What are your thoughts on the occupy Main Street demonstrations?
By Pose123
@Pose123 (21635)
Canada
October 16, 2011 9:10pm CST
We all know that this started in the US with Occupy Wall Street, but has since spread to more than a thousand cities all over the globe. Today I heard it referred to as Occupy Main Street and I guess that's because of the fact that it has spread so fast and to so many cities. The social media being what it is today, something like this can grow in just hours. Do you think that it is something that governments need to watch or will it die as quickly as it started?
2 people like this
6 responses
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
17 Oct 11
My thoughts are this is an idea whose time has come and my only regret is that it didn't come about seven or eight years ago before the middle class got crushed to the extent it has been. I really don't think this movement is going to die out anytime soon and I DO think the governments involved should ignore it at their own peril.
Annie
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
30 Oct 11
Thank you so much for the BR! It sure doesn't look like this movement is going to go away any time soon, does it? Of course, there will always be those who will run them down and judge all of them by the few trouble-makers but I think it's a very positive thing for the most part. It's helped to change the nation's conversation to the subject of the huge - and GROWING - income and wealth inequality between the top 1% and the rest of us on the bottom 99%.
Annie
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
20 Oct 11
Personally I'm worried.
Every great empire in history began small with most of the people at close to the same level. As the empires grew the people did better. As the differenced between classes became more & more pronounced the ruling class & goverment got more & more rich & corrupt until eventually it hit a tipping point & the country stoped growing. At that point either the people would rise up & the empire would be broken up or the people themselves would stop supporting the goverment & an outside threat would move in & take over. Either way the empire ended. I have to wonder if the U.S. has reached that point. With the U.S. being the big stabelizer of the worlds economy our collapse would be disasterous worldwide.
A goverments job is to serve the people but ours is now comprised of the wealthy with the purpose of serving the wealthy while plakating the poor. If they don't take notice now & fix the corruption & greed they've allowed to infest our goverment & corporations then eventually the lower classes will rise up against them in less peaceful ways. If nothing else the almighty dollar they so worship will stop being accepted by the other classes & lose it's value.
1 person likes this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
20 Oct 11
Hi uath, Thank you for your response.It's very important that the movement remain peaceful, and my hope is that it well. I've felt for a long time that things could not continue as it was, and that something big was about to happen. The seed was sown in countries like Egypt and Libya, where ordinary people rose up again dictatorship. In the same way people in the west, already suffering from high unemployment, felt that a system whereby the rich continue to get richer, just wasn't working. I don't think we will see large scale violence as yet, and hopefully not ever, yet the old ways no longer work and change must come. Blessings.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
17 Oct 11
Wonderful, wonderful! The best thing since sliced bread! Governments the world over need to listen and learn! Its high time the 99% stood up, and spoke for themselves. CEO's incomes and bonuses have risen 440% in the last 10 years, while the 99% struggle with higher food, fuel, rent and clothing costs. Our society must adjust to the realities of life in the 21 century. If they don't listen and learn the $hit will eventually hit the fan!
1 person likes this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
17 Oct 11
Hi barehugs, I agree with you and I'm surprised that it didn't start before this, but I guess everything has it's time.I think too that this is much bigger than governments or business think possible. The important thing now is to keep the demonstrations peaceful. They need a Gandhi or Martin Luther King, a leader who will help people see that only through non-violence can real results be achieved. If the time isn't ripe, it won't last long, but if it's an idea whose time has come, nothing can stop it. The ideas are right and changes will definitely come about in a few short years, hopefully without a lot of bloodshed. Thank you for commenting and please feel free to comment further. Blessings.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
17 Oct 11
Hi Ganesh, Thank you for commenting and I think you make a good point. Should governments try to stop it with force, we may well see something much worse. Remember, it just isn't the US anymore, it has already spread to more than a thousand cities all over the globe. I think the biggest danger is violence, but if it can be kept peaceful, the demonstrators may well bring about the biggest change we have seen in hundreds of years. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@advokatku (4033)
• Indonesia
17 Oct 11
United States government should immediately take a position on the reaction of the demonstrators. If it continues to be left without any reaction or attitude of the government, you can bet the demonstrators can perform actions even crazier
1 person likes this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
17 Oct 11
Hi advokatku, It appears that you are opposed to these demonstrations. What action do you think the government should take? Do you think it's possible that action to stop the movement will only cause it to grow even more. Many people think that these people have a point and that governments and business should listen. Thank you for coming here and I hope that you will comment again. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Oct 11
Hi Pose: This is a very interesting discussion I have to say but first I have to disagree with you on the fact that everything started in the USA. I think that the demonstrations have been also inspired by other movements taking place around the world like the students movement in Chile, the indignaos movement in Spain and the riots in the middle east demanding democracy. I think that people have understand the power that they have in their hands and that they can actually fight against the social problems. We can't just let the politicians do everything. Democracy is more than just voting, the people have power and now that we have technologies people from around the world can be united for the same reasons and make global movements.
ALVARO
1 person likes this
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
20 Oct 11
Hi starsailover, Thank you for your comment. You make a good point, and while the Occupy Wallstreet protests did begin in the US, I'm sure that you are right in thinking that events in other parts of the world played a big part in the birth of this movement. As you say, people everywhere are realizing that they have power when they ban together, and this is really a global thing. The human race has made great progress in technology, yet we have barely scratched the surface in the way we care for one another. I feel that this is a movement that is not going to go away until we see big changes in the way equality,justice and wealth are distributed in the world. Blessings.
