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Seems my post “So you call yourself a social activist” has upset a few people who are inclined to the left just far enough that they are scrambling for a dogmatic post to lean on so they don’t fall down.
I started this blog, and specifically the above post, to exchange ideas and thoughts on the future of the world we live in. To be honest, I wasn’t even aware of these organized protests at banks on Wall Street, and not for a lack of paying attention either. As I stated in the above post, why such minimal media coverage?
I’ve received at least 20 letters, which irritate me; I feel that the writers, whether they are for, against, or just plain ambivalent about my position, should comment in the post rather than send private letters. Posting these anonymously doesn’t do anything to encourage some dialogue.
First, two letters and one comment on Facebook stated that I contradicted my position in this post. I believe that a complex situation, or person, not only contains opposing ideas, but in fact should. One could look at contradictions in a complex situation as ideas which, while opposing each other on the surface, are each holding their own weight on either side of a fulcrum, or seesaw. Contradictions can help one to find balance in complicated circumstances.
As I expected, hundreds of these protesters were arrested on Saturday. It will continue, it will get uglier, and new laws will be enacted and the rights of citizens further eroded – all without good reason. I stand by my original comments that this protest was badly organized, its aim badly stated, and it ended up wasting a golden opportunity. Not that there will not be others – but it was a heartbreaking waste of so many people’s time and energy.
No surprise that rather than being a grass-roots movement, it was organized by a corporate entity, AdBusters. This must give us pause.
Last week I sent a letter to the protest group asking them what exactly their protest was about, as I could see no clearly defined objectives on their website. I was saddened when I read this at HuffPost this morning;
“As HuffPost reported recently, the movement is less about specific policy demands and more about an expression of opposition to ever yawning economic inequality driven by Wall Street and its allies in Washington.”
Or as the New Bottom Line states, “express a feeling of mass injustice.” Oh dear – why not talk about your “feelings” with your lover and friends, and use your public momentum to talk about real objectives? Those who made billions last year don’t give a damn about your feelings. They also know, as I have stated numerous times, that they have the over-indulged, highly self-absorbed electorate called the Boomers behind them.
Take a close look at the following video and please leave comments at the end. I want to be wrong about this and if someone could convince me, I’d be joyous. If you look closely at the video, moving the slider frame by frame, you will see the median age of this group of protesters is under 40, likely under 30.
This shows this author that the basic idea of this protest has not resonated with a large enough portion of the electorate. Through the analysis of video, tweets, Facebook chatter, chat rooms on the internet etc., the government must have seen that this was their chance to nip this protest in the bud, as it was clear that, while fairly organized and growing larger, it was not reaching those voters who make a difference. If anything, the Boomers, and even people who would normally support these movements, were ambivalent simply because there was no goddamn clear objective stated. Why can’t you people get this?
This isn’t a touchy-feely situation – this is the future of our world.
If you want a clear objective, something that will get us one step closer to a just society, try this:
Protest and demand that the government enact legislation that prohibits anatocism. Let’s try first with home mortgages, and as the justice of this idea takes root once more, as it did over a thousand years ago, we can move it to other areas.
Just a thought…Until next time…