What is the Occupy Movement? What do they want?
Lots of people don’t get it. That’s understandable, because it’s decentralised and there is no identifiable and charismatic figurehead articulating the movement’s demands. And, really, that’s because it’s democratic: “of the people.” And the simple fact that there is no central figure to take down, as was the case with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, means that it’s much more difficult for opposing interests to attack the movement.
The movement is based on principles of participation and self-expression. That’s why we see so many varied flavours of protest: corruption; human rights; poverty; education; healthcare, and so on. And that means that there is room for many thousands of people to get involved, in their own ways. It’s one of the reasons that the movement has become so big.
How do we synthesise all of that? Is it an anti-capitalist, quasi-communist movement?
No.
Capitalism is fine, as an idea.
Communism is fine, as an idea.
In practice, what scrambles it all up, and what this movement rallies against, is egoistic, greedy self-interest—the manipulation of political and economic systems, be they capitalist, communist, or whatever, and the ancillary structures that are meant to support them.
It is the immoral, unsympathetic self-interested attitude, so overtly expressed by intrusive and growth-driven corporate entities and weak governments, that ruins it for everyone.
In a word: “Corruption.” What is it that is corrupted? The system that pretends to offer growth, wealth and prosperity for us.
We have enough to feed, house and employ everyone in the world, right now.
That means that what is happening is THEFT.
Auckland, NZ
We are not against capitalism, and we are not in favour of communism. We are against greed, and selfishness, and corruption. We are in favour of justice, fairness and positive evolution.
You want to know what we want? You want to know what our demands are?
We demand nothing less than A BETTER WORLD, where EVERYONE is fed, housed and fairly employed, and a contributing member of a just and equal society.
We demand our right to such a world… because it ALREADY EXISTS. There is abundance everywhere… and it is being hoarded and squandered by a greedy minority of government-sanctioned thieves.
We make this demand peacefully. We shall not fight you with guns, nor swords, nor fists.
We shall fight you with words, and ideas, and reason. Our weapons are our Hearts; our Minds are our shields, and we shall wield them with mighty compassion and unwavering confidence.
We are Soldiers of Justice, and we shall march, and march, and march–not until we win, but until you finally see these truths, and you join us.
Join us.
occupychristchurch.org
occupynz.org
occupywallstreet.org
occupytogether.org
Word.