A little info about the movement: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/11/idUS387529884420111011 Colleges are weighing in all over the country, with both students and professors showing support of OWS. http://themorningsidepost.com/2011/...-faculty-support-occupy-wall-street-movement/ http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011...z_lessig_west_lend_prote sts_intellectu.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/college-students-walk-out_n_996904.html At my school there was a huge student walk out last Wednesday. But this isn't a movement of just students, it's a movement that crosses a wide range of demographics. I think that the US has needed something like this for a very long time and I'm excited that I get to be a part of it. I find this inspiring. Updated October 4: [video=youtube;RnGBQYOHo_k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnGBQYOHo_k[/video] As of October 6: On October 11: 1,435 cities & counting http://www.meetup.com/occupytogether/ Opinions? Links to other articles on student involvement? (I'll add them here)
I was part of it in NY last friday. ITs really amazing because this is such an unorganized group yet they are united. Its contradicting but its true. There is no leader for this movement yet everyone is supporting it. They had different stations are the protest. A kitchen, sleeping area, clinic, etc... oh btw im new here, just wanted to get enough post to download lol, but interesting topic, thanks for bringing it up.
It needs to be talked about more. In it's first two and a half weeks there was widespread media blackout in the US, while other countries were reporting on it worldwide. Had this been anything else (say, a tea party movement of about a dozen supporters), then our media would have been all over it, which just goes to show you, in case you were wondering, who really owns our media.
its really annoying for those (aka me) trying just to get by given i live near there they actually occupy the area not actually on wall st...
I've been reading up on it and there seems to be misconceptions to what this group is all about. Can someone explain to me in dummy terms why they are rallying together like this?
its just about a group of ppl going against the greed/corruption of the "wealthy" and since supposedly, all the $$ is at wall street cos the ppl get there paid "stupidly", they're hitting out against them
Lol, no, but I feel like I need contacts when/if shit goes down at the protests. Interesting view point, thanks for sharing. Here's my take: It's first and foremost a protest for financial reform. It's a call for this country to wake up and realize that our politicians don't serve the people anymore, but are the lap dogs of only lobbyists and those with exorbitant amounts of money. As such, politicians and our governmental system are set up to make the rich richer (with providing tax cuts, bonuses, and bailouts) and cast the rest of us as expendable, unheard, and forgotten. If you aren't part of the richest 1% of this country with trust funds or million dollar bonuses, than you are part of the 99% that has been ignored for too long. The disparity between the haves and have nots is growing in this country and the great socioeconomic inequality we now face is a symptom of the corruption that has run rampant in our government. The individuals that comprise the 1% are often in executive positions of multinational corporations. Without regulations or being held to any sort of responsibility or accountability, they outsource jobs (sometimes setting up sweatshops internationally to lower production costs) and exploit our environment (because mindful use of resources and cleaning up their own pollution is just too expensive when considering immediate gains and profits). The rest of us lose out as the top 1% revels in their power. A lot of protesters speak to the symptoms of these great injustices, but resoundingly the message is there needs to be change through financial reform so that we may restore this country to a democracy. America needs to return to its founding principles and be the country of the people, by the people, and for the people.
^I should have said *allow* CEOs to give themselves million dollar bonuses while simultaneously compensating workers with minimum wage and no health care or just plain laying them off.
that's the thing, as bad as it sounds... there's a big gap between the "skilled" vs "unskilled" workers especially with the large investment/trading companies - their pay is well... lots and then you have the everyday people trying to earn a basic living, and that gap will just wider and wider different perspectives in looking at it, will showcase different things it'll make the new generation attempt to get a better education so that they can move into roles/areas like that but for the less fortunate, it's not going to get any better
"College costs, just like healthcare, have had a shocking multidecade rise in cost that is more than double the inflation rate. College students are graduating into the worst job market since the Great Depression. The unemployment rate for young college graduates reached an all-time high in 2009 and has not been reduced much since then. Many are being forced to take jobs for which they are overqualified, so we see a business student working as a waitress or a law school graduate tending bar." Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layou...udents_joined_the_occupy_wall_street_movement Having a degree in this economic climate seems more like a liability... The problem with our education is that it costs so much. Who can afford it, then? The rich, of course.
