Looking at it objectively, the Occupy Wall Street movement has the right idea: the ordinary person taking on the corrupt system that controls everything. It's clear that the ordinary man wants change and the ordinary man will stand up for what he believes in. It is like the Protestant Reformation. In the year 1517 Martin Luther walked up to All Saint's Church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door. (Occupy the Catholic Church) There are also similarities to the Civil Rights era, when African Americans stood up and marched against the injustices to which they were being subjected. The list goes on.
All these movements have something in common; they identify a social problem, and they express their displeasure with it. Luther pointed out the corruption that had infected the Roman Catholic Church; his Ninety-Five Theses were his solutions. Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King saw the unfair way that African Americans were being treated by the majority, and fought for equal rights. Occupy Wall Street is a group of people that are tired of the greed and corruption that plague our society. They have effectively pointed this out. They have our attention. We would have to be blind and heartless to disagree that the system is broken and in need of repair.
Yet, the question remains: What do you want to do about it? Please give us a clear and definite answer so we can at least have a discussion. As a movement, you have made valid points. Our economy has suffered because greedy people have abused their power, and now the house of cards they created is falling. The ordinary person is left paying for it.
Whatever the solution may be, blowing up the system is not the answer. Capitalism may not be perfect, but at the end of the day, it is by far the best economic system we have. It is vulnerable because of people's greed, but that is an inevitability because humans are in control. Any time there is a human being at the wheel, there is the possibility of error. That is what happened here. A few greedy people took advantage of the situation.
The truth of that matter is that the "system" is just too big. There is no way that it can be stopped. The government can't stop it because government is in the back pocket of these corporations. Neither political party has an answer. If you like take a look at these websites which list some of the biggest donors to the Obama campaign and to the McCain campaign in 2008. If you don't have to time to look, let me just tell you that some of the biggest contributors to political campaigns are the giant Wall Street corporations that are considered so evil. Therefore, we cannot rely on government intervention here, because that would be a case of biting the hand that feeds you.
Do the Occupiers want the "rich" to give them their money? Wouldn't this make them just as bad as the rich people? What motivation do the rich people have for giving away their money? I know I say this a lot, but I have to clarify that I am not an economics major. Yet, I cannot agree with the notion that rich people don't pay taxes. I have met several "rich" people in my time, and when they have shared with me the amount of money they have to pay in taxes, I am astounded. Aside from that, if they want to keep more of their money from the government they have to jump through a million little hoops. The media makes it seem like these hoops keep them from paying taxes at all, but that is just not the case.
People like to point out that corporations don't pay taxes. I don't know enough to say anything one way or another, but consider this. Corporations create job for many people. Those people pay, and they are consumers in the economy. That creates more jobs, which creates more tax revenue. I am sure that many people would consider my ideas naive, but I believe my point of view is not extreme.
The media has done a good job of creating a bad guy in this situation. You see, we are always looking for a scapegoat. Throughout history anti-Semitic movements have blamed the Jews for a million things. The Salem Witch Trials are another example of people trying to find the responsible party for a problem that cannot be easily explained. That is why we have the term witch-hunt.
(Those don't always work out so well.) In this case, the scapegoat has become "rich people", the so-called one percent. No body ever considers themselves rich, so that automatically makes everyone the "good guys." I don't think it is that simple. I think we all share the blame for this, and many of society's ills.
So what is my solution? It is very simple, and it begins on a personal level. Occupy your job. Occupy the classroom. Occupy personal responsibility. Be the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. Stop blaming others for your failures and your shortcomings. Take back the control, and the power that you have given up as an individual. Stop being a sheep.
I could sit here and complain all day about the things that I don't have. I could look across the street at my neighbor's house. I could be envious of his car, his house, his guitars, and his perfectly manicured lawn. Or I could be thankful for what I have, walk over and become friends with him so he will share his things with me. Then I will work hard to achieve what I consider to be success.
That is what it is all about. Educate yourself, find a good job(easier said than done right now, but you get the idea), pay your taxes, don't get into debt, provide for your family, help those in need, be part of a community, don't break the law, don't be a burden to the system, be a productive member of society. Play with your kids. Take your wife out to dinner. Smile. Be happy. Stop worrying about the things that you cannot control. Most of all, Occupiers, stay off the road so I can get to work.
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| Funny Picture. |
Thank you for editing, Peter Ogle.
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