Ivy, from Worthing, West Sussex, England poses the first listener question in todays episode for your co-hosts do discuss: Link to the question

William and Stuart – the dynamic duo of deep thoughts and questionable life choices, offer their musings.

William starts with the stigma of being arrested. It can be like a membership card/medal/trophy for some. Picture this though: William’s at a climate protest, wearing his “Save the Planet” T-shirt, and suddenly the cuffs come out. He’s torn between two worlds: eco-warrior or accidental trespasser. It’s like he’s playing climate change Twister – left foot on “awareness,” right hand on “impending arrest.”

William thinks getting arrested might backfire on your message. Imagine you’re mid-protest, and the police swoop in. Suddenly, your chant changes from “Hey, hey, ho, ho, fossil fuels have got to go!” to “Hey, hey, ho, ho, my bail’s set too low!” Not exactly the eco-friendly revolution you had in mind.

Stuart – the guy who’s like a human Sudoku puzzle: complex, but ultimately pointless. He flips the script and asks, “Is it ever wrong to be arrested?” Deep, right? He’s got a point, though.

But being arrested – is it the new status symbol for some though, something to brag about. Move over, Gucci handbags; it’s all about “Cellblock Chic.” Imagine the Instagram captions: “Just got arrested for climate change. #EcoGlam #Cellfie.”

Then Stuart drops the mic: Getting arrested – is it like a window into some people’s possible intellect, meaning their message could be overruled more easily by the ultimate decision makers?

Next time you’re at a protest, remember: “To be or not to be arrested?” That is the question. And if you choose “to be,” make sure your mugshot shows off your good side. After all, even in the clink, it’s all about those eco-friendly angles!

Mary, from Gorse Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire, England poses the second listener question today: Link to the question

Stuart and William discuss the “us and them” attitude, inspired by another listener named Elaine from Telford who asked a question in a previous episode. Stuart emphasises that despite feeling insignificant, we must take action against the climate crisis. He advocates for varying language and attitudes to keep messages fresh.

Common ground is crucial, even when sharing personal experiences. Stuart highlights the power of silence in getting a message across. He warns that perceived bullying and an unwillingness to drift too far from entrenched views, may actually be our own behaviour too.

William, while still flying, focuses on mindful consumption at home. He emphasises adapting communication to cultural context and suggests seeking common ground by sharing barriers.

In summary, both hosts encourage meaningful dialogue and self-awareness to bridge divides and avoid preachiness.

What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com

We like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we’re not after numbers.

This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends ⁠https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view⁠ , support our work through Patreon ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: ⁠https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message