[jberryman]

> These people take themselves entirely too seriously. > ... > look at the Internet's success with GoDaddy and the few other companies changing their stance on SOPA.

What exactly is your metric for success here? A sleazy company changed their stance on a bill that the public is completely unaware of and couldn't give two shits about?

I think "the internet" is taking itself too seriously.

Meanwhile a nation-wide protest movement has at the very least succeeded in planting the issue of systemic economic injustice into mainstream public discourse on a daily basis. History may show OWS to be the catalyst for the resurrection of a real progressive movement in America.

[oldstrangers]

The occupy camps have been largely impotent. Whatever immeasurable metaphysical success they've found thus far is more than likely purely coincidental. The collective attitudes of all individuals tend to shift in similar directions when shit gets bad enough. If the building is on fire, most people are going to head for the exits. Claiming that it was OWS that got people talking about income inequality is kind of silly. And even if that is their one success, it's a pretty meaningless victory when shit like NDAA is being passed. "Did you hear? Corporations run this country..." / "No I didn't Bob, I'm being detained indefinitely at GITMO for arguing with a flight attendant."

> Meanwhile a nation-wide protest movement has at the very least succeeded in planting the issue of systemic economic injustice into mainstream public discourse on a daily basis.

Not a single person has mentioned OWS (in a non ironic sense) to me in probably more than a month. In that time, the internet fought tooth and nail to stop something they disagreed with, and they at least saw some semblance of success. And while the bill has only been delayed, it's quite clear that the 'hands on' approach to protesting is more effective than shitting in public places and getting beat up by the police.

As a disclaimer, I did originally have high hopes for OWS. The people were passionate, and they had the energy needed. But their lack of direction and purpose shortly became apparent, and their almost A.D.D. like inability to focus on something became laughable. They would become so easily distracted by petty violence and police abuse that 90% of the occupy videos on YouTube are about the police. Which of course resulted in the majority of media attention being given to local police issues and not the widespread economic corruption they original fought against.

Once it became apparent that the occupy groups weren't going to try and shift their attention or direct themselves towards a goal, the whole thing deteriorated into a repetitive circus of hide and go seek with local police. Ultimately, they succeeded in removing any momentum they had and have literally become stagnant.

[pork]

I was a part of Occupy Oakland, and even though we had the worst police action, I completely agree with oldstranger. It became bizarre when Berkeley students earnestly urged everyone to help the other protestors "find a place to sleep tonight, even at your own home", when at least a third of the protestors were permanently homeless.

[tptacek]

You can't be detained indefinitely under the detainment provisions of the 2012 NDAA for arguing with a flight attendant.

[JoeAltmaier]

THe discourse is mainly limited to the crazy antics of the protesters. They have proven profoundly incapable of delivering any coherent message.

[guelo]

That is just wrong. The whole world now knows the 1% term now.

[tptacek]

Is that the bar? Doesn't every popular Internet meme cross that bar too?

[JoeAltmaier]

Sure; that was good. But so what? Now what? What does this mean for anybody? What does it mean to continue to doodle around in public parks?

The message now is, we're having a grand old time getting ourselves in the news, by distracting the police and annoying the public.

[guelo]

We're having a grand old time getting arrested and harassed in cold winter nights?

[philwelch]

And to what extent that's the case, the seeds of another Lenin or Robespierre, to slaughter the "1%" wholesale for the perceived greater good, have been planted.

Scapegoating the rich, or "bankers", or some ethnic group that's associated with the above, is a tactic we've seen before, and never leads to anything good.