C10: Rebellion

Issue Navigation:

- It is difficult to try
and put this programme
of rebellion over in any
single session. The following guide therefore is
divided into two basic sections; the theory of
rebellion and practical examples.

- (Note: We are aware that some of you have very short assemblies and can't possibly consider trying the complete programme below. One solution is to select just one or two of the programming activities that you consider possible from the list - many of them do stand on their own. Alternatively you could try and continue this topic over a few weeks. How about running a three week unit; the first week look at dreaming, the second look at surveying and then finally consider action? Go on, be rebellious!)

The Theory

- You could ask your audience to dream up their most wild plan of revolution. It could be within the school or within the world. How much havoc could they do? When they have been as creative as possible (make sure it does not get personal), describe the revolution of Martin Luther King (read the speech on the back page). Ask them what makes the two types of revolution different; comparing the dangers of being a rebel without a cause to being a rebel with a cause.

- Ask them to give other examples of rebels with causes. Encourage them to bring examples from within their own range of experiences: it could be family members who have protested or a friend who stood up to bullies. This is a good way of introducing the idea of a rebel as a protester, someone who likes to say No!

- In our discussion, we noted three other responses to problems in the world, rather than true rebellion: there was the idealistic dreamer who accomplishes little (Lisa Simpson), the cynic who mocks those that try and accomplish things (Bart) and the apathetic response of one who just can't be bothered to do anything (Homer).Watching an episode of the Simpsons is a good way of bringing out these three responses. The best response combines bits of all three: the dreams of Lisa, with the practical side of Bart and Homer - in fact closest to Marge Simpson, our true rebellious heroine!! ( A good episode that brings this out is the Halloween one). If you have no access to a TV / video, there are Simpson's web sites too. You could get hold of the dialogue and act it out, if you're really feeling energetic.

- How often do you hear adults complaining about: "the youth of today". Apparently we are much lazier, rude and selfish than people in the past. Do you really think this is true? One of the claims made (see back age) is that today's youth are members of Generation X. :people without dreams or plans, who just can't be bothered to do anything but play on the computer and watch TV. If this is true, this would mean that the spirit of rebellion in the sense we have discussed will not be too popular with your audience. It may be interesting to put today's youth on trial ("This house believes that today's kids are nothing but a bunch of lazy bums with no interests beyond their own lazy interests" Now, that should get people going!). Do you think that we really are members of Generation X. Has new technology made rebellion easier or stopped us from thinking? You decide...

The Practice

In order to turn your audience into active rebels, why not take them through our three stages of true rebellion: dreaming, surveying and action

- First, dreaming: Begin by getting them to consider a dream or utopian society. For a mature audience, you could divide them into groups, ask them to imagine they were shipwrecked on a desert island and had been asked to form a government. Get the groups to devise a constitution or set of rules that are to be in play in the society that would ensure that everyone had fair treatment and that no one was open to abuse. Get each group to present their list and compare the virtues of each others.

This could be followed by comparing the three visions of utopia presented here: John Lennon's, Martin Luther King and the prophet Isaiah's. (You could just read them out, or for some of them get hold of the recording and get people to sing along). Which of them is closest to their own vision of a perfect society? Which is least likely to be achieved and why?

Moving on to surveying: Divide the audience into pairs and ask one person from each pair to write out a list of five things that they saw in the society around them that needs changing because it is not fair. Once they have done this, they should pass the list on to their partner who has to put them in order of priority: which of the list is most important and which the least. Then, as a pair, ask them to pick one thing from the last and describe an action plan that they could do that would contribute to solving this problem.

If they are finding this difficult, you could do one of two things. Either prepare a list of five things yourself and ask them to put it in order. Or alternatively you could limit the discussion to five unfair things that are taking place within school, followed by a discussion of how you could change them. You could then move on to wider problems in society.

- And then action: There are a variety of was you could go about getting them involved as active rebels. How about inviting in a speaker who has been involved in helping others or fighting for some cause. It may be a friend of your family who is active in a charity or who has spent some time promoting a cause. You could give examples of charities and societies out there who are involved in trying to change things. (Most large organisations have information packs, so if you phone up and ask for information about what they do, they should be able to send you suitable information.

- Finally, become rebels in practice. As a group, pick one real problem that you think would be important to deal with. Decide on a particular course of action that you as a group will do to contribute to solving the problem. Be very practical here: What is it that you would like to do and how will you be responsive for achieving this? Allocate jobs and responsibilities and get the revolution in swing. (Contact the JAMS office if you need help. We have loads of ideas bout projects that require activists and assistance). Long live the revolution!

Next Page