Occupy Wall Street

[AOII Angel]

I listen to NPR everyday, too, Dr. Phil...bring on more of those topics. I find them interesting. The OWS movement seems rudderless, but if it survives will likely be co-opted by a leader or group of leaders who will have an agenda. If nothing else, I'm glad to see the financial sector come back under the microscope after escaping from the mortgage backed securities fiasco essentially unscathed. Let 'em feel the heat for awhile.

[*winter*]

Yeah...but this country has been outsourcing jobs for 30 years now. I think everyone knows about it The question is, do the people who are profiting from it care? Are they even capable of caring? I honestly don't think so.

All it's done is give the people who already make stupid, ignorant comments a target at which to direct their next stupid, ignorant comment. More of the same- why don't you have a job? You must be lazy. You could be job-searcing right now instead of protesting. (Guess they never heard of iPhones and multi-tasking?) They need to shower, no wonder no one will hire them. And on and on.

The problem in this country is that we've lost our f***ing compassion. People are so busy judging each other and worrying that $5 more dollars a month might come out of their check for taxes that they can't see the forest for the trees. The American Dream is GOING AWAY- that's right, GOING AWAY. Our schools suck, our college graduates can't get jobs, people who are doing all the right things can't succeed. And when they dare to stand up and point this out, they get mocked. I guess as long as the American Dream isn't going away for YOUR kid, it's okay. Just don't count on much, with the economy and Karma!

I honestly haven't seen much coverage of the events because every time I try to watch something, I have to listen to some self-righteous a-hole berating these people, when they aren't slackers...there just aren't any jobs!!!

[DrPhil]

In reading more on Occupy Wall Street, I have so many thoughts on this that build off of *winter* and AGDee's posts, so here goes:

"The rich get richer, the poor get poorer" hasn't been a concern of the majority until it started hitting the doorsteps of those who comprise the economic minority of the population and power majority (read: working class and middle class whites). Link that to "the rich get richer, the poor get (insert negative social outcomes)." These dynamics persist for years until it begins to impact those whose socioeconomic conditions matter. Then it becomes a problem that we should all stop what we're doing and concentrate on. Sorry to break it to "you" (general) but some people have always been working to improve these conditions, long before you thought this stuff mattered.

Being overlydramatic from all perspectives (there are more than two perspectives) tends to do nothing more than make people panic and lose their brains along the way. Humans, not just Americans, tend not to do well when there is exaggerated hype and panic. People get irrational and that breeds negative outcomes. The best way to see human behavior is to see what humans do when they think shit has hit the fan and it's every woman/man for her/himself. The lack of compassion that people cite has always existed (throughout history and throughout the world) when people quickly weight their options and their resources. If uniting under a common cause has the greatest benefit then people will temporarily ignore their personal opinions and intolerance of others so they can unite under a common cause.

Occupy Wall Street is not automatically logical and effective just because it seems more in-your-face and overt in terms of allowing people to express their anger and frustration. The results, if any, remain to be seen...just like every formal protest. More importantly, there are all types of ways to protest and not all of them require a staged protest. The best way to get change to happen is to prove that this isn't just a fad sparked by temporary anger. And it isn't just a kickass time to post stuff on facebook.

/longwinded

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by *winter*

Yeah...but this country has been outsourcing jobs for 30 years now. I think everyone knows about it The question is, do the people who are profiting from it care? Are they even capable of caring? I honestly don't think so.

All it's done is give the people who already make stupid, ignorant comments a target at which to direct their next stupid, ignorant comment. More of the same- why don't you have a job? You must be lazy. You could be job-searcing right now instead of protesting. (Guess they never heard of iPhones and multi-tasking?) They need to shower, no wonder no one will hire them. And on and on.

The problem in this country is that we've lost our f***ing compassion. People are so busy judging each other and worrying that $5 more dollars a month might come out of their check for taxes that they can't see the forest for the trees. The American Dream is GOING AWAY- that's right, GOING AWAY. Our schools suck, our college graduates can't get jobs, people who are doing all the right things can't succeed. And when they dare to stand up and point this out, they get mocked. I guess as long as the American Dream isn't going away for YOUR kid, it's okay. Just don't count on much, with the economy and Karma!

I honestly haven't seen much coverage of the events because every time I try to watch something, I have to listen to some self-righteous a-hole berating these people, when they aren't slackers...there just aren't any jobs!!!

To follow up on the outsourcing, clearly, we're all aware of it. The mass migration of desk-type jobs has been a phenomenon of the past decade or so. I guess what I should have said is that I'd like to see some action taken on that knowledge in light of the current employment situation and economy. Perhaps increase corporate taxes on outsourced jobs and have the revenue be directed toward programs for the unemployed. I don't have the answer, but I know that the current situation is not working.

I know several people who are unemployed or underemployed currently who would jump at the chance for a call center job and be quite grateful for it. I know even more people who would be happy to speak to someone who isn't just reading off a script when they call a company to ask for help. Personally, I'd be thrilled to have my support personnel at work at a desk close by where I could explain issues that arise rather than try to communicate via email to people on the other side of the world who don't understand the business that I am in and are primarily paid to be button pushers and not to use their brains and learn the business.

To your point regarding compassion, I don't disagree with you, but I don't know that this has changed so dramatically. There have always been compassionate people in the world, and there have always been assholes. It just seems like the assholes are winning right now.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

To your point regarding compassion, I don't disagree with you, but I don't know that this has changed so dramatically. There have always been compassionate people in the world, and there have always been assholes.

Exactly @ the bolded

"Compassion" and "asshole" will always be subjective. You can be the most compassionate person in the world until it comes to something that you feel strongly about with no compromise and no empathy. That can be interpreted by others as being an asshole. I truly believe that every conscious and fully functional human has at least ONE THING that they are an asshole about. That includes humans who are unable (for any reason) to put their thoughts into words and actions.

[AnchorAlum]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I listen to NPR everyday, too, Dr. Phil...bring on more of those topics. I find them interesting. The OWS movement seems rudderless, but if it survives will likely be co-opted by a leader or group of leaders who will have an agenda. If nothing else, I'm glad to see the financial sector come back under the microscope after escaping from the mortgage backed securities fiasco essentially unscathed. Let 'em feel the heat for awhile.

Hmmm. I've read lots of posts here from folks with varying takes on OWS, but I largely agree with yours.