Recent Recurring Thought

[anarchist_nomad]

I miss being an activist...

Comments

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm... I'm looking at your list here. I do indeed do a significant amount of outreach to lay people[*] and also a fair bit of correcting public misconceptions about science.[**] Still, I don't think of myself as a "physics activist" or a "teaching activist". To me, these activities are simply part of being a physicist.

Similarly, I don't see organising Oxford BiFest as being activism. I wanted to give back to the UK Bisexual community in some way, which I feel that I did. And I wanted to create a social event that would bring in new people in addition to the usual crowd. Again, I feel that I succeeded in this. But was it activism? Not in my book...

P.S. Replying to something you wrote in an earlier comment: Although mass demonstrations are certainly not the only form of activism out there, I would not discount them or the people who choose to engage in them. They do have a place and can accomplish a lot! Plus, I have much respect for people who are brave enough to stand -- unarmed -- face to face with the riot police. I've been there and done that, myself. It is scary and I don't particularly like the threat of their bullets, chemical weapons, et cetera... but it would be wrong of me to let others accept those risks whilst I sat safely out of harm's way.

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[*] Just last week I presented a masterclass lecture to a group of high school kids on one day, then spoke to an amateur astronomy organisation on Wednesday.

[**] Large Hadron Collider, anyone?

[friend-of-tofu.livejournal.com]

I'm not discounting mass demo stuff. They definitely have their place - our housemate has organised 2 in the last 2 weeks! Re: the Digital Economy Bill.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Very cool! More power to him -- solidarity forever!

[friend-of-tofu.livejournal.com]

Her :-)

Have you met? She's xugglybug.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Many apologies! It was quite late and I was sleepy. Otherwise, I would have used a default gender-neutral pronoun.

And, yes, I most certainly know the lovely xugglybug! I think I just managed to miss that she was now living with you and A! Whoops!

[friend-of-tofu.livejournal.com]

Heh, no need to apologise, I just thought I should mention it.