Still digesting, but I think this is important reading for anyone (like me) trying to understand OWS

[usernamenumber]

Putting this here and then crossposting to Twitter, since the latter is not so great for conversation and I'd welcome comments if people have them.

Think Occupy Wall St. is a phase? You don't get it

It's true, I don't. I think I kind of get where the author is pointing, but still need to chew on it more. I'm having trouble seeing what's supposed to come of this, or if that's not the point, what the point is. Then again, the fact that it, and the surrounding issues, have just been talked about so much of late (I know it's been on my mind a lot), and some of the things I've learned about the way they organize themselves... maybe that points to a more subtle change in the zeitgeist, and maybe that's the big thing that it stands to accomplish.

Comments

Getting it ...

[dave hall (from livejournal.com)]

I saw your tweet and decided to follow it back and comment.

As best as I can tell the exponentially growing Occupy concept is a spontaneous movement aimed at waking up the 99% of people who feel they've lost their voice in the political arena. The "We are the 99%" meme is highly contagious and driving things forward as is the neutral politics. The few Occupiers camping out are keeping things going, kind of like holding the fort, with part-timers able to come and go from on-going protest actions. What the "end-game" is going to is not clear yet. All that has emerged so far is a Declaration of Occupation that reads much like the original Declaration of Independence, a long laundry list of complaints.

The positive outcome so far are the twice daily General Assemblies and off-shoot open forums where anyone with a voice can speak their mind. There are no leaders yet and no single demand requiring the action of others, so the movement is entirely open to the evolution of ideas .. the best ones will likely emerge. Check out http://www.occupylist.com for an example list of possible demands that have emerged that I've seen. Perhaps a 99% Party will emerge, who knows, it's early days still!

Re: Getting it ...

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

I've been too busy to comment much (well, actually I'd written a longer response, but then my laptop ran out of power *headdesk*), but I wanted to at least thank you for your comments. I really appreciate someone taking the time to engage in dialogue about this sort of thing.