Forum Post: on empathy: the means and the end to the occupation.
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 5, 2011, 5:55 p.m. EST by noahtron
(48)
from Montreal, QC
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy
it is the means and the end to this protest. the government won't feel what we feel, because they're only listening to corporations. the corporations won't listen to us, because cannot feel, and they only listen to money. so who will listen to us? we, the 99%, will feel for each other, patiently. then, we will raise our voice as one, and the government will hear us - they will feel us - because they will BE us.
we need institutions that care about us. if that means destroying corruption everywhere it rears its head, if that means reforming campaign finance laws, if that means changing the legal system, so be it.
we need a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. a true representative government. because we will no longer tolerate taxation without representation.
empathy now.
Well, that would actually require a significant change in American culture, which is individualistic and self-determined to the core. There are cultures that emphasize group harmony, like Japan's for example, but their political and economic situation is not one to be desired either.
So not only would "empathy"-driven political reform be a tough sell, it's also an emotional concept, and not everyone thinks that's the best foundation for political decision-making :p