Forum Post: OWS should not follow Wall Street Model for success.
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 31, 2011, 1:54 p.m. EST by daverao
(124)
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I was surprised to learn from CNN that OWS is applying for incorporation and registering its trademark. The whole idea of registering trademark is that nobody else can use it with intention to make money out of it. OWS will lose whatever credibility is leftover. So indirectly we are following wall street.
What you should have learned from CNN is that you are easily manipulated.
http://blog.legalzoom.com/intellectual-property/can-occupy-wall-st-be-trademarked/
Edit for NB: I don't believe for a second this guy has good intentions. But there is a logistical problem here that needs to be resolved regarding the symbolism that Occupy has adopted for itself.
GEE WHIZ wouldn't it be fucking nice if OWS had an organizational body that could deal with this kind of shit?
I was 100% with OWS but as we start losing focus I am getting suspicious. People think I may ne troll but I am still in, we focus on keeping money and corporation out politics and dictating laws. We need organization and an precise agenda. Our agenda has many loop holes and people are exporting it.
after spending the summer in front of the library,
many vigil members were able to get elected into student politics
we created a new student position "the Vice President of External Affairs"
whose duties would be the state and inter university government.
I was doped into pushing for an amendment to name the position "Director of External Affairs" so that the position might be filled by someone more concerned with responsibility over popularity. My amendment was defeated to deflect defeat of the "office of external Affairs" being created. It's not nice to dupe an honest man.
This may be necessary in order for OWS to protect itself. If OWS doesn't do it, someone else will, and OWS will have to pay them to use the name. I read where some couple who has nothing to do with OWS has already attempted to trademark the name.
Just because you trademark it doesn't mean you will make money off of it. It could be done as a way to legally stop others from using it to discredit the Occupy movement.
If the information in the OP is correct, I agree.
exactly, I don't know all the details about who is trademarking it or why. Was just saying that it's not a bad thing if they do. Besides, even if they want to make money off it that's not a bad thing either. They could start selling T-shirts, hats, posters, anything and use the profits to help fund the Occupy protests.
"Besides, even if they want to make money off it that's not a bad thing either."
I think that depends. That is partly how the broad social movement of the late '60's and early '70's was coopted. It became a movement of superficial lifestyle rather than of principles.
I like the word ,superficial lifestyles, our image is being tarnished by who represent us. There was guy on tv saying that he will stick with protest through cold and explanations was for whatever cause we are fighting for. He could not even say single cause.
If we are 99% strong, then why are we worried. Why I brought up this because we are losing focus. I am reading posts and it seems to me we started thinking capitalist way. We have be role model.
I agree with you that the Occupy protest are losing focus. While i support the Occupy protests i don't see much of anything coming from them. That's a completely different topic though and don't want to hijack the thread with that.
That is the excuse Wall street uses.
What's next? OWS action figures? OWS breakfast cereal? It does seem strange that a grass roots movement would trademark itself. I was really enamored by this movement at first. Now I am starting to believe that it is just another back room political hand job. What a shame.