What We Talk About When We Talk About ACT FOR LIFE
Fiery Dandelions: An essay on sequential hi-viz wave
Europe has been smoky by flamed dandelion seeds these days.
The fluorescent yellow security jackets are a mandatory item to be carried in every vehicle by French law, since 2008. That hi-viz fluorescent yellow vests have been vitally essential flasher assets for France. Which now have adopted by the protesters as their symbol in recent weeks against to the political and economic orders of the French government.
The streets are blazed up with flashers haphazardly sparkled demonstrations.
A self-organised distinctive mass movement, known as the Yellow Vest Protest Movement, organised by daring natives, first got the attention of an independent press shortly afterwards has been covered on the international news.
During this writing, ‘ The Gilets Jaunes ‘ has disclosed the list of grievances to the press and the national legislators. While the government was hunting for time to find byways, made an initial announcement for the fuel tax increases have suspended for six months. However, the Yellow Movement has been already spread out into various groups throughout France by then. The yellow waves have covered the streets every day more and forced the governors to take concrete steps. Four weeks later, the first-aid financial proposal has been made to try to mollify this uncontrolled wave in response. But it fails to impress the Yellow Vests, instead appears to would be swallowed up by disappointed tides. New demonstrations are in the offing.
Who are they? What is the essence of the movement? Who to their words?let the social-political experts continue to analyse, but they seem to me; the lion’s tooth dandelion’s fiery yellow flowers.
Latin names; Taraxacum officinale, dandelion, a familiar name derived from the French “dent de lion”, lion’s tooth, a reference to the irregular and jagged margins of the lance-shaped leaves. A common meadow herb of the sunflower family. Familiar to nearly everyone. One of the most underappreciated herbs robust and extensive root system with the ability of reproducing in just about any environment. Mostly towards unexpected, unheard surfaces.
The dandelion associated with the sun with its golden head and fire. The moon with the puffy white seed and the stars when they blow to the winds. It demands to be visible.
The sun, fire, moon, stars. What a spectacular symbiotic association!
Its botanical persona is genuinely eye-catching. Dandelions are the must-have soul for our species. They are outnumbered and strong. Leaves, roots, flowers, its whole being is resourceful. In severe conditions, they liven up and continue popping up adventitiously; by the reflective cracks of the pavement, on the side of the road or the corner of the pot, sometimes around a rose tree.
By confronting with extinction, like any other species, these perennial herbs represents remarkable resistance through its compelling souls with a unique ability to communicate different messages in different seasons.
The dark green, crinkled leaves, with its irregular, distinctive hairless mid-ribs and bitter roots feel not a natural touch at first bite. Tasting them without an additional rather smooth and aromatic component might be bitter, but their compelling spirits provide strength, nurture, boost the immune system, keep us alive. Its fiery golden-yellow flowers inspired by the sun and fire used for tasty wines. It radiates bright and fearless energy. In doing so, the dandelions challenge us with audacity: I am Dandelion, Hear Me Roar!
There comes a moment; its sun riped small golden-yellow petals turn into feather-like blowing flowers to transfer on the breeze. And that moment always comes. That mutual ‘ je ne sais quoi ‘ childhood reminiscent flowers meet a deep breath and diffuse its seeds around effortlessly to promote reproduction. When parachute-type seeds are picked up by the breeze, they can spread over formidable distances.
Yellow Vests are like compelling spirits of France in a manner. They are not homogeneous. Predominantly rural origins natives. Life motivations are changes based on regions, yet their references are absolute; blue-white-red. They are not initiated by any party or union. It has been built entirely from social networks — leaderless grassroots movement.
To me, dandelion flowers that slide into oblivion, clouding the French streets over with its live, serrate, resistive spirits. With magnitude greatness, indeed! Against austerity and further fuel-tax rises in France, motivated by the so-called ecological transition, the fiery yellow flowers transformed to the white puffballs. Seeds met a deep, sharp breath, awarded the fruit’s incredible flight capacity and fired the performance. Shortly afterwards, the galvanised flowers exceeded the bounds to Holland and Belgium. Driven by the costs of living, high taxes, rising fuel prices, the seeds accumulated towards the fundamental corporate system. The problem is not only about fuel taxes; it’s about all reforms.
