Dissent 63221 223126118 2008-07-02T18:09:37Z Iridescent 937705 Cleanup/[[WP:AWB/T|typo fixing]] using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{dablink|For the political magazine, see [[Dissent (magazine)]]. For the G8 protest group, see [[Dissent! (network)]]. For a judicial opinion which is contrary to a majority decision, see [[Dissenting opinion]].}} [[Image:Dissent develops democracy sticker.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sticker art]] arguing that dissent is necessary for [[democracy]].]] '''Dissent''' is a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or [[opposition]] to an [[idea]] (eg. a [[government]]'s [[policies]]) or an [[entity]] (eg. an [[individual]] or [[political party]] which supports such policies). The term's [[antonyms]] include ''[[Wiktionary:agreement|agreement]]'', ''[[consensus]]'' (when all or nearly all parties agree on something) and ''[[consent]]'' (when one party agrees to a proposition made by another). Dissent may be expressed in many ways. In some [[political systems]], dissent may be formally expressed by way of [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition politics]], while [[political repression|politically repressive]] regimes may prohibit any form of dissent, leading to [[suppression of dissent]] and the encouragement of social or political [[activism]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Individuals who do not conform or support the policies of certain states may be described as "[[dissident]]s," or in extreme cases, "[[enemies of the state]]".{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Several thinkers have argued that a healthy society needs not only to protect, but also to encourage dissent.<ref>Bailey, Gordon ''Ideology: Structuring Identities in Contemporary Life'', p.124 </ref><ref>[[Jonathan Kozol|Kozol, J.]] (1981) Foreword. In Mackie, R. (Ed.), ''Literacy and revolution: The pedagogy of Paulo Freire''. p.XV </ref> In a well known letter to [[Arnold Ruge]], [[Karl Marx]] wrote: "if constructing the future and settling everything for all times are not our affair, it is all the more clear what we have to accomplish at present: I am referring to ruthless criticism of all that exists, ruthless both in the sense of not being afraid of the results it arrives at and in the sense of being just as little afraid of conflict with the powers that be."<ref>Marx to Ruge. Kreuznach, September 1843. Letter from the ''[[Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher]]''. [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1843/letters/43_09.htm]. as cited in [[Wilhelm Reich]] (1936) prefaction to ''[[Die Sexualität im Kulturkampf]]''</ref> ==Quoting Traktung Rinpoche== {{cquote|Yes, it seems that to be "nice" one must cease and desist from all critical dissent and debate. To be nice, one must say things obliquely rather than directly, or better yet, say nothing at all. One should try to focus on points of agreement and smooth over differences in a fog of blandness. This emphasis on being nice is a form of oppression. Feminists pointed this out in the 70's and encouraged us not to teach our daughters to be "nice" because it was disempowering to them. Now we just want our Buddhists to be nice. This niceness which is being referred to is what Trungpa Rinpoche called "idiot compassion." It seems that it is fine for the Western Buddhist Movement to castrate the power of the Buddhadharma, but if anyone says "Hey, wait a minute, you are distorting the teachings of liberation," then they are branded with the scarlet letter - "not nice."|}} ==See also== *[[Civil disobedience]] *[[Contrarian]] *[[Dissenter]] (religion) *[[Dissident]] *[[Political faction|Faction]] *[[Organizational Dissent]] *[[Political dissent]] *[[Satire]] *[[Spin-off]] *[[Whistleblower]] {{Wiktionary}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.globalserve.net/~sarlo/Ynonice.htm Traktung Rinpoche on Dissent in Buddhism, a Revolt against Niceness] *[http://www.damtsig.org/articles/niceness.html Buddha and Marcuse, An interview with Traktung Rinpoche,on the betrayal of radical critique by the Western Buddhist Movement.] *[http://www.buddhistisches-haus.de/index.php?lang=en The Kālāma Sutta (Anguttara-Nikāya III, 65)] short version, at the bottom of Website *[http://www.buddhistisches-haus.de/index.php?lang=de German translation from that Website] *[http://www.buddhistisches-haus.de/dhamma_viewer.php?lang=en&file=kalama-en.htm The Kâlâma-Sutta (Anguttara Nikâya III. 65)] long version [[it:Dissenso]] [[ru:Инакомыслие]] [[sl:Verbalni delikt]]