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Kanye's back - labels might care about his misdeeds, but the public doesn't seem to | Shaad D'Souza

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Can we dissociate the art from the artist’s actions and words ?

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Can we dissociate the art from the artist’s actions and words ?

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Over the course of about a month in late 2022, Kanye West seemingly blew up his career for ever. Weeks of increasingly erratic behaviour culminated in a slip into full-blown reactionary populism with a series of offensive stunts, including but not limited to: wearing a White Lives Matter T-shirt, reviving hoary antisemitic tropes about Jews controlling the media, and threatening on X (then Twitter) to go "death con 3" on Jews.

Within weeks, West's record label and publisher - Universal Music Group and Sony Music Publishing, respectively - terminated their contracts with him; he was dropped by his agency, CAA; and Adidas, Balenciaga and Gap canned their continuing collaborations. The vast majority of his $2bn (£1.6bn) net worth evaporated overnight. Kanye Is Never Coming Back From This read the headline of one Rolling Stone article at the time.

Less than two years later, the opposite is true: West's latest album, a collaboration with the singer Ty Dolla $ign called Vultures 1, hit No 1 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and No 2 on the British charts. Its lead single, the Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid collaboration Carnival, reached No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also recently headlined Rolling Loud Los Angeles - the rap world's equivalent to Coachella - with Dolla $ign, despite reports that his agent was struggling to find venues willing to host him.

West's career has always been defined by its peaks and troughs: he entered a period of self-exile in 2010, after receiving backlash for interrupting Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, only to return with his lauded career high My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that November. But his more recent descent into troubled waters did feel like a marked shift away from erratic provocation into fringe conspiracy.

A large part of West's celebrity for the past decade has been his sheer omnipresence: his music was everywhere, but so was his multibillion-dollar sneaker line; his collaborations with high-fashion labels and high-street brands alike informed the taste of millions. When he married Kim Kardashian, de facto leader of the world's most famous family, in 2014, he expanded his reach even further. Without the backing of any of the blue-chip brands that elevated him to that status, it seemed likely that West's hold on culture would be loosened, at least a little.

So why is the inverse true? West's resurgence confirms what a lot of people in the entertainment industries have known for a long time: the general public doesn't really care about an artist's misdeeds if the art is still passable, no matter how unrepentant they might be. Artists such as Michael Jackson and R Kelly, for example, are still in high rotation on radio stations and hugely popular on streaming services. MJ, a new musical sanctioned by Jackson's estate that's currently playing in London's West End, is a commercial success - suggesting that audiences aren't exactly wringing their hands over celebrating the singer's legacy.

This is doubly true for younger generations: Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti, two of gen Z's most adored rap stars, have been accused of domestic assault and faced next to no backlash. TikTok virality is heavily driving West's Carnival, and it seems likely that those coming to the track from that service don't really care about West's past comments - or potentially even know anything about West, or at least his past behaviour, given how easily TikTok and streaming services decontextualise music for their listeners.

For many, music is an escapist pursuit, meaning that questions of ethics around listening to someone who might not share your values - and thereby lining their pockets - don't really come into the equation. West has also historically been deeply sceptical of the way the largely white entertainment industry sets up black entertainers for failure; I wouldn't be surprised if this aspect of his music and celebrity has also created something of a buffer against any backlash or attempted cancellations.

Benefiting West is a culture in which rightwing, self-appointed "free thinkers" such as Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson are already hugely popular among young men, who also make up the core of West's fanbase. West is not necessarily as much of an outlier in public discourse as he may be perceived: his rightward shift seems fairly in line with a broader cultural movement towards conservatism. Last year, songs by Jason Aldean and Oliver Anthony that alluded to rightwing and QAnon talking points, respectively, hit No 1 on the Billboard charts.

The industries that initially dropped West, too, are extremely fickle when there's good money to be made. Although West still doesn't have a label or publisher, he does have the wholehearted support of major streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, which have each put songsfrom Vultures 1 on popular editorial playlists such as RapCaviar, Spotify's flagship rap playlist. Adidas is still selling Yeezy-branded shoes; it has donated a portion of proceeds to anti-hate groups, which means that it is also keeping a portion of the proceeds. The announcement it would resume selling Yeezy shoes also resulted in a tidy bump in its share price.

It's not hugely surprising that a festival such as Rolling Loud would choose to swiftly book West after his chart success; when companies sever ties with their clients over alleged misdeeds, they're responding to the cultural temperature to insure themselves against potential backlash from consumers. Rolling Loud saw its audience was back on West's side - if, in fact, it had ever really left - and acted accordingly.

It's hard to say where this leaves West's comeback: for now, at least, venues still seem resistant to his booking, although it's not hard to see some kind of haphazard festival tour on the cards. If Vultures 2 and Vultures 3, his other two planned albums for the year, are even half as successful as Vultures 1, it will be hard for the broader music and entertainment industries to treat him as a pariah for much longer. The public have already voted with their wallets.

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Kanye's back - labels might care about his misdeeds, but the public doesn't seem to | Shaad D'Souza

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The rapper seemed to have blown his career up two years ago with a string of offensive comments. But now he has another album at No 1, says culture journalist Shaad D'Souza

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HBO's docuseries "The Vow" examines the sex cult NXIVM and asks the central question: "How does someone get wrapped up in a dangerous cult?"

According to therapist Rachel Bernstein, who treats former cult members, there isn't one profile or set of traits that make someone susceptible.

Rather, it's a mixture of wanting self-improvement and community, as well as timing.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

HBO's new docuseries "The Vow" about NXIVM, a sex cult covered up as a multi-level marketing company that sold self-improvement courses, has brought conversations about cults to the forefront.

"The Vow" aims to answer a central question: How can someone get sucked into a cult when its leader brainwashes members, and in some cases exploits them sexually, financially and emotionally?

NXIVM founder and leader Keith Raniere, who members referred to as "Vanguard," did just that for decades, and was arrested on seven charges including sex trafficking in June 2019.

Hearing these disturbing stories of cult-related sexual abuse, branding, and blackmail, it's understandable viewers may think: "I could never be fooled into joining a cult."

But according to therapist Rachel Bernstein, who specializes in treating cult survivors from groups including NXIVM and Scientology, it's not that simple.

"A lot of people will say, 'How could you have gotten involved?' And it's because you're never given all the information about a group that turns out to be a cult from the beginning," Bernstein told Insider. "So you only have the information to go on that you've been given, which is very select and you make your judgment call based on that. No one's able to make a fully educated decision before getting involved in a cult."

There are, however, a few common threads that draw people towards these types of organizations.

They want to better themselves, either professionally or personally

Cults are typically marketed as organizations that promote self-betterment, whether that means the promise of enlightenment in the case of tantric sex cults, or the skills to make all of your professional dreams comes true, which NXIVM preaches in the form of self-help courses.

That's why people who are on a mission to improve themselves in a person or professional sense could be susceptible to joining a cult, according to Bernstein.

Though it's difficult to generalize the type of person who'd get wrapped up in a cult, Bernstein said those who want to heal from childhood or other past trauma and those who want to become more productive and successful in their careers might be swayed to join an insidious organization.

They want a greater sense of community

Folks who long for greater human connection may also be more likely to fall victim to a cult. Close relationships are a human need. By capitalizing on this proclivity, cults can be that much more insidious.

In "The Vow," an anonymous former member dubbed "Jane" said she were drawn to NXIVM because of the sense of community it provided.

Jane said she struggled forming deep relationships with other women throughout her life, so when she heard how close-knit NXIVM members were, and that there was a women-only group she could join, she became interested.

In the podcast "Escaping NXIVM," Sarah Edmondson, another former member, said she realized in hindsight that the promise of deep human connection subtly drew her to the organization, despite the fact she considered herself a person with many friends.

