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Seriously...

A Brief History of Disobedience

Seriously...

BBC

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.1885 Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2016

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"Oh my goodness, look at that sign over there. Keep Off The Grass. Makes me wonder who put it there. Makes me wonder why I should keep off the grass. And it makes me want to go on the grass!" American satirist Joe Queenan presents A Brief History of Disobedience, the follow up to his programmes on Blame, Shame, Anger and Irony. He travels in time from the Old Testament to Tarrytown, his home in suburban New York. He aims to discover the importance of not doing what we are told. So let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.

With notable contributions from the archive - Gandhi, the Suffragettes, the Greenham Common Peace protestors. Our Heroes of Disobedience include Martin Luther, Geronimo, Woody Guthrie and The Doors. Plus Matthew Parris on Margaret Thatcher, Bill Finnegan on his barbarian days as a surfer and Karen Moline on writing dirty books. And finally, helpful hints about how to be usefully disobedient in everyday life.

Joe Queenan is an Emmy award winning broadcaster and writer. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello and welcome to Seriously with me FEMI Martin.

0:10.0

Disobedience is defined as a refusal or failure to obey rules or someone in authority.

0:16.0

Now, parents of toddlers or teenagers know all about that, I'm sure,

0:20.0

but there is also civil disobedience, which has the power to affect society.

0:25.0

History is full of people who we celebrate today,

0:28.0

but during their time they were classed as disobedient and a risk to the greater good.

0:33.8

But where would humankind be without peaceful protest, the civil rights movement or the suffragettes?

0:40.0

What would the world look like if no one had ever broken the rules or bent the law?

0:45.5

In this program we join the King of satire, Joe Queenen, as he takes us through a brief history

0:51.9

of disobedience.

0:54.0

I think there's a storm on the way.

0:57.0

Oh my goodness, look at this sign.

0:59.0

Keep off the grass.

1:01.0

How does that make you feel a sign like that?

1:03.0

It makes me wonder who put it there.

1:05.0

Makes me wonder why I should stay off the grass,

1:07.0

and it makes me want to go on the grass.

1:09.0

A brief history of disobedience.

1:19.0

An archivaler with music.

1:21.0

Featuring a role. with music.

1:30.0

featuring a roll call of rule breakers, miscreants and delinquents. Those men and women whose response to authority was,

1:34.0

oi, don't tell me what to do.

...

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