Occupy Dunedin?

[Berries]

Been away for the week but wandered through the Octagon this afternoon. Nice weather for camping.......... For those who don't know Dunedin when the cruise ships come in they close off the middle of the Octagon for all the buses to drop off the rich tourists to spend money on tat. Would have been interesting to hear their comments when they climbed off the bus in to the middle of tent city.

"But Elmer, I thought Bombay was on Tuesday?"

Let me know when the cops move in, I'd like to watch that.

[JimO]

One of the issues is that a small number ie 1% of the corporations/rich are influencing politics disproportionately. It wouldn't be a problem if everyone had equal influence on the policies.

What is not clear about this?

we have a election coming up, how many of these protesters will actually be bothered voting

[scumdog]

This is why people are protesting on Wall Street...

Sigh...

Mr Brown did it all wrong.

Instead of terrorising a bank-teller by robbing her of $100 he should have used his brain and become a 'corporate robber' and got millions - and less jail time!

Mt Brown is obviously some sort of loser...a brainless one at that.

[HenryDorsetCase]

One of the issues is that a small number ie 1% of the corporations/rich are influencing politics disproportionately. It wouldn't be a problem if everyone had equal influence on the policies.

What is not clear about this?

the hilarity for me is that for any student of history (of which once I was) the whole 1% /99% thing is the way it ALWAYS has been. Anybody watching that tv show THE BORGIAS? they're the 1%. Kings and queens and courts and all that malarkey: thy're the 1%.

its nothing new. And what is a corporation but a fuedal fiefdom, in a 17thcentury suit of clothes?

[oldrider]

the hilarity for me is that for any student of history (of which once I was) the whole 1% /99% thing is the way it ALWAYS has been. Anybody watching that tv show THE BORGIAS? they're the 1%. Kings and queens and courts and all that malarkey: thy're the 1%.

its nothing new. And what is a corporation but a fuedal fiefdom, in a 17thcentury suit of clothes?

Got it in one!

The poor me's and the envy brigade within the 99% are simply gasping for air!

The argument about the behaviour of the banking system and the actors within does have merit though but what actually is their true beef?

[Winston001]

the hilarity for me is that for any student of history (of which once I was) the whole 1% /99% thing is the way it ALWAYS has been. Anybody watching that tv show THE BORGIAS? they're the 1%. Kings and queens and courts and all that malarkey: thy're the 1%.

its nothing new. And what is a corporation but a fuedal fiefdom, in a 17thcentury suit of clothes?

Bingo. Correct.

Still, I have sympathy for the Wall Street protesters and their ilk.

[tigertim20]

One of the issues is that a small number ie 1% of the corporations/rich are influencing politics disproportionately. It wouldn't be a problem if everyone had equal influence on the policies.

What is not clear about this?

HDC got it right, it has always been like that.
These guys are pretty much arguing for a utilitarian society. and its a waste of time.
If YOU were a head honcho of a billion dollar corporation earning millions through making smart, informed business and political decisions that continued to increase both your personal wealth, as well as the value of your company/corporation, would you just sit back and let some hippy arseholes demand you stop, reduce your wealth and walk away? fuck no you wouldnt.

If these guys put as much effort into making positive choices and working hard in their own lives towards their own golas, as they do bitching that the current discourse is unfair, they'd be well on their way to being wealthy head honchos themselves - which is EXACTLY what they need to do if they want to change our current reality. theyre bums, they HAVE no power!

[imdying]

I love this protest, it's just the progress they need.

You can't go from civilised society to the slaughter of innocents on a massive scale without all the little baby steps in between.

[Kickaha]

I love this protest, it's just the progress they need.

You can't go from civilised society to the slaughter of innocents on a massive scale without all the little baby steps in between.

So have you been down to Hagley Park to visit the "Occupy Christchurch" lot?

[FJRider]

If these guys put as much effort into making positive choices and working hard in their own lives towards their own golas, as they do bitching that the current discourse is unfair, they'd be well on their way to being wealthy head honchos themselves - which is EXACTLY what they need to do if they want to change our current reality. theyre bums, they HAVE no power!

The ONLY real effort these guys need to make ... to make a difference ... IS TO VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS ...

There is a radical difference in numbers ... that are ELIGIBLE to vote ... and those that DO on the day ...


I think this is actually counted on by the politition's in power ...

Bum's of the country ... UNITE ....

[mashman]

HDC got it right, it has always been like that.

the hilarity for me is that for any student of history (of which once I was) the whole 1% /99% thing is the way it ALWAYS has been. Anybody watching that tv show THE BORGIAS? they're the 1%. Kings and queens and courts and all that malarkey: thy're the 1%.

its nothing new. And what is a corporation but a fuedal fiefdom, in a 17thcentury suit of clothes?

I think the highlighted is the point.

These guys are pretty much arguing for a utilitarian society. and its a waste of time.

Has it ever been tried to prove that it's a waste of time?

If YOU were a head honcho of a billion dollar corporation earning millions through making smart, informed business and political decisions that continued to increase both your personal wealth, as well as the value of your company/corporation, would you just sit back and let some hippy arseholes demand you stop, reduce your wealth and walk away? fuck no you wouldnt.

Fuck yeah, I would! Although I wouldn't walk away, I'd try something different. I laugh my ass off when I read that people put business and the pursuit of money before the well being of human beings, citing that it's their own fault for not doing what it takes to get more, then they cry fowl when someone is murdered by someone in the pursuit of getting more, and laud the corporations that let billions starve and die (murder using OSH standards) when they have the power to change that. Ok, so it's not all laughs and is accompanied by buckets full of tears and a rage that takes serious energy to control... but fuck it, it's always been like this so it's all good

[tigertim20]

regarding the uselessness of a utilitarian society.
you need to either engage it in its purest form, or decide at what points you want to make compromises.
Pure utilitarian society tends to not be too far away from a political regime that in recent history the world has fought to get away from in the interests of personal and political freedom.

Standing in a field, doing nothing but yell 'HEY NO FAIR, YOU GOT MORE TOYS THAN ME' isnt going to change the current discourse. ACTION, not crying creates change, and there are a number of ways I can think of in which these people could create change and lead society towards, or at least introduce it to, THEIR idea of how society should operate.

[FJRider]

Standing in a field, doing nothing but yell 'HEY NO FAIR, YOU GOT MORE TOYS THAN ME' isnt going to change the current discourse ....

And standing in a field (or street) shouting Hey no fair, you got more money than I have, give it to me ... ...is not going to change much either

ACTION, not crying creates change, and there are a number of ways I can think of in which these people could create change and lead society towards, or at least introduce it to, THEIR idea of how society should operate.

Crying (with real tears) has effect ... but little result. Their idea of how society should operate is ... more money for doing less ... and more say for them to say how YOUR money is spent ...

[Berries]

I see Tigertim went down to the Octagon tonight - 'kin hippies.

[Winston001]

I think the protests are about the lack of consequences for financiers and money market operators. If most of us were in charge of a business which lost millions of dollars, we'd lose our job or the business. Not so for these guys. There is a disconnect between effort and reward - but the average person bears the cost either through a thin retirement return or taxpayer support.

Here is what Warren Buffet, the most successful investor and one of the world's wealthiest men said:


"OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched.

While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. Some of us are investment managers who earn billions from our daily labors but are allowed to classify our income as “carried interest,” thereby getting a bargain 15 percent tax rate. Others own stock index futures for 10 minutes and have 60 percent of their gain taxed at 15 percent, as if they’d been long-term investor."


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/op...uper-rich.html