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London Zoo: Anonymous vs. Scientology (2/10/08)
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"Nothing says anarchy as much as everyone dressing alike."
This isn't about anarchy, it's about organisation and ideas that want to fight. I don't think twentieth century social and political theories can be applied here. It's something else. -
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CommentAuthororwellseyes
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
I don't think twentieth century social and political theories can be applied here. It's something else.
I wouldn't call anarchism a 20th century political theory. Far more of a 19th century one with roots going back much further.
Guy Fawkes wasn't an anarchist, he was a religious terrorist. People playing dress up with some very potent historical notions and ideologies. It's very interesting but more than a little disquieting too. -
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CommentAuthormojojoseph
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
I personally just love how many people chose to wear a V mask for this...Wonder if that will cause some kind of Scientology backlash at comics or Moore... -
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Well, whatever. It was as much a piss-take as a protest, which is something I don't think I've ever seen before.
Anyway, the always reliable Deathboy's done a great write up too:
Deathboy's writeup
The 'Fuck, the internet's here' image summed it all up perfectly. It was like a few hundred memes jumped off the screen and lashed out all at once, to be a tad pretentious about it. -
/b/ is (well, was a couple hours ago, so who knows what they're doing now) throwing a giant tantrum about how these protesters have ruined anonymous. Because caring for people and standing up and shit is against their ideal arsehole of humanity that they want /b/ to be, as far as I can tell. It's pretty amusing how fast the mood changes around there.
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Can you link to that? If it's on ED, I suspect it's another pisstake.
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CommentAuthororwellseyes
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
Well, whatever. It was as much a piss-take as a protest, which is something I don't think I've ever seen before.
Flash mobs and "improv everywhere" have been pulling stunts of this kind for a while using similar methods of organization. They're a comedy group without a political/social message, which is where this takes on a new form. Anonymous is also, ostensibly, without leaders or hierarchy, flock organization, though I do wonder if there's a core small group setting the tone to some degree.
I think it's mostly a piss-take really. I think Scientology is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. I mean, anyone who could watch Tom Cruise jibber and froth and say "Oh yes, that's the way the truth and light" was likely going to be killed by their pets anyway. No great loss. -
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@Oddcult
Link to the tantrum-throwing? No, I can't. It was on /b/ on 4chan about 4 hours ago, which means it's almost certainly gone now, but you could always go see what the mood is now yourself; as I said, it changes so fast who knows what it's like right now.
EDIT: That being said, fuck knows how much of what is said on 4chan at any given time truly reflects the beliefs and opinions of anyone. Half of even the most serious thread is going to be trolls pretending to agree. As it says up the top of /b/, "The stories and information posted here are artistic works of fiction and falsehood.
Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
As for there being a small central group leading it, to an extent, whoever has the time and energy to devote themselves to it and who is not a giant prick like the vast majority of /b/tards and therefore manages to talk to people (semi)seriously long enough to work things out ends up being a leader. -
Two comments I've seen recently that struck me as meaningful:
"This is the birth of a new paradigm"
"Rick Astley IS the voice of protest"
Oh, and BBC Coverage.
Love the quotes from the CoS rep - "Cyber-terrorists!" I bet that'll make a load of people's day, being called that. -
I did like the Rickrolling that went on, that part of the descriptions of the raids made me laugh. It's a damn good way to protest, because I'm sure it's just as annoying to people who don't get it and have to listen to that damn song as it is funny to people who do get it.
The media coverage, especially the photographs they use, is generally anti-anonymous. But they don't cover up the fact that anonymous is careful to underline that they're protesting the corruption of the organization, not the beliefs of the people. -
"Cyber-terrorists!" I bet that'll make a load of people's day, being called that.
Although the label has whimsical appeal on some level, peaceful, rational, real life protests have exactly nothing to do with 'cyberspace' or terrorism.
@ravnos, I did the same thing in wondering if you guy'd go. -
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CommentAuthorAdrammalech
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
@OctEgon
Thank you so much! My sick-addled brain needed some cheering up, after a fever dream where I was fighting the germs in my body a la Advance Wars, -
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I love Scott (Deathboy)'s write up (As shown above...)
Especially the moments that go as follows...
"500 people rick-rolling the UK Scientology head office. It was at this point I saw the corners of the cops' mouths twitch into smiles as they realised it was ok: we were from the internets.
There were numerous demands for "CAKE!" - Shortly followed by much more enthusiastic cries of "THE CAKE IS A LIE!" ... Then someone came round with cakes, prompting happy exclamations that "THE CAKE IS REAL!""
"A chant of "This is religion!" (pointing to the left) "THIS IS A CULT!" (pointing to the scientology building), repeating - I didn't ever work out what the original point of this was, other than to underscore that scientology is not a religion, but then the mounted police showed up to herd us out of the road so that traffic could pass.
At which point, it became "THIS IS A HORSE!" (point at horse) "THIS IS A CULT!" (point at Scientology building)"
I can't remember the source, but there's some sci-fi story I've read where the conclusion reads along the lines of "They could withstand the fiecest of our weapons, they could defeat us intellectually, but in the end, I think they died of sheer culture shock" - the looks on the faces of the scientologists when faced with a crowd in which a lone voice shouts:
"I HEAR TOM CRUISE HATES MUDKIPS!"
(all) "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
... how do you fight that?
How do you, ideologically speaking, defeat a crowd that is enthusiastically demanding that you "DO A BARREL ROLL! DO A BARREL ROLL!!" ?
I wish I could have been there... -
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CommentAuthorwarrenellis
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
"I HEAR TOM CRUISE HATES MUDKIPS!"
(all) "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
I thought there was a specific rule against bringing netmemes to the protests? -
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If there was, it was thoroughly ignored. The whole thing was a massive mixture of internet in-jokes, netmemes and football chants.
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CommentAuthorwarrenellis
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
Rule #0: Rules 1 and 2 of the internet still apply. Your memes are not, at this juncture, something that the real world can appreciate. Although meme speak between fellow Anonymous is acceptable, focus on the target and keep it to a minimum.
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- CommentAuthorTechnocratJT
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
I thought there was a specific rule against bringing netmemes to the protests
That rule never had a chance. As long as the rest of the rules were followed and meme were kept to energizing the crowd I think its ok. It just can't be allowed to overtake the message. -
Yeah, that went well...
I think that when you've got a load of people wearing V masks shouting 'Do not want', it's taking a turn for the surreal and ontologically screwed in most people's minds anyway. -
- CommentAuthorTechnocratJT
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008 edited
I can see both sides of the meme thing.
On one hand it is the culture, and every protest culture as had a language all its own thats creates out groups as a side effect. It provides cohesion, and acts as a signaler that this is your side and your all together. And as I said above I am sure it acts to energize and focus the crowd. Reports also said passers by often reaction well to the strangeness.
On the other hand, meme culture is collection of nonsense and in-jokes. It did not develop as part of the protest culture. It undermines an effort to be serious about this, replacing it with, as said above, piss-takes. It also obscures the message under a pile of gibberish.
But I am surprised by all this so far, so will go with the former in my current mood. -
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CommentAuthororwellseyes
- CommentTimeFeb 11th 2008
What struck me most about the Anonymous protest rules were how sound and simple they were. Being organized, smart and polite in your interactions with the public and police and on message makes a point.
Quoting video games (the cake is a lie) and making it a game of who can quote the most obscure internet gag is just distracting. It's a smart enough idea to stand on it's own merit, no need to muck it up with rick-rolling and goatse references. -
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