Thoughts on the Occupation

The Occupy movement is - IMHO - about the rise of neo-serfdom and its consequences. A whole generation was fooled by a well meaning but untimely doomed attempt to maintain a middle class - with everyone wanting the digital burp of 1990’s to be a permeant feature of reality not a transitory ephemeral daydream - a last hazy summation of the 20th century techno-mismo.

Now faced with a deflationary depression a new class of indebted over educated and under employed people are now out of the pleasure island easy credit loop. They have been voted off the island. Unlike the Boomers they do not have an interesting enough culture that could absorb the human energy - a culture that help spawned the modern technology industry.


The brutal fact of the matter is that no one in power gives a rats ass about OWS. It’s demands will not be met or even scan on the radar with the upper levels of power in North America. OWS will ultimately be disappointed in it’s efforts to address the wide class division and neo-serfdom that will not equal economic action. But that will not matter.


The major problem for the powers that be - and the biggest opportunity for change is that OWS may be marking the resurrection of civic America. Our society is dependent upon the commercial sphere engulfing our existence if you are employed.


If was not too long ago - and for the working class this is still a reality - that this consent cycle of spending was not the day to day reality for most americans. In the 1930’s the commercial life of most people imploded hard.  In the aftermath standing alone was just not possible - it was understood that if you had the fortune to bring in a steady income - no matter how modest - you were obliged to share what you had with others.


Public Library’s, public parks, BBQ’s and small scale parties (it would be for some the only way to get regular protein) - long walks, public parades and festivals create life that can be maintained by small scale economic expenditure (afternoon matinees). In an economic sense it actually extended the Great Depression but as a cultural shift it meant people rediscovered life outside of shrill amusements. It’s biggest weakness was the lack of connection to the erotic - that fueled Hollywoods Golden age.


OWS Valley Forge moment is at hand. The people involved are learning to depend upon others amidst harsh conditions and building social capital template with people who will be fiscally deprived for a decade or two. This template will replicate itself very quickly and accelerate the decline of our societies debt fueled commercial trance.


Just for the record - I like many aspects commercial culture. I don’t look at this process from my middled aged self with any intellectual glee. I understand that people will all-ways be people- with the same fucked up-ness, foolish desires (I have more then my share of that) and negativity. But from that swamp - with some gritty hope - will come a Lotus Flower.