A week or so ago Shane posted an editorial of sorts questioning the Occupy Wall Street protests. The question he raised was what is really being protested here? What do these people want? Well I think as the news coverage has become more focused on these protests, we’re all seeing that these groups of people really have no concrete reasoning for their protests, other than to complain about what they heard of on TV or what the person next to them is complaining about, who is already just complaining about what the person next to them was complaining about. At least at my local “Occupy” protests, the normal news interview goes something like this…
What is it that you are protesting here today?
WE’RE SICK OF WALL STREET!!!
What do you mean by that?
SICK OF CORRUPTION!!!
What corruption?
WE’RE TIRED OF BIG CORPORATIONS!!!
You’re drinking a Starbucks and texting on an iPhone right now….
99 PERCENT!!!
If I didn’t feel like I’d become stupider, I’d probably go down to one of these protests and try to talk some sense into some people, but I’d probably just get a nose bleed because that’s what happens when I hear too much stupid shit at once. However, my interaction would probably go something like this…
It’s 11PM, what are you doing out here?
WE’RE GOING TO GET OUR VOICES HEARD BY STAYING IN THIS PARK AFTER CLOSING HOURS!!!
That doesn’t make any sense. Nobody cares that you’re in the park except for the police.
WE WON’T BE PUSHED OVER ANYMORE!!!
You will be pushed over when the police push you over and take you to jail. And nobody will notice, because nobody cares.
THIS IS A MOVEMENT!!!
Your sign says Legalize Marijuana…wait what are you here for?
Anyways, Howard Stern decided to send a couple members of his team to interview Occupy Wall Street protesters and some of the interviews they got were pretty damn funny. Got to admit I was laughin’ pretty hard during this. Howard keeps making little snark comments based on the responses from the protesters and it gets pretty comical. Wouldn’t really suggest listening to this if you’re at work, there are some f-bombs spattered about, so just wait ’til you get home or put your headphones on. Anyways, enjoy. (btw, Stern is pretty notorious for having any of his material pulled from YouTube, so hopefully this will last a while. Otherwise you’ll have to do a little searchin’)
YAWWWWWWWWWWWN
http://www.qfora.com/ot/images/ot/300127.jpg
Martin,
Good comic. Stop everything protest. I saw a sign in there for stopping deceptive doritos packaging. Damn I get pissed when the bag is only half full.
It seems that most of those protestants are unemployed people who are bored and they want to at least so something. They are protesting against so many things at the same time but none of those things can get fulfilled. They are just screaming what disappoints them but can’t say what they want to be changed step by step not some thing in general
I agree. I personally see no reason why people should be upset over billions of dollars in wall street bailouts. That is what capitalism is all about, right?
Troy, is that what people are upset about? Im not kidding, I had no idea…
I am sure that there are some in the group that are simply protesting because that is what they do, complain. On the other hand I am equally certain that there are individuals in the protest that are very well informed and know exactly what they are protesting. Considering where they started the protests it is safe to make the assumption that “Occupy Wall Street” is about anger regarding the relationship between these protesters and Wall Street.
Anger that I feel is logically justified.
(I am a hard core capitalist, I love capitalism, but the cronyism on Wall Street is not capitalism.)
Fair enough and your opinion is well-put. Unfortunately it appears as though the protesting trend (in this case) has become an excuse for broke people to complain about being broke.
Agreed. But the trend from the other side of the isle is to find the lowest mentality exhibited by a protester and paint the entire protest with that mentality.
+1 Troy
Troy, I can see why you say that, especially with the portrayal in the video I posted…However, and this is simply based off what I’ve seen since I really started paying attention to this, I haven’t seen one person interviewed that can provide a concrete reason for their protests. Sure what I wrote about above is based on the worst interviews I’ve seen, but even the average interview leaves me scratching my head. Also, I waited to comment on this subject matter until I could form my own opinion. You’ll notice I did not comment when Shane posted his article originally, because I felt like I didn’t know enough about the subject matter. I started paying more attention to the protests but haven’t come away impressed in the least bit. I haven’t seen one person that can describe a reasonable solution to the problem they are complaining about, and that’s where I form my opinion from. Perhaps it is media portrayed, or perhaps it is as it seems.
” I haven’t seen one person interviewed that can provide a concrete reason for their protests”
But did you look to find that or did you simply look to find the idiots?
I just did a simply youtube search for “Occupy protest, interview” and found multiple interviews of intelligent, articulate individuals on the first page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5MOhbACZXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJC7rFwk6-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0j5S8iTvNg&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWoWZO3nqOY&feature=relmfu
It wasn’t hard to find these interviews. I may not agree with all they say, but each one of those protesters had a valid reason to feel the way they did.
Heh, if anything, they’re protesting at the so-called status quo. An article I read indicated they don’t have a unifying or even common goal other than to gather and protest.