The Future of #OCCUPY
ADBUSTERS TACTICAL BRIEFING
The initial phase of the #OCCUPY movement was marked by several weeks of viral growth that peaked on October 15 with a global day of action. In the next phase, there will be a turn towards addressing the deep philosophical and strategic questions of how to escalate this democracy moment into a revolutionary people's movement. Across the nation there are clear signs that the #OCCUPY movement is simultaneously maturing and growing more militant.
Of the many questions swirling around #OCCUPY, the most challenging is how to gel into a global movement without sacrificing the decentralized, leaderless model. There is a widespread acknowledgment that there are challenges that can only be dealt with on a global scale, such as a climate change accord and overturning international casino capitalism, and that we must therefore forge a globally united people's movement. However, there is also a growing recognition that the general assembly model that has worked beautifully thus far may be fundamentally limited on a structural level.
A breakthrough came on Friday from the New York City General Assembly where the structure working group has proposed, and the general assembly has accepted, the adoption of a modified spokes council model that will work in conjunction with the general assembly. This lays the foundation for a regional, national and potentially international spokes council, something that both #OCCUPYPHILLY and The 99 Percent Declaration have been pushing for. We are beginning to see how the #OCCUPY movement will elevate itself into an international force.
Meanwhile, the power center of the movement is shifting away from the East Coast towards the West. On Wednesday, #OCCUPYOAKLAND is organizing a General Strike that is already finding support within the local community. Solidarity actions are planned in occupations nationwide. Within the movement, there is a sense that this may be a turning point as militant tactics come to the fore and direct confrontation with the structures of the corporate-state becomes the norm.
Other sparks on the horizon include the November 5 Transition Day/Bank Transfer Day, the November 25 Buy Nothing Day kick off to #OCCUPYXMAS and the December 10 Global Day of Action which was proposed this week by the international network behind the blast on October 15.
Hang in there!
for the wild,
Culture Jammers HQ
370 comments on the article “The Future of #OCCUPY”
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Lily Star
Dont waste energy fighting anonymous cowards who need to dehumanize and vilify you before they can comment.
If you really mean what you say and arent some paid shill for the Koch whores, then you would put your name on your remarks.
Peace
Lily Star
Dont waste energy fighting anonymous cowards who need to dehumanize and vilify you before they can comment.
If you really mean what you say and arent some paid shill for the Koch whores, then you would put your name on your remarks.
Peace
Anonymous
IN RESPONSE TO: by Lily Star on November 07 2011, @04:24 am
"Dont waste energy fighting anonymous cowards who need to dehumanize and vilify you before they can comment.
If you really mean what you say and arent some paid shill for the Koch whores, then you would put your name on your remarks."
Incorrect assumption, Lily. We mean what we say, but we also recognize that the anarchists behind this "movement" are prone to violence, based on their behavior and surveys. Indeed check the Daily Kook, whose founder's mission is to eliminate conservatives. The left are full of acid, venom, bitterness, and vitriol and are so driven by crazed, and possibly narcotic-induced, emotion that some of us would rather not risk attack by the zombies. Call us crazy if you like. But I would say YOU are the coward, as you'd rather assume that those who recognize how impish this movement is, those who disagree with you, must be paid "Koch whores," instead of listening to them. OOPS - I'm sorry, liberals don't LISTEN to ANYONE. They just rant. My bad.
Anonymous
IN RESPONSE TO: by Lily Star on November 07 2011, @04:24 am
"Dont waste energy fighting anonymous cowards who need to dehumanize and vilify you before they can comment.
If you really mean what you say and arent some paid shill for the Koch whores, then you would put your name on your remarks."
Incorrect assumption, Lily. We mean what we say, but we also recognize that the anarchists behind this "movement" are prone to violence, based on their behavior and surveys. Indeed check the Daily Kook, whose founder's mission is to eliminate conservatives. The left are full of acid, venom, bitterness, and vitriol and are so driven by crazed, and possibly narcotic-induced, emotion that some of us would rather not risk attack by the zombies. Call us crazy if you like. But I would say YOU are the coward, as you'd rather assume that those who recognize how impish this movement is, those who disagree with you, must be paid "Koch whores," instead of listening to them. OOPS - I'm sorry, liberals don't LISTEN to ANYONE. They just rant. My bad.
Anonymous
11/4 10:58 ANON: "Let us go out and show our numbers and our determination like the French peasants at the palace gates who protested against the king with rakes and hoes." Not exactly an apt analogy. Louis and friends were living high on the hog while the peasants were actually starving. How many of you are starving? Recall also how that ended - beheading of Marie and Louis, and murder of their CHILDREN. Be careful about the analogies you use and be aware that many of us "wealthy" are beginning to prepare ourselves for your presence near our homes and children. For God's sake - don't bring them into it. As noted elsewhere, the majority of people with money didn't always have it; don't terrorize our children because of their parents' success. BUT if it comes to that, remember our Supreme Court-affirmed right to bear arms, and remember that your movement represents a tiny minority of this nation, totally unlike the French peasants (21 million out of a total populace of 30 million). You can be swept away like so many ants at a picnic, so take caution.