According to Bernstein, community is a hallmark of any cult because it allows the leader to create a pack mentality, building peer pressure.

"Sometimes people are just wanting to connect with people they think they have something in common with, and a cult provides instant community and love-bombing and a language that suddenly you all speak," Bernstein said, referring to the jargon cults often create for their members.

In NXIVM, for example, members would call feelings like anxiety and fear "limiting beliefs," and call leader Raniere "Vanguard."

"So the adage, 'He or she speaks my language,' it kind of makes you feel like you have some things in common with these people. That's what cults do. Each one has its own lingo, Bernstein said.

They're in a state of extreme vulnerability

An individual's personality and life goals aren't the only things that make them vulnerable to cults, according to Bernstein. Timing also plays a role.

She said her former cult member patients often tell her they would've never joined the cult if they weren't going through a difficult life event at the time they were approached to join.

According to Bernstein, people who were recently diagnosed with terminal or chronic illnesses, are living on their own for the first time, experienced the death of a loved one, or had a serious career blunder tend to be in fragile states, and therefore might join a group they might not otherwise acknowledge.

"Timing plays a big part of people's susceptibility," she said.

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3 reasons why people join cults, according to a cult-recovery therapist

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It's a mixture of timing and messaging that draws people in, said therapist Rachel Bernstein, who treats former NXIVM and Scientology members.

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No one ever sets out to join a cult.

At the beginning it looks like the group will meet some need or ideal. For most people it seems to work initially - at least somewhat.

A recent Netflix documentary showed the experiences of people in the Twin Flames Universe group, which offers online courses in finding your soulmate. For those who joined Twin Flames, it seemed that they were no longer alone. Former members say every aspect of their lives were controlled. A statement on the group's website says these claims "distort" their "true aims and methods" and "misrepresent the autonomy of our community members."

In general terms though, why do people leave high-demand religious groups (often called cults), and how can you help someone who's stuck? The answer is always unique and depends on the context. Important factors to consider include the individual's personal characteristics, the nature of the group and outside circumstances.

For some people, there is a gradual slipping away. The classic cult-like group encourages isolation from friends, family and even outside employment. But if someone does continue to engage with other activities and groups, these might reduce the appeal of an increasingly demanding group.

Some people experience a sudden change in thinking when the group crosses an ethical line or when the duplicity of a leader's teaching and behaviour is realised. Sometimes a group of people leave together.

But, as the length and depth of involvement increases, leaving can become harder and harder. This is partially due to the " sunk costs " effect. If you spend your life savings on "training" and cut all your ties with your family, it becomes more difficult to start over.

Additionally, many people are both perpetrators and victims of the group's harmful activities. Shame and social stigma does not make it any easier to leave.

So if you're worried someone you know has joined a cult, what can you do to help?

Mind your language

Intervention from an outsider can help protect someone from being further indoctrinated, but it is important to be careful about the wording you use in conversations.

Research on people who left high demand groups has shown it can help to:

try to maintain positive contact

do not shame or belittle the person

be curious and do some research

ask questions about specific aspects of the group which might be concerning.

Do not tell a person who is excited about their involvement in a new group that you believe they have been brainwashed or are in a cult. At this time in person's journey, using language about cults usually makes them feel divided from society.

Members are often warned that those outside the group cannot understand the convert's experiences. Labelling the group as an evil cult can entrench such a belief.

Do your research

When joining a high-demand religious group there are usually "pulls" (things that are attractive about the group) as well as "pushes" (things the person is trying to change about their life) involved. Exploring and identifying these pulls and pushes can encourage people to engage in more active decision making and make them think about their own identity.

Do some research about what exactly may be problematic about this particular group. It can be helpful to ask questions specific things group members are likely to encounter before the issues come up.

For example:

What if you were asked not to be in touch with your family ever again? Is that okay and ethical? How will they feel about you leaving their life?

How much money do you think is reasonable to spend on this group?

Could it be a good idea to safeguard savings or property, just "in case" things change with the group?

Encourage critical thinking

The use of " thought-terminating clichés ", stock phrases which shut down critical thinking, are often used by groups which aim to align people's thinking with a dogma.

For example, bad experiences or illness might be attributed to "karma" or giving attention to physical and emotional needs might be labelled "self-cherishing" or "promoting ego." These explanations can be gently challenged by introducing other ideas as possibilities.

In some groups there is constant questioning and reframing of members' experiences. For example, questioning the decision of an authority figure might be deflected by an accusation the member is demonstrating a "lack of faith" or an order "to meditate on your negative mind".

This kind of behaviour can be understood as gaslighting, where someone is encouraged not to trust their memory, thoughts and sensations and can cause people to feel confused, physically ill and doubting their sanity.

Questions like those offered above, can encourage someone to consider other ways of thinking and tune into their own experiences and ethics more clearly. This helps people think more critically about explanations given by a group to justify harmful behaviour and maintain contact with their own internal moral compass.

If they're entrenched within the group, it is still worth trying to keep an open door. Even minimal contact at birthdays and Christmas can help people know there is a friendly person outside. A recent study of family members of cult members, found that those who eventually left the group said close family bonds outside the movement were important.

Life afterwards

Experiences of leaving religious groups are complex and diverse. Some might physically distance themselves from a group, but maintain aspects of the worldview and even practices for long periods of time after leaving. One example is the Free Zone Scientology movement, made up of people who practice L. Ron Hubbard's techniques outside the structures of the Church of Scientology.

In other cases, former members sometimes continue social contact with people in the group, particularly if they have close family who are still members. They might decide to never officially denounce the group, but nevertheless move quite far away from the group's ways of seeing the world.

Reestablishing social and financial footing after leaving a high-demand group is not easy. In the words of one recent study "extensive emotional effort" is needed to create new social ties and a new understanding of self.

Some may need basic practical support to find a place to live, a job, or educational qualifications. Many find some contact with others who have had similar experiences important and validating.

Those who leave can benefit from being given time and safe spaces to reevaluate their experiences. Where possible, this is usually best done with the help of a professional counselor.

These high demand groups show how powerful the our need for social bonds can be - both in attracting people to the groups in the first place and in helping them pull away.

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How to get someone out of a cult - and what happens afterwards

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If you're worried someone has joined a high-demand group, it's important not to shame or belittle them.

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Many people think of cults as strictly religious, but that's not always the case. And though most people don't want to believe it, given the right circumstances, it can be easy to fall prey to a cult.

Still, there's hope - and here are 10 stories of people who say they successfully escaped from a cult.

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10 people who say they were in a cult - and how they got the courage to leave

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Most people don't want to believe it, but given the right circumstances, it can be easy to fall prey to a cult. Still, there's hope - and here are 10 stories of people who say they successfully escaped from a cult.

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Most Interesting Subculture Essay Topics to Write About

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Spread the loveMost Interesting Subculture Topics to Write About The Effect of American Popular Culture on "The Bluest Eye" Heroes Popular Culture in America Today: Evolution, Characteristics, and Global Impact Dire Straits Lyrics on MTV Pop Culture Popular Culture for Personal, Political, and Economic Struggles Marketing to the Asian American

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UK: What is legitimate protest? | Generation Change

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The Cannabis Question I Full Documentary I NOVA I PBS

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Why France is Ending Birth Citizenship in its African Territory

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Paris Olympics could be boycotted by 40 countries

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- Define boycott together.

- Debate : Should we boycott the 2024 Olympics ?

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2024 Olympic Games: How is Paris preparing? | AFP

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From 1924 to 2024: Spotlight on the Paris Olympics, then and now • FRANCE 24 English

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If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why ?

—> Pass to the next person.

Do you agree that this should be a priority ? Why ?

—> Pass to the next person.

