While I empathize with the basic desires of the “Occupy” movement (i.e. lift the poor), I repeatedly have criticized their lack of direction. Marching, chanting, camping in the park and bating police is not an economic proposal.Read it at Monetary Sovereignty (short)
”Two views of the #Occupy movement,” or “These guys are a riot.”
by Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
I've posted my comment over there already.
Right now, the whole Occupy movement is leaving me a bit cold. In its present incarnation of vague counterculturalism I can't see it developing into an effective movement for social change. At this time it presents no coherent vision of social justice or economic progress, and seems utterly bereft of substantive, concrete ideas for a social order that might replace the current one that in their vague way they oppose. If they actually think we are on our way to a world of "gifting" they are naive beyond redemption.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I see them as intellectual casualties of neoliberalism, reproducing in seminal youth form the same laissez faire attitudes that brought us all the inequality and social failure in the fist place.
And they seem to have gone out of their way to create generational barriers and alienate the broader population of dissatisfied ordinary Americans that they once made such an effort to include.
For example, how in the world do they think that people who are struggling to hold their lives together and keep their heads above water, and were just traumatically pounded by a financial crisis will be excited by the idea of a movement that stages "actions" intentionally desigened to make banks collapse? That's a reckless attitude that only a 20 year old can afford. It seems to me that they have turned themselves into "the 10%", and lost the thread of the broader narrative of social dissatisfaction. It's tragic really.
Dan K, what you are looking for isn't gong to come from Occupy. There are other groups like the 99% movement that wish to engage along the lines you are envisioning.
ReplyDeleteThe "99% Spring" Movement to Train 100,000 Activists: Co-Opting Occupy or Helping Spread its Message?
Despite borrowing a few of the Occupy movement's favorite slogans, the massive and controversial effort known as the 99% Spring is coming from the institutional left.
wonder if they could get hooked up with jill stein and randy wray
ReplyDeleteThere is an MMT contingent in Occupy already, and they are already well aware of Michael Hudson and Bill Black's criticism of Wall Street. Warren has kicked in his book, and some of the MMT'ers have been on site in Zuccotti. It's already happening.
ReplyDeleteWarren Mosler is committed to giving Occupy Dallas a speech June 23rd.
ReplyDeleteI plan on protesting Paul Ryan's speech to North Texas Republicans in Fort Worth in mid June with a heavy dose of MMT signs.