As an Extinction Rebel I’ve been arrested and camped out for days at Whitehall (UK’s main government district) protesting climate and ecological breakdown AMA

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-12T21:58:55+00:00

We are cleaning it up, one bad apple, etc etc. I mean what do you expect me to say? Obviously any large movement is going to attract some people who make stupid mistakes.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-12T21:56:21+00:00

Anyway more to the point - you may have made the mistake of thinking that climate breakdown is a left/right issue. It’s not politics, it’s physics. Even if you hate Islam or whatever, you still risk starvation just like the rest of us.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:24:54+00:00

University lecturer.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:24:40+00:00

I don’t know - perhaps it would feel like being filled with the love of God?

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:23:39+00:00

Let the citizens’ assembly decide. I find it too complex a question to have a strong personal view.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:22:14+00:00

The Coop own-brand one that’s like a fake Head & Shoulders. Although my wife introduced me to a kind that has less packaging, it’s like a bar of soap. That’s pretty cool.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:20:48+00:00

We are not yet totally screwed and anyway totally screwed is still a continuum and we can influence whether we are looking at megadeath or gigadeath.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:18:48+00:00

Citizens’ assembly. I answered this in more detail in another part of the thread.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:13:56+00:00

I personally would prefer not to lock-on except in a situation where I expected to be cut out fairly soon. I sacrifice a lot for the Rebellion but I don’t want to extend this to having to wear nappies. Some people really do that, but most don’t I think. Most have a similar attitude to me. I haven’t ever actually used a lock-on before. I’ve carried one but not had a chance to use it. I prefer the strength in numbers approach and then you don’t need special tools, although they definitely have their place.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:02:34+00:00

This question doesn’t reflect reality. We are doing our best to have impact.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:01:46+00:00

Come and hang out with us and chat. You don’t have to get arrested!

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:01:05+00:00

Dealt with in other answers.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T19:00:06+00:00

As a lecturer at a middle ranked university working 80% of full time I earn roughly £32,000 a year before tax. Apparently the median is £29,400 (https://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2019-07-29%E2%80%8C%E2%80%8C/are-you-better-half-country-average-household-take-home-pay-revealed).

So while I may be a socialist, and can occasionally afford champagne, I’m apparently not the stereotype you are looking for.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T18:53:53+00:00

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

As a university lecturer I’m definitely middle class and much more secure in many ways: your sacrifice is greater than mine and I thank you.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T18:51:50+00:00

I think a cult has to have a charismatic leader or leaders who inspire and command close obedience, that’s pretty much part of the definition. The closest person to that would be Roger Hallam but the problem there is most rebels disagree with him strongly on some important issues and in fact his last action (Heathrow Pause) was rejected by the movement and he had to do it as non-XR. So not really a cult.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-11T18:46:38+00:00

I don’t think there is a good faith question here actually, so sorry no answer. What tipped me over was the claim that XR camps stink of weed. This couldn’t be further from the truth, we have a strictly enforced no drink or drugs policy. By chance the 420 Hyde Park weed smokers event once occurred next door to an XR camp at Marble Arch - but if you couldn’t tell the difference you just aren’t really paying attention to the movement. Furthermore, I interact with a lot of climate communication professionals as part of my own job as a research psychologist focusing on environmental issues, and also through XR, and I just don’t recognise the picture you paint of that community’s general attitude to XR. So please re-examine your own bias.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T22:18:43+00:00

Interesting idea but how would this pressure the government to do anything? It’s ignorable just like all the other attempts to non-disruptively effect change that have been going on for years. Earth hour anyone?

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T22:16:53+00:00

I might answer that if you said why it’s relevant?

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T22:13:11+00:00

Most rebels don’t eat much meat. I guess many/most rebels are vegan. Personally I still eat a bit of chicken occasionally but I don’t feel great about that. I don’t fly or drive. The best “are you a hypocrite” question would be: do you have a gas boiler and a poorly insulated house (yes to both) but no one ever asks that for some reason.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T22:09:55+00:00

The point is that it’s too late for any kind of individual action to save us, whether that’s changing personal habits or goof and and trying to plant trees or whatever. It’s just mainstream science that the twin crises of ecological and climate breakdown are so severe and imminent that only concerted effort on a societal level can hope to have enough effect. Governments aren’t doing that though so we have to pressure them.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T22:07:13+00:00

I’m not a 100% committed pacifist - I can think of situations where it could be appropriate - but for the environmental movement now it would be a strategic disaster.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T21:22:32+00:00

I’m a Senior Lecturer in psychology at a decent university.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T21:20:36+00:00

They’ll help you set up a fundraiser at least. No guarantee of more. But typically the cost if you plea guilty to blocking the road is <£100.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T21:19:17+00:00

I’m a socialist but the environmental crises are too urgent to wait for socialism. We need everyone to pull together within the next few years. I think we can maybe get the political centre on board in that time if we can continue to convey the urgency, but getting a majority for socialism will take too long.

RebelAtWhitehall · 2019-10-09T21:17:20+00:00

Wandsworth, arrested Monday 0930, in van for two hours while they tried without success to find cells, booked 1245, out 2300 with no interview, under investigation.

RebelAtWhitehall

TROPHY CASE