Read it out loud : Is this a good idea ? How can we get there ? Who might be opposed to this ?

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Many people believe that those living in western societies are living in complete gender equality - that men and women are treated the same for work opportunities to societal roles. While there has been progress in many areas of life, there are still a number of issues that make women less equal than their male counterparts.

The largest example of these differences is through the debate surrounding the gender pay gap. In the UK, the government created a new law where all companies over 250 employees must publish the average pay for both men and women, what they found from public results is that women are more likely to be working in less senior roles and that the average pay for women in an organisation is lower than their male colleagues. In some cases, it has been discovered that some women were being underpaid for the same work carried out by their male colleagues.

While the results did raise eyebrows, much attention has been placed on the effect of subconscious bias and perhaps how different genders choose jobs and careers. Some commentators placed an emphasis on how managers may negatively view women in the workplace, seeing them as friendly, approachable, agreeable, and consequently not suitable for managerial roles ( Starter Debate on workplace sexism), where the different attributes are desired.

While it might be true in some cases, it is clear to say that a clear portion of women may not have these characteristics and are therefore suitable to work in a wider variety of roles. Others argue that the imbalance may have occurred as women tend to choose certain industries and shy away from others. An example of this is that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 73% of medical and health service managers are women. When moving on to tech startups, the percentage is just a mere 7% of employees. This difference is clear and measurable, but how and why is still being discussed and investigated.

The positive note to take away from all of this is that effort is being made on many fronts to improve the opportunities for both men and women.

Importance of teaching gender equality

As teachers, the key aspect of this debate is to ensure your students are not only learning English in an effective way but are being sufficiently challenged through a variety of topics. Some would usually be cautious when discussing societal taboos and issues, so as to prevent any chance of awkward moments and perhaps complaints to the management. As a teacher of almost a decade of experience and having the experience of teaching in conservative societies, I would still urge you to present topics that question the status quo, for the following reasons;

Society is in constant motion

It may not seem like it but every country is undergoing change. The purpose of debate is not only to field the question to those who are participating but to see how the audience reacts. Taking a vote before and after the debate is not only a way to see how effective the speakers were, but to see what the audience, who are a microcosm of society, believes and how much. When conducting debates in China, I was largely surprised by how liberal the audience was.

Practice controlling emotions

Students are keen to debate and argue to display through prowess and knowledge of a subject. In fairness, the hardest part of a debate is to remain calm and dispassionate at all times.

Presenting logical arguments

If the audience and debaters feel they are arguing a subject that has a foregone conclusion, then there wouldn't be an issue to tackle the subject. Sometimes the overconfidence that comes from thinking the fight has already been won just means the other side can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Create division for the sake of competition

Sometimes in gender debates where men and women are pitted against each other, the stakes seem a lot more personal. While this is not the intended consequence it does sometimes improve the quality of debate.

Here we are a more or less comprehensive list of debating topics on gender and equality, which also includes some reference materials as well. Enjoy!

Need more debating topics? Try 47 Debate/Persuasive Topics On Media and Advertising

1. This house believes that gender equality will never be obtained.

2. Is women's empowerment a myth in developing countries.

3. Is educating girls and women a waste of money?

4. Are men the weaker sex?

5. Are we raising sexist sons and men? (free starter debate available: Are we raising sexist sons and men?)

6. This house believes that women should serve in the military.

7. This house believes that housewives and mothers should be paid for housework.

8. Beauty pageants for women is actually empowering and not sexist.

9. Women should play five sets in tennis instead of three.

10. Arranged marriages are a valid way to find love.

11. When attempting to create a more harmonious society, gender is a more important factor than class or income.

12. Where are the female entrepreneurs?

13. A woman has the sole decision in requesting an abortion.

14. Men are more aggressive than women.

15. Men make better sportsmen.

16. Men are better in sciences while women are better in the humanities.

17. Female actresses should not use their femininity to promote their themselves/career.

18. Working mothers hinder their children's development.

19. Men are better in decision making roles than women.

20. Universities need more female teachers while kindergartens need more male teachers.

21. Toys should be gender neutral (for instance dolls are for both boys and girls).

22. Prostitution should be legalised. (premium debate plan available: Legalised Prostitution)

23. Marriages often fail because men seek more power in a relationship.

24. Are plus-sized models a new standard for beauty?

25. Is there such a thing as plutonic friendships?

26. This house believes that women are better communicators.

27. This house believes that corporate office culture is sexist and discriminates against women.

28. This house believes that there are "jobs for men" and "jobs for women".

29. This house believes that women are vainer than men.

30. Should women stay at home and look after children and forgo their careers?

Bonus topics:
Can a woman be successful without wearing makeup? How diversity can make teams more innovative TED Talk Lesson
That's the list for the moment. We are sure to add more as and when we are able to think of more. Please do add your own ideas below and tell us how your class debate went. Happy debating!

Further reading

Further reading on gender and transgenderism
Great Debates in Gender and Law (Palgrave Great Debates in Law) Gender Studies: Terms and Debates God and the Transgender Debate Women, Slaves, and the Gender Debate Origins of Difference: The Gender Debate Revisited

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Many people believe that those living in western societies are living in complete gender equality - that men and women are treated the same for work opportunities to societal roles. While the...

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Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ. The PSHE Association is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Charity number: 1127056 Company number: 6551975 © Copyright 2021 PSHE Association All Rights Reserved.

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Hand out certain claims on relationships and having a boy/girlfriend, in little groups, let them discuss them.  In groups of 3 to 4: let the pupils work on a presentation on a contraceptive. Make sure you cover the most important contraceptives and let them put the pros against the cons, give the price, which group uses it … Let them bring one, if they can.  Show the most important contraceptives and discuss.  Guest speaker who has AIDS comes to tell his story (2h).  Little game with assignments that involve touching each other (kiss on the cheek, caress hand and face,…): they don’t have to do anything but explain to each other why they feel uncomfortable with it. 2022-01-D-44-en-2 23/26  Discussion on establishing sexual boundaries and how it is important to talk about this topic. Elaborate on the meaning of consent.

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You are the Executive Director of a newly founded nonprofit aimed at combating social inequality. Your task is to design a program that destroys a stereotype. In the United States...

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🇫🇷 Generation Hate Part 1 l Al Jazeera Investigations

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Légende image,
Dois-je supprimer ou répondre sur Facebook ?

Nous avons probablement tous un ami sur Facebook - qui s'est récemment révélé raciste.

Le mien est quelqu'un qui vient de l'endroit où j'ai grandi.

En général, je ne m'attarde pas sur leur profile, si ce n'est pour regarder la photo de leur ex ou les résultats d'un quiz quelconque.

Mais depuis la mort de George Floyd, les manifestations contre le racisme et le débat sur la suppression controversée des statues au Royaume-Uni, ils se sont tout simplement mis à publier des articles racistes.

J'imagine qu'ils ne se rendent pas compte du malaise que cela crée, ils doivent se dire que ce sont des plaisanteries à ne pas prendre trop au sérieux.

A lire aussi :

Mais quand je vois des trucs comme ça, ça fait mal.

Cela me rappelle juste toutes les fois où j'ai été victime de racisme, toutes les fois où on m'a demandé : "D'où viens-tu ?" (Angleterre)

"Non, d'où viens-tu ?" (Ah tu veux dire pourquoi ai-je cette couleur de peau ?)

Cela me rappelle le moment où ma sœur et moi n'avons pas pu entrer dans un club de nuit de Londres parce qu'ils voulaient une "foule européenne" (mot de code pour des Blancs), et de toutes les fois où les gens ont cru normal de toucher mes cheveux bouclés (je ne suis pas un animal de compagnie).

Le racisme, ce n'est pas seulement lorsqu'on appelle quelqu'un "N-...". C'est plus que ça.

