Forum Post: Reply to those who ask "what's the point?"

I've seen a fair number of comments on here all asking why we bother. They want to know how a few thousand people scattered across the country, living in tents and on mattresses in big cities, can expect to have an impact on our nation's politics. They want to know what's going to happen when winter comes, or when there's a downpour, or when things get harder. Here's my answer to them:

We don't need everyone who feels the way we do to go live on a mattress in Zucotti Park. Hell, I'm posting this from the Walker Memorial Building at MIT (where I'm currently enrolled and plan to stay). The thing is that those who are actually physically involved in the protest are only a small fraction of the people standing behind it. We hail from all over the country and from all different backgrounds, and ten to one we'd never have even heard of each other were it not for the protest.

The protests brought us together as a group. For the first time in a long time we all had something to rally around, something that really mattered. Because we had that the protest became a lot more than it looked like. It (and the online infrastructure around it) have turned into a vehicle for sympathizers like me to share opinions and information, and eventually as a vehicle for us to consolidate our disparate views into enough of a rough platform to make a difference on a national level. The protesters themselves may not tip the country's politics in their favor, but if this gets big enough I guarantee you us sympathizers will.