Click, Protest, Relax

In  a recent post I mentioned the sense of unease I often feel about on-line campaigning - how petitions and other such devices seem like an easy way out of dealing with a situation. In an age of social media, the forms of armchair protest it offers are perhaps all too readily accepted or hard to ignore. In an age too, where our disconnect from nature as a whole is seemingly more pronounced than ever before, I can't help but think protest should be personal, and we're losing it.

This isn't to say social media has no place; little or nothing surpasses twitter for getting a message spread quickly or bringing an issue to the attention of millions. Petitions even, have a place. But ultimately, these shouldn't be the limits to our imaginations.

Kelly sent me this link to a TV ad by Unicef that aired in Sweden recently, it makes a similar point:

'Put your money where your mouth is' - whichever way you look at it, it addresses a very relevant, modern issue.

Perhaps some conservation organisations, for example, need to look at their approach, there are some whose campaigns and engagement techniques I feel lack real heart (this doesn't apply to the RSPB) and follow-up. Perhaps, beneath it all, this is really symptomatic of a fear of change? I don't know. These are just thoughts.

Time will tell what the Balcombe fracking protesters achieve, but their colourful stance in the face of much patronising media slop has been great to see.

Our over-reliance on social media is an obvious point to make - but it's one that I thought was worth sharing.