Who doesn't know it — the Old Testament story of the young Israelite shepherd David, who defeats the seemingly invincible giant Goliath in battle. The myth of the small, weak, steadfast fighter who brings an apparently all-powerful opponent to their knees has found its way into Western culture in many forms and survived in popular culture to this day:
whether Charlie Chaplin, Inspector Columbo, or Asterix and Obelix — all these stories thrive on the small underdogs who take on the powerful of this world. The narrative of the victorious David is drawn upon by environmental activists charging at giant tankers from rickety inflatable boats, just as much as by right-wing populists like Trump or Orbán.
Yet regardless of the political and economic utility of the dramaturgical David-versus-Goliath framework, it seems to be in human nature that lone fighters keep rising up to rebel against an all-powerful opponent and the system behind it.
An Austrian David is Max Schrems, who has set himself the goal of taking on one of the most powerful internet giants in the world: the data-devouring monster Facebook. The lawyer and data protection activist took on the multinational corporation Facebook virtually single-handedly, suing it for violations of data protection law and the passing on of personal data to the US intelligence agency NSA.
Peruvian farmer Saúl Lliuya has also taken up the fight against a Goliath — in this case against German energy giant RWE. Saúl Lliuya lives with his family below a glacier that is melting due to climate change and could cause life-threatening flooding at any time.
The farmer is demanding financial compensation from Europe's largest CO₂ emitter for its share of responsibility for climate change. A lawyer and an organisation are supporting the farmer in what seems like an almost megalomaniacal battle against the Goliath RWE. After the lawsuit was dismissed at first instance, the fight is now heading into round two.
A small group of activists has also formed against German chemicals giant BASF, to remind the company of its supply chain responsibilities: while the platinum in the three-way catalytic converters of our latest car models helps keep the environment clean, Black mine workers in Marikana, South Africa, are dying of tuberculosis or silicosis — if they aren't shot by police during labour disputes.
The human urge to reach into the wheel of history as David remains unbroken, even in times of so-called political disillusionment. This myth cannot be suppressed — and the Goliaths of today would be the first to tell you that.
This text <link http: oe1.orf.at programm external-link-new-window external link in new>originally appeared on the Ö1 website.
