Chris Hedges doing his part to help corporations maintain power

[Willinois]

A few friends of mine posted this blog post on facebook. I thought it would be interesting to bring the conversation here with a comment I left on a friends page.

Why the Occupy Movement Frightens the Corporate Elite
Monday, 14 May 2012 10:17 By Chris Hedges, Truthdig | Op-Ed

It's full of exciting, wishful talk about non-violent revolution sweeping the nation without any specific idea of how that will happen. I think it epitomizes the escapist laziness of those who wait for a magical revolution to change everything for them instead of doing the hard work of organizing.

Quote:A revolution has been unleashed across the globe. This revolution, a popular repudiation of the old order, is where we should direct all our energy and commitment. If we do not topple the corporate elites the ecosystem will be destroyed and massive numbers of human beings along with it. The struggle will be long. There will be times when it will seem we are going nowhere. Victory is not inevitable. But this is our best and only hope. The response of the corporate state will ultimately determine the parameters and composition of rebellion. I pray we replicate the 1989 nonviolent revolutions that overthrew the communist regimes in Eastern Europe. But this is not in my hands or yours. Go ahead and vote this November. But don't waste any more time or energy on the presidential election than it takes to get to your polling station and pull a lever for a third-party candidate—just enough to register your obstruction and defiance—and then get back out onto the street. That is where the question of real power is being decided.

The article provides no evidence that the corporate elite are still frightened by Occupy. One would have to show that corporations are making a concerted effort to stop or undermine the movement.

You can tell what threatens corporations by looking at where they spend their money. Right now that's on:
1) Setting up their own puppet news/opinion outlets (Fox, talk radio, think tanks, etc).
2) Electoral politics (in the two major parties).

Clearly, corporations are threatened by the idea that people will exercise their power in elections. That's why they spend so much money on them. I'm sure corporate CEO's are more than happy to read Hedges' advice that the left stay away from electoral politics or only be involved in dead-end third parties. It suits their interests just fine.

Occupy has had an impact and may have a bigger one. That won't happen if it becomes one more group that skips meaningful action while they wait for the revolution to come.

[jaxx]

Quote:Go ahead and vote this November. But don't waste any more time or energy on the presidential election than it takes to get to your polling station and pull a lever for a third-party candidate—just enough to register your obstruction and defiance—and then get back out onto the street. That is where the question of real power is being decided.

This is what the disenchanteds live for....someone to tell them what to do.

[azmouse]

I honestly didn't know the "occupy" thing was still going on.
What, if anything, has it accomplished so far?

[Willinois]

(05-15-2012 08:36 PM)azmouse Wrote:  I honestly didn't know the "occupy" thing was still going on.
What, if anything, has it accomplished so far?

I think the most important thing is that it created a space that didn't exist before in many, many communities for people to come together, discuss issues and take action in a wide variety of ways. It brought in people who were otherwise not engaged and not communicating with each other. There's long term value to that.

Noam Chomsky's comments on what Occupy has accomplished reflect my thoughts pretty well, but with more $10 words.

[NJMaverick]

who lacks the intelligence to even justify his behavior