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Why do they think it will suddenly work this time? I feel like exhibiting a little more creativity might make it more effective, but I'd like to hear what others have to say.

top 29 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

The point of a protest is not to rationally convince the rulers to change. By the time a protest occurs, the "rational" and "legitimate" options have been exhausted. Protests are a show of power by subjects to their rulers, and a threat that more serious consequences will follow if nothing changes. The fact that a mass of people have assembled and are taking action at all is sufficient for a protest to be effective IMO.

So I don't think "basic" slogans make protests less effective so long as they don't oversimplify the demands of the protesters. Similarly, creative slogans can definitely help protests be more effective if they sharpen the message they intend to deliver.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Because people already know the chant and it’s dead easy to follow along and learn.

It’s not the words themselves that are effective. It’s the number of people saying them together. Chanting and singing in unison has a very powerful effect on human psychology for both the chanters and people hearing it.

Walk into almost a church to witness this effect, watch soldiers doing drills, listen to cheers at a sporting event. People are stronger together, we feel that at a fundamental level. Hearing people making the same sounds communicates unanimous intent. That can be inspiring or intimidating, it doesn’t matter much what words they say.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I have literally never heard this once in my life

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Hey hey! Ho ho! Porto881 has heard it now!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Generally, people disapprove of it if you start yelling out, KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER MURDER MURDER KILL!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

That doesn't even rhyme.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

In the UK it seems to be...

Call: What do we want?

Response: X

Call: When do we want it?

Response: Now

Followed by/Or

X! x! x!

Out! out! out!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago

What do we want?

Long term solutions drawing on considered and intelligent analysis of all of the facts available.

When do we want it?

We haven't thought this through.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

What do we want?

Time travel!

When do we want it?

Unclear

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

We do that in the US too

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Because the only defense against it is having an awkwardly long name.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

consistancy is more the drive. the signs already tend to be very individualistic but you don't want everyone shouting different things so you want to keep it simple.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I’ve been to a protest where the organizers announced what the chants were going to be. The alternatives were…terrible.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

I mean, just because people know the pattern, I'm sure. Most of the seasonal music, in American culture at least, sucks, but people know it and so it lives forever.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Sounds like a avril lavigne song

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 weeks ago

I've never heard that before, but I do know that protestors aren't very creative, which might be why they fail as much as they do.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Because American protestors have zero imagination.

The Brits know how to start a proper chant.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

I almost want to make more accounts so I could upvote you more.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Never heard this in my life

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

And? Time to get out of the safe space because they're being taken anyway.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Or go to protests that are better organized?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

So organize it.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I attended my first protest the other day and I was cringing nearly the whole time. That whole scene needs better organization, less rambling / more professional sounding speakers, and an image overhaul.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

Well step up and do it then.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Be the change you're looking for.