Opinion | Why the Extinction Rebellion is a more successful social movement than the Hong Kong protests
- The movements in Britain and Hong Kong involve young people and have met with tough police action. But while the Extinction Rebellion has inspired similar protests around the world, the Hong Kong protesters’ cause is harder to relate to
Where would the world be were it not for rebellions? Where would France and America be? For that matter, what would art, philosophy, politics and society be without revolt? At a more personal level, what would teenage years be like without rebellion? I am sure parents would have an answer to that: “Peaceful.”
Rebellion is an expression of disaffection. It is action for release from the clutches of an oppressive system. Rebellion need not be physical or violent: think of the suffragettes, the civil rights movement and rock ’n’ roll. These were considered untoward and therefore rebellious in their time because they questioned the status quo and challenged accepted norms.
There is inherent violence in oppression, even if not overt, because of the skewed dynamics of power and the resulting impact on the oppressed.
