Do "Mass" type events tend to make you more or less sympathetic to a cause?
 

Do "Mass" type events tend to make you more or less sympathetic to a cause? To be clear, by this I mean flash mob deals where a bunch of people together, to walk across a bridge and stop traffic, or ride bicycles in the street and stop traffic, or when the Rodney King verdict came out and there were people marching in the street. I would not really classify the more recent occurrences in Ferguson or Baltimore much differently.

Same kettle of fish, just a little more rotten, from a respect for society point of view.

Neither.

While I may get "the why" and even empathize I also get irritated by the lack of consideration for the public that generally accompanies these events so for me it's a wash.

Organized, published, OK. People holding up the traffic on a workday with no permits? The hell with those people.

Consciously or sub-consciously?

I'm with Steve. ^^^^

Don't be inconsiderate and I'll be more sympathetic.

I'm pretty confident, educated, and aware of what "causes" I support... don't need a group to support my convictions.

However I'm good with events to support any cause I agree with (farm aid, concerts to support medical research, disaster relief, etc.)

Ditto. I'm not very sympathetic to a bunch of inconsiderate a-holes.

They don't make me more or less sympathetic to a cause. They do, however, make me aware of a cause, and that is their purpose.

I'm a member of a union... however a local union decided to have a "walk" at 5:00PM mid-week... they claimed it wasn't designed to inconvenience any one... then why not have your "demonstration" on the weekend or in the afternoon instead of clogging the street for all us poor duffers trying to get home from work? :rolleyes:

The causes I don't support always seem to be radical and disruptive. They also tend to be people trying to take advantage of what they haven't earned. The two exceptions are generally keeping the environment I live in clean and the food/water I consume pure.

Less. Those things are designed to appeal to emotions and I respond better to facts and figures.

Exactly!

Thought about this and I think that it doesn't matter if they get sympathy, in fact sympathy might work against their goals.

My conclusion is that the inconvenience they cause "pisses" off lots of people and the politicians/officials/policy makers don't want to deal with angry constituents, so if the groups "requests" can be dealt with so that the problem goes away, that's how the group gets their way.

Let's face it. Pelicans are Porsche owners, 95% white, at least middle-class income, the majority with a college education. Most Pelicans have never been subjected to discrimination, gone hungry, been kicked out of a residence when converted to condos, and 90% have access to good healthcare. We're not empathetic, so the inconvenience they cause brings no sympathy.

I'm no bleeding heart liberal, just the opposite, but this forum is not a good group to look for unbiased or open minded opinions on public demonstrations. "Yeah, those f#@kers protesting for a raise in minimum wage made me drive my Carrera the long way to Cars and Coffee. Bastards!" LMAO!

This reminds me of the four guys I recently saw on the side of highway 99 flying confederate flags. One had a sign that said F*** N****rs, another said Kill all F*gs. It looked like they had been pelted with rocks and garbage.

Best laugh all day.

I saw a T shirt the other day which said,

"When you follow the masses be careful: the "M" is sometimes silent."

So no.
Best
Les

For me it's as simple as it shows incredibly poor manners.

Mama didn't raise me like that and daddy woulda slapped me upside the head.

I understand your point re: their MO. But I do not want to be the kind of guy that rewards bullying and selfishness. I agree with stomachmonkey, above.

Had a similar situation, guys parked their pickups flying giant flags blocking one of three major intersections in my town. They weren't earning anyone's respect.

Gold!

I read this thread while working on the car today. Got me all philosophical while busting some knuckles


Those with the ability of calling something "mass" or organizing an "mass" type event- Are they really even in trouble? The people exterminated in WWII came to mind. They didn't get that luxury.

Hands up don't shoot
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1439684178.jpg

Yup, the ones I see are all pretty darn healthy and well fed. They are spoiled brats protesting "first world" problems. Many are riding bicycles that cost more than the cars they are confronting; many are demanding "rights" that are actually privileges. Many will go home to their parents' basements only to go on-line to look for the next "mass" event in which they can protest something that pisses them off.

Funny you should mention people who have every advantage yet still have to point the finger and vent their frustrations in groups...

Don't know where I have seen that before. ;)

This is kind of how I see it. You reward bad behavior, you get more of it

Are they really furthering whatever their "cause" ostensibly is by making more people aware of it, but with a negative impression? The old, any publicity is good publicity theory?

You seem to be presenting some form of paradox. It was the mass in the streets, the thugs, the brownshirts, that through thuggery, intimidation, and mass demonstration, took power.

You then seem to also be saying those the "mass in streets" overpowered, didn't get that luxury?

Perhaps you are saying by not calling out a mass of thuggery for what it is, you doom yourself to slavery?

Your post confuses me.

Certain issues do need to be addressed in this country, which without demonstrations. Those issues would not come to light. However, the recent nature of demonstrations in my opinion, lack merit.

Good point. That post is more of a "thought in process" than some ultimate position statement. For example, I was really contrasting the idea of demonstrating in a free society vs. a totalitarian state. On one hand- The holocaust, the guy getting run over by the tank in Tiananmen square, not clapping hard enough in North Korea, -there are many places in the world I would not want to be, let alone demonstrate in. On the other hand, some art students donning blinkies and pedaling through downtown with the express intent of making a statement, and meeting up later for a beer-not quite the same thing (BTW-I'm a huge cyclist-but not a critical mass fan). Not just critical mass events either. My thought was that we've got it pretty good here to do this, even on more important issues than cyclist's rights, and at least in my case, I'm going to recognize this before I go carrying on mayhem in whatever causes I support.

Your point is good because it points out, that this society we enjoy these freedoms in, is itself built on revolution. Are you suggesting we should embrace all these types of events (demonstrations/revolutions) because we owe our existence to such actions? Where does one draw the line? Craig T had a good point earlier that we are a biased group. With that in mind, how do "we" define the "rules"?

At very least, I suggest all future demonstrators/rioters/protesters (who want sympathy for their cause) to quit loading up shopping carts with stolen flat screen TV's and such. It's 2015, the cameras are on.