‘The best acts of laughtivism force their targets into lose-lose scenarios, undermining the credibility of a regime no matter how they respond. These acts move beyond mere pranks; they help corrode the very mortar that keeps most dictators in place: Fear.’
‘But perhaps the best example comes from Putin's Russia. There, a Siberian anti-Putin toy protest featured teddy bears, Lego characters, and South Park figurines. It was toys only—no humans allowed. So what happened? Did Russian authorities find the culprits? Did they arrest the toys? You bet they did. After confiscating the Lego figurines, Siberian authorities imposed an official ban on all future toy protests. On what grounds? That the toys were made in China.’ [!!]
Why Dictators Don't Like Jokes
Srdja Popovic, Mladen Joksic |
April 9, 2013
Fifteen years ago, when Serbia's non-violent
pro-democracy movement, Otpor, was just a tiny group of 20 students with $50,
we decided to play a prank. We took an oil barrel, taped a picture of Serbian
dictator Slobodan Milosevic to it, and set it up in the middle of Belgrade's
largest shopping district. Next to it we placed a baseball bat. Then we went for
coffee, sat down, and watched the fun unfold. Before long, dozens of shoppers
lined the street, each waiting for a chance to take a swing at
"Milosevic"—the man so many despised, but whom most were too afraid
to criticize. About 30 minutes in, the police arrived. That's when we held our
breath, waiting for what would happen next. What would the Milosevic's police
do? They couldn't arrest shoppers—on what grounds? And they couldn't arrest the
culprits—since we were nowhere to be seen. So what did Milosevic's police do?
The only thing they could: They arrested the barrel. The image of the two
policemen dragging the barrel to their police car was the best photo shoot in
Serbia for months. Milosevic and his cronies became the laughing stock of the
nation, and Otpor became a household name.
Revolutions are serious business. Just recall the grumpy
faces of 20th-century revolutionaries like Lenin, Mao, Fidel, and Che. They
could barely crack a smile. But fast-forward to the protests of the 21st
century, and you see a new form of activism at work. The ominous scowls of
revolutions past are replaced by humor and satire. Today's non-violent
activists are inciting a global shift in protest tactics away from anger,
resentment, and rage towards a new, more incisive form of activism rooted in
fun: "Laughtivism."
Just take the Middle East and North Africa, where
non-violent protesters are using laughter and wit to embolden their calls for
democracy. In Tunisia, in January 2011, at the height of the protests against
Ben Ali, a lone man—later immortalized as a super-hero Captain Khobza
(bread)—fought off Ben Ali loyalists armed with a sharp wit and a French
baguette. In Egypt, an outlandish video portraying Egyptian President Mohammed
Morsy as Super Mario made the rounds on YouTube this March. In Sudan, students
have taunted Sudanese Dictator Omar al-Bashir, holding
"elbow-licking" protests—a reference to the derogatory term he used
to denigrate the democratic opposition. Even in Syria—where the civil war has
taken 70,000 lives—satirical anti-Assad graffiti and biting slogans have
electrified street protests.
And in case anyone needed reminding, the political relevance of comedians in the Middle East was recently brought home by the Egyptian government's decision to raise criminal charges against the talk-show host Bassem Youssef (the man often described as "Egypt's Jon Stewart"). The move by the government of Mohamed Morsy attested to the capacity of humor to discomfit the powers that be. (For the moment, Youssef remains free on bail.)
And in case anyone needed reminding, the political relevance of comedians in the Middle East was recently brought home by the Egyptian government's decision to raise criminal charges against the talk-show host Bassem Youssef (the man often described as "Egypt's Jon Stewart"). The move by the government of Mohamed Morsy attested to the capacity of humor to discomfit the powers that be. (For the moment, Youssef remains free on bail.)
But the strategic use of humor isn't confined to the
Middle East and North Africa alone. In the United States, Occupy Wall Street
protesters regularly used humor to mock corporate America. Who can forget the
ridiculous-looking protestors who, dressed as rodeo clowns and a matador, tamed
Wall Street's legendary bull statue? Even in Spain, where protestors are
branded Indignados ("the Indignant"), laughter is a potent weapon.
