It was only a matter of time before the various “Occupy” movements would expend their purpose and credibility and devolve into social unrest and confusion, as well as predictable playgrounds for hedonism and anarchy.
And, like it or not, this has played into the hands of those who are the presumed targets of the protests, those who can afford to sit it out and wait until the necessary resources to even maintain oneself under these conditions have been exhausted and the stresses have led to the breakdown of the people, to unacceptable behavior and necessitated the closing down of the various encampments.
That’s not exactly the right strategy, except for the powers that be.
Not to be cynical – having come from the protest generation of the 1960s – but despite the legitimate shock and outrage at loss of jobs and homes, at banks and corporate greed, etc., etc., many people still don’t understand that while it’s easier to go and “protest”, creating a viable working alternative that is built on eternally valid values, such as cooperation, equality of opportunity and putting into practice the fundamental truth of “being of equal value” requires thoughtful preparation. It’s also a more effective way of actually taking back the power from those who have abused it, rather than merely complaining which, after all, acknowledges that they have control over you.
You don’t see them protesting what you do, right?
It may also be fair to say that many people affected – and yet to be affected – by the financial collapse weren’t taking notice of, or particularly bothered by, this system while they were benefiting by, and not suffering from, it. This is human nature of course and my purpose isn’t to blame the victims here, after all, many, many of us – worldwide – are, and/or will be, affected by the financial meltdown, etc.
However, at the core of any real, lasting, positive change there must be a recognition of what led to this mess and what the actual, defined, real objectives for a new and better system actually are. This of course also requires knowing and adhering to real, proven values. It’s also far harder to develop meaningful dialogues with like-minded people while sitting in a tent in the street, freezing your butt off, than it is to prepare the way by using all of the tools of communication now at hand. Purposeful, focused meetings, discussions, etc., can then take place in well-prepared environments that are more comfortable.
Of course many people may actually have to revert to pre-texting spelling, learn how to develop complete, coherent thoughts and engage in an otherwise non-sensational process that certainly won’t offer the temporary instant gratification and adrenaline rush, etc. that attracts a lot of people.
It’s always better in the long run to know precisely what one wants to support, to formulate a plan for it, and then to go about the hard work of creating the preferred reality, than it is to just protest against what you don’t want. Of course there’s a time and place for protest, such as the civil rights movement.
But this is an entirely different matter for many reasons.
Once again Michael,you have blown me away with the way you express the truth behind the event that you bring to your post.Keep up the great work my friend.
You make good points Michael the problem is that we don’t have critical thinking anymore or bother to teach people how to do it anymore. Most don’t understand the financial/economics systems that are in place and why they aren’t free. They are controlled by forces that have accumulated vast fortunes and which there is no end to their greed. The representatives are all loaded up with legal bribes and greed surrounds them as well. Its hard to change a system when those you put in power all do the same thing the other guys you threw out do.
Well, I personally think you underestimate the occupiers. Many of them do know how to make things better and they talk to people who visit them about it. There are always idiots who turn to violence sooner or later and these days agent provocateurs are often used to discredit and destroy a certain movement. So, don’t act so high and mighty with your advice here, because the protesters have brought the important issues of the power of the banks and the brutality and inhumanness of capitalism to the consciousness of many people. In my opinion the Occupy movement is a positive thing, as long as it stays peaceful. I would like to see a worked out plan by you personally, describing every single step you talk about in detail, so it can be used as a blueprint for a better world. As long as you don’t have something like that, you are just an armchair-adviser, demanding something of others that you don’t have yourself. I have read thousands of pages on the internet and about 15 books from the FIGU so far. I have a lot of theoretical knowledge, just like you, but I don’t have a plan where to start and how to organize everything in detail to make this world better. This is harder, than you think.
I know, everyone should become their own hero and bla bla bla. Yes, those are nice words and good advice but they don’t tell people where to start, they don’t give them something concrete to touch and feel, so to speak. It’s all just theoretical. There is something missing.
Hi Marco,
Well you raise good points and let me make a start towards answering them. I’m afraid that I neither have all the steps, nor all the answers…just some that have worked for me. The first thing for any of us to do is to recognize that we are responsible for each and every one of our thoughts, feelings and actions.
This is not some theoretical, or escape from the world, idea. It is foundational to everything in our lives, since our lives are created by our thoughts, feelings and actions…for better or worse.
So starting with this first step, we now have the opportunity to contemplate, and address, all of the facts, information, rhetoric, etc. pertaining to this issue. And this is issue is not something that is isolated and independent of all the other issues in our lives.
So we might ask ourselves, “Just what is it that I want to change?” (pertaining to the financial issues that are the focal point right now). And whatever answer first pops into one’s head…it will provide the opportunity for a closer and closer look, as the answer gives rise to the next question(s).
Now, do I live every moment of my life like that? No…but I do more and more. And since self-observation – and self-honesty – are necessary throughout life, and every lifetime without exception if we are to be consciously evolving beings, the sooner we start and the more consistently we observe our thoughts, the more clarity, the more…answers appear.
Now you may be tempted to say something like, “Never mind all that, what are the specific steps to get us out of this?” And I’d still have to say that the first step – and the one that will then be with us for a very, very long time – is to begin to take self-responsibility. Obviously, the mess we’re in came about because people NEGLECTED to consider the EFFECTS of the CA– — — USES…which start with their thoughts. And “they” are all of us.
