What’s this? OK, Picasso! I like it
To turn the whole wheel of public opinion and create change we need more hands on the wheel - and bravery, conviction and evidence of action bring them, writes All or Nothing's Warren Davies.
There’s a time for talk and sensible consensus building but sometimes you just have to glue your pink bits to a priceless artwork and get arrested.
Recently, two rebels from a local cell of Extinction Rebellion glued their hands to the glass over Picasso’s Massacre in Korea at NGV in Melbourne to draw attention to the climate emergency.
‘Nuisances!’ we cried into our gallery programs. ‘Selfish trouble-makers!!’ we tweeted as it made news around the world.
Source: Twitter
As both a creative comms expert of twenty years and a Rebel (shh!) I can say this is both not the way to change popular opinion in the short term and it absolutely changes opinions and moves people to act who were already predisposed to do so in the short term.
And that’s valid tactics when we’re literally talking about the end of the human race. To turn the whole wheel of public opinion and create change, we need more hands on the wheel – and bravery, conviction and evidence of action bring them.
Every revolution, reform or vibe shift has a few moving parts, in some circles a Theory of Change is researched and worked on for years. This may involve governments, NGOs, competing orgs and brands working together or on distinct tasks. It accounts for and encourages education, consultation, careful planning and yes – the occasional rebellion – to be sure people notice something is afoot.
What’s important to note is that deliberate, long-term change programs are not always accessible to all at all times – and nor can they be. So people can and should work with the same goal in a peripheral way, in their own way. Rebels strike up the band and dance your deliberate mayhem!
We recently helped a federal independent win a seat at the federal election. Their deliberate, careful planning and grassroots campaign was almost upset by a last minute change.org. nonsense. It was a pig-headed intervention but for the local voters it meant change was really real. Both approaches had merit and uncomfortably worked together: in the minds of the voters, if not the two political camps (awks).
It’s most important for any change program that we all have a chance to evaluate it, have a say if we have a mind to and contribute if possible. If it really matters we all need to chat or digest it and format a response – even if it means saying or doing nothing.
This can take years and should be methodical, resourced and meaningful. But even this approach can falter and ossify and you sometimes just need a stick of dynamite in the hand of a rebel to liven things up a bit!
Warren Davies, owner and managing director, All or Nothing
