The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating.

[fan_elune]

I don't know how much of the current atmosphere in France has made it to international news bulletin, so: strikes are popping up all over the place. Public transports, students, now the electricity company as well. Student meetings have voted for strikes all over the country and are blocking the premises so classes can't be held, public transports

Comments

[svilleficrecs]

Yeah, I think the fact that Britney ran a red light with kids in the back seat this weekend is going to get more coverage here, sadly.

[fan_elune]

She did?

I mean.

Now all I can think of is the V/Britney sketch Robot Chicken did last week. Anyway.

It's huge, though. What's happening here, I mean. 'Cause everybody's getting together to protest the government's decisions. I mean, we're going to have power shortage. I know we strike a lot, but that doesn't happen all that often, thank you. I love that we'll fight like this. I wish it had more of an effect, though.

[greenie_breizh]

It's somewhat reassuring to hear the country still tries to kick back. I was getting some sense of it via podcasts, but I didn't realize it was getting this big. I wonder if Paris 3 is blocked now too? Last I heard it was only a handful of universities across the country, though I shouldn't be surprised that Nanterre is one of them.

As for not being able to get involved, life happens. Already if you support the strikers and those who can get involved, it's big. It's unity that matters more than anything else.

*hugs* Good luck with Thursday.

[fan_elune]

I know! The news of the electricity bit really shook me! Can you imagine? This is rather awe-inspiring. I think Censier was blocked even before Nanterre, actually. We got on the bandwagon a little late.

Speaking of supporting, I might just steal your icon.

*hugs* Thank you.

[greenie_breizh]

Yeah, I don't remember electricity ever being cut off because of a strike? I wonder how that works with the whole "service minimum" law. I just hope that most of France will be behind the strikers - it's so easy to get people pissed off when you take essential services away from them.

And I guess they're blocking Censier but not the rest of Paris 3 yet... it's kinda difficult anyway, with so many departments being scattered around the city.

And please! I love that WGA icon, I think it's simple, effective, and still pretty. Yay!

[fan_elune]

I'm not sure if there definitely will be power shortages, but it's a possibility for certain. We'll see. And yeah, I know. What I'm not going to take is students complaining about the blocks but not going to the AG to vote. GO VOTE, ffs.

Yeaaaah, I still have no clue how your university works exactly, so. :p

Thanks!

[shadesofbrixton]

I haven't exactly been staying on top of the world news lately - or any news at all - but god damn, I had no idea. I still remember you telling me the first time, a few years ago, about how frequent the University strikes were, and how almost no year went by without one, and it still boggles my mind.

Maybe it's that mindset you speak about regarding pleasure versus necessity. I always had the panicky, desperate feeling that all of my classes were absolutely vital (with one or two exceptions, theater requirement, wtf I hate you) and the notion of not learning the stuff that I was learning there, just getting to blow off the classes and get a pass regardless of whether or not we met...agjsadgkljasdgl. I still don't feel prepared enough for a graduate program, even with everything that I did learn. I think I'd want a few MORE classes, not less.

I hope everything works out, though. What is it that the Uni is striking for? That's one of the big things that I'm never quite clear on.

[fan_elune]

*CLINGSTOWEISS*

They've passed a law this summer (while nobody was there to strike) that's called the law of university autonomy. Pretty much universities are going to get financed by private companies, which means that all the scientific courses will get kickass budgets and philosophy and literature courses and the like will die a slow and painful death. It also means university fees will go up liek whoa. Pretty much it's bad bad bad all around. It's completely insane, and they're screwing us all over. Sarkozy is the president of we-don't-need-culture. We just need capitalism. Me hates him.

[fan_elune]

Also understandable - Beaujolais Nouveau occurs every year, whereas strikes always renew themselves. I thought your PM wasn't going to stop licking American boots? See, I've not been following your politics at all either.

Well, so far it's a battle we've kept winning, in a way, simply by always coming back for another strike. Even when we didn't get what we wanted. Students very rarely do. We got some concessions made two years ago, which was already incredible. I don't think we'll manage this time, not with Sarkozy only just in power, who needs to show his strength and blah blah blah.

[kakebuke]

Ca craint. :|

♥

[fan_elune]

Tu m'étonnes. Bah, on verra bien.