but if you think about it, who doesn't take out loans? only those rich enough (so excluding them), talking about your normal everyday people - most of us will be on loans and you work towards paying it off. for those that don't even try, then... nothing much more needs to be said. there's risks with everything, every day in life is a risk... who knows wats gonna happen the next day without a degree, ur pretty much guaranteed u won't get a decent job there are always exceptions - but if u go with the majority, and u want something decent - theres a pretty clear path
Firstly, I don't think we can just ignore the rich in this scenario. College admittance is skewed more towards wealth than to merit. Students with legacies, families contributing to the college, or not in need of financial aid already have a leg up in terms of college admissions, which are rarely need blind (especially when considering that many institutions of higher education are also feeling economically stressed during these times). For those who need to take out loans, loans wouldn't be so bad if there were actually jobs out there where we would have a chance of paying them off... So, the rich stay rich and bribe politicians to keep them rich (hard work, no?) while others aren't even able to get a leg up. The principles of working hard to succeed seem now to be just an American illusion. But this isn't the only issue to address here, it's just one of many.
its true that there are many issues in life, and not just in america itself but given the way things have worked out - part of the culture and mindset has brought it to where it is there are jobs out there, that applies everywhere there's a difference between getting a job you LIKE or WANT, as opposed to one that will get you by until you get to where you want im pretty sure most people out there are in a job that isn't necessarily their first choice/priority you also need to look at areas of demand/supply. going into a field wheres theres an abundance of choices - unless you're the top of the top and you can make yourself stand out, from a company/business point of view - why should they choose u? also, if you're going into a super niche area... if theres no funding you know you're unlikely to get a job. these are the risks you take and choose - you have a choice. choosing something u don't have ANY interest in isn't going to help either working hard to succeed applies to everyone and everywhere how u deem "success", well thats all dependent on each other's perspective
Wow this movement is really starting to take shape. I just googled Occupy Boston and came across this - http://occupyboston.com/ People are really loosing their shit over this and the most media portrayal seem full of shit so far. I honestly don't know where I stand in this situation. I also applied for student loans and am up to my neck in loans. But I worked hard in school and I have a job that pays well. And I think I deserve the job because I worked my ass off for it. I didn't have a great background either so I feel like anyone can make it, it just depends on how hard you try. At the same time, I do feel like there needs to be a financial rebalance. The rate of insurance and tuition is going up too fast in a falling economy that isn't offering as many jobs as they use to. Schools and loans companies also prey on students and students end up graduating from college with heaps of loans with a degree that is sometimes worthless. Of course, it's not fully the school and loan company's fault but also parents and students need to do their research and find the right resources to pay for school. Schools and SallieMae just takes advantage of this. I really don't know where I stand with CEOs. I agree on the fact that most of them are greedy. They are willing to sacrifice thousands of workers to earn that extra bonus at the end of the year. But at the same time, some of them are founders, thinkers and pioneers that created businesses that changes lives and offered jobs. They do deserve a huge cut of the profit because the company, jobs, services wouldn't exist without them. Then there are CEOs who are born with a silver spoon, who got the position through no effort. There needs to be reform with this or some sort of limitation. Politicians are the worse. There have been too many cases where politicians are politicians who work for the profit of large companies and then quit to become board members of said company. It's bull shit. Politicians are suppose to be some of the most considerate people and yet they worry about their own pockets more then anything else. But at the same time, it's our fucking fault for not voting, or voting without knowledge. We need to vote better people into the house. Fuck those pigs. Where do I stand?
who hasn't heard of it, who doesn't know about it? its not the only issue in the world at the moment seriously, take a step back and look at it for your everyday people. there's never going to be a perfect system, never going to be a perfect world there's always going ot be someone complaining and saying it's unfair. thats a fact the fact that the protests are happening isn't a surprise. but remember what its aiming at, the high end execs sure enough, the salary of one exec can easily probably pay for a whole department... and its not like EVERY company is like that it's not like they don't work their ass off to get where they did, and if they managed to get there, good for them. im sure u wouldn't complain if u were one of them either its part of human nature that people are going to greedy. u get something, u want more. there are always exceptions, but for the purpose, we're looking at the majority. regardless how you see it, there are jobs out there. lots of vacancies available everywhere. it's just a matter of what you're willing to go for and what u would accept. there's too many out there that used to be on decent pay, now their jobs got cut, and they want something similar. the fact is, if your not at the top of ur game, ur not going to get something where u were before. accept it. u either level up yourself and market yourself so that you are, or settle for something less. if the boss had a choice, of course they would just keep the best bcause they can replace the other staff... common sense and logical ain't it? as people start to spend less, businesses obviously not going to earn as much, and either 1) its gonna shut because they can't sustain it, 2) pay cuts all round, 3) cut some people off. regardless what option they pick, someones gonna complain and have an issue
