Forum Post: Why has OWS adopted the 60's?
Posted 12 years ago on June 11, 2012, 3:28 a.m. EST by stevebol
(1269)
from Milwaukee, WI
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I'll try to keep it short. I was born in the late 50's, a young baby-boomer. We 'observed' the 60's more than grew up in them. I remember the day of JFK's funeral vividly. RFK, MLK. Many of us were turned off by the behavior of older boomers but shared the same beliefs. The hippies really dedicated went communal. They decided not to live a life of consumption. There was plenty of drugs and sex. The hippies had to ask themselves whether to 'sell out' constantly because they saw their friends and others having financial success as the years passed. Some changed very little but most assimilated into the corporate world. Here we are many many years later and the Occupy movement is here. I know many people are asking themselves, "Were the hippies right after all? Maybe we just partied too much back then." We're faced with the possibility of a 'third world' America and noone knows what the future will bring. I hope OWS and Occupy understand that this is NOT the 60's. It a much different world. The 60's generation always had a plan but Occupy seems to run on instinct. Maybe that's better.
In the sixties lots of us were looking down the barrel of a gun )the draft and Vietnam). The Black liberation struggle in all its diversity from MLK to the Black Liberation Army energized the best people of my generation. Many went on to implement the Gay Liberation, Women's Liberation, Disability Rights and environmental movements.
It was not just dope and screwing and Rock and Roll.
Thank you. And have you noticed another similarity, the media tried to discredit us too, most of the footage you see is of stoned people dancing nude or acting goofy; it's hard to find anything serious. And films about it make me cringe for the most part
Yep.
you discredit yourself.
fix unemployment and inequality in one easy step. http://jobcreationplan.blogspot.com/
I guess my answer to this question,Steve, is why not? Why exclude those who were and still are facing many of the same issues but may have the benefit of experience and wisdom to contribute. Whoever is not against us is for us. I'd be more worried about folks such as black bloc who make some of the same immature mistakes that were made back then and give you a bad name. Have you seen the documentary on "the Weather Underground?" I think I saw it free either on Hulu or Netflix but I was really impressed by them and particularly that some had the humility to say what had gone wrong. It's no manual of what to do RIGHT but it speaks to changing and keeping an open mind about things.
I'm starting to think all Occupy has to do is exist. Let the chips fall where they may. The world can only take so much corruption before people in charge have to take action.
The "people in charge" are the cause of the corruption.
Yes, they lead by example. There's coruption from top to bottom. I wasn't implying that Occupy was corupt. They're just protesting to say a problem exists.
OWS needs better music. You have the rhythm section now. Lose the guitar players and get some didgeridoos. Guitars are so 60's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC9w4KWEgJE