Satirical theatrical performances, flash mobs, and seemingly spontaneous
outbursts of singing and dancing, have become hallmarks of Spain's
anti-capitalist movement, helping to reduce tensions and sustain enthusiasm for
two years and counting. Russians, too, have infused laughter into their
demonstrations—using everything from condoms, boa constrictors, mental
hospitals, and even Lego toys to poke fun at Putin.
There is a reason why humor is infusing the arsenal of
the 21st-century protestor: It works. For one, humor breaks fear and builds
confidence. It also adds a necessary cool factor, which helps movements attract
new members. Finally, humor can incite clumsy reactions from a movement's
opponents. The best acts of laughtivism force their targets into lose-lose
scenarios, undermining the credibility of a regime no matter how they respond.
These acts move beyond mere pranks; they help corrode the very mortar that
keeps most dictators in place: Fear.
Take Egypt again. For decades, Mubarak's Egypt was a
country in which political opposition was stifled at the hand of
state-sanctioned abuse, arrest, and murder. Mubarak lived on that fear, and he
had every reason to expect that he could use it to squash the protests that
emerged on the heels of the Tunisian revolution of early 2011. Which is why he
denounced protesters for serving "foreign agendas." But rather than
take the regime's bait, activists successfully used Mubarak's culture of fear
against him. In the early days of the anti-Mubarak protests, activists took to
Tahrir Square carrying ordinary notebooks and an ingenious complaint: They'd
left their foreign agendas at home. Their defiance soon spread beyond Tahrir
Square, often spurred by new media. One computer message depicted an
"Installing Freedom" screen grab, showing files being copy-and-pasted
from a folder labeled "Tunisia." The photo was accompanied by an
error message reading "Cannot install Freedom: Please remove ‘Mubarak' and
try again."
Humor quickly became a central part of the anti-Mubarak
communication strategy, serving two primary purposes. On the one hand, witty
puns, biting caricatures, and snarky performances made it "cool" to
come to Tahrir square and to be seen as politically active. Every day, larger
crowds and new faces joined the square's protests—not only because they wanted
to oust Mubarak, but also because they wanted to be a part of the "comic
explosion" unfolding across the nation.
Today's protestors understand that humor offers a
low-cost point of entry for ordinary citizens who don't consider themselves
particularly political, but are sick and tired of dictatorship. Make a protest
fun, and people don't want to miss out on the action.
On the other hand, acts of humor and cunning reminded the
outside world that Egypt's protestors weren't the "angry young men"
and fervent radicals that the regime would have them believe. Humor effectively
communicated a positive image of the Egyptian uprising and won the sympathy of
the international community.
It's a message that the youth of the Arab Spring haven't
forgotten. Kids' embrace of the Harlem Shake in Egypt and Tunisia recently
turned the Internet meme into a funky satirical protest that underlined the
creative, democratic aspirations of so many young people across the region.
Once again, the international community has been forced to recognize that the
region's youth are not just the football hooligans we see on TV—they're young
kids eager to embrace democracy. They just want to be able to have fun doing
it.
And so do millions of other people around the world. By
using humor, activists confront autocrats with a dilemma: the government can
either crack down on those who ridicule it (making itself look even more
ridiculous in the process) or ignore the acts of satire aimed against it (and
risk opening the flood gates of dissent). Indeed, when faced with an act of
brazen mockery, oppressive regimes have no good choices. Whatever they do, they
lose.
But perhaps the best example comes from Putin's Russia.
There, a Siberian anti-Putin toy protest featured teddy bears, Lego characters,
and South Park figurines. It was toys only—no humans allowed. So what happened?
Did Russian authorities find the culprits? Did they arrest the toys? You bet
they did. After confiscating the Lego figurines, Siberian authorities imposed
an official ban on all future toy protests. On what grounds? That the toys were
made in China.
In the months that followed, the antics of Siberia's
troubled officials went viral. In the process, they've reminded dictators the
world over that once the spirit of laughter and people power comes out of the
bottle, there's no stopping it.