Je ne sais pas si j'ai l'énergie pour répondre aux messages de cette personne, mais si je ne dis rien, est-ce normal qu'il s'en tire si facilement ?

Légende image,
Cela me rappelle juste toutes les fois où j'ai été victime de racisme, toutes les fois où on m'a demandé : "D'où viens-tu ?"

Cherry Wilson est fière de ses origines, elle vient du Nord et a récemment réaménagé à Stockport, dans le Grand Manchester, où elle a grandi.

Elle a étudié le journalisme à Sheffield et a été la première de sa famille à aller à l'université.

Sa passion est de dépasser les gros titres pour raconter les histoires des gens et des communautés, en explorant les questions qui comptent pour eux.

Elle aime beaucoup le thé, le jerk chicken (poulet frit), les frites et Coronation Street, un soap opera britannique.

J'ai décidé que je devrais faire quelque chose. Mais j'avais besoin de conseils pour savoir s'il fallait le rayer de ma liste d'amis ou lui répondre.

Le psychosociologue Dr Keon West dit que cela dépend de ce que vous essayez de faire.

"Si vous essayez simplement de protéger votre santé mentale, je dirais que vous ne devriez pas contacter cette personne.

"Je ne pense pas que vous vous sentirez très bien après vous être engagé dans des échanges à plusieurs reprises avec des gens qui ont des attitudes racistes, vous vous sentirez probablement pire après."

Mais si vous espérez leur faire publier des choses moins racistes ou plus compatissantes, vous pourriez envisager d'appuyer sur le bouton répondre.

Pour regarder ce contenu, veuillez activer JavaScript ou essayer un autre navigateur.

Légende vidéo,
Racisme : pourquoi les statues sont-elles importantes ?

"Si vous essayez de rappeler aux autres que les normes sociales ne permettent pas ce genre de comportement, je dirais que vous devriez vous adresser à cette personne et avoir une conversation avec elle.

"Même si cela ne les fait pas changer d'avis, cela pourrait leur donner une idée différente de ce qui est considéré comme un comportement acceptable."

Quand je vois les messages de la personne que je connais, je me demande si y répondre y changerait quelque chose.

Je peux juste imaginer leur réponse- "Tu brandis la carte du racisme."

Crédit photo, Getty Images

J'ai donc demandé à d'autres personnes ce qu'elles ont fait face à des messages racistes et ignorants.

"J'ai commencé à répondre aux commentaires, mais ça a mal tourné", m'a dit Alisha Standing, 27 ans.

"Quelqu'un m'a dit que je méritais d'être violée alors que j'essayais d'expliquer la différence entre Black Lives Matter et` All Lives Matter.

"Après cela, j'ai juste décidé de supprimer et de bloquer les gens. A dire vrai, ça m'a quand même fait flipper."

Crédit photo, Dave McGrath

Légende image,
Njambi McGrath dit qu'elle envoie des articles pour informer les personnes qui publient des choses racistes sur les réseaux sociaux

La comédienne et auteure Njambi McGrath a pris le temps de répondre à un homme qu'elle considérait comme raciste même si cela peut parfois sembler "épuisant".

Mais elle croit qu'en partageant ses pensées, cela pourrait le faire réfléchir à ce que les autres ressentent.

"S'il rentre chez lui ce jour-là et même s'il garde la même opinion, il saura, au fin fond de son cerveau, quelqu'un a soulevé un point.

"Il ne sera pas aussi ignorant qu'il l'était avant notre discussion."

Eduquer sur les réseaux sociaux

Kasia Williams dit que son mari a été victime de racisme, elle estime donc qu'il est important de prendre la parole sur Facebook.

"Je ne peux pas rester silencieuse et ignorer ça. Beaucoup de gens m'ont dit :" Merci d'avoir partagé vos connaissances" et ont à leur tour éduqué les autres et je pense que c'est important.

"Mais malheureusement, il y a des gens qui ne veulent pas écouter et j'ai commencé à penser que c'était une perte de temps."

Le Dr West dit que si vous répondez aux messages des gens, ne vous attendez pas à ce qu'ils cessent soudainement d'être racistes.

A lire aussi :

"Si vous pensez qu'en discutant avec eux sur Internet, il y aura moins de parti pris, les études démontrent que non, ce n'est probablement pas le cas. Mais ils peuvent être conscients que d'autres personnes n'apprécient pas leur comportement.

"Il existe des moyens d'éduquer les gens, mais cela prend du temps et cela se passe ailleurs que sur des plateformes telles que Facebook."

Crédit photo, Getty Images

"Je ne peux pas rester silencieuse et ignorer ça. Beaucoup de gens m'ont dit :" Merci d'avoir partagé vos connaissances" et ont à leur tour éduqué les autres et je pense que c'est important.

"Mais malheureusement, il y a des gens qui ne veulent pas écouter et j'ai commencé à penser que c'était une perte de temps."

Le Dr West dit que si vous répondez aux messages des gens, ne vous attendez pas à ce qu'ils cessent soudainement d'être racistes.

"Si vous pensez qu'en discutant avec eux sur Internet, il y aura moins de parti pris, les études démontrent que non, ce n'est probablement pas le cas. Mais ils peuvent être conscients que d'autres personnes n'apprécient pas leur comportement.

"Il existe des moyens d'éduquer les gens, mais cela prend du temps et cela se passe ailleurs que sur des plateformes telles que Facebook."

Matthew Collins, chef du renseignement à l'organisme de bienfaisance antiraciste Hope Not Hate, dit que beaucoup de racisme et de sectarisme viennent de la peur et d'un manque de compréhension.

Il l'appelle le "what-about-ery" - ce qui signifie "qu'en est-il de moi ?"

"Ils voient Black Lives Matter, et les deux choses qu'ils disent sont :" Pourquoi devraient-ils obtenir quelque chose que je n'ai pas ? " et qu'ils ne comprennent pas le concept.

"Ils ont vraiment peur que le peu qu'ils aient, ils puissent le perdre".

A voir aussi :

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Légende vidéo,
Black Lives Matter - George Floyd : ces discours devenus viraux

Matthew croit que la société aura besoin d'un leadership fort pour résoudre le problème des craintes de certaines personnes à l'égard de l'égalité raciale afin de réaliser des progrès significatifs.

"Nous devons garder à l'esprit que nous allons rencontrer de nombreuses résistances à moins de pouvoir apaiser les craintes des gens qui pensent que l'égalité pour les personnes de couleur leur enlève quelque chose - alors que ce n'est pas le cas, bien entendu."

Après avoir regardé à nouveau la page Facebook de la personne que je connais, je constate que leurs 'railleries' portent à nouveau sur des hommes noirs.

Je ne peux pas m'empêcher de lever les yeux au ciel- j'en ai assez de tout ça. Il est temps de supprimer cette personne de ma liste.

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Dois-je supprimer ou répondre à mon ami raciste sur Facebook? - BBC News Afrique

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Quand quelqu'un que vous connaissez commence à publier des posts racistes sur les réseaux sociaux, quelle est la meilleure façon d'y faire face ? Réponse d'utilisateurs et de psychologues des réseaux sociaux.

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Islamophobic abuse and social media - BBC News

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TikTok: Eating disorders, racism, censorship and distorted realities | Four Corners

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AUREL

These young people are adrift. They've been victims of school bullying, sexual assault or their own delusions of persecution. Theyisolated themselves, taking refuge in their bedrooms and logging on to the internet. They made "friends" online,their only friends, on forums devoted to school shootings, Nazi ideology or jihadist propaganda. They shared videos of beheadings, photos of mass killings that resonated with their fascination with death and violence. They want to "cut off heads," to "slaughter people." They call themselves racists or jihadists. They share an inextinguishable hatred of humanity, an anger that nothing quenches, against their harassers, their aggressors, Muslims, Jews, Blacks, women, the others.

