1.2 Considering the consequences
Most things that you do will affect other people, so it is important to think about what the reaction of others might be before you act, especially if you are hoping to achieve something with your actions. You always need to consider whether the other people involved in the situation are going to agree with you and whether they are going to help or hinder you. This may depend, for example, on whether they feel listened to or supported by you, or whether they feel scared or threatened by you. To make things more complicated, people are not all the same in how they react. Some people are very organised, some are unpredictable, some have strong views and opinions whilst others prefer to act quietly in the background. And people usually do things for a reason. For example, you may offer to help a friend do their homework, because you want to borrow something from them in return. People may also want you to do things for them, even if they don’t say this directly – remember what you learned in Session 2 about external influences.
You cannot predict how events and actions may turn out, but you can think through the consequences of your actions for you and others, to help you make more effective decisions or to achieve your goals, especially if you want other people’s support or to bring them with you.
Let’s look at this further using the example of 2021 riots in the Shankill area in Northern Ireland.
Activity 2: Exploring the consequences
Read the example below based on the events of riots in the Shankill area in West/North Belfast. You can also rewatch the video from Session 1 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] . As you read, take notes on your thoughts about how the actions of the rioters might affect all those involved.
In April 2021, amidst political tensions over Brexit, social media was buzzing with messages urging young people to get out onto the streets, stand up for their rights and defend their community. Young people came onto the streets and there were clashes between the PSNI [local police force] and local youth. At Lanark Way, which is an interface area (a boundary area between communities), a bus was burned and there were also clashes between PUL and CNR young people and petrol bombs thrown by both sides. The events were covered by local, national and international media and the Shankill and other Loyalist and interface areas became the focus of news reports about violence and rioting and sectarian tensions (tensions between different political and religious communities). Community leaders urged calm. Politicians publicly condemned the attacks. Some also stated their ‘fears of further unrest on the streets of Northern Ireland over the Brexit protocol’. Some young people when interviewed by the media stated that this was about ‘getting our voice heard’.
Now fill in this table on the consequences you have thought about for all those involved.
| Who are all the people involved? | What are the possible consequences of the riots for each of these actors? How are they affected by the riots? |
|---|---|
| Young people | |
| The PSNI (Police) | |
| Local bus driver | |
| Politicians | |
| Community leaders | |
| The national media | |
| Unknown people/groups on social media | |
| Local residents | |
| Other? |
Discussion
| Who are all the people involved? | What are the possible consequences of the riots for each of these actors? How are they affected by the riots? |
|---|---|
| Young people | The riots may result in young people being physically hurt, being expelled from school, being labelled as troublemakers, getting arrested, getting a criminal record, getting into trouble with their parents, losing friends who don’t agree with their actions, going down a path they didn’t intend to. |
| The PSNI (Police) | The police being physically hurt or heightened tensions between police and local youth. |
| Local bus driver | The bus driver being physically or emotionally hurt, unable to return to work, losing their job, trauma. |
| Politicians | Politicians gaining greater prominence, support for their particular political cause, provide leverage for wider politics. |
| Community leaders | Community leaders being physically hurt, having to deal with increasing community tensions, the loss of trust and/or negative perceptions of their community. |
| The national media | Members of the media being physically hurt, getting a good news story or good ratings for their media outlet. |
| Unknown people/groups on social media | Supporting other people’s political or criminal agenda, fuelling their work, fuelling misinformation. |
| Local residents | Local residents feeling fearful or unsafe, losing their jobs, homes or money because of the damage, fuelling community tensions, bringing the community into disrepute. |
| Other? |
This activity may have helped you to think about your actions too. You can apply this process to any problem or dilemma you face, to help you think through the consequences of your actions.