Grumpy Old Chook

“Occupy”

The “Occupy” movement has been gaining quite a bit of the headlines around the world recently – Wall Street, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne – pretty much anywhere in the world where there is the freedom to demonstrate, these people are causing chaos.

I am sure that there are some within the crowds who genuinely want “to change the world” – but as with any such movement, there is a very large element of “rent-a-crowd”: the hangers-on who will do just about anything to (a) get their 15 minutes of fame; an (b) get out of doing anything that would actually be productive.

Now, anyone who has followed this blog at all will know that I am certainly in favour of working to help the most needy members of society, whether it be by campaigning for a better deal from the Australian welfare system or raising funds for humanitarian projects in Africa and Asia. This mob, however, simply hasn’t a clue.

I was a young person during the protest era of the ’60s and early ’70s. The “solidarity, love and respect” touted by today’s demonstrators is oddly reminiscent of the “peace and love” of those heady days. Not that interfering with the day-to-day live and business of ordinary people who just want to earn a living and take care of their families is actually all that loving, or respectful (either then or now.) And not that attacking the constabulary just because they are law enforcement is actually that peaceful – or, again, respectful.

What exactly are they protesting? Well, most of them don’t seem to really know. They cite things “corporate greed,” “economic inequality” and “corruption” but the real, underlying motive seems to be pure, simple jealousy: “Some people have more than I have, and it’s not fair.”

Guess what! Those people who have more than you do probably worked a lot harder than you do. They studied to get qualifications; worked long hours to set themselves up; invested their time, energy and money wisely to increase their position. Yes, there are a few “rich” people who received their wealth through an inheritance, but most earned every penny they have. (And if those who inherited it didn’t invest their own effort to keeping and expanding their wealth, there is a very good chance that they have either already lost it, or are in the process of doing so.)

If you have time to sit in a tent “occupying” a city somewhere, then it is pretty obvious that you are not actually contributing any value to society, either by working (and paying taxes;) by running a business (and paying taxes, and employing others who also pay taxes;) by looking after a home and family; by volunteering your services to help one of the many not-for-profit organizations who desperately need extra hands; or by studying to prepare for a life in which you will do any or all of the above.

It has been estimated that if all the wealth in the world could be evenly distributed to the world’s inhabitants tomorrow, each person would have several million dollars … and that, within 12 months, the distribution would be back to much the same as it is today. Why? Because the people who have money today know how to use it, and are prepared to work hard to keep it. Whilst it might not be a totally accurate assessment – I believe there are also other factors involved – the concept certainly merits some consideration.

“Occupiers” say they are protesting “corporate greed” – but do they realize that many of the worlds richest individuals and corporations are also the most generous? Many people around the world who live in poverty, many who have medical needs, many who need education, have receive relief for their circumstances from the assistance given by some wealthy individual or corporation. As someone has wisely said, the best way to help the poor is by not being one of them.

Sure, some rich people are stingy – but so are a lot of “middle class” people – the 99% that the Occupy Movement claims to represent. I’d like to ask each of the people camped on the streets of the USA, Britain, Japan, Australia and elsewhere round the globe: How long is it since you made a donation to charity? I’m not talking millions of dollars – how long since you dropped a gold coin in a collection tin? How long is it since you gave something directly to someone in need? I’m betting that for most the answer is “a very long time” – if, indeed, they have ever demonstrated such generousity.

I wonder, too, whether any of the protesters have ever considered that it is the wealthy people of this world, and the corporations, that provide jobs for thousands of people? And that it is the tax paid by the people employed by those wealthy individuals and corporations, as well as that paid by the rich individuals and corporations themselves, that enables the government to provide a welfare system that pays the unemployment benefit that I am sure most of these demonstrators live on?

Perhaps most importantly, I wonder how many of the protestors have considered the fact that the best way to influence a system is not by making yourself anathema to it. Chanting, marching, and disrupting the lives of ordinary people does not endear you to anyone: it only gets you off-side. The best way to change any system is from within. If you really want to change the corporate structure, then become part of it. Study and work till you can hold a legitimate position within the structure, and by your own integrity and values gain respect and influence. Then, and only then, will you have a chance of bringing about some real change.

Of course, most of the Occupy crowd would not even consider such things. They are not really about change, just about noise.

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