They discussed their attack plans with each other. They fantasized about killing "miscreants" or "Blacks." They made explosives and shot videos in the hope that their rage would explode in the eyes of the world, that they would be talked about, that their "work" would be remembered after their death. They were between 16 and 19 years old at the time, only children: unhappy, dangerous children.

This anti-terrorist investigation began like so many others, with a tip-off that an attack was imminent. But when they broke into the bedroom ofLouna (all names have been changed), who had just turned 18, the police quickly realized that conventional counter-terrorism analysis would not enable them to understand all the nuances of this case. For while Louna is fascinated by the Islamic State (IS) organization, she also has a keen interest in Nazism. On the internet, she had discussed her attack plans with three boys who didn't all share the same convictions: one, a brilliant 17-year-old French-Japanese student, dreamt of going to Syria; the other two, aged 16 and 19, were fascinated by Adolf Hitler and planning a massacre in a high school or a mosque.

This case, a meeting point for ideologies that have nothing to do with each other, has perplexed the anti-terrorist justice system for some time. How is it possible to characterize the motives of suspects who work together on their projects, but who seem to have opposing ideas? By revealing the private feelings behind the politics and the impulses behind the grandiose speeches, this investigation is an opportunity to consider how the psychic disorders of young people in distress lead to them being drawn into radical ideologies. After two and a half years of investigation, the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office, in a final indictment dated October 2 and seen by Le Monde, has requested that the four teenagers be tried for "association in a terrorist conspiracy."
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'I want to kill people': When jihadist and Nazi ideologies resonate with the torment of troubled teenagers

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Aged between 16 and 19, three boys and one girl, fascinated by jihadist and far-right violence, chatted on the internet and planned attacks to take their 'revenge on humanity.'

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Privilege Walk Lesson Plan Introduction: Many educators and activists use privilege walks as an experiential activity to highlight how people benefit or are marginalized by systems in our society. …

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Demonstrators march up Lake City Way as Nathan Hale High School seniors join with others to protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on their graduation day in Seattle, Wash., June 15, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson

Teacher's note : The lesson is meant to be modified for your classroom. Before teaching about race, consider the needs and culture of your classroom.

From what starting place are your students approaching this conversation?

Do your students feel they can trust you and each other?

Prepare for uncomfortable moments. What will you do?

How can you respect and protect students who may feel pressure to share personal or even traumatic experiences? Consider what personal risks students may be taking in sharing such experiences and prepare accordingly.

How can you frame discussions of race in the classroom in a way that takes pressure off of BIPOC ( = Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students to speak on behalf of their communities?

Develop a plan for preparing students for difficult conversations. You may find this guide from Facing History and Ourselves helpful. You may also want to listen to-or have students listen to- this special segment on race from PBS NewsHour.
This lesson plan is designed with privacy in mind, so that students can reflect on their personal experiences without feeling pressure to share when they're not comfortable. Your students may want to share with you, with each other or with another adult-facilitate this sharing in a safe and positive way.

Introduction:

In light of the death of George Floyd and protests for Black Lives, you have likely followed or engaged in conversations about race in America. These conversations may have been online, in the news, with family and friends or drawn from your lived experiences. Remember that people consume very different information and this will be part of the conversation.

A source of information that you may have interacted with are social media pages such as " Black at Lovett ." These pages allow Black students to submit anonymous reflections about the experience of being Black at their schools; the pages came about to support learning, change, healing and solidarity.

This lesson plan is meant to provide a framework to articulate your own experience, listen to the experiences of other students and reflect on your own community's experiences with race.

Subject(s): Social Studies, English

Objectives:

To examine and discuss the impact of social media as a tool to expose institutional and individual racism.

To use media literacy to consider the pros and cons of social media as an information source.

To consider the role that school has played in students' understanding of race.

Preparation: Before class, have students read and annotate this , "High School Students and Alumni Are Using Social Media to Expose Racism." Students should underline as they read and write down three main takeaways from the piece.
Materials: Paper or a private journal that students can keep for themselves.

Warm-up activity:

1. Go to this website to view the interactive series, "The first time I realized I was Black." The series is based off of a passage from W.E.B. Du Bois' "The Souls of Black Folk" in which Du Bois describes an experience in his childhood that taught him he'd be treated differently because of his race.

2. Choose one or two short videos from the series to watch with your class [Warning: some videos contain the n-word or descriptions of painful events.]

3. Have students write in private journals for five minutes on one of the following prompts : [Disclaimer: These reflections should be private and students should understand they won't be compelled to share their reflections with the class or teacher.]

Describe the first time you became aware of your race.

Describe a time in the last week that you were aware of your race.

How are your experiences similar to or different than the experiences described in the video(s) we just watched? Why do you think that might be the case?

Main activity:
Give students one minute to skim the article they read before class, "High School Students and Alumni Are Using Social Media to Expose Racism." Ask for volunteers to summarize the article for the class.

Part I

1. Choose the questions that work best for your class and discuss:

Essential question: How is social media different from other platforms in the way information is shared about racial incidents?

Why do you think some of the things posted on pages like had previously gone unsaid or unheard? What is it about Black at Lovett's platform that allows these stories to be told?

The article mentioned that social media also allowed space for the racist "George Floyd challenge" to spread. What qualities of social media encourage or allow these types of spaces to exist?

Does someone who does a racist thing deserve privacy in relation to their actions? Why or why not? If it depends, what does it depend on?

How do schools provide formative experiences of their students' understanding of race?

What are your school's policies on racial discrimination and hate speech?
Are these policies effective and effectively enforced? If not, what could make the policies more effective? What are some things you could do to change your school's culture and disciplinary system?

Media literacy: What are some barriers to access for social media?

How might you corroborate whether something you read on social media is truthful?

If there is time: review this EXTRA lesson plan on using social media for positive change.
Part II

1. Assess the trust, energy level and emotional needs of your class; If appropriate, give students the option to spend 20 minutes browsing through Instagram pages such as Black at Lovett , , and ( PWI = predominantly white institution) Dear PWI . Students might also look up a similar page relating to their current school or a college they're considering attending.

2. In a journal, have students reflect on the following questions:

Which post did I react most strongly to? Why?

Where have I seen incidents like this happening in my own life? If I haven't noticed these incidents, why not?

If a school isn't featured often on a page like Black at Lovett or Dear PWI, does that mean that racist incidents don't occur there?

Debrief: Explain that stories about institutional and individual racism can be painful to hear about. Ask students what adults in their life they can reach out to if they need to; encourage them to talk to you if they're unsure where to get support.

Consider how you can best facilitate self-care and joy for your students. Do they like to journal? Dance? Meditate? Listen to music? Allow time in your class period for healing.

Extension Activity:

1. For homework, give students the option to write their own [private] passage in the style of or about either: Dear PWI

A time when school provided a space for a positive learning experience in relation to race.

A time when they observed or encountered racial bias at school.

The passage should be 75-300 words. Consider: How did this experience affect how you felt at school? How did this experience contribute to your growing understanding of race?

If they'd like, students can submit their reflections to NewsHour EXTRA by emailing vpasquantonio@newshour.org or filling out this Google form. In the Google form, students will be able to select the level of anonymity they'd like attached to their writing.

If students choose to opt out of this activity, have them work on activity 2 (below) instead.

2. Watch this video on young people using social media for positive change. Consider using this lesson plan. Discuss with your students: what are some ways you can think of to use social media for positive change in your community?

Have students come up with a list of the attributes of social media (for example, they might say "easy to contribute anonymously" or "everyone can be a creator").

