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We are the 99 percent

Direct Action Idea #2: Laughing at the 1%

Posted 10 years ago on May 13, 2013, 6 a.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: philanthropy, capitalism, carlos slim, direct action

When people from two different countries hate you, that means you are a public enemy. Last week, the richest man in the entire world, Carlos Slim, attempted to use a philanthropic gift to cover up the fact that his monopolistic practices have impoverished all of Latin America, with headway being made to raid the coffers of the United States with over $451.7 million taken in from subsides from the government of the United States every year.

The 1% control access to and the rules around supporting badly needed social services, from education to healthcare. We live in an unsustainable system in which the very richest in society dictate with their dollars the world that they want to see, not live in, and certainly not engage with on a day to day basis.

We laugh at this preposterous system in which we live, and we will continue to bring you inspiration about how it can change.

8 Comments

8 Comments


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[-] 2 points by andrewjeff (2) 10 years ago

i remember i saw a movie about this exact topic you have posted here just a few days. the funny thing is that the movie is having the exact few phrases you have used here , and wondering if you inspired your article from that movie? the site was http://www.onchannel.net

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 10 years ago

''Corporate Profits Are Up 4X and Their Taxes Have Fallen by 50% -- Meanwhile the Workers' Payroll Tax Has Doubled'', by Paul Buchheit :

''Corporations have decided to let middle-class workers pay for national investments that have largely benefited businesses over the years.

''Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged" fantasizes a world in which anti-government citizens reject taxes and regulations, and "stop the motor" by withdrawing themselves from the system of production. In a perverse twist on the writer's theme the prediction is coming true. But instead of productive people rejecting taxes, rejected taxes are shutting down productive people.

''Perhaps Ayn Rand never anticipated the impact of unregulated greed on a productive middle class. Perhaps she never understood the fairness of tax money for public research and infrastructure and security, all of which have contributed to the success of big business. She must have known about the inequality of the pre-Depression years. But she couldn't have foreseen the concurrent rise in technology and globalization that allowed inequality to surge again, more quickly, in a manner that threatens to put the greediest offenders out of our reach.''

I also recommend that RSI animate video above :-)

e tenebris, lux ...

[-] 2 points by ProblemSolver (79) 10 years ago

This reminds me of the greedy capitalist car dealership that offers a new television if you buy a car from them , or 200 gallons of 'free' fuel, or a chance to win a trip ...

seriously folks .. capitalists are right out in the open laughing at how much they can get away with !

[-] 2 points by inclusionman (7064) 10 years ago

The direct action laughter protesting Slim was priceless.

Well done.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Note: Greed a driving force behind - Democide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democide

[ The term is courtesy of http://occupywallst.org/forum/democide-murder-when-your-government-kills-you/ ]

GREED THE #1 CAUSE OF DISEASE/DEATH/DESTRUCTION IN THE WORLD.

[-] 1 points by Atiq (1) 10 years ago

1st video: EXCELLENT! Another imaginative approach to protest from the creative minds of Occupy!

2nd video: That's a VERY long time to listen to someone talk about everything that doesn't work, and hasn't worked, without offering any concrete solutions.

[-] 1 points by maluhdt (3) 10 years ago

The house of the richest man in the world is right across the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. He made his fortune out of corruption and crime in Mexico. His PR manager is excellent. He invests in all the political parties and all the newspapers so that he is not exposed by anyone. Even Wikipedia forbids you to edit his bio and take off the word "philanthropist", WHICH HE IS NOT. Besides, if he were a philanthropist, it would be up to the beneficiaries to say it, don't you think? Not up to him. He's Bloomberg's friend. He's Bush's friend. He's Obama's friend. He is everybody's friend. His name is Slim (and he is so fat). So everything about him turns out to be just the opposite. He represents everything that Occupy Wall Street is against to. More information here: http://malu-huacuja-del-toro.blogspot.com/p/slimfiles.html

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[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Laughter is Good For The Soul.

Laughter can be Good For The World.

Grab the attention - then educate.

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