Spread the love

Two guys in Sydney Australia stand by the Queen Victoria statue in a very busy part of the city and at very busy times of the day. They have a speaker and an iPod, they play very loud, a little distorted, catchy, pumping house music - and dance like they are the happiest people on earth.

It looks to most like idiocy, but it puts smiles on the faces of many people who are trudging from work, coffee in hand and frown on face. Frown swapped for a smile by the craziness of two guys and their dancing.

I chatted to them and they have been doing it for 3 years, make next to 0 from their collection hat, have occasional though rare hassle from the wardens but they just do it. They do it to spread happiness.

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Yesterday their spot was taken by a lady selling raffle tickets. She stood along side an open topped sports car, a professional looking stand and various signs saying the prizes; The car itself, a $4,000 shopping spree, $10,000 cash, $2,000 cash, and so on. The goal was to give money to kids with cancer. Do you know where I'm going here? I'm on shaky ground. The tickets were sold to people's fear and greed. A large chunk of the donation to cancer would be used up by the prizes themselves.

By contrast to this there is one old lady who collects for kids everyday, and she is active in helping them on a one to one basis. Her collection jar is small and never half full of change. Had she a sports car on offer maybe then the kids she collected for would matter more to those donators but as it is the kids she collects for are not as special as the ones who have a car on offer.

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In the UK we have Charlie and Danny who hug the police and spread messages such as their chief slogan "Everything is ok" and they vocalize issues on megaphones to the passing public on the streets of London. "You don't need to buy happiness, you are a special person already, you are infinite love, please do not feel the need to buy from these greedy, fear selling, corporations" - or in a more satirical way - "This is a message from your government, please do not forget to take your flu vaccination, it is important that you do what you're told and do not think for yourselves, go ahead, take the vaccine and be on your way".

Now that is real activism, I suggested to the guys in Sydney about the Everything is OK sign but they seemed to not get the point. The message is strong though, a positive protest;

Police: "What are you protesting about?"
Danny: "We're not, we're just saying everything is ok - do you want a hug?"

I'm making a sign and I'm going dancing.