Ask students to look at the list they made and brainstorm ways to mobilize those attributes for positive change (e.g. How can we make positive use out of anonymity?)

This lesson was edited by EXTRA's education producer Victoria Pasquantonio and educator advisory board member Jean Darnell.
Carolyn McCusker is NewsHour EXTRA's intern. She's a senior English major at Amherst College with an interest in audio storytelling. Before coming to NewsHour EXTRA, she worked at Connecticut Public Radio, New England Public Radio and tutored for Reader to Reader.

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Lesson plan: Discussing racist incidents with students

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Demonstrators march up Lake City Way NE as Nathan Hale High School seniors join with others to prot...

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How would you organise a new school that would favor young people’s learning and encourage them to be open-minded, find their path, be healthy, in order to institute a peaceful and caring society ?

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How to practice effectively...for just about anything - Annie Bosler and Don Greene

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In order to get the best out of these topics, there are a few things you should consider before presenting them to your class.

English level

If you think debating in your native language is tough, try doing it in a foreign language. These debates have been specifically chosen for English language learners who are at least intermediate level to advanced. If you're looking for something to challenge your lower intermediate students, and want to give this a go, try coming up with a vocabulary list of words that would be helpful for your students to know in order to participate in the debate. Lacking vocabulary is the biggest sticking point when it comes to participation, or lack thereof, in ESL debates.

Subject

While making this list, I tried to think about topics that most students around the world have heard about and can offer his or her opinion on. However, this will not be the case for every topic. For your convenience, I have linked out to articles that discuss the issue, should you wish to introduce it to your students before they debate.

Structure

I have structured each of these questions to yield a yes/no answer. However, to make your debates more engaging, I'd suggest coming up with more detailed sides of the debate. Doing this will also help your students come up with more elaborate answers.

For example, if you have the question "Should terminally ill patients have a right to end their life?" you might want to pose two sides of the argument to your class. So one argument would be "Doctors should have the right to assist terminally ill patients in their death." The other side of the argument would be "People should die naturally, without interference or help."

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100 ESL Debate Topics That Will Get Your Students Fired Up - Teach English Abroad

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Get a list of modern-day topics guaranteed to spice up your lesson.

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Climate Collapse - The Grim Silence Of Our Leaders

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None of us has previously witnessed a barrage of extreme weather events of the kind that has been devastating lives across the globe this summer. Canadian wildfires the size of Austria, a Hawaiian town incinerated by a hurricane-fuelled firestorm, a Greek island devastated by three years of rainfall

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Is everything debatable or are there certain topics that can/should never be debated?

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Is everything debatable or are there certain topics that can/should never be debated?

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Everything ? ==> Consentment is necessary before debating. We can debate anything, but should debate important topics like climate change.
With everyone ? ==> Some people overreact, some are closeminded, no need to debate personal matters, respect people's beliefs and where they come from (religion, culture...)
Ex. Avoid talking about war with someone fleeing war. Or if you do discuss, listen and respect their opinion that comes from experience.
Anywhere ? At any moment ? ==> In a comfortable, calm place, need to concentrate, don't bother others and avoid social media because you don't know who is behind the screen.
For whatever reason ?
However we want ?

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Should everyone be free to wear whatever they want at school ? 

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Should everyone be free to wear whatever they want at school ? 

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1. Is it ever justified to break the law for a morally just cause?

2. Should individuals have the right to end their own lives through assisted suicide?

3. Is the use of animals in scientific experiments ethically acceptable?

4. Should hate speech be protected as free speech, or should there be limitations to prevent harm?

5. Is it ethical to use technology to enhance human intelligence and physical abilities?

6. Should the government have the authority to censor or regulate information on the internet?

7. Is it morally acceptable to use genetic engineering to create "designer babies" with specific traits?

8. Should prisoners have the right to vote while serving their sentences?

9. Is capital punishment (the death penalty) a justifiable form of punishment?

10. Should there be limits on how much wealth an individual can accumulate?

11. Is it ethical to consume products tested on animals, considering the advancements in alternative testing methods?

12. Should affirmative action policies be implemented to address historical inequalities?

13. Is it ethical to prioritize environmental conservation over economic development?

14. Should access to healthcare be considered a fundamental human right?

15. Is it acceptable for companies to use individuals' personal data for targeted advertising?

16. Should schools teach comprehensive sex education, including topics like contraceptives and LGBTQ+ relationships?

17. Is it ethical for athletes to use genetic enhancements to improve their performance?

18. Should the government have the authority to mandate vaccinations for all citizens?

19. Is it morally permissible to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor to address socioeconomic disparities?

20. Should cultural appropriation be strictly condemned, or can it promote cultural exchange and understanding?

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What public services ?
Mobility : How do people get around ?
Leisure : What do people do for fun ?
Work : What do workplaces look like ?
Housing : In what kind of places do people live ?

Discuss as a group, each person draws or describes it with words.

Country : what rules ? How are decisions made ? …

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These days, it seems that no place is safe. When we wrote this role play, each of us was living in Portland, Oregon - hardly ground zero for fossil fuel extraction. And yet, fossil fuels have become part of our physical and political landscape. There are still three proposals to bring millions of tons of coal every year down the Columbia River, by barge and rail, to be exported to Asia from Oregon and Washington. Trains filled with highly explosive Bakken Field oil from North Dakota regularly snake through the Portland metropolitan area, and one oil project alone - Tesoro Savage in Vancouver, Washington - would ship up to 360,000 barrels of crude oil every day and require at least four daily mile-and-a-half-long oil-only trains to keep the spigot open. Multiple proposals are still alive to export liquefied natural gas, as well as one of the largest industrial development projects in Portland's history, to export propane.

The paradoxical feature of the fossil fuel industry's imperial ambitions is that the more that communities are threatened or affected, the more likely these communities are to be drawn into the fight against fossil fuels and for greener alternatives. As we write, 13 Greenpeace activists hang from the St. Johns Bridge over the Willamette River in Portland, and the river itself is filled with "kayaktivists" - water-borne demonstrators - all seeking to block a Shell Oil icebreaker, the Fennica, attempting to make its way to the Arctic to help Shell drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea.

Blockadia: Teaching How the Movement Against Fossil Fuels Is Changing the World lesson roles include:

A member of New Era Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Anti-Coal Activists, Haimen, China

ecoCheyenne, Northern Cheyenne, Montana, United States

Swarthmore Mountain Justice, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States

Our Hamburg, Our Grid, Hamburg, Germany

"The Warriors of Sompeta" Sompeta, India

Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Alberta, Canada

Classroom Story

"People Power Prevailed"

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Blockadia: Teaching How the Movement Against Fossil Fuels Is Changing the World - Zinn Education Project

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Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow, Adam Sanchez, and Tim Swinehart. A role-play activity engages students in building solidarity among different groups and organizations fighting fossil fuels and searching for alternatives.

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Parcours et matériel nécessaire pour le faire

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https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/exploring-identity-0

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Students identify the social and cultural factors that help shape our identities by analyzing firsthand reflections and creating personal identity charts.

Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.

- Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif

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Students identify the social and cultural factors that help shape our identities by analyzing firsthand reflections and creating personal identity charts.

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Ethical dilemma: Who should you believe? - Alex Worsnip

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Should you trust unanimous decisions? - Derek Abbott

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Are humans incapable of preventing environmental disasters ?

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Are humans incapable of preventing environmental disasters ?

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Training young people to be open minded, caring, collaborative and healthy.

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Does social media bring people closer together or drift them apart ? 

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Does social media bring people closer together or drift them apart ? 