What I will say specifically is that my own experience is that I am more in touch with what is NECESSARY in my life. I’m not attracted to the superfluous, the excessively unnecessary and unnecessarily excessive. This has come about to a large degree because being in touch with what is arising from within gives me the opportunity also to question, to ask myself “why” I would want, why I would need something. I’m curious as to the where, what, how and why of my internal process.
And just in case this sounds stare-at-your-navel-in-a-cave stuff, let me tell you that it is a 24/7 process (or as much as I am capable of now) and goes on internally WHILE everything else is going on externally.
To bring this back down to earth a bit more, while we may think that we have to create the remedy for this situation right now, that we MUST do so, we need to start clearing and cleaning up the internal environment from which all things flow and bring it in alignment with true, eternal values, etc.
So that means that we just don’t keep floating more strictly political, or even presumably financial “solutions” from the same stick-your-finger-in-the-dyke mentality that got us here in the first…second or third place.
I suggest that people who want to fix these, and the rest of our, problems prioritize getting very conscious and prepare themselves for a rather rigorous birthing process that gives life to a truly new way of thinking and living.
And I have no illusions that even under the best of conditions the problems we are setting out to correct will suddenly go away. To the contrary, they will appear to increase as we begin to REALIZE how lacking in understanding of the laws of cause and effect we – and the rest of humanity – have been for a very long time. Now that it’s time to pay the piper, no pun intended, now that the pendulum is coming back as a wrecking ball…well, let’s roll up our figurative and literal sleeves and get about the TRULY…revolutionary work at hand.
One way to change corporate greed would be to stop corporate donations to political parties. Back in 2003/2004 our laws were changed so that only individuals could make political donations to a maximum of $1,100 per person. Not saying this is the solution, but it sure has helped tremendously.
Great article Michael and as usual you get right to the heart of the matter. This indeed was a predictable path. What I find interesting is an opinion frequently expressed in the media by those who should know better that as long as the protesters did not come up with a list of demands they would have more power. I thought about this but could not come up with a good reason why that might be so….but this was the advice being given to the OWS groups.
Wow Michael I’m impressed! You nailed it on the head. Finally somebody is with me that protesting is just a bunch of complaining noise and bullshit and that we brought this mess upon ourselves. WE, US. The so-called “little people” as they …always say (which is also complete nonsense). THANK YOU for acknowledging this.
The way I see it, the only difference between now and before the financial crisis is that now the general public is awake about the bullshit that had been already happening for decades. It was coming and those who were awake did see it coming for many decades. MANY DECADES!!!
WE let it happen. US. And I say to any person who calls me little, speak for yourself! The laws of cause and effect apply to every human being in the universe. It works for anyone willing to apply it. It plays no favorites.
Marco,
It’s called returning to the gold standard and understanding basic Austrian Free Market Econ. If they can’t print the paper or digitize the fake money, they can’t control you. Read Human Action by Prof. Ludwing von Mises and find out how the world is really controlled by those who control the monetary system. That’s the key. If you accomplish this, then you can continue reading what the Plejaren have to say about Cause and Effect, Law of Identity, and other universal truths. Until then, you will just be going around in circles, arguing various lines of the major political parties or playing around in philosophical circle jerks with every theoretician and their brother. Good luck, Marco.
Michael, I miss my weekly USTREAM Michael Horn radio show. Any word on the status?
I do plan on resuming the show. I’ve been traveling and have some more coming up so perhaps before the end of the month if possible.
I appreciate your interest, so thanks for the prodding.
Dear Marko,
I agree that the Occupy movement is not enough, and about 10 years too late. If people had realized their self-responsibility in the elections of 2000 and 2004 and had denied Bush Jr. the chance to seize up power, then the WTC collapse as well as the financial collapse of 2008 wouldn’t have happened, not to mention the Iraq war and Afghanistan. The sad fact is that people are just too stupid and too lazy to sit down, analyze the facts and vote for responsible people. They prefer to lie down in front of their TVs, and watch endless hours upon hours of sports and sitcoms, drink beer and smoke ’til they’re unconscious, and expect everybody else to wipe the a$$es for them and give them everything they want on a silver platter. They too easily believe in the lying politicians and their minions without investigating the basic facts, because they don’t want any responsibilities for themselves. That’s why the more a politician lies, and since people don’t want any responsibilities to search for the truth themselves, the more they are likely to be elected. The people don’t want to do anything that would cause them to do the effort to work at getting behind the real reasons for the sorry state of their country. The Occupy movement is the same sort of sillyness because I feel like everybody should be telling these silly folk, “I told you so…” 10 YEARS AGO! Rather than protest, they should inform themselves and others on WHO to vote for, WHY they should vote for them, and WHAT the world situation is and WHAT the solutions demand from each individual – i.e. – the use of geothermal energy, wind energy, solar and wave energy, the use of electrically powered cars, the need to stop using oil, etc. If these things were focused upon, then the OWS movement would be much more successful and productive. I am sorry, and I must say, that for someone who has read 15 FIGU books, it seems like you really haven’t learned that much.