Anonymous
11/4 10:58 ANON: "Let us go out and show our numbers and our determination like the French peasants at the palace gates who protested against the king with rakes and hoes." Not exactly an apt analogy. Louis and friends were living high on the hog while the peasants were actually starving. How many of you are starving? Recall also how that ended - beheading of Marie and Louis, and murder of their CHILDREN. Be careful about the analogies you use and be aware that many of us "wealthy" are beginning to prepare ourselves for your presence near our homes and children. For God's sake - don't bring them into it. As noted elsewhere, the majority of people with money didn't always have it; don't terrorize our children because of their parents' success. BUT if it comes to that, remember our Supreme Court-affirmed right to bear arms, and remember that your movement represents a tiny minority of this nation, totally unlike the French peasants (21 million out of a total populace of 30 million). You can be swept away like so many ants at a picnic, so take caution.
Bryce, SLC
You'd rather mow down protesters with an uzi than accept a tax hike on the rich. Good to know.
Bryce, SLC
You'd rather mow down protesters with an uzi than accept a tax hike on the rich. Good to know.
Anonymous
ANONYMOUS 11/4 11:57 wrote: "First, you don't seem to understand what the occupation movement is after. We are not asking for handouts. We are asking for the playing field to be leveled. As we have it the rules are written by the same people they help, to our detriment. There are so many skewed laws it is difficult to even know where to start.
Imagine you worked hard your whole life only to discover that the executives at your company raided your pension fund, and it is worth half what you thought it was worth? It is not that life is unfair, we all know that one. It is that this man-made system has been corrupted such that the wealthiest amongst us are the only ones who get to prosper anymore."
This may be the most reasonable description of the movement yet. I don't know how accurate it is when I see signs that say "Eat the rich," but let's take it as one motive. Yes, the powerful are looking out for one another. Yes, politicians on both sides are handing out favors. Yes, there is corruption. My response is this: (1) Government must stop picking winners and losers - this will only happen with true conservatives, as liberals LOVE government involvement. (2) What brought about this crisis is precisely government overinvolvement. Between Fan/Fred, the Community Reinvestment Act and its ilk, and artificially low interest rates courtesy of the Fed, we were bound for trouble. (3) I don't think it's true that "the wealthiest among us are the only ones who get to prosper." I grew up in a working-class family, went to college and grad school, and had plenty of setbacks. I had no money until the last several years. It has come slowly, but it has come. I know quite a few similar others. Success is a series of decisions with many possible outcomes, but my success has not depended on anyone else's failure, nor has that of many very wealthy people. There are problems with the system, but does that require the complete dismantling of it? Too many in this movement call for that, and it's overreaching. Moreover, it should be Occupy Washington, not Wall Street. Blaming the banks for being forced to take bailouts and government capital is like blaming a spoiled child for being spoiled. The government and parents are responsible, respectively; occupy the White House, the Fed, Fannie and Freddie, Maxine Waters' office, Barney Franks' office, etc. and you'll be targeting the right folks. Then, for all our sakes, DO NOT RE-ELECT OBAMA.
Anonymous
ANONYMOUS 11/4 11:57 wrote: "First, you don't seem to understand what the occupation movement is after. We are not asking for handouts. We are asking for the playing field to be leveled. As we have it the rules are written by the same people they help, to our detriment. There are so many skewed laws it is difficult to even know where to start.
Imagine you worked hard your whole life only to discover that the executives at your company raided your pension fund, and it is worth half what you thought it was worth? It is not that life is unfair, we all know that one. It is that this man-made system has been corrupted such that the wealthiest amongst us are the only ones who get to prosper anymore."
This may be the most reasonable description of the movement yet. I don't know how accurate it is when I see signs that say "Eat the rich," but let's take it as one motive. Yes, the powerful are looking out for one another. Yes, politicians on both sides are handing out favors. Yes, there is corruption. My response is this: (1) Government must stop picking winners and losers - this will only happen with true conservatives, as liberals LOVE government involvement. (2) What brought about this crisis is precisely government overinvolvement. Between Fan/Fred, the Community Reinvestment Act and its ilk, and artificially low interest rates courtesy of the Fed, we were bound for trouble. (3) I don't think it's true that "the wealthiest among us are the only ones who get to prosper." I grew up in a working-class family, went to college and grad school, and had plenty of setbacks. I had no money until the last several years. It has come slowly, but it has come. I know quite a few similar others. Success is a series of decisions with many possible outcomes, but my success has not depended on anyone else's failure, nor has that of many very wealthy people. There are problems with the system, but does that require the complete dismantling of it? Too many in this movement call for that, and it's overreaching. Moreover, it should be Occupy Washington, not Wall Street. Blaming the banks for being forced to take bailouts and government capital is like blaming a spoiled child for being spoiled. The government and parents are responsible, respectively; occupy the White House, the Fed, Fannie and Freddie, Maxine Waters' office, Barney Franks' office, etc. and you'll be targeting the right folks. Then, for all our sakes, DO NOT RE-ELECT OBAMA.
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