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Faire le même truc avec les documents sur la liberté d’expression 

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Organiser un débat en classe - Educavox, Ecole, pédagogie, enseignement, formation

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Débats, tutoriels, témoignages sur les thèmes de l’école, de l’éducation, de l’enseignement, de la pédagogie - Educavox vous propose des outils, des témoignages, des débats, des conseils sur le sujet

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Should Russia be barred from participating in the Olympics ? 

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With one year to go before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the question of the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the organization of the event has still not been clearly addressed. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), anxious to preserve the universalism of sport, is trying to tread a perilous ridge between the need to draw the consequences of Russian aggression and the desire not to deprive athletes of competition who do not have to shoulder the responsibility of war.

At this stage, the protagonists' positions seem irreconcilable. On the one hand, Ukraine says it will refuse to participate in the presence of Russian athletes. On the other, Russia, in the event of exclusion, is threatening to launch a rival competition to the Olympics, which could attract emerging countries, thereby signing the death warrant of modern Olympism.

Embarrassed by the situation, the IOC is struggling to set a course. In February 2022, in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, its president, Thomas Bach, didn't hesitate to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions, before changing his mind in January 2023, announcing that he was "looking for a way" to reinstate them. More than six months later, the international sporting community is still waiting for a clear position from the organization.

At the end of March, the IOC simply recommended that international federations apply a "neutral athlete" status to qualifying events for the Olympic Games, allowing the participation of Russians and Belarusians. To qualify, athletes must not have previously supported the conflict in Ukraine, and must have no links with the army or a security agency. They may not compete under their national colors, and there would be no Russian or Belarusian flags or anthems at any medal ceremonies. Team participation was banned.

Avoiding a nightmare scenario

While the IOC is satisfied that this system has worked without major problems in some other competitions, the solution remains imperfect. Given that almost three-quarters of the Russian medallists at the Tokyo Games were under contract to the army or a security agency, a sorting out will naturally have to take place. But beyond that, the concept of neutrality remains highly relative. No matter how bona fide an athlete may be, he or she will not be able to prevent the Russian authorities from exploiting his or her potential victory. What's more, the social networking accounts of a number of athletes have been carefully groomed to delete any patriotic statements, in order to make their profiles compatible with the "neutrality" demanded by the IOC.

By taking refuge behind the individual sports federations instead of assuming its own responsibilities, the IOC risks finding itself with federations that apply a strict exclusion of Russians and Belarusians - as will be the case in athletics - while others, such as fencing and judo, welcome athletes with neutral status. The universalism advocated by the IOC will be severely dented as a result.

Having lacked the courage to lay down clear rules in good time to exclude athletes from warring or annexing countries from the Games, the IOC is now forced to come up with a belated, ill-fitting solution that is likely to satisfy no one. The priority now is to avoid a nightmare scenario in which Ukrainian athletes would be absent from the competition, while Russians, even under neutral status, could take part.

Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.

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Paris 2024: The enduring headache of Russian participation in the Olympics

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EDITORIAL. The International Olympic Committee lacks the courage to lay down clear rules on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. By leaving it up to each sports federation to decide, there is a risk of undermining Olympic universalism.

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Should the government decide what can be published in the news and what cannot ? What about in social média ?

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A Sunday newspaper has been silenced for six weeks and counting by a historic strike. The dialogue between the current owner and the newsroom has totally broken down. To say that the arrival of a new editor-in-chief known for his extreme ideological leanings at the helm of the Le Journal du dimanche ( JDD) newspaper is taking place in a particularly tense climate would be an understatement.

In confirming its decision to appoint Geoffroy Lejeune, the former director of the far-right magazine Valeurs actuelles, as head of the newspaper, the Lagardère Group - which is in the process of selling the paper to the very right-wing billionaire Vincent Bolloré - set him the mission of providing "journalistic excellence: facts, investigation, the duty to inform." Such a commitment should go without saying. We don't know what it is worth coming from a departing owner.

Arnaud Lagardère initially presented this appointment at a loss-making newspaper as "an economic choice." But the magazine previously headed by Lejeune paid a high price for its radical ideological leanings, having been convicted in court for racist insults. Lagardèrealso dismissed concerns about Lejeune's far-rightleanings as "contemptuous" and a "phantasm." But the journalist's consistent and assertive stances and his public friendships with figures from the far right are the very reason why the JDD's staff is leading this battle, united, but backs to the wall.

There's no denying that opinion journalism makes a powerful contribution to a healthy democracy by fuelling debate. The tradition is well-established in France, and still going strong. The regular creation of new media organizations that don't hide their convictions in their pockets is evidence of this.

A worrying move

But such a shift at an institution like the JDD, which over the decades has become a mainstream publication known for its famous polls ranking France's favorite celebrities and the popularity of political leaders, constitutes an entirely different, and worrying, approach. If the JDD's forceful takeover means a newsroom purge like at the news channel i-Télé (now CNews) and the radio station Europe 1, both of which have come under the control of Bolloré's company, the plurality of opinion in the French media landscape will take another step backward. What can we expect in terms of respecting facts, which are regularly manipulated on several of the group's channels, or investigative journalism, which is apparently considered heresy?

Opinion journalism is only beneficial to democracy if it respects a few essential rules. It is very regrettable that the Lagardère Group, when negotiating with the JDD's journalists, refused, according to them, to make the slightest commitment against "any publication of racist, sexist and homophobic remarks and, more generally, any discriminatory or hateful content."

The American example of Fox News should serve as a reminder to critics who think the media is dominated by one way of thinking. By converting to the new religion of "alternative facts" enacted by Donald Trump as soon as he arrived at the White House, the conservative channel contributed to a climate of civil war that culminated in the assault on the Capitol to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election. It seriously weakened democracy instead of strengthening it.

Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.

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Opinion journalism cannot be free from all principles

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EDITORIAL. Geoffroy Lejeune, the former head of a far-right magazine, is taking up his post Tuesday as editor-in-chief of France's only Sunday paper, 'Le Journal du dimanche'. It is regrettable that the paper's owner refused to commit to not publishing heinous content.

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Should cigarettes and électronic cigarettes be made illegal ? 

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During World Cleanup Day, on a beach in Marseille, France, on September 15, 2018. JEAN-PAUL PELISSIER / REUTERS

"The sea starts here." In the towns surrounding Arcachon Bay in southwestern France, stainless steel signs adorn the sidewalks that hang over storm drains serving as a reminder that everything thrown into the gutters ends up in the bay. Cigarettes are no exception. A social media campaign launched in July by the local association of the bay's 12 communes, still scarred by the violent forest fires of summer 2022, implores the public: "Don't litter with your cigarette butts anymore!" Summer after summer, there have been repeated efforts to raise awareness: In 2019, the town hall in Arcachon decreed a "cigarette butt-free beach" and installed 113 garbage cans on the beach; two years later, the town hall in Lège-Cap-Ferret distributed pocket ashtrays in the colors of the peninsula. Unfortunately, the beach is still a giant ashtray.

In every clean-up operation organized on coasts around the world, cigarette butts are the most frequently found form of waste. Whether on the beach or in the streets, an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are thrown on the ground every year worldwide, invariably ending up in rivers and oceans. In France, 23.5 billion cigarette butts are thrown into public spaces every year, according to the French Ministry of Environmental Transition. In Paris, around 350 tonnes are collected every year. This pollution costs local authorities an estimated €100 million a year, but its environmental consequences remain largely unknown.

Only one in four French citizens knows that cigarette filters are made of plastic (cellulose acetate) and not, as one in two French citizens believes, made of wadding (cotton), according to a survey carried out in 2022 by the BVA Institute for the ACT-Alliance Against Tobacco organization, which involves some 20 organizations including the National League Against Cancer. One out of five smokers even thinks that cigarettes, whether conventional or electronic, are biodegradable. "It can take a cigarette butt 12 years to degrade" warns a sign on Arcachon's busy pier. In reality, it takes much longer: When coming into contact with water, the filter degrades into micro and nanoplastics. A cigarette butt can contaminate up to 500 liters of water, according to the French Ministry of Environmental Transition. And not just in plastic particles. It also releases thousands of toxic chemical substances into the environment: mainly nicotine but also heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, lead) and ammonia.

