Flashback to the Bentley Blockade – a fracking good news story.
We live in a time of being constantly bombarded with bad news stories.
The news has always been primarily negative – “if it bleeds it leads” is an old journalist motto – but we haven’t always carried it around it our bloody pockets.
When I spontaneously pick up my phone to feel connected to the human world, and see what my friends are up to on facebook or instagram, it’s too easy to incidentally witness a shocking news story or two.
ABC and The Guardian are part of my feed, as “it’s good to be informed”, as they say.
But over the last year or so, I noticed that the more news I absorbed, the more downhearted I became. And the more glum I felt, the less motivated I was to do something useful, (which for me is being enthused to create public art and lead with gusto – we all contribute in unique ways.)
I came to the conclusion that I have to balance my feed with more good news stories.
Truly, I’d rather be ignorant and useful, than informed and not actually contribute anything!
And sure it’s not an either or option – nothing is black and white – but for very sensitive people (hello there), and maybe all people, I think we need to be careful to moderate how much horror we take in, even if it comes from a reputable source.
May we take in as many positive news stories as negative. Everything hasn’t turned to shit – shit has always been here! Let’s keep our eye on the prize of the world we want to create.
Speaking of which!
Here is a fracking good news story, which The Cassettes popped in to say hello at.
Watch a summary of the amazing Bentley campaign (with dashed of 80s dance) here.
The Bentley Blockade was a successful environmental protest against coal seam gas mining, or “fracking” in the Northern Rivers.
Aiden Ricketts from Southern Cross Uni said, “It was a rare occasion in Australian history when an entire region stood up to government and corporations, and held the line…..Farmers, Indigenous people, townsfolk, environmentalists, professionals and business people united in a vision of a Gasfield Free region and thousands committed to a path of nonviolent direct action (NVDA) to help achieve it.”
Were you at Bentley?
The activists who stayed on site for months, and the campaigners who volunteered for years on this project did an amazing job. Thank you!
Other fun at the landmark Bentley protest here:
