Classic Activism (Direct Action)

Classic Activism is the use of the same four steps of The Basic Process of Classic Activism to solve all types of activist problems. It is the method used by over 95% of all environmentalists and environmental organizations today, including those in grassroots organizations, academia, business, and government.

While Classic Activism works fine on easy problems, it fails on more difficult problems like climate change because the problem solving process does not fit the problem. This is the strategic reason why the environmental movement has failed to make any significant problems in solving the global environmental sustainability problem in the last 30 years.

The four steps of Classic Activism are:

1. Identify the problem to be solved.

2. Find the proper practices, if they are not yet known

3. Tell the people the truth about the problem and the proper practices.

4. If that fails, exhort and inspire the people to support the proper practices.

Examples of the proper practices needed to solve the sustainability problem are use of renewable energy, the three R's of reduce, reuse, and recycle, and closed loop manufacturing, which emits no net wastes and consumes no net non-renewable resources.

Classic Activism is an example of the Intuitive Process Trap. For more please see What is Classic Activism?

  

The Dueling Loops

The most popular page on the site by a factor of 3. This paper presents a simple model showing why activists have been unable to solve the sustainability problem, and an alternative solution strategy based on high leverage points.

The Phenomenon of Change Resistance

This is the key concept that starts people thwinking, and causes them to explore the rest of the site. The concept is subtle, but has the potential to change the sustainability problem from insolvable to solvable.

The Powell Memo

The most eye popping short read (7 pages) on the site, if you have never heard about it. The memo was written in 1971.

The Dueling Loops Videos

These average 8 minutes. They give a quick introduction to the Dueling Loops model and how it explains the tremendous change resistance to solving the sustainability problem.
 

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