It’s hard to miss OccupyWallStreet. News is everywhere about this people movement that began in September in New York City to fight against corrosive power of big bangs and even bigger multi-national corporations over the democratic process and Wall Street’s role in causing the great recession of our generation. Good on this group for mobilizing in a major way for something it stands for – a movement that it says has now spread to more than 1,500 cities worldwide.
But, when you take a step back from the protests and organized assemblies, is OccupyWallStreet being as effective as it could be in influencing communities to make a real impact and actually stop the financial corruption and be a part of the solition it says it stands for?
On his Huff Post blog, David Meerman Scott http://huff.to/qy94vV has what I think are smart tactics for OccupyWallStreet to consider to make its efforts even more impactful. In particular, “Put a face (or faces) to your organization.” I agree with Meerman Scott that the group doesn’t, and shouldn’t be, a faceless, nameless entity like the very banks and massive corporation it’s targeting.
It’s been fascintating to what this movement unfold and I’ll continue to watch with interest.
I think you’re on the right track, Julie, but I would add that having a well-articulated “Manifesto” or at least a list of grievances would help the media get a better handle on the movement, and perhaps help in achieving quantifiable outcomes. Most of us have a vagues sense of what it’s like to be “the 99%,” but even idiot kidnappers know what kind of message to put in a ransom note. Spell it out, people!
Thanks for weighing in, David! The OWS movement is on as evident by the cities, both here in the U.S. and globally that are taking part. Agreed that clear, well-communicated messaging is critical in any grand-scale movement or small-town staging. If we want the media to take notice, report accurately and fairly, then we need to do our part in the communications system. With citizen journalism bolstered by social media, that sometimes takes a harried course, and what’s left is a populace that’s less than clear on what the hell is going on!