Some new recruits

Jane and Ben are both going to join my Cut Demonstration and will wear their protests to the degree show.  I need to find an outfit which I can wear mine with......

Rejection

Art Crawl have rejected my submission for Cut Banner - now I've got to decide whether it's a rubbish idea and to work on something else, or whether it just wasn't right for Art Crawl, and try to submit it somewhere else....

Cut demonstration two months in.

New Recruits?

Jane, Ben and Lois all said they would like a Cut Demonstration label, and a few to give to their friends as well - hurray.

Here's my latest photo:

Extending Cut Demonstration

I've just put in a submission to the Art Crawl to extend my Cut Demonstration project.  The plan is to make a large banner, and display it along with a pair of scissors and a book.  People would be invited to make a cut in the banner and also write a comment in the book about their experiences of the cuts, or their ideas for how we could best fund public spending.  I can also supply Cut Demonstration labels so that people can get involved in personal demonstrations.  So, instead of being able to relax a bit and also start job hunting seriously after the degree show, I now have to make a banner..... 

Talking about cuts

I actually met someone who (partially) thought that the current round of cuts are a good idea.  Usually I suppose I'm mixing with people who think like me, so it was good to get the chance to talk to someone with different opinions.  Basically, their position was - we spent too much, we should get out of debt quickly, perhaps it will make people think twice about spending on credit.

I introduced some other ideas, I hope in a non dogmatic way, and hope that it will encourage more thinking about the wider picture:

• Government's job is not just to save money, but to optimise the smooth running of society - this might include things like jobs, social services etc as well as debt / taxation.
• If everyone's income was reduced slightly that might not be a bad thing (to discourage needless consumption), but we will end up with a large number of very poor unemployed - balance / fairness?
• The prospects for younger people are bleak - education costs, poor quality or no jobs - shouldn't we invest in engaging younger people in our society?

I wonder how many people still support the government's strategy - it's so frustrating not being able to engage many people in discussion about more measured and fairer ways of saving costs...

Additions to my Cut Demonstration

Wiz, Dee and Em had a good suggestion for my Cut Demonstration - they said I should add names of people I know who have lost their jobs, or are about to - the reality of the effects of the cuts on people's lives.  There are quite a few; Greg is the latest one.  I could also add bits from newspaper articles etc - I think you can do it with Image Maker.  Something to try this week.

Thinking about University education

The aim of my Cut Demonstration is to get people talking and thinking about cuts and consequences.  One of the things which bugs me is how there doesn't seem to be a consideration of the wider picture when decisions are made.

University education - the thinking appears to have been 'It's costing a lot, so let's charge the students more.'  Why aren't we thinking about other possibilities and ideas?

• What if employers had to pay additional taxes (either a lump sum recruitment fee, or additional NI %) when they employed graduates?  They might start to think about whether it was better in some cases to employ people from 18 and train them on day release etc.  Employers might stop demanding degree level education for even very low grade jobs.  Good thing or bad thing?  Why aren't we discussing it?
• What if everyone who wanted to do post 18 education did a one year foundation free of charge, then anyone who turned up for lectures, contributed in tutorials and seminars, did their assignments, put some effort in would go on to do two more years free of charge to get their degree. 
• Why aren't there more HE level evening classes?
• Why are universities building lots of new fancy buildings and cutting staff? 
• Could degrees be condensed to two years of intensive study?  It would be cheaper for the students, and would need more staff so would create employment for lecturers.
• Why isn't Open University promoted more and provided free of charge?  It's a very cost effective way of learning.

When I rule the world.....

Cut Demonstration progress report

I went walking with some friends today and we talked about Cut Demonstration.  I explained that hardly anyone has asked me why I'm wearing a jumper full of holes, and Bev had a good suggestion.  She said I should add more labels to the jumper alongside the holes.  I need to think about what these should say.....

Cut Demonstration Day 16

Day 16 of my Cut Demonstration.  Outside of Uni, hardly anyone has asked me about my cuts...  Maybe I'm usually so scruffy they haven't even noticed!

Click here to see what it's all about

Cut Demonstration

PROTEST

Cuts have consequences. 

The scale and speed of the current cuts will be reflected in the significance of the consequences, but what are the government doing to mitigate these?  Mass demonstrations are one way of showing our opposition, but these are over quickly, and most participants will have the same viewpoint.  My protest will last for several months, and will be a daily public event which I hope will engage people who have not been involved in mass protests, and encourage a wider discussion of cuts and their consequences.

Cut Demonstration (named in homage to Yoko Ono's performance, Cut Piece) is both a demonstration against excessive cuts to public funding, and a demonstration of the way in which cuts destabilise structure.

Every day I will make an additional cut to the jumper, showing how the utility of the whole is diminished, and finally destroyed, by cutting parts of it.  I will wear the jumper every day until it is so degraded that it is impossible to use it as a functional piece of clothing.

I hope that other people will join me in my low key, but long durational protest, and will be distributing labels over the next few weeks.  You can contact me with an address if you would like to participate - Email me

It would be great to hear about your protests, and see some pictures...

Here's my Cut Demonstration on Day 16 - Click here for Cuts