Tag Archives: london

Victims of Austerity: The People’s Assembly Against Austerity

For those of you following, you will know that I am selecting 20 charities or organisations to donate money to over the coming months. These organisations will be chosen primarily because they have had their funding cut by austerity-driven economic ideology, but occasionally might also be related to those who are helping raise awareness of this unfair and misguided view of economic policy.

The People's Assembly Against AusterityFor today’s post, and given the massive rally about to take place in London – moving from the Bank of England through to Westminster (I wonder if Parliament Square will be fenced up already?) – I will be donating to the National Demo Appeal for The People’s Assembly Against Austerity who have been organising this large protest.

Citizen engagement in debate, protest and action for positive change is vital to secure the future of a health and flourishing democratic society. We all have a tendency to vehemently disagree with one another, usually based upon little more than short soundbites from agenda-driven outlets from both the Left and Right, but it’s important that we see active displays of opposition to unpopular policies that have direct negative impact on the lives of millions who are already suffering for a variety of reasons.

That’s why I am today donating £25 to The People’s Assembly Against Austerity, to say thank you for organising this protest in an inclusive and productive manner. They are just over £7,500 pounds away from their target of £60k – so help them cross over the line today and raise awareness that there are viable alternatives to the economic narratives presented as the only option!

Best of luck to all those who can make it down to the protests today, and may it all coalesce in peace and harmony to form stronger bonds amongst those who choose to dream of a better world for all.

London Bloggers Meetup report

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Well, we’ve just returned from our first foray into the world of real-life blogger meetups and I have to say that our response was a positive one.  It was great to meet people with similar interests, some of them relatively new to the game just like us (shout out to Diana and Emma!) and others who had been around for years (amongst them a few jaded types).  The overall impression was that blogging is a medium of expression that is here to stay and can make a difference, despite a few feeling a bit negative as to the true impact that can be made.

The meetup took place in a bar near Farringdon station, and with approximately 115 people attending it was certainly cosy but with enough space for everybody to do their thing.  It was interesting to meet the wide range of people in attendance, many of which were making a living from the internet in one way or another.  There were bloggers, social media consultants, website designers, affiliate marketers – basically every sub-section of the blogging world was represented in some way.  The night was topped off by the great sponsorship that the organisers had managed to get on board, with quite a few free drinks and even a netbook up for grabs (which we, unfortunately, did not take home!).

The response to Future Conscience (both Liz and I attended the meetup) was generally a positive one, if slightly confused as to what to make of us and our goals.  One thing that is certain is that we really do need to create some business cards for the blog, as we came ashamedly unprepared in that department!  Regardless, it was just nice to meet with those who are interested in the same things.  Blogging, as exhibitionist a past-time as it is, can sometimes feel a bit isolating and it was nice to bounce off of other people’s enthusiasm.

There were a few that we met tonight who had a more cynical outlook towards the mission of Future Conscience.  You want to inject morality and ethics into the blogosphere?!  They mocked.  You think that you can really make a difference?!  The sarcasm came across strongly, although always with a good natured tone to it.

The answer was always the same.  Yes, we think we can make a difference.  No, we aren’t going to give up within three months.  Yes, the rapid progression of communication technologies and the ability for people to form groups of like-minded purpose will change the world as we know it.

As much as there was cynicism, there was also a great deal of hope lying underneath the surface.  The fact is that this meetup of individuals of vastly disparate backgrounds and ideologies would not have happened without the revolution of communication technology that the internet has brought with it.

For everyone who jested against our idealistic views, there were others who were interested in our message – our mission.  The communication revolution that has already taken place has allowed for like-minded individuals to band together – and together we can make a difference.

All it takes are those with the perseverance and, quite frankly, the downright stubbornness to continue against all odds.  Rest assured that we here at Future Conscience fit that bill – we’re not here just to make a quick buck from the new internet boom.  We’re not here to persuade and dictate an ideology.  We’re here to harness the capabilities of this new communication revolution and foster discussion and debate about the direction that the human race is heading.

We’re here to make a difference, and you’re more than welcome to join us.

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