Political humor is as old as politics itself. Satire and
jokes have been used for centuries to speak truth to power. They infused
protests against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the peace protests of the
1960s, and inspired resistance movements in Nazi-occupied territories during
the 1940s. But today's non-violent activists have taken humor to another level.
Laughter and fun are no longer marginal to a movement's strategy; they now
serve as a central part of the activist arsenal, imbuing the opposition with an
aura of cool, helping to break the culture of fear instilled by the regime, and
provoking the regime into reactions that undercut its legitimacy.
Of course, just because laughter in non-violent struggle
is now common, it does not mean that it is easy. To the contrary, laughtivism
requires a constant stream of creativity to stay in the news, headlines, and
tweets, as well as to maintain a movement's momentum. Without creativity and
wit, laughtivism can wilt before a movement's ambitions are met. And without discipline and sound judgment,
mockery can quickly descend into chaos and violence.
But when it works, it really works. In the case of the
arrested barrel in Serbia; what may have seemed like isolated acts of humor
soon proved infectious, inspiring activists across the country. Before long,
Otpor had transformed itself from a small student group into a national
movement of 70,000 members. Once the barrier of fear had been broken, Milosevic
could not stop it.
24 comments:
ខ្ញុំអត់យល់ទាល់តែសោះហេតុអីបាន
ជាមានខ្មែរគំាទ្រគណបក្សយួន(គណបក្សប្រជាជន)អោយួន
លួចប្លន់លេបទឹកដីឯង និងសំលាប់ជាតិសាសន៍ឯង?
Mr. School of Vice,
Thank you very much for the article! It is quite inspiring!
Bringing down a dictator, especially the one in Cambodia can be done!
His arrogance and brutality will certainly help bring him down and nobody in this world at this moment deserves to be brought down more than him.
Pissed Off
Mr. School of Vice.
MUBARAK means HAPPINESS and PROSPERITY.
What do you mean installing Freedom
and removing Mubarak?
5:07 PM
'Hun Sen' also means 'Honesty' according to the man himself! So 'honest' that he even pledged to chop off his own head if he could not prevent more trees from being fell. The trees, we know, are still being logged, and his head remains in place!! And that's not the only example of his 'honesty'.
Enough said.
សូមអំពាវដល់បងប្អូនរួមជាតិទូទាំងប្រទេសទាំងមូល
