How To Make Trouble And Influence People (ISBN 0958554927) was the title of a self-published book from 1996 chronicling the history of political pranks and acts of creative subversion in Australia. The book consists of a series of short paragraphs describing incidents, as well as facsimiles of flyers, posters and graffiti. It also includes an interview with Greg Wadley, author of the zine Loser.
The incidents detailed in How To Make Trouble date from the early colonial days to recent times, and include both explicitly political and non-political pranks. They include industrial disputes in the 1920s, recent environmental and anti-war protests, as well as acts of inspired vandalism and detournement. As such, this book can be said to be a testament to the larrikin tradition of Australia, and its numerous manifestations throughout history.
Two sequels were released, How To Stop Whining And Start Living and Revenge Of The Troublemaker. All of these are attributed to the "Question Mark Collective". It is believed that one of the compilers was Iain McIntyre. Copies of these books may possibly be found in anarchist and countercultural bookshops in Australia.
The book influenced the production of the ABC Radio Background Briefing program on Culture Jamming: How To Make Trouble And Influence People, broadcast in 1998 and also featured in Head Space No 4, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's monthly Arts and Culture Magazine.
A collected and expanded version of all three of the original publications, titled "How to Make Trouble and Influence People: Pranks, Hoaxes, Graffiti and Mischief-making from across Australia" (ISBN 9780980415117) has been collated by Iain McIntyre and Breakdown Press for release in October 2009. The 276 page book includes expanded historical listings, over 300 photographs and 14 interviews with Australian trouble makers.
Famous quotes containing the words trouble, influence and/or people:
“Trouble brings trouble upon trouble.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)
“I am always glad to think that my education was, for the most part, informal, and had not the slightest reference to a future business career. It left me free and untrammeled to approach my business problems without the limiting influence of specific training.”
—Alice Foote MacDougall (1867–1945)
“The fact that white people readily and proudly call themselves “white,” glorify all that is white, and whitewash all that is glorified, becomes unnatural and bigoted in its intent only when these same whites deny persons of African heritage who are Black the natural and inalienable right to readily—proudly—call themselves “black,” glorify all that is black, and blackwash all that is glorified.”
—Abbey Lincoln (b. 1930)