I just thought of an interesting sociology experiment.
What would happen if you passed a petition around Madeira that took an emotional stance against something? Then wait a week before accosting shoppers again with a similar petition only this time it will support the opposite perspective. Of course, both petitions would be cleverly worded so you’d be a heartless nincompoop not to sign.
"Should the beautiful mural at the Pender Harbour Aquatic Centre be destroyed?"
Or,
"Should aquatic society directors risk $1.25 million of your tax dollars by compromising pool renovations to preserve a mural?"
Or I could just create a petition taking opposition to one of the many currently circulating through town. I could start one to "Keep the dump open," or "Let’s log the Bear Bay Forest" or "Stop the erection... of longboard signs on the highway."
Petitions have been around for a long time — did you know they started in imperial China? I wonder if people appreciate the fact that, when they sign their name, they become part of a public record offering firm support to whatever cause is being pseudo-represented. The issues are rarely simple and a petition expects an all or none response.
Whenever I see one, I always scan the list of names on it. It’s usually a mishmash of people whom I’d expect to have a reasonable grasp of the issue alongside the blissfully ignorant who couldn’t tell you the name of Francis Peninsula’s mayor. Either may have been coerced or perhaps they were just passing the time while buying gum.
And the problem lies with the very people who start them. They’re usually the most passionate champions of the cause and often prone to using their version of the facts in order to boost the signature count. A petition’s validity relies on the hope that every person on it (a)exists and (b) was sufficiently educated before signing.
Online petitions are the worst. With no way to verify online identity, they only serve to satisfy a need for people to feel they are doing something. Should it matter that Slovenian Anja Vimpolsek opposes logging a forest on Bear Bay Road? At least she submitted her last name. Not everybody does.
The reason online petitions flourish is that they’re easy.Which make them easy for authorities to ignore.
So back to my experiment.
I hypothesize that, given enough federal grant money, I could prove that the majority could be induced to sign opposing petitions. And once I had the results in hand I think I would have all the evidence I need to justify my next step:
I’m going to start a petition to ban all petitions.
Will you sign it?
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