ARE ACTIVISTS WHO INCONVENIENCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC JUSTIFIED?

There are two main reasons why I think that activists who inconvenience people in pursuit of their goals are justified. The first reason is that it's a necessary tactic for achieving your goals, and if you can't use it then there's no point doing anything at all. The second reason is that we're not going to get anywhere by being nice. If we want change, then we have to be willing to make people uncomfortable.

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I'm not saying that inconveniencing people is always justified, or even that it's morally right. But I am saying that when you need to do something, then you should do it. You shouldn't be afraid of making people angry. It's better to upset a few people than let thousands suffer. We live in a society where most people don't care about other people. They'll happily drive past an accident on the motorway without stopping, they'll ignore homeless people sleeping rough in doorways, and they'll walk past beggars asking for money without giving them any. And this attitude is normal – most people just accept it as a fact of life. Most people would say that they'd never intentionally hurt someone else, but they wouldn't think twice about ignoring someone who was dying in front of them.

If we really believe that our actions are motivated by compassion, then we should act like it. We should be prepared to sacrifice ourselves for others. This doesn't mean that we should harm anyone, but sometimes it means that we should inconvenience people. That's what activists are for – to make people uncomfortable so that they can stop and help.

The best way to get people to help us is to show them how much we value them. In the same way that a parent will go out of their way to protect their child from danger, we should take every opportunity to protect those around us. There are many ways to do this, but one of the easiest is to inconvenience them.

If we're not willing to inconvenience people, then they won't listen to us. We can shout until we're blue in the face, but if we don't show them that we care, they'll just ignore us. It's like a child who wants something badly enough; they'll scream and cry until you give it to them. So if you want people to listen to you, then you have to make them feel important. You have to demonstrate that you care about them. This is the only way to get through to them.

And this is why I think that activists who inconvenience people are justified. Because they're demonstrating their love for others. They're showing that they care about other people. And this makes people listen. When you demonstrate that you care about someone, they're more likely to listen to you. They'll understand that you're trying to help them. And this is how we create change.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the most effective way to change the world is to make people uncomfortable. People will do anything to avoid feeling pain. But when you make them feel pain, they'll listen to you. They'll see that you're serious. And if they don't listen, then you'll know that you've done everything you could.

So yes, I think that activists who inconvenience people are justified. And I hope that this helps to explain why.