In this newspaper and in countless others, "Occupy Wall Street" and its offshoots have received much criticism — we hear constantly that the Occupiers are too unclear in their goals, that there's no leadership. Where are their specific demands? Why don't they have concrete solutions? Surrounded by the ineffectual world of American politics, it's easy to nod in agreement with the barrage of cynicism, but I urge you to take a look at the truly magnificent social movement that's growing in front of us.
The liberal critique of the Occupy movement misses its central nature. This is not a conventional protest targeted at one cause; it's a much bolder social movement. This is a movement of people who are tired of playing by the rules for too long and not having anything to show for it. It is a movement that is angered and frustrated by the plague of economic inequality that grows each day in this country. Corporate tax breaks, loopholes for the rich and back−breaking student debt have become rampant. Income inequality in the United States has grown consistently since the 1960s. Corporate greed has run amok in this country, and existing democratic institutions have failed to stem the tide.
There is a unifying expression of dissent and disenfranchisement throughout the Occupy protests. Frustration and anger emanate from city parks and public squares across the nation, but most of all, people are exhausted with the way things are. Cynics write it off by pointing out a lack of specific demands, but the problem driving people to these makeshift communities is too big to address with a list of three or four demands. Not everyone is an economist. Certainly, the population should be involved in the creation of public policy, but the intricate construction of that policy is for, well, policymakers. Sets of specific demands have emerged in the past few days from segments of the Occupy movement, but they are not, nor should they be, the driving force behind it.
What's happening here is an attempt to start a conversation, to change the nature of political discourse. Even when we talk about taxes and income in this country, it's in the context of austerity measures, GDP growth, deficit−reduction plans, etc. All the while, the poor in this country become poorer. People want an outlet for their helplessness. They want their government and their country to be talking about the raging inequality ripping America apart.
When I was in Occupy Boston last Friday, one man sighed, "I want them to know that we matter." If you really want to know where this movement is coming from, look up the WeAreThe99Percent blog. This is a movement built on people's stories, and these stories are simple. They are stories of how the system no longer supports the overwhelming majority of Americans.
This movement is more than a mere shouting match with the establishment. Remember that this is not merely a march; it is an occupation. A remarkable thing is happening at "Occupy Wall Street," Occupy Boston and others around the country. People are building organic communities. They are creating spaces where people can share their frustrations and their stories, where ideas can thrive and grow to develop a coherent message.
David Graeber, one of the initial organizers of "Occupy Wall Street," addressed the unconventional structure of these communities in an interview, explaining that, "You're creating a vision of the sort of society you want to have in miniature."
As time goes on, these communities are democratically creating makeshift constitutions, fostering an atmosphere of tolerance and discussion. Groups are formed voluntarily to service the needs of the community, and decisions are made in daily general assemblies that have no hierarchy and no leaders, only facilitators. The methods of this social revolution are as important as the reason for its existence.
In such an occupation, people rejected by the system find meaning. "We Are The 99 Percent" is an expression of solidarity that brings together those worst struck by these past few years, those who are not afforded the opportunities to succeed in life. At its barest levels, it is a cathartic experience for the Occupiers. In difficult times, these are communities coming together to find meaning in a status quo that has rejected the idea of social equality.
As Professor Goldstein pointed out in his op−ed on Tuesday, "Successful movements don't spring up, fully formed out of nowhere."
The message here is growing and evolving. The Occupiers are speaking to you just as much as they are to politicians and corporations. They are speaking out to this country through their actions and their methods, demanding that we begin talking about the rising inequality in this country. We don't know how far this movement will go, or what its long−term effects will be. But a real movement for progressive social change is happening here, and it deserves a chance.
There's an idea embedded in American culture that the game is fair — that if you work hard enough, study hard enough, put enough hours in, be creative enough, then you'll win the game. But for decades, the vast majority of people have been kicked down over and over again for even trying. The game is rigged. And people are just plain tired of it.
I urge you also to take an evening off and go down to South Station. Walk around, talk to some people, and judge for yourself what's going on. But, please, leave your cynicism at the door.
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