Occupy Wall Street and past movements, in my opinion, fail to engage regular folks into acting. Of course, there is support from the follow 99%, but to ask them to storm the streets with protest signs and Guy Fawkes masks...well, that's a horse of different color. The same difficulties were faced by the Allies rousing the peoples of Europe to disrupt the enemy's infrastructure. The prospect of losing ones livelihood to even dying as an example left a very unenthusiastic populace to work with, despite woes of living under the Nazi's boot. Thankfully, those apart of Occupy will never have to face such terrors, however, the everyday people are afraid of losing their job, stopping their career short, alienating family, and just being against the norms of our society. These, I believe we can learn from the daunting task of the OSS and apply the lessons learned to our struggles.
MOTIVATING THE "SABOTEUR"
To incite the simple 99 percenter to active practice in street protests and to keep them practicing over time is special problem. As the Manual describes simple sabotage, 'an act which the citizen performs according to his own initiative and inclination.' The protestor is similar in this and exactly how much they hope to personally gain. Though, the normal person doesn't make it a habit to make scene even if they were wronged, at least if no one around them is making a fuss. Even then, they frequently need pressure, assurances, and suggestions as exactly what they need to be doing to show their opposition.
Personal Motives
The ordinary soul probably has never thought of protesting or vocal publicly their distaste with cooperate dominated government, or perhaps doesn't have an immediate personal motivation to object with state of things. So, obviously, one can show them big picture of fighting for our America back and that their actions are important to that end. Explain how much we all gain by kicking big money out of Washington. Be specific. Talk about the CEOs and cooperations they know that are effecting Congress and State governments, then how we can throw them out. Go over the inequality of the rich and the poor, about the measures the 1% are taking to pay a single penny in taxes and how they think the United States show be working to fill their bank vaults. You can't be abstract, you can not go on about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It works with Tea Party folks because it's filled with the type of people who respond to those buzz words, and in the end it was more of GOP pawn than a grassroots movement for change. For most, what writing in the Constitution isn't even comprehensible to daily routine.
Since the average protestor might never see the effect of their actions, it's easy to understand how discourage they'll feel about the work. That is, unless they feel that their a member of a larger group in their area, connected to Occupy as a whole. Just talking with members ever so often, introducing new people to the group, have meets about the success of others in the good fight and discuss what can be learned. Be direct, address individuals or whole groups and praise them for all the hard work they've done and how it's changing things for the better. Send simple texts or emails with you're own words or link them to websites and news articles detailing the effectiveness of the movement. There are some sites and news organizations that do all that they can to attack Occupy, but there are also many that celebrity victories of our struggles. Work to expand and unite local Occupy groups on all levels.
What's most important to motivate 99% is creating the situation where they acquire the sense of responsibility and they begin to educate others in opposition.
Encouraging Destruction of Barriers
The country is ripe of real change and a person state of mind should be encourage that anything is possible if we stand together. Some will need specific suggestions as to what they can do and where the work needs to be done. Disseminate ideas, opinions, and information across the blog-o-sphere, through tweeter, on leaflets, and so on. Focus on local area problems or the general scope of troubles of the country. Most important of all, tell people that they can do this. Occupy isn't just of young college students, but middle-age and high-schoolers and retired and under-employed and over-employed. Men, women, and yes even the family dog can go out on the streets to take back our Future for the 99%.
AME
Original Central Intelligence Agency story -Timeless Tips for 'Simple Sabotage'
No comments:
Post a Comment