នៅសល់តែ៨ថ្ងៃទៀតទេគឺថ្ងៃទី២៨កក្កដាឆ្នាំ២០១៣ ដែលជាថ្ងៃដែលខ្មែរទាំងអស់សម្រេចចិត្តលើជោគវាសនានៃប្រទេសជាតិនិងប្រជាជនតទៅអនាគត។
សន្លឹករបស់បងប្អូនអាចធ្វើអោយប្រទេសរួចផុតពីការឈ្លានពាននឹងកាន់កាប់ពីប្រទេសដ៍ទៃ រួចពីការជិះជាន់ពីអ្នកមានអំណាចដែលរឹបអូសដីធ្លី បំបាត់សិទ្ធិសេរីភាពក្នុងការនិយាយនឹងភាពអយុត្តិធម៏ក្នុងប្រព័ន្ធតុលាការជាដើម។ល។គឺខ្មែរជាម្ចាស់ប្រទេសពិតប្រាកដន៏នឺងមានសិទ្ធិក្នុងការគ្រប់គ្រងឬសម្រេចជោគវាសនាប្រទេសជាតិដោយពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរខ្លួនឯង។សន្លឹកឆ្នោតរបស់បងប្អូនអាចធ្វើអោយប្រទេសជាតិ
បាត់ឈ្មោះពីផែនទីពិភពលោក រីឯប្រជាជនត្រូវរស់នៅក្រោមអំណាចរបស់គេ ដូចជាខ្មែរកម្ពុជាក្រោមឥចឹង។ការសម្រេចចិត្តលើកនេះសំខាន់ណាស់គឺជាការស្លាប់រស់របស់ប្រទេសជាតិនឹងពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរទាំង
មូលគឺមិនមែនស្លាប់តែខ្មែរដែលប្រឆាំងវាទេគឺស្លាប់អ្នកប្រឆាំងរួមជាមួយអ្នកគាំទ្រដែរ។យួនបានប្រើគ្រប់មធ្យោបាយដើម្បីលេបទឹកដីខ្មែរគឺអស់រយជាង៣០នេះវាបានប្រើខ្មែរដែលលក់ខ្លួនអោយវាសម្លាប់ខ្មែរសិនគឺពេលណាដែលយួនបានសម្រេចការឈ្លានពាននិងក្ដោបអំណាចទាំងស្រុងវានឹងចាប់ផ្ដើមសម្លាប់អ្នកដែលគាំទ្រវាជាមិនខាន។ដូចជាប្រទេសលាវជាដើមមានតែឈ្មោះតែកាន់កាប់ដោយយួនទាំងអស់នេះដោយសារតែលាវពុំមានអ្នកប្រឆាំងគឺមានតែអ្នកហៃអើៗ។បើខ្មែរយើងគ្មានលោក សម រង្សីនឹងអ្នកស្នេហាដ៏ទៃទៀតហ៊ានក្រោកឈររារាំងនៃការឈ្លានរបស់យួននោះទេ ប្រហែលជាខ្មែរដូចលាវឥចឹង។ដូច្នេះយើងមិនអាចចាំ៥ឆ្នាំទៀតទេ បើចាំ៥ឆ្នាំទៀតគឺយឺតពេលហើយ។ដូចបងប្អូនឃើញនឹងភ្នែកស្រាប់ហើយ ជិតដល់ថ្ងៃជិតបោះឆ្នោតយួនហូចូលដីខ្មែររាប់រយនាក់ក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ នេះសអោយថាយួនមានបំណងលេបទឹកដីដ៏ពិតប្រកដន៏។ម្យ៉ាងទៀតឥឡូវនេះពួកវានឺងខ្មែរវង្វងមួយចំនួនបានចំណាយប្រាក់ជាច្រើនលានដុល្លារដើម្បីទិញទឹកចិត្តប្រជាពលរដ្ឋដើម្បីអោយបោះឆ្នោតអោយពួកគេ។
ម្យ៉ាងទៀតខ្ញុំចង់អោយបងប្អូនសួខ្លួនឯងថា តើបក្សប្រជាជនបានធ្វើអ្វីខ្លះជូនប្រទេសជាតិនឹងប្រជាជន តាំងពីកាន់អំណាចតាំងពីឆ្នាំ១៩៧៩មក?។តើតំណាងរាស្ត្រដែលបងប្អូនបោះឆ្នោតអោយចេញមុខដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាជូនបងប្អូនទេរ ដូចជារឿងដីធ្លីជាដើម។តើហេតុអ្វីបានក្រុមគ្រួសារ ហ៊ុន សែន សាច់ជិតសាច់ឆ្ងាយមានប្រាក់រាប់លានដុល្លារនឹងដីរាប់ហិតតាក្នុងគ្រួសារនិមួយៗ។ហើយអ្នកធ្វើការក្រោមបង្គាប់ ហ៊ុន សែន ក៏មានមិនតិចដែរ។តើពួកគេធ្វើអ្វីក៏មានឆាប់ម្លេះ?តើពួកគេបានប្រាក់មកពីណា។ជាទិបញ្ចប់នេះខ្ញុំចង់ប្រាប់បងប្អូនថា មានតែបក្សសង្គ្រោះជាតិទេដែលអាចជួយសង្គ្រោះប្រទេសអោយរួច
ផុតពីអណានិគមន៏របស់យួនបាននឹងសេរីភាពជូនដល់ប្រជាជន។សូមកុំចាញ់បោកគេដោយសាតែទឹកប្រាក់បន្តិចបន្តួចដែលគេចំណាយដើម្បីទិញសន្លឹកឆ្នោតនោះ។បងប្អូងត្រូវដឹងថានោះជាឧបាយកលដែលគេប្រើហើយធ្លាប់ប្រើនៅពេលបោះឆ្នោតប៉ុណ្ណោះ។គឺគេល្អនឹងបងប្អូននៅពេលបោះឆ្នោតប៉ុណ្នោះ។
SOV,
would you like to have that pic with...from CAMBODIA and "HUN SEN" name on it? If so, where should it be sent to? Thx and tc!
