occupy my mind.

It takes a lot for a nation to become restless enough to do something about it. Like a frog in a pot of water slowly being brought to a boil, most people (myself included) have been super content to be slowly screwed, just so long as the tv's working. Seriously, though I love and am fascinated by the idea of a revolution, I'd really prefer to just live my life. I'm not like, someone who needs a hobby. I don't really have time to protest corrupt corporate and governmental practices, and it's not like we can change it anyway, right?

It would seem that the last straw has been gently placed on America's back. Many people literally have nothing left to lose. Many are trying to just live, paycheck to paycheck, deciding which bill to pay on time(ish) and which to default on. Many's hearts are breaking from the things they cannot give their lovers, their children. The way they cannot take care of their parents. And no matter how many minimum wage jobs they work, no matter how many hours they put in, the most they can expect is to  s...c...r...a...p...e  by.  What's funny about this situation is, had the powers that be been ever so slightly less greedy, had they acknowledged the importance of a sleek, entertained, half-asleep middle class to their financial goals, people wouldn't be camping in the streets. As it is, things have gotten so unbalanced that the only thing that can happen is best expressed by the game Jenga. The universe will have balance, anything that lacks that principle will fall.

What I don't understand is why the wealthy aren't rushing, very, very publicly, to volunteer their support and a portion of their wealth. Warren Buffet had the right idea. He totally admitted to being, ahem, shady, but said he thought it was time to think of the good of society. And we all think of him as sort of modern day Robin Hood, if Robin Hood had a net worth of $50,000,000,000.00.  Imagine if you had a product, and you helped people not only get a little extra cash, but also gave them the security to feel that they could comfortably spend it, and made sure that they knew a) how much you had helped them, and b) where they could pick up your latest perfume, or dvd, or book. Imagine how much money could eventually made from being friendly with the 99%? Brand loyalty is important, and people don't forget the ones who impress them and give them hope.

In the matter of a few short weeks, #occupywallst has become something legitimate, something that doesn't seem to be going away. People don't go home if they don't have anything to go back to. It has pursed it's lips and blown into the embers of our imagination. It is getting people to read about the history and policies of our country, our federal reserve, and our elected officials. Most importantly, it has reawakened the kind of hope that Obama made a dirty word.

When I first got the facebook invite for the original #occupywallst, I didn't think much of it. I didn't bother to say whether I was attending or not attending. It sounded like a half-assed idea, and I tend to be cynical about people fighting the machine. I doubted anyone would show up. I doubted anyone would really camp. I assumed if anyone got arrested, everyone would leave. I doubted anyone else really thought that NO ONE in politics is in it to better the lives of average people. I still haven't gone to Occupy LA. I've been working, I'm lucky enough to have a job. Tomorrow I will go and see for myself. And I may find things to give me more hope. Or I may rethink said hope and look elsewhere for ideas. Regardless, I will go, and I will ask questions, and I will talk to many people about what they hope to accomplish. And mostly, I