Word of the Day: The guide to understanding what the hell Yan is going on about
Let me put this first:
Its what people who don’t have a lot of power do to stick their middle finger up at the powerful people, and it’s not to be ignored because it’s every bit as important to pay attention to because more people do that than sign petitions.
Everyday Resistance is a form of social or political protest that is done in a common level within day to day activities. It avoids confrontation with authority, and it not an outright political statement on behalf of any cause or organization. It is often taken up by the powerless in a community or a society to subvert what the establishment has imposed.
It manifests within one self and the community: Ignoring rules, breaking social etiquette, making fun of the power establishment, creating one’s own space to act accordingly outside of the dominant culture.
Festivals, raves, drug use, body art, graffiti, black market, parodies, and even tax evasion, depending on context and how often they are participated in can be seen as forms of that. In fact blogging, when used to discuss issues that are different or opposing to the general news media can be taken as such.
Mainly, it is what normal people do every day coz they don’t like the way the world is, and although they may not have the time or energy or want to participate in changing political systems or social discourse (the way the majority of people view a certain thing), its low grade rebellion people do as a matter of course. Together in a group it becomes a force to contend with and can set of changing cultures, otherwise it’s secondary but exists within the bigger culture. (etc.etc.etc.etc.)
Its what people who don’t have a lot of power do to stick their middle finger up at the powerful people, and it’s not to be ignored because it’s every bit as important to pay attention to because more people do that than sign petitions.
There you go, here’s your definition of a sometimes contested academic idea written about as normal as I could make it. If I helped you pass that one nightmarish course that seemed so much fun when you signed up but isn’t coz the professor didn’t let on what it really was about. Leave a comment at some point!
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
Yeah, many students are probably already practicing this concept without realizing it, y’know? Because within the academic setting it can easily become unrecognizable, kinda like when theorists talk about “play.”
It’s just not the same thing when subversion has to be squeezed into term paper format.
LikeLike
Hey, sometimes you have to squeeze what is into term paper format or spelled out in some way so you know what the hell it is in the first place.
LikeLike
Emm. Are you sure that’s a sentence? Did I just laud over how smart you were like a few hours ago?? Don’t let me down like that! 🙂
Yan
LikeLike
Term papers and academia aside, it is good to be committed to forming ideas and sticking to them in the face of those with power. B/c global media, politicians, and corporations benefit when the population is sedated with political and economic spin.
Lots of spin these days.
LikeLike
there is a zine out that gives us all ways to “resist everyday”. It’s called Everyday Resistance and is available by emailing me or going through microcosm publishing (link above).
LikeLike