This is Not Animal Farm





Occupy Chicago, LaSalle and Jackson, 2011
One of the reoccurring themes of the Occupy Movement is that a better world is possible. Another is building community. Yet, another is alternatives to capitalism. How is that going to happen? How is Occupy going to build a community which shows the wider audience how alternatives work?


The primary resource of Occupy is the pool of energetic and willing human beings. From this gathering people can use their knowledge to make and market a product which will guarantee cash flow to the individuals involved and to the movement. We know there is an abundance of artists within Occupy. The question is: is there an abundance of artisans within Occupy willing to share their skills on the promise of a little gain?

Can a group pool their resources to purchase enough raw materials to make one item which the general public will want? Is there one who can transport the raw material to a location to work on it? Is there a person who has a tool necessary to shape the material? Is there another with yet another tool needed? Is there another who has the tool to finish the material? Is there another who can negotiate a good deal with a consignment shop who will bring it to the market? Is there a person who has the place where the product will be assembled? Is there one who will take the finished good to the place where it is to be displayed and marketed? Will the product, once done, be of such high quality to shame the consumable garbage being foisted upon the general public, and bring others to the consignment shop looking for more? Is there a group who will engage in such micro economic ventures on a shared basis?

These questions are not asked to chide Occupy for failing to move in this direction. These questions are here to get Occupy thinking of how it can build a viable economy that will benefit the movement, and build community around a common goal that is not continual confrontation with authority.

Occupy Chicago, LaSalle and Jackson, May 20, 2011
While confrontation with authority in the world is necessary, that direct action does not add to the economic base of Occupy. Occupy as a whole needs to start building its own economic base in order to achieve its own ends of building a better world based on an alternative social modeling approach to humanity, and human industry.

If Occupy is not willing to actively, and aggressively work on building the economic underpinnings of a better world, then the rest of the 99% is going to have to pick it up. We cannot keep perpetuating the 1% model. It is simply not viable. 

Comments

Popular Posts