Yellow Vests ignited for social and economic justice. Because the so-called ecological concerns additional costs increase triggered another state of feeling. Such casual environmental precautions didn’t seem plausible to them, because it does not. Because the problem is much bigger, and it concerns everyone. Adults might initiate that performance but it’s not just in their hands anymore, youths and children also joined in the fun. No doubt, this crisis involves the children and young people directly and mostly, and they have words too — future shapes with on a dystopian hardness, black and white surfaces.
We are facing an urgent priority ecological crises on a global level, and it concerns everyone. Through desirous industrialisation, the famine level exceeded the limits, environmental destruction and biodiversity loss climbed rapidly on irreversible dimensions. It still can be slow down but demands urgent actions. Privileged clusters are not acceptable.
Therefore, Extinction Rebellion ( XR ), Britain’s recent minted movement, kicked off by “concerned citizens” on 31 October 2018 in the United Kingdom where the industrial revolution first began.
XR, a fight for life love movement, made its statements through a strong Declaration of Rebellion manifest against legislators lack of adequate action on climate change. Making a call as ‘ Hope dies Action begins’ a series of non-violent civil disobedient campaigns are designed throughout the country. Via respectful disruptions, the activists aim to push the UK government to declare a state of emergency to tackle climate breakdown and the growing extinction crisis means.
“ Climate change, we’re fucked ”
In a short period, the movement managed to create an audacious wind and accelerated in non-Uk countries.
Yellow Vests flame now has Extinction Rebellion wind. That is a powerful wave and spreading in unexpected places. That is collective experience and ready to take over its self-history.
Because destiny amazed by the endeavour, and endeavour manifests solidarity.
Each of us is responsible for everything and to every human being.
“ Since scientific and the industrial revolution, technology and economics have mutually reinforced the assumption that nature’s limits must be overridden to create abundance and freedom. […] Nature has become a resource to be patented and owned for corporate profit. ” — Vandana Shiva & Maria Mies. Ecofeminism
In fact, the steps to regenerate and improve the resources thus providing continuity are painless and simple. We don’t consume the whole resources until the end, we set up a conscious receiving and giving balance. We expand our sensors to the broader circles than ourselves. We see that we are not alone on the planet. We aware of we are all connected on such a complex system we live on. We know that everything we do has a ripple effect, every word we speak, every action we take affects other people and the planet. The steps are simple, yet to implement is more difficult now. But it’s not impossible.
We failed. We couldn’t cope with knowledge. We are witnessing a terrifying unity of intellect and violence. Information paired with domination. We live in a constant dualism. Everyone challenges each other. Anxiety, fear, despair wrapped each square. Wealth disparity gap has gone wider. Border disagreements became even more rigid. New walls constructed. Alienation surrounded at every moment of ours. All hearts are broken and the spirits are wounded.
That much disobedience that much fierce are not enough! If there is no hope, there is action! And the glory of the act limitless with an immensity of imagination.
The show has begun! Five years ago, the dandelion seeds, has blown away with love from the park placed at the heart of Istanbul in the spring of a May and dispersed to the continents.
Since then, the Sultans of Swings that have no need authority permission or assurance to maintain its existence in its finiteness, are escalating with furry desire, exceeding the regions, and contagiously turning the earth into a bonfire with its surprising sparkles.
‘‘[…] anyone who has known real loves, real revolts, real desires, and real will knows quite well that does not need any outside guarantee to be sure of his goals; their certitude comes from his drive.” — Simone de Beauvoir
Let’s break down the age of Anthropocene that we are starring by! Let’s break it down with a great dare that proper to our generation! Chain with all mortals who has known real loves, real revolts, of the Earth’s colours and tune and blow up with a rocking dance!
