In defense of eco-terrorism

[cali]

I just watched a movie, The East, and that's essentially what is it. There's an argument within it of how far is too far, but the film takes a pretty clear side. It's fictional. It's was a big box office flop, but it's powerfully anti-corporate. Yes, some of the characters verge on the silly, but the portrayal of corporate malfeasance doesn't. The writers have stated that all of the instances of corporate wrongdoing are factual.

I suppose the strongest message in it is the most simple:

Big corporations are destroying the world at a dizzying pace.

[Wilms]

1. I use passive resistance.

If a critical mass made consumer choices similar to mine, it would lay waste to half the polluting corporations and halve the remaining half.

[cali]

3. that is never ever going to happen

not a chance.

[hunter]

4. I go months without visiting a "Big Box" store.

My car was built in the 'mid eighties and has a salvage title. My computers and cell phone were trash. I don't watch cable, satellite, or broadcast television. My computer's operating system is Linux. The only thing I'm really comfortable buying is simple foods and beer. Maybe new clothing, and books, sometimes. Most everything else I make from cast-offs.

The last thing I ever want to be is a "consumer."

If everyone lived like me this civilization would collapse. It will collapse anyways, so I don't feel too bad about that.

I'd like to see a world-wide communication infrastructure survive, medical knowledge survive (especially modern birth control methods!), a robust education system survive, enough food to support everyone, but much beyond that everything else can rot or be recycled. Throw away the cars and the wars and the airlines and the power grids and the oil pipelines, kick back, have a beer, smoke a joint, tell a story...

Want to see the world? Put on your boots, get on your mountain bike, strap on your electric legs, and just go. Sailing ships leaving ports to far-away places daily.

If we continue on the path we are going, this false "economic productivity," the world our kids' inherit will be a lot more savage than my utopia.

[Safetykitten]

2. But I shop at Costco/Wholefoods/Trader Joe's...How can I be guilty of helping?

It's not enough they have their little healthplans from the ACA thingy in January? They love working there and they do so much good and they LOVE the planet. I know that for a fact. For them it's not about money, I mean if 1970" Patty Hearst was around she would shop there!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

5. Eco terror only alienates the message from the public

If you want to make strides, you get a bunch of fast food workers to picket and loudly demand higher wages. You demand to be informed as a consumer with correct labeling of foods. You gather consumers into a bloc of resistance to companies using exploitive labor.

Bombing a McDonalds or trashing a city's downtown is not productive.

[Hutzpa]

6. 'Corporate Malfeasance'

my two favourite words, has been allowed in to our society due to ignorance and negligence. The
trouble with organised corporate crime is if you don't asked questions then everything is presumed
to be authentic and this is not only happening in Wall Street, but also in other areas of our
society.