Because I'm sure I'll get flamed and criticized for this post, I'd like to start off by saying that I completely 100% agree with what the Occupy movement stands for. Corporate greed in The United States of America, and other countries around the world, coupled with a total lack of regulation and oversight has screwed the 99% of us while benefiting the select few who have deep enough pockets to carry out atrocious acts of selfishness that hurt people and ruin lives.
With that said. It's time to Un-Occupy. For now, at least. In the words of Kenny, "You gotta know when to hold em and know when to fold em." It's time to walk away from the occupy movement in its current form.
While the intentions of Occupiers were admirable and courageous, the execution just wasn't ever really on par with the magnitude of the problem. The protest's organization lacked in a consistent message, and failed to deliver specific demands. There was a time window in which this needed to be taken care of, and now that time has passed. That's not to say that people should give up. It's just to say that people should go home, re-organize, re-energize, and come back when there is an organizational structure and clear message, coupled with specific demands and a more targeted focus.
1) Who is Occupy really trying to reach? It's not the CEO's, it's not the Wall Street executives, who are going to take notice, feel bad about what they've done, and change their ways. It's the 99% of us that Occupy should really be speaking to. Its the swing voters and middle-class Americans. It's the guy who lost his job while his CEO got a pay raise. Occupy needs to retool and refocus its message so that it is speaking directly to the people it wants on its team. That's how you build numbers, that's how you build consensus, and that's how you effect change.
2) What is the specific message of Occupy? What are its specific demands? Sure, I've heard it articulated well by select individuals, but a lack of central leadership has caused that message to become frayed at the edges, and if you ask the average American what Occupy stands for, they may tell you "They're really pissed off at Corporations" But what does that mean? Why? And what does Occupy want? Just about everyone in America now has heard about Occupy, but what percentage of those people could articulate Occupy's specific message and demands?
3) Image. It's time to admit that Occupy now has a very serious image problem, and while image isn't everything, it does affect how much people are willing to listen and engage with the movement. Again, this is about the real target audience, trying to convince others of us in the 99% that we are brethren in a common mission to overhaul regulations and hold those accountable who have destroyed our economy for their own advancement. When the image portrayed by media outlets degenerates into a disbanded camp of unbathen hippies, anarchists, and ex-cons who want a tent to sleep in, you have a problem. No- that is not a fair assessment. But it is the image that many people have now. And, unfortunately (and unfairly) you can't get your message across with such an image problem. Occupy needs to find organizers who can maintain its PR and clean up its image.
4) Safety. Every day now there's a new headline about someone dying, disease spreading, etc. That's just not acceptable. Are the headlines accurate or fair? Probably not. But, when you come back, bigger, stronger, and more organized (hopefully with some sort of centralized organizational structure) make sure that you have the resources to provide for and protect those who plan to stay for long periods of time. And the PR machine to make sure the media knows it.
Occupy is not a failure. It is a passion and a movement that will not die when the last tent is removed from Zuccotti park. It can and will regenerate and come back bigger and stronger, and more organized.
But in this current iteration, Occupy is no longer sustainable. It is doing more harm to itself than good. Sometimes you don't get it right on the first try. And if Occupy wants to resonate with people and leave a good taste in the mouths of the 99%ers it's truly trying to speak to, the people who want to support a clear and direct message, then it needs to regroup, re-organize, and refocus.
It's time to Un-Occupy the cities, for now at least. Come back when you're really, really ready. And when you are, people will not just hear you, but they will listen to you.
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