The Ethics of Dissent and Protest
A philosophical lesson from comedy (really, I’m not joking)
Cooperation, loyalty, adherence to the rule of law. These are noble virtues, of which the following are necessary for a free and open society.
But there are times when it is necessary to step outside these noble virtues. There are times when dissent is a virtue. There is a time for peace and a time for protest. When injustices are happening, if you aren’t dissenting, you are aiding and abetting. If you aren’t angry, you aren’t paying attention.
Anger is an energy, but if that anger is not under control and directed at the appropriate target, it is wasted energy. Worse, anger can inflict more harm than good when it is expressed without intelligence and purpose.
Let’s insert some philosophy and reality into this.
Five Realities of Protest
Reality 1: Many injustices occur every day.
Reality 2: A large number of injustices are caused by a small number of people.