Virtually impossible to recycle

Due to their high toxicity, the National Institute for the Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS) considers butts to be "ecotoxic" and classifies them as hazardous waste. They're a danger for terrestrial ecosystems: A 2017 report by INERIS highlighted a significant excess in the mortality of earthworms and an inhibition of plant growth linked to the presence of cigarette butts in the soil). And marine ecosystems: A single cigarette butt can decimate half a population of fish swimming in 1 liter of water, according to a 2011 study by the University of San Diego.
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Tobacco waste is an 'ecotoxic bomb' for the planet

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In addition to plastic particles, cigarette butts release thousands of toxic chemical substances (nicotine, heavy metals, ammonia). Electronic cigarettes pose an even greater risk to the environment.

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Confronting the Climate Crisis Requires Disruptive Action and Radical Healing

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Does disruptive climate action bring peace ?

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Does disruptive climate action bring peace ?

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Members of Extinction Rebellion stage protest against companies supporting oil, gas and minerals extractions from Earth to mitigate climate change on 1st avenue across from UN Headquarters on September 17, 2021.

Climate disasters are unfolding so quickly one can barely keep track. Wildfires in Canada have already burned millions of acres and sent thick smoke across the entire East Coast of the U.S. Italy's recent flooding has displaced more than 23,000 people. Heat waves in India, Spain, and beyond are devastating crops and killing people. And warming is not just increasing, it's accelerating. July was the hottest month on record. Indeed, the World Meteorological Organization has issued a stark warning that we will likely reach 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming before 2027 - the amount of warming that the world agreed in Paris in 2016 to try to avoid.

When I wrote the first edition of Facing the Climate Emergency: How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth in 2019, I invited readers to get involved somehow. I shared a "big tent" vision of the climate movement that encouraged people to do something to spread the word about the climate emergency and need for a WWII-scale mobilization in response. But, at this late hour, we have to push ourselves beyond doing "something," we need to ask ourselves: "What is the most effective way that I can participate in the movement? What is the fastest way for the movement to create rapid and transformative change?"

As the executive director of the Climate Emergency Fund, I have spent hundreds of hours on a very similar question, considering the most strategic way to leverage funds to do that. I have come to the conclusion that we don't have time for a "good" approach - we need breakthroughs on a tremendous scale and speed.

As a clinical psychologist, I diagnose our society as being in a state of mass delusion - the delusion of normalcy. Humans evaluate risk socially, not rationally. We are going through the motions of normal life, acting as if there was a future other than catastrophic breakdown. We are in a collective trance, sleepwalking off a cliff.

That is why we have concluded that disruptive climate activism is the single most effective way to intervene in the climate emergency, and offers the highest return on investment of philanthropic funds.

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Social movements are one of the most important driving forces of history - and disruption is a key driver for successful social movements. Disruptive activists are shaking us awake, demanding that the public confront the horrible truth of the climate emergency, and respond accordingly. That is why the Climate Emergency Fund supports groups such as Ultima Generation, which recently dyed the Trevi Fountain black; Climate Defiance, which disrupted the White House Correspondents' Dinner; and Scientist Rebellion, which continues to block private planes and airports.

The Social Change Lab reports in the Stanford Social Innovation Review that disruptive movement groups are 6-12 times more cost effective, in terms of preventing CO2 from entering the atmosphere, than top-rated non-disruptive climate organizations like Clean Air Task Force. They calculate that Extinction Rebellion prevented 12.5 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere for every dollar spent. This kind of return on investment is made possible by the brave, passionate volunteer activists who power these movements. The funding plays a facilitative role.

Disruptive climate activists have won tremendous policy victories in the last year.

After months of protests and blockades, for example, Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport announced its plan to ban private jets from using the airport.

In the U.K., after months of disruptive campaigning from Insulate Britain, which generated hundreds of press hits and pushed home insulation to the top of the political conversation, the U.K. government announced the Great Britain Insulation Scheme, which dedicated 1 billion pounds to thermal insulation.

And here in the U.S., New York state activists scored the biggest victory against gas infrastructure in U.S. history, with the state government banning gas in new buildings statewide. As"The Gas Industry is Losing its Most Valuable Customer."

So in the second edition of Facing the Climate Emergency, which came out earlier this summer, I recommend joining the disruptive climate movement. After the readers have processed their fear, grief and other painful feelings; after they have reconceptualized their life stories, and entered "emergency mode," I invite them to find their role. They don't necessarily need to take arrestable action, there are many ways to support the disruptive climate movement. Volunteers can provide support with recruitment, training, and fundraising, as well as logistical support ranging from project management to cooking for activists to handling finances.

This strategy is informed by history as well as social science. In This Is an Uprising, Paul and Mark Engler lay out the history, theory and shocking efficacy of social movements. As they describe, the first known act of civil disobedience was in 495 B.C., when the commoners of Rome rose up, demanding rights and the rule of law rather than rule by a capricious autocrat. First, the Plebeian activists held public assemblies to spread their message and gain support. Then, they disrupted debt-collection hearings by yelling and making noise outside the hearings. They began to disobey laws en masse, initiated a general strike, and in their final act of escalation, left Rome and set up camp at the Sacred Mount three miles outside the city. The Patricians had no choice but to capitulate to some of their demands immediately, and in the coming decades, widespread "legal reform" was implemented and Roman citizens gained legal rights.

Thousands of years later, these tactics somehow feel familiar. Climate protesters disrupt politicians' talks, Occupy Wall Street set up an encampment. Strikes and union organizing have intensified since the pandemic upended labor markets around the world.

While violent conflict seems to be a sad part of the human endowment, the ability to wage nonviolent conflict appears to be a core human capacity, as well. The Roman commoner uprising is one of over 1,200 nonviolent campaigns occurring across thousands of years and around the globe, cataloged in Swarthmore's Nonviolent Action Database. Examples range from the Indian independence struggle, to the American fights for abolition and suffrage, to the human rights campaign led by Indigenous Guatemalans, to the successful student-led campaign at Harvard to organize a workers' union.

Nonviolence is a strategic imperative for movements, not just a moral one. Movement scholars Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan (2012) have found that nonviolent movements to overthrow authoritarian governments are more than twice as likely to succeed as violent movements, because "nonviolent campaigns facilitate the active participation of many more people than violent campaigns, thereby broadening the base of resistance and raising the costs to opponents of maintaining the status quo."

Nonviolent conflict has strategic similarities to war - it is a power struggle. And yet it also has similarities to psychotherapy. Therapy helps an individual transform and heal, and movements help society transform and heal. Both are challenging processes powered by facing hard truths. Neither the therapist nor the activist believes the person or society they are trying to help change is irredeemable. Both believe in the possibility of transformative change.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about how the nonviolent movement was healing a sick nation. Climate activists are trying to wake up the public from the delusional trance of normalcy. Our protests may be controversial and inconvenient, but fundamentally, we are here to help. We are here out of love, hope and responsibility. It is my dearest hope that Facing the Climate Emergency: How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth helps more people move from pain and paralysis into effective, disruptive action.
This article has been adapted from an excerpt of the second edition of Facing the Climate Emergency: How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth.
This article has been adapted from an excerpt of the second edition of Facing the Climate Emergency: How to Transform Yourself with Climate Truth.

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Confronting the Climate Crisis Requires Disruptive Action and Radical Healing

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Disruptive climate activism is the single most effective way to intervene in the climate emergency.