This isn’t only about #OWS – it’s also about people who simply refuse to see another perspective on any topic.
No matter how much I think about it, I can’t come up with a good answer. I was reading a great article in the NY Times about bringing children to Occupy Wall Street as a civics lesson (and so much more). It’s been awhile since I read any good balanced articles about this people’s movement in the mainstream news sector. If the news had been more precise with actual footage of what transpires at any Occupy location (which is not lacking because there is a ton out there on blogs and social media), then I wouldn’t have to be continually disenchanted at the state of humanity in the USA.
Take these for instance:
What is so difficult about looking at a situation from a perspective outside of your own? Is is really such a hard concept to grasp for so many of the haters out there? I don’t like to generalize about people, but it’s sometimes all that I’m left with when trying to explain the inexplicable. I mean, I would hate to characterize a person because of their location in order to conceptualize why they talk the way they do. I’m pretty sure that both Freedom Fighter (can some from Sin City really afford to throw stones?) and barb (come on – visit a place before you insult it) would hate for us to generalize about them from the way they talk online or where they’re from – especially if it comes out as derogatory on our parts.
It’s ok to disagree about a topic, but at least offer constructive criticism to further the discussion without resorting to name calling, character defamation, or misrepresented ideology. I know that there are many others who follow this same course of action when confronted with something new. People who protest are not all anarchists. Frankly, I’m more worried about disrespectful and dangerous government actions against these protesters and the rest of the citizens than I am about what these occupations signify.
We’re at the beginning of an unprecedented learning moment in our history. A lot of good could come from this movement, as long as the occupations remember what first brought them together and our leaders in society take this moment seriously. It’s not about complaining about the system, defaming our institutions, or trying to get something for nothing. At least that’s what I believe. We all sense the systematic failures, or we wouldn’t be drawn to this particular cause. While their every actions won’t mirror our own desires, the purity of their motivation for positive change is something that our current system could never provide us. Isn’t it about time that we give other people’s opinions a chance to be heard instead of beating them with antiquated rhetoric? Status quo does not work, and it never will if it refuses to change with the needs of the time.
Besides, no one is a true hippie any longer, as it’s not really possible because our times are different. People who are speaking out aren’t seeping out from the underbelly of society. A lot of them are just like your neighbors and yourself. And even wealthy people do drugs, so the fringe don’t hold the record for that action. Progress isn’t about only embracing our successes. It’s about learning from them so we can do even better the next iteration. It’s also about learning from failures so we don’t keep repeating them.
Sometime history needs to remain in the past, simply because our past isn’t as great as we remember it (there are always hidden layers, and experiences are individual). Frankly, there’s a lot of stuff in the past I don’t want back like segregation, discrimination, and all of the -isms that drive a wedge into society. That the kind of tone as seen above still continues in comments and political rallies only shows how many steps backward we are going, and that isn’t a good thing.
Thanks goodness for these responses:
I know that there is hope because there are a lot more people like David and Tallmarc (loved his sarcasm) who work to see all possible perspectives before making a conclusion. The only way this works is that we all stay informed. And that is also the lesson that life teaches us. I dont’ condone every action that they do, but I completely support them in getting us all to become involved in our own ways. After all, this is our future that we’re talking about. And I definitely can’t continue to live the way we’re all currently living – as hostages.
So, what makes people say things they do?
