How can the anger among ordinary people about government be channelled effectively towards useful, popsitive and sustainable change?

Riot…… :-/

It can be channeled by leaders who direct it towards finding solutions and implementing them, rather than invoking fear and discontent for the purpose of getting themselves elected.

Refuse to accept unnecessary necessities.

Vote!

Leaders who would truly lead instead of governing about being reelected.

Communicate with your elected officials. Speak up; ask questions.

Just checking in – thanks for replies so far, apologies for misspelling of ‘positive’!

I think anger means that things have already gone too far. It’s hard to channel anger into anything useful at all. You can have protests and scream and shout a lot. The real work has to get done when the anger fades.

People’s anger with the government is a product of the fact that they are disengaged from it. Those who follow politics and involve themselves in politics have all of the passion but not the rabid anger that characterizes the occasional politico.

The energy is best harnessed in my experience by trying to turn it into knowledge. The government gets away with what it gets away with because we largely aren’t paying attention and whenever they want X, Y or Z, they know they can whip us into a frenzied anger over some minor issue. Those who aren’t taking the time to inform themselves have to rely on partisan BS in place of useful information so they become unwitting puppets for the very thing they are angry at.

In short: stay informed.

Revolution and soon.

Great question. Perhaps we have to devote our efforts to more activity at the local level; devoting time, money and energy to smaller issues that will have a local impact and then slowly go global. For example, I am hoping to get involved in a program at my college which identifies people who are allys and can provide safety and counseling to teens questioning their sexuality who may be bullied or frightened.

I am disgusted by politics at the national level at the moment but that doesn’t mean I won’t vote..

This isn’t a short answer to your question,. but it’s something that got me thinking a lot.

Listen to the album The Rebel Cell by Mud Sun (composed of British rapper Dizraeli and Canadian rapper Baba Brinkman.) It is an absolutely brilliant story album that concentrates on exactly your question. When faced with a restrictive society, which approach works better? Working within the system to change it through politics and reason, or fighting the system with protests and anarchy? How do you best use the energy of an angry populace? Every time I listen to this album, it makes me think.

Thank you for asking this now! I am a US citizen, and I know that many of us have the same question. I voted for Obama over McCain (I can’t handle
Palin!), but I am becoming cynical. I would like to know what I can do other than become cynical!

Educate yourself as much as possible. Cynicism is usually a byproduct of feeling helpless.

Thank you for proper spelling of cynicism. ;0) (Hooked on Phonics worked for me!) I try to educate myself, but even with that, the situation seems hopeless. I’m trying to keep optimistic about things, but at times it is overwhelming.

The trick is in learning how to distinguish between partisan rhetoric and fact and that becomes increasingly difficult as unbiased news venues continue to disappear.

Use your time wisely. Write letters to both the officials you agree with and those you don’t. Be specific when you choose what you are suggesting. Make positive suggestions on what changes you want and how you think they can be accomplished.

Participate in the town meetings that are held by various government representatives. Research the background of the issues you are concerned about.

Form Political Action Groups with other people who agree with you, follow the above suggestions.

My short answer to this is: get involved. If you’re angry, you probably see a problem. If you see a problem, try and provide a solution. Collaborate. Don’t throw rocks.