James Altucher is one of my favorite bloggers and authors. He has a fabulous way of thinking critically and cutting through the hype and crap of the media. Maybe that’s because he doesn’t even pay attention to the media. Anyway he posted in one of his recent Q&A posts on an Occupy Wall Street question. Here is the exchange:
Question: @KarimGuessous asked what is my stance on Occupy Wall Street
Answer: I thnk a lot of people, including myself, have been badly hurt by the financial crisis that occurred in 2007-9 but really began in 2000-2002 and can be argued, began much earlier.
The problem is this: I used to live right on Wall Street. So I know the people who actually work there. Many of those people lost their jobs, their pensions, their homes, their savings, their 401ks, etc.
I hate to think now that along with all that they already lost they have to deal with thousands of people shouting at them and shoving signs in their faces as they try to get to work. A shit job they have to go to feed their families.
I understand “Wall Street” is symbolic but the reality is that “Wall Street” moved to Park Avenue between 45th and 57th Street many years ago. I used to live in the same building where JP Morgan worked (it got converted to rentals). Now Jami Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan works on 45th Street near Park Avenue. And the hedge funds are all in Greenwich, Connecticut. And the SEC and the Federal Reserve are in Washington DC. Why protest in the face of hard working Americans when the real culprits who should be put on trial live and work elsewhere.
Now, while I don’t agree with Mr. Altucher’s stance on everything I do agree that he has this quite right in terms of the location and outlook of the protests. In not as many words I think it’s vital to note that the Federal Reserve is “that” way. Go protest where it matters. Throwing a bunch of signs and slogans in the face of a bunch of hard-working people isn’t the way to go — these people don’t shape the financial sector. They are pawns just like you and I.
I will say that the media is doing an excellent job on not reporting the developments of the #OWS movement. This of course is done on purpose to keep it from being discussed properly. No one in the embarrassing (read: crooked) Mainstream Media wants to talk about the masters of monetary policy being threatened. Of course if you read here you know that these monetary overlords have already made their protection investment in the NYPD. The media is the puppet of the government — they won’t bite the hand that feeds.
The gripe I have is I am almost glad mainstream media is nearly ignoring this movement — I tuned into the livestream and caught a glimpse of what is going on there… sick. One old educated looking man on a soapbox with hundreds of people around him. He was preaching and after every pause the crowed of students and professionals would repeat his last line. The lines I managed to catch were something out of a Marxist textbook! Capitalism did this, and capitalism did that!
And thus we find my true gripe — capitalism has done nothing because capitalism doesn’t exist! We live inside a very corrupt corporatism. A fusion of big government and big business operating as one unit. This and only this is the reason we are in the financial and political turmoil we are in. Blaming capitalism for these issues is backwards and wrong! Capitalism is the fix! Capitalism would drive these issues out! However communicating that to these Vendetta Mask wearing buffoons would be nearly impossible. They are too busy being brainwashed by Michael Moore DVD’s.
I tried to see what was going on locally in my state of Connecticut. Have a look below at the Occupy New Haven page. Occupy what I’m not sure but nonetheless a bold movement — I was intrigued until the end of the description.
Again, these people, kids, students, adults… they just don’t get it. Do you want to see what a Democracy looks like? Do you want me to show YOU what a democracy looks like? Democracy: rule of the majority (no matter if you agree with the majority or not, you are subject to their will) so take a look at your democracy that you thump at every turn.
You don’t have the guts to click this. It’s a Google Image search and it is very not safe for work. So I hope these puppets of democracy celebrate their overlord’s decisions to murder Americans, and non-Americans all over the globe with their wars. Democracy: rule of the majority. If you take part in the system — even if you oppose the majority now — you are legitimizing these actions, legitimizing the system, and that makes you responsible.
No more from me on the #Occupy movement. Occupy a nice book, or two.