LOL .......
Thanks for this article KI - it is so true!!!
Most leaders in democratic countries when they know of jokes that critise them, they just laugh along with their people, basically, they can take jokes - no problems at all.
However, dictators go into spasms of tantrum when a joke is on them because they have more fear then they made themselves out to be. Fear of losing control.
The fact is: no one can control of what people think is 'funny', but dictators are also too stupid to realise this fact!
LOL!!!.......LOL!!!....LOL!!!....
Whatever you guys do, please do not give ah KHEM RINT (អា ខេមរិន្ទ្រ) free publicity here on KI-Media page, please!!! Thanks.
10:06 PM,
Don't be too freaking antsy - we cross that bridge when we get to it!!! So shut the fuck up for now!
Oh, just shut the fuck up 10:41 PM!
THE DEFIANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY HAS BECOME VIETNAM’S TRADE MARK FOR SUCCESS
For decades, the evil Vietnam has manipulated the situation in Cambodia by initiating wars, killings Khmers through Khmer Vietminh, sabotaging, supporting some dumb Khmers to seize the power and using them as tools to execute its plan of annexing Cambodia.
To end Cambodia misery, Khmer people and the international community must understand this evil Vietnam’s behavior and they need to take appropriate actions accordingly.
Vietnam has been accomplishing its goal by not keeping its promises and not abiding by the treaties it had signed.
For example:
1- In 1968, the evil north Vietnam told the world that it would honor Vietnam tradition by not attacking during the Vietnamese New Year “Tet”. That trick had worked well because North Vietnam was able to launch an all out surprise attacks all over Vietnam, making it the turning point of the Vietnam war.
2- In 1973, North Vietnam had signed a peace treaty with the US. North Vietnam did not comply with such treaty and resumed its attack on the allies troops.
3- In 1991, Vietnam was one of the signatory countries of the Paris peace accord.
Vietnam did not comply with such accord and instead implemented all the bilateral treaties which it had signed with Cambodia during its occupation. In addition, Vietnam has generated a 2005 supplemental treaty with Cambodia, resulting the loss of Khmer land and islands and millions of the Vietnamese infiltrated into Cambodia.
By taking these facts into consideration, we can fairly predict that Vietnam and its puppet will never follow or live by the rule.
The major problem is now residing in the NEC. I t is so funny when this puppet entity talks about the law such as it is not conform to the law to allow Sam Rainsy to register.
By now, Khmer people and the world must understand this evil Vietnam and its puppet’s determination to stick firmly to their plan.
We need to put the right medicine to cure this Vietnam disease. We need more assertive pressure from the international community to break Vietnam’s grip over Cambodia..
The followings are some of the options that Vietnam might be taken:
a - Eliminate Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha.
b- Use its people to instigate the CNRP’s
members to draw violence so that Vietnam
and its puppet could use force to suppress
the CNRP’s members.
c- If the CNRP won the election, Vietnam
and its puppet would not relinquish the
power and stage a fake civil war against
the CNRP government and blame the
social unrest from the fake war on the
CNRP’s incompetence.
To resolve this evil Vietnam’s problem, the CNRP should clearly inform the international community about Vietnam’s total dominance over Cambodia and force Vietnam to comply with all the agreements or treaties it had signed. For instance, the 1991 Paris peace accord.
Cambodia’s problem has always been so complex because Vietnam has taken extreme measures sharply against Khmer people’s wills to forge Cambodia to become a part of Vietnam. And naturally, Khmer people have to fiercely resist Vietnam’s ambition. Vietnam was/ is/ and always will be largely the cause of Cambodia’s problems.
Bun Thoeun
I agree 10:57 PM. To simply put, the world must tell Vietnam to bug off and fuck off. Leave Cambodia alone!!!
គ្មានអ្វីថោកទាបស្មើលទ្ធិកុម្មុយនិស្តឡើយ ពួកវា
សុទ្ធតែពួកចោរ ពួកអវិជ្ជា ពួកពូជថោកទាប គ្មាន
ការចេះដឹង អត់ចេះធ្វើអ្វីទាំងអស់ ។ ពួកវាចាំតែ
ដើរលួច ដើរប្លន់ ឬ ទិញ និងគំរាមកំហែងអ្នកចេះ
ដឹងក្នុងពិភពលោកប៉ុណ្ណោះ ដូចករណិយ បុរស
Snowden ជាដើម ។ ប្រហែលជាមានពួកកុម្មុយ
និស្តណាមួយចំណាយប្រាក់ង៍ច្រើនលើសលុបដល់
បុរសនេះ ឬ ក៍ប្រើល្បិចគំរាមកំហែងដ៍សាហាវ
ណាមួយដែលមនុស្សលោកយើងមិនអាចទ្រាំទ្រ
បានក៍មិនដឹង ទើបបុរសនេះព្រមធ្វើបែបនេះ ។
មិនខុសពីករណិយក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាឡើយ ពួក
ឆ្កែបំរើកុម្មុយនិស្តរិតតែថោកទាបជាងពួកអាចៅហ្វាយវាទៅទៀត ។ វាលួចបាញ់ លួចធ្វើអំពើល្មើស
ច្បាប់ពីក្រោយខ្នងបក្សជំទាស់ ពីក្រោយខ្នងមហា
ជន ។ ក្រៅពីលួចបន្លំបញ្ជីឈ្មោះអ្នកបោះឆ្នោត
និង អ្វីផ្សេង ៗ ដ៍ច្រើនទៀតដែលយើងទាំងអស់គ្នា
បានដឹងរួចមកហើយ ពួកវានៅប្រើល្បិចលួចយក
សន្លឹកឆ្នោតទៅគំរាមកំហែង និង បង្ខំឲបងប្អូនជន
រួមជាតិយើងគូសលើសញ្ញាគណៈបក្សប្រជាជន
រួចជាស្រេច ។ បន្ទាប់មកពួកវាក៍យកសន្លឹក
ឆ្នោតទាំងនោះទៅបោះចូលក្នុងប្រអប់ឆ្នោតជាការស្រេច ។ ដូច្នេះហើយទើបអាណ័ត្តិណាក៍ពួកវា
ឈ្នះទាំអស់ ។
អំពើដ៍សែនថោកទាបនេះ បើអ្នកស្នេហាយុត្តិធម៌
ទាំងអស់ ទាំងជាតិ និង អន្តរៈជាតិមិនចាត់វិធាន
ការ តាមដានពួកវា នៅតាមមូលដ្ឋានឲបានម៉ត់
ចត់ទេ ពួកវានៅតែឈ្នះទៀតហើយ ។
9:01 PM
That would be helpful. But I think just replacing "Mubarak" with "Hun Sen" is all that is needed because the idea is that Cambodia is trying to 'install' Freedom previously achieved in other countries through people's power and will.
You could then forward it to: kiletters@gmail.com
The sign may also be used in Cambodia at campaign events and gatherings, in my view.
Thanks for your contribution to the Cause.
Kindest,
youn help khmer is helping themself if china got khmer eventouly they grab youn too isnt it true. ?. noun chea is thai the thai who mento creating genocid in cambodia. wasnt it true. ?. and there are no good or bad people but only smart and ignorance people. don not fool by your own enemy the thai thug. dont you ?. and can you imagin in the past ths evil thai make the fale of khmer empire. now dont you remember ?
1:56, Get lost, you idiot.
You must be the retart yuen who posted the same stupid comment everywhere.
If you want to be the yuen hero for Khmer, start by writing a letter to your leader in Hanoi to apologise and provide adequate compensation for Khmer now!
Go fuck yourself ah dumb ass "mike" @3:35 AM before I reported you stinky ass to Google for harassment/sabotage here at KI-Media!!!
Hey 4:28 AM,
I am the one who will report you to Google not School of Vice. Wanna insult me, trash me, go ahead...make my day!!!
Just bug off 5:20AM!!!
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