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lonesparkSomeone whose musical talents I greatly admire was Wrong On the Internet at me just now, in a way that I found deeply, deeply upsetting. But flamewars help nobody, so hey, NaBloPoMo, here I come!
Most of the members of the Occupy movement don't seem to be anti-capitalists. And many of those who are, in fact, opposed to capitalism are still mostly protesting the same things that are pissing of the rest of the 99% of America and the world who are getting hosed in the current economic situation. These things that piss us off are abuses resulting from unrestrained capitalism. That adjective is very important.
When we protest, if you respond that this is the wrong way to accomplish things in a free market, I feel like you're missing the point. This market isn't free. And that means it isn't fair. And that means the deck is stacked against "Free enterprise solutions" to a lot of the problems of the 99%.
We have a consumer economy, but no one is paying the vast majority of the consumers. A lot of us are out of work. And other folks work a lot of hours just to barely get by. We can't vote with our wallets when they're empty. So we are voting with our feet. With our bodies. With what's left of our joy and our pride and our hope.
I'm unemployed and I'm looking for work, and spending money for the privilege of looking. My field isn't that badly off, so I think I have a pretty good chance. I know, though, that I'd rather do just about anything than sit around and fill out forms and write letters to sell my qualifications. I know that's a big part of what it takes, but if I could work, I could use my body and use my mind, and interact with other people. Those things are healthy and contribute to society. And those are things the folks at the Occupy encampments are getting to do.
I haven't been down yet to Occupy Boston. I'd like to though, in large part because they have a fantastic educational program. And power generated by stationary bicycles. They are working to be the change we need.
Most of the members of the Occupy movement don't seem to be anti-capitalists. And many of those who are, in fact, opposed to capitalism are still mostly protesting the same things that are pissing of the rest of the 99% of America and the world who are getting hosed in the current economic situation. These things that piss us off are abuses resulting from unrestrained capitalism. That adjective is very important.
When we protest, if you respond that this is the wrong way to accomplish things in a free market, I feel like you're missing the point. This market isn't free. And that means it isn't fair. And that means the deck is stacked against "Free enterprise solutions" to a lot of the problems of the 99%.
We have a consumer economy, but no one is paying the vast majority of the consumers. A lot of us are out of work. And other folks work a lot of hours just to barely get by. We can't vote with our wallets when they're empty. So we are voting with our feet. With our bodies. With what's left of our joy and our pride and our hope.
I'm unemployed and I'm looking for work, and spending money for the privilege of looking. My field isn't that badly off, so I think I have a pretty good chance. I know, though, that I'd rather do just about anything than sit around and fill out forms and write letters to sell my qualifications. I know that's a big part of what it takes, but if I could work, I could use my body and use my mind, and interact with other people. Those things are healthy and contribute to society. And those are things the folks at the Occupy encampments are getting to do.
I haven't been down yet to Occupy Boston. I'd like to though, in large part because they have a fantastic educational program. And power generated by stationary bicycles. They are working to be the change we need.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-04 06:51 pm (UTC)That adjective really is very important.