A lot of oxygen has been expended recently related to the
self-proclaimed Occupy Movement. I am particularly fascinated to hear that
many people identify with this modern Woodstock and may believe it to be the
great hope for civilization. I don’t. Even the most sympathetic news coverage
depicts a chaotic band of hollow rebels whose unifying complaint is a nebulous
idea that they have been unfairly deprived of something. Claims of being Anti-greed are laughable
since they are the embodiment of covetousness, who lives in the same apartments
as greed. It seems more of a, “I want you
to not be greedy and give your stuff to me,” argument. I am inclined to think that this is a result
of societal changes in the way that we no longer reward the truly
deserving. Instead, we are led to
believe that we should value everyone the same; no losers; everyone is a
winner. This generation has grown up
being told constantly that they are to be valued the same as everyone else and
are shocked to discover that the workplace reality is that buskers, baristas and
barnacle scrappers can not lease a new Mercedes every 60 days just like the
late head of a particularly popular technology company. Further, the Lord of the Flies culture in
these encampments is not the enlightened ideal I would want to see raised to
the national or international norm.
I despair that anyone would think that the road to a better
future is beaten down by the feet of a mob.
I believe that as a general rule the combined intellect of a group is
inverse to the number in that group.
Said another way, I believe in individuals and fear collectives. This I know to be an unpopular idea. We like to imagine that humanity must work
together to achieve greatness. While it
is true that no man can move a mountain alone, it does take an exceptional
person to conceive, organize and achieve such a goal. The result of broader representation in
governing bodies has been increased deadlock and stagnation. Our leaders no longer lead because they aren’t
sure who they are leading from day to day.
They have to poll their constituents to get the pulse of the community
and maximize their chances for re-election.
I don’t know if this system can be repaired or not but one
idea may be to lengthen terms but limit all elected officials to one consecutive
term. These have to be done together
since the length of the interim term has an affect on the nullifying power of
the single consecutive term. There would
still be powerful people who would shift positions around government but I
would rather that than the zombification of the legislature.
I suppose I feel about the current movement
(which makes me think of other less glamorous movements) much like the never
ending calls in social media for this or that cause. I do not believe that clicking ‘like’ on a
webpage or copying a ‘status’ or standing in a fetid park barking received
diatribe at passersby will make any impact on the world except to add to the
clutter.
The Occupy Movement isn't take from the rich and give to me, it's give to the poor. It's put the banking regulations back in place that protected the poverty-stricken in the 80s. It's stop shipping the jobs overseas and leaving American's jobless or start charging import fees on the items shipped back so that paying a child a quarter a week in India is a less attractive option that paying a fair working wage in America.
ReplyDeleteIt's trying to say that America is paying attention.
I don't think anyone expects to see a quantifiable happy result out of occupy wallstreet. They didn't have objectives when they showed up beyond showing the bankers and the brokers that it wasn't just one or two malcontents bad mouthing their business practices, but that there are a lot of people who are unhappy with the status quo and maybe if someone can field a politician who can promise to work on behalf of the people rather than the corporations, they'd have some support.
But then I also believe that the government has forgotten that America is the people, the Americans. It is not the land we sit on or the man with the most money. I haven't occupied anything not being willing to put my children near the violence the police has unleashed upon them, but I agree with their point.
I know that we approach this from different perspectives and I know that you feel strongly about this. I appreciate opposing views since they make me think which is never a bad thing. Hopefully we can stay friends.
ReplyDeleteSome of the campers may have come out based on some of your stated goals but based on their signs, rhetoric and actions the majority are treating it as a worldwide frat party. These are the same people that are raping their fellow beings and complaining that there are homeless people infiltrating their camps for the free food so the romantic notion that these are all a band of robin hoods doesn't hold up in the light of day.
Part of my original point is that what may have once started as an actual protest has descended into anarchy. I don't disagree that the government has strayed from their intended role, I do question the ability of a riot mob to enact any change. If you are looking for a candidate that will promise you to work for the people I can guarantee you will get plenty. A mob is the favored audience of a politician since they don't think very much. They will come out and shed a tear and remind you to vote for change as long as it is their change.
Oddly we haven't gotten any. I know Obama is there so we're not getting any democrat (liberal) options this year but the large group of Republicans are all courting the tea party votes and that 4% raise on taxes of the super-rich is scoffed at by everyone.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I know we have opposing political views and I've known it for years. Unless you start to sound like Sheard's Dad (Obama wants to kill old people) I'm not going to hold it against you.
You know I'd like everyone to have health insurance and part of that is that (unlike the crowd at that well-publicized Republican debate) I don't think we should let someone die just because they chose to be uninsured (or couldn't afford it). I'm for the death penalty, I think people should be allowed to keep guns (but should be prosecuted for at least negligent homicide if their gun is used to kill someone even if they didn't pull the trigger). I think abortions should be allowed right up until the week the earliest premature baby has been able to survive, but I also believe the life of the mother is more important than the life of the fetus unless it is the mother's request to save the baby no matter what. I think we as a society should do whatever we can to keep people from starving on the streets and being non-religious, I'd prefer to do that through the government than any particular church, or any church at all. I'm 100% behind libraries and I'm pro-regulation. I like unions - not everything they do, but the things that required decent working hours and safe working conditions and stopped child labor. I liked anti-usury laws, consumer protection, and environmental regulation. (Most of that's liberal, right?) If you forgive me my strongly held beliefs, I'll forgive you yours.
(Yes, there are people I dumped on Facebook because they kept posting political opinions, but that was because they posted nothing but political opinions and quoted Fox like it was gospel no matter how many times it was proven that Fox was wrong or pointed out that Fox has declared in the courts they are an Entertainment program, not news so they do not have to tell the truth -- I find it in a different place each time, but this one: http://foxnewsboycott.com/resources/fox-can-lie-lawsuit/
As long as you don't start repeating all the less than factual talking points as if they were true and say nothing but those we'll be good.
I've been feverish on and off today so this is probably random and overexplaining in many ways, but hopefully the gist is that I'm not going to dump you even if I disagree on occasion or even often.
Thanks Marilou, I do hope you and Grimm get to feeling better.
ReplyDelete