Going to a General Assembly at my local Occupy kept making me think of something. Something kind of foreign for MY generation, maybe. Isn't this an exercise of a great deal of faith? Could there be another place in town right now where more faith was being displayed? Taking a leap beyond reason. Believing that what a few hundred were doing could have an impact on a metro-area of almost a million, let alone the most financially "diverse" country in the world. And then the whole world, too?In one way, faith is simply acting on behalf of a principle or abstraction with "ultimate concern"; meaning, the outcome comes into very little consideration in deciding to take the action. It is done for concern of what is right, alone. For a generation who must know everything, and who often thinks that their opinions do know everything, the Occupiers are acting with very little idea of what the outcome might look like. And better yet, they continue to resist general political comforts--leaders, a list of demands, a clear vision of resolutions, etc. The only real guarantee that the 98% (99% - the 1% of people actually protesting) would give all the subversives, is that their entire movement will fall far far short of its own expectations. Most would probably even call them delusional.
Consider please: There are a relative few out there on the pavement, yet proportionately, there is a lot of conversation and media coverage in this country right now of said pavement dwellers.
Has anyone noticed gas prices lately? Has anyone noticed banks backing off fees, and having these middle to left-leaning ads about creating jobs and small businesses through loans and such? No, you are right, I haven't noticed any of these institutional indications of trying to pacify the masses, either.
And all of the Occupy jokes? Yeah, it's easy and it's old already. But there has been one thing our viewer audience of a generation really has confirmed, and that is that laughing at serious issues and assigning dingbat comic-relief personalities to authority figures is a political action we will all sign up for. On our couch or at our desk. With hundreds of millions of $$$'s in ads at stake. I mean, some people still consider Jon Stewart a journalist. I think he knows that they think this, and doesn't sleep well at nights sometimes. I think he wanted to do some good last year, and the only way him and Colbert knew how to organize a rally was predicated on how everyone else besides them was not "sane." In short, the same thing that everyone says all the time at all levels of intelligence and education: that everyone else is stupid and crazy. There was very little responsibility those men took in what they do--helping a whole bunch of people laugh off their political discomforts on the couch and feel general pleasure about what should logically be disturbances. Does this sound like facing problems and moving forward, or just trying to feel better about things we feel bad about? I know, stick in the mud here, right?
So, what is Occupy actually doing at these GA meetings that's different? Well, first there is an announcement that, even though leaderless, the group needs to agree on if [so and so] can lead tonight. And then, if anybody would like to speak then please talk to [so and so] to get on the stack (google this). And to please talk, but please keep it to 45 seconds in the interest of others. Nobody will take over, nobody will dominate, but all should speak. There were also some songs. And some motivational speaking and chants. There was a mumbly attempt at Woody's "This Land," but hardly anyone knew the words, which was sort of adorable. And then they told of all the hand signal definitions, and when the meeting started and it was all business. Work committees filed in and gave reports. Groups were broken into. Ideas heard. Constant output, constant feedback. "Release early, release often" (wikipedia this one). There was also dissemination of texted information from other Occupy movements around the country. The news seemed believable, like we didn't have to read it on ten websites before we started to believe it, because why would your fellow soldiers lie to you about anything? It came from our side and so we had to be honest. There was, in general, support, there was ritual, there was feedback, and most important--it was all in call and response. The effect of the human microphone, besides standing close by and feeling togetherness, was that you had to pay attention to everything that was said so you could say it back. There was a lot of comprehension and listening! It required real attention! The meeting's information was the exact opposite of the background drone of, say, a television. It was no pop up ad.
Overall, it was a really satisfying experience. And there was a HUGE improvement in the flow of the meeting, and the quality of the information, from the very earliest days of the City Hall gatherings. I noticed that the protesters were getting quite good at rallying, organizing, passing on messages of solidarity and spirited encouragement, and all in a timely manner. There wasn't a lot of pride by the people sleeping there versus those going home to a warm dinner and roof. There was a great respect for the 38 Occupiers who got arrested peacefully a few weeks ago, some of whom were "illegally" back on the premises after being out on bond. They sat honorably in the center and it was encouraged that the rest of us build a tight circle of protection around them. It felt like a childhood game that somehow had the potential to make national news. It made me happy.
And so begs the question, who's really happy with the way things are anyway? Is Obama, at the top? No. Is the leadership in Congress? No. Is the media on the right? Well, maybe in a personal smugness aort of way, but they don't sell spots by talking about this racket. They act angry and yell! Is the left media doing anything but slanting there headlines, and covering the enemy in more and more inane ways? It doesn't seem so, and they turned on that guy they got into office really really quickly. And is the average citizen? Are the outliers? Apparently, there is some fifteen or so percent that feel ok about where this country is politically right now. I really am not sure I have met even one of these people.
Every one of us portrays a constant sense of fight and unhappiness, and it's all talk talk talk. It is such that politics and dissatisfaction have simply become interchangeable words. Sometimes, in debate, we all try to imagine how everyone in the political sphere sleeps at night. We really wonder. We agree that this may be the real mystery.
I think this 1% of the 99% is really on to something. They are cultivating a togetherness based on a solution, and building toward something without any sights on a conclusion. They are crazy. They are too busy refining and moving to know anything. And in the process of solidifying, some are having the times of their lives. I heard several times people just saying they are just so glad they are getting to see this and be a part of it in their lifetime. None of us have any idea what may happen, and the campers are looking at a cold cold winter ahead. But true as day, they are exercising a faith with no additives or preservatives. And more important, I am going to bet that the politically active sleep deep at night with the feeling of having put their best efforts. I guess too naive to understand that even Hope! and a slogan that We Can Change! in reality just means great compromise. As Buckminster Fuller once said, "Dare to be naive." Perhaps because not knowing is a more vital option than not doing.
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