I began writing a sober, plotted out essay that attempted to
deconstruct the American capitalist economic system and consumerist culture. It
started with a seed of three key ideas that I identified in David Loy’s essay
and wanted to run with a bit myself:
1.
Corporate Capitalism is socially defective because it is based
upon our values, which are socially defective.
2.
The need to enrich discussion about potential solutions to our
economic problems by eliminating the stranglehold that the myths of social
Darwinism and upward mobility maintain.
3.
The need for personal revolution to take place before any substantive
systemic reform happens.
But as I began to outline my arguments, the scope widened. As I started to write, I realized I had a lot
to say. I had a lot worthwhile to say (I hope). So this piece grew. And it
grew. And it grew. I began to realize that few are/were going to take the time
to read a 10+ page diatribe (rant). So in an effort to make it easier to
digest, I am publishing a portion of the piece each day. I will include the essay in its entirety in
my Philosophy/Culture section once it is complete. With that said here are some
things I think about David Loy's "Waking Up from the Nightmare:
Buddhist Reflections on Occupy Wall Street" and beyond. I'm hoping for
others to read this (and respond) critically and with open minds.
I THINK the Occupy Wall Street movement represents a growing
awareness of fundamental problems of our economic system and our culture.
We hear the grievances of the Occupy movement: heavily skewed
wealth distribution, unemployment, student debt, and corporate greed. We hear
the clamoring of potential solutions: higher taxes on the wealthy, loan
forgiveness, higher wages. Some of what we hear from the Occupy encampments is the
critique over the perceived unfairness of capitalism, and the need for an equal
sharing of the American wealth pie, so to speak. "If we all just had a
little more of the pie, then things would be better. If we had a little bit
better jobs, or better wages, or better opportunities, or...if the rich would
just stop being so damn greedy and keeping it all for themselves. If we could
just prosecute the rich for conspiring against all the rest of us; if we could
just get them out of power. If we could..."
The first step toward any kind of change is awareness. One must consciously
know of the circumstances and the role each individual plays in constructing
the shared reality in order to be keen on any need for change. The voices crying out of the OWS movement illustrate
a general awareness that our current economic structure and consumerist culture
do not meet the needs of a significant portion of our country. Over 46 million
Americans fell below the poverty line last year according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. That is greater than 15% of
Americans living in poverty. Of course,
we know all too well how this disproportionately affects minorities. The percentage of African-Americans living in
poverty sits at 27%, with Hispanics not far behind at 26%. It should be an understatement when I say this
is outrageous and unacceptable. But even
as I write these statistics I know they will be glossed over by many, barely garnering
an emotional response. However, the OWS
movement is an emotional response to the
some of the deeply disturbing problems, such as the reality of these
statistics, in our society.
I don't necessarily disagree emotionally with the populist
sentiments of OWS. I feel this way, too, at times. I am pissed about the
inequality in our society. I do think it is outrageous that some people are
lighting cigars with $100 bills (this happens all the time, right?) while a
sizable minority of Americans cannot even find a job, let alone the even
greater number of Americans (granted, some are double dippers here) who are
below the poverty line. I do think the Occupy movements are justified in
the collective bitching about our situation. Dissent is essential in a
democratic society. I applaud the OWS
movement for mobilizing people to gather in the streets to voice their dissent
all across the country, which is the manifestation of awareness about deep
rooted problems in our society. Even if OWS does nothing else, it has created a conscious collective awareness about the tragic flaws in the structures and fabrics of our society that all members are forced to at least consider.The quilt
of complaints offered up by the OWS movement has at least one common thread
stitching it all together: The status
quo is unacceptable and radical change is necessary to remedy the situation.
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