r/SipsTea • • 6h ago

Chugging tea Peaceful protests in France today

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u/Independent-Pack-922 5h ago

For the past week, it was. But for the 17th of October, they called for many other groups to join, from different jobs and political backgrounds. It's a general thing here, they're tired of this dystopian future, there isn't much of revendications here.

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u/Early_Money2576 1h ago

I don’t understand why they want to call other groups to join, those groups would want different things, it would be really hard to reach any kind of solution.

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u/Independent-Pack-922 1h ago

I think it kinda makes sense, they're all protesting under a banner of "injustice". And I think solidarity is very important if you're gonna protest against your government.

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u/oppai-police 2h ago

They're tired of a dystopian future but they also reject every solution put forth so far. They want to go up but every attempt to change course is key with resistance. They want different results for doing the same thing, definition of insanity.

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u/PersonalEconomics44 2h ago

Cite me one solution proposed by the french government that made anything better for the people.

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u/Reds_Strongest_Chef 2h ago

Cut welfare and reduce taxes for billionaires.

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u/PersonalEconomics44 2h ago

I didn’t get the gif charging at first, I was so ready to reply genuinely lol.
Yeah, peak measure from them, they should continue that way 🙂‍↕️

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u/c0w_kie 1h ago

3000 teachers out of Geffray's pocket

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u/LooneyBurger 1h ago

What solutions??

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u/yellowtube694 43m ago

Maybe what they actually need is a more democratic and decentralized system

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u/c0w_kie 1h ago

The only solution the police proposed to us was grenades. Grenades. Against high schoolers.

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u/kincurt 2h ago edited 1h ago

The thing is it's been ten year that the same persons are in charge. Although some of the manifestations obtained pushback, most of the current "state of affairs" is the results of decisions they took. Given the fact that the situation has been worse and worse, whatever they are trying to do is not working.

Of course the currents geopolical situations (iran war, ukraine war) add instabilities which has been a huge factor. Nonetheless, in situations like this, what we need is a state (as the adiministration) that invests in its operationnal infrastructure to better work and perform its job efficiently. And I think it is quite hypocitrical to act surprised when the choice that has been made was precisely to let the machine break instead of assuring the maintenance. Like all machines it would have been cheaper to invest in maintenance than to now pay the repairs (like adequate equipement, more efficient softwares instead of a mix mach of digital and paper procedures, better formations, better way to communicate field issues so that they are taken care of) . It don't mean a doge like approach, doge only cares about cutting costs in order to yield short term results and long term drawbacks, worsening the state.

It sounds funny "invest" when you are in already debt . The increase in debt has been somewhere around 1 trillion euros over ten years right ? I bet that if we had invested 100 billions (over ten years) into making the state better, the debt would not be higher today, and if lucky could be even a bit lower. I am not pretending it solves the issue at end (the debt), but tackling it when the state is in better shape is an easier task.

We are stalling because we stopped investing in our futur, and it has to change.

edit: spelling

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u/osxotiti 37m ago

Every solution ? Toi on te tend un éventail tu secoues la tête

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u/wraper 1h ago

They just want to destroy and loot. This has nothing to do with education.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Is this dystopian future in the room with us?

France is literally one of the best places to live on Earth, in literally the best time in human history...

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u/HornySocrates 3h ago

Yeah and the reason that's the case is because the French people demand it from their leadership, and when they don't get it, they do this.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

I'm pretty sure I don't see such destruction in other Western European countries and they're still doing fine, some even slightly better. So it's probably not due to this nonsense.

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u/goldschakal 3h ago

No one is doing fine. Our wages are stagnant, the cost of everything is rising, we can barely afford a tank of gas, the oligarchs drink champagne while we starve, their police dogs maim our kids for daring to protest rats in their classrooms, our healthcare system is being sold for parts, fascism is on the rise, a law prohibiting carcinogenic fertilizers was repealed, and if we don't implement radical change the human race will be extinct in a century.

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u/Nenconnoisseur 3h ago

Don't bother, he has Sarkozy in his username.

Probably another rightoid fan of Pétain who thinks he's so much more intelligent than others because he never protest.

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u/goldschakal 3h ago

Yeah I saw that afterwards. Dude is a fanboy of our conman of a former president found guilty of treason. He's a lost cause.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Guys... the world doesn't revolve around you. This name exists outside of France as well lol

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Dude, I think you're a bit too much online. Read a bit of history to understand how much progress was necessary to get to the current level of development and try to evaluate how it'd be living at any other time in history. Then try to look up some global stats, e.g. at the UN, the World Bank, or the IMF, so that you can see the huge progess even in the last 100 years.

Yes, in the past few years there is some economic stagnation, especially in Europe, but it's far from being as dramatic as you describe it (especially bc if you were really starving then you'd have already sold your phone to get food, but nevermind). I understand that short term problems can also feel frustrating, but this alarmism is more destructive than helpful.

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u/goldschakal 3h ago

Trying to lecture me about history with Sarkozy in your username is hilarious. I know history better than you. Go play with your crayons and leave the adults alone.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Sure mate, it's so educated to think this kind of name only exists in France. Turning to insults and playing the ad hominem card is what real adults do, I see.

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u/Independent-Pack-922 3h ago

Idk if you're French and having some misplaced patriotism, but personally I am French and I really don't feel like it's one of the best place. A few years ago I thought really high of it, nowadays not so much. It's also due to problems beyond France, but I'd say the future is very bleak.

And while it may be still a pretty good country to live in, I don't think it's a reason to stop at that.

This young generation knows that if they do nothing, they'll have their retirement around 85 years old, and suffer summers with 50°C.

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u/Jazzlike-Dish5690 3h ago

the country is bankrupt basically. What is your solution to this?

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Not sure where you get this information from. E.g. France's debt to GDP is nowhere near the highest and debt to GDP alone cannot tell you whether a country is soon going bankrupt or not, but I'm sure you're an expert on the topic since violent rioting is usually the kind of remedy that national banks recommend in times of financial crises. Could you explain to me how destroying your own cities lifts the burden of international indebtedness off a country?

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u/Jazzlike-Dish5690 3h ago

France is currently in a serious debt crisis. This information is well reported and common knowledge. Destroying property and assets only increases this. That is how maths work.

ps_ i never proclaimed to be an expert in anything but it seems you are? 😂

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Could you answer the question at the end of my comment?

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u/Independent-Pack-922 3h ago

I don't think there's much of a solution, but personally I'd start with taxing multi billionaires rather than letting them do tax fraud because they supposedly "make the economy" and "create jobs", which are false ideas, they'll spend their fortune to make sure not a dime falls back on the average worker and they do about everything to replace us with AI.

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u/Jazzlike-Dish5690 3h ago

yes I agree. I keep reading each parties 'solution' or even just their ideas on how to react to this, and they're all pretty bad.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

76% of income tax in France is already paid by the wealthiest 10%. Western tax systems are already extremely progressive.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

This has nothing to with being French or not, the same thing could be said about almost any Western European country as they're roughly the same in terms of relative welfare.

People would benefit a lot from (1) learning about history and (2) learning about the overall state of the world and what was and is "normal"/average for living conditions.

I'm not saying they should stop there, but fighting and destroying your infrastructure when not having enough welfare was your problem in the first place is completely idiotic and a waste of resources. There are better ways to make developments...

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u/Independent-Pack-922 3h ago

I agree that it's seemingly stupid but honestly, in France, it's kinda the only way to get heard. I'm kinda indifferent towards it. It's mostly done by uneducated young people but again the government has discarded and ignored them for so long, it's not surprising they're uneducated and angry

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Sure, I think that's a fair assessment. Also, I agree that the citizens rioting are not the only ones at fault because the government is supposed to take care of everyone. I'm just saying it's overall a stupid situation that could be handled better from both sides.

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u/ChipsnNutella 3h ago

It's funny having lived in France and having 99% of people inside and outside ignore that Bainlieues exist when they're easily 1/3 of the country and have absolutely atrocious conditions, and consequentially all of these protests are starting from them (for obvious reasons)

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Those conditions are still better than the conditions of hundreds of millions of people in the world.

Also, makes total sense to force your government to spend money on repair and reconstruction when not having enough welfare was the problem in the first place. Not a waste of resources at all.

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u/EleKtro_8510 3h ago

So we're back with the "there's worst somewhere" argument ?

Also, the government is using a LOT of money to crack down manifestants. All of a sudden, money is not a problem anymore.

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u/bsarkozy10 2h ago

Unfortunately, I had to make too many replies too soon and it's not nuanced enough. In another reply I wrote that of course, the current relatively high level of welfare (in worldwide comparison) doesn't mean that French people shouldn't strive for more. My point is that if that's the goal than this rioting is not helpful because it's a waste of resources. Similarly, for the government it's also a waste of resources to spend a lot on antiprotest efforts instead of actually fixing the problems people complain about. I also wrote this elsewhere that I think both sides are at fault in this situation, but in my opinion a peaceful solution where stuff doesn't get destroyed and people don't get injured (or worse) is desirable over the current "solution".

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u/PearlsAndPoison 3h ago

As a French person, you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Do some deep research before giving your opinion on such serious matter or sybau.

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Thanks for providing detailed criticism on what exactly you disagree with and why.

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u/PearlsAndPoison 3h ago

You’re extremely dismissive right off the bat and expect for me to do your job to educate yourself ? Insane

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u/bsarkozy10 3h ago

Yk, it's just a bit difficult to debate agruments that are missing. I wasn't asking for you to educate me, I was asking for your opinion so that we can discuss the differences.

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u/Azu_azu_ 2h ago

It sure was, and still is, but things are getting worse by the year. Every public service is getting worse, medical access is getting worse, less jobs, higher price for everything, people are told they're gonna have to famine a bit to pay the debt created over the 25 last years (which is true to some extent), while richer french families are getting exponentially richer.

not to mention every other dystopian shits that affect every other countries like wars, climate, ia and so on

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u/bsarkozy10 2h ago

I'm not questioning the perception of things as such, but I do hold that this is a misconception of the current state of the world. The reason why we often see it the way you describe is more psychological than based on real data. If you have time and curiousity, I recommend reading Factfulness by Hans Rosling (found this PDF quickly), which gives a good hint on why we perceive phenomena the way we do.

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u/Playmad37 2h ago

They have fucking rats in their classrooms

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u/bsarkozy10 2h ago

Sure mate, that probably sucks, but this doesn't negate either of the points, since this is still better than the a huge number of current regions' conditions and better than any other historical condition. Classrooms as a generally available public service itself is a super new thing relative to human history.

As I wrote in my other comments, of course this doesn't mean that better outcomes shouldn't be strived for. But in my opinion once the situation is put into context, a more peaceful and cooperative solution should be taken. I also wrote this and agree that the government is also at fault, since they need to fix the problem of people, not spend money on antiprotest efforts.

Rats in a classroom isn't dystopia yet.

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u/Playmad37 1h ago

Because people have it worse than you is not an argument to accept your own situation. That's a stupid ass argument. "Oh your manager is toxic ? You know in Bangladesh they earn 1 dollar and day and breath toxic fumes sooo can you really complaint?" YES AND YOU SHOULD! Fostering apathy has been the strategy of dominant capitalist classes for 200 years and they are right to shit themselves when the people gets sick of not being heard.

And also: yes France is absolutely turning into a dystopia on many accounts: far right billionaires own virtually all private media, the police uses illegal tactics without consequences, ai algorithmic mass surveillance.

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u/bsarkozy10 59m ago

Maybe learn to read first and then try to debate...

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u/GeneralMuffins 4h ago

Tbf the French do this every year, they dont need much of an excuse to fulfil their innate need for destructive protest.