All over the world (at last!) people are waking up to the real root cause of the problems in this world we live in. Climate change (obviously), financial mismanagement, unfairness, exploitation, selfishness and yes, downright insanity! Finally people are joining the dots and seeing that the problems of the world are interconnected (oh really?).
At the most basic level all these issues are due to the greed, fear and stupidity of a small minority of psychopaths who have taken over the asylum. Is it human nature, or only the nature of a certain subset of humans - the ones with guns, the ones who are more aggressive and more 'dense' than all the rest? Shall we continue to allow a small minority of (clearly insane) individuals to drive us on into ruin, or shall the more aware among us say 'enough!' and 'no more!'?
People have taken to the streets in unprecedented numbers and have begun to occupy public spaces all over the world demanding change. It started in Tunisia in December 2010 (let's not forget that) and the Arab Spring was born. People in the Middle East raging against disgracefully repressive regimes, hunger, oppression and sheer desperation, hurled themselves in front of machine guns without regard for their safety or their well-being, personal concerns or even the most basic instincts of self-preservation. Their heroism has set the world alight and nothing will ever be the same again.
Before long, inspired by their courage and determination a small band of 'rebels' occupied Wall Street in New York, USA - 'ground zero' of unfettered free market Capitalism. Their slogan is 'We are the 99%'. The mainstream media, centrally controlled and driven by greed and fear as it is, was somewhat flummoxed at first as to what they were trying to communicate (or so they said). What were their aims? What did they want? Where is the list of demands? Millionaires watched from their balconies as the people marched before them, sipping champagne and smug in their belief that this was just some flash in the pan. The French aristocracy behaved in much the same way no doubt in the period leading up to Bastille Day (let them eat cake and all that jazz). The smiles were soon wiped off their powdered faces then, however, and they will be again. You know the old saying: the more things change the more they stay the same... Let us hope that it will not have to be resolved by bloodshed on this occasion if reason prevails. Hopefully we have moved on as a species... time will tell. But the genie is well and truly out of the bottle now. Ruling class beware; pay attention. Times are changing. Get used to it. You can't just ignore this and hope it goes away. It won't.This is an emergency. The planet is in danger. Civilization as we know it is in danger. You just haven't got it yet, that's all.
At the time of writing the 'occupiers' are still in place in about 100 cities around the world (and counting) and they're not going anywhere any time soon. On the contrary, their voices are growing louder, their resolve is growing stronger, their demands are becoming clearer and nothing will ever be the same again. Despite an initial mainstream media vacuum the people of the world have started to use the toys of capitalism - Facebook, Twitter, the iPhone and YouTube... against the corporations themselves. No longer will they be lulled into sleep by dreams of more toys to play with tomorrow. No longer can they be fobbed off with an illusion of a new and brighter day. They can see the emperor is naked. They know the man behind the curtain is a fake. And, no, they won't be quiet. And, no, it won't hurt their feelings if you ignore them or ridicule them or belittle them. Failing to hear what people are trying to tell you will only galvanise them further.
The global 'Occupy' movement has given me more cause for optimism about the state of the world than I have felt for some time. In my own home town in Melbourne, despite acts of violent repression by the state, the will of the people remains undaunted and although it's raining people have now moved the Occupation to another location.Up until recently I thought I was part of a minority who were concerned about the peril we face as a species, about the dangerous fragility of our systems and our social structures. Now I know I am not alone. Now I know I am part of a far larger group who are not only privately fretting and worrying about the future, but are prepared to take to the streets to agitate for change.
But, but, but, cry the mainstream supporters (beneficiaries) of the status quo... but what do they want? Only everything. Only an end to the madness. Only a voice. Only a habitable planet. Only a fair go for all. Only peace in our time. Only a complete change to the current way of ordering society. History is being made. Watch this space.
(Language warning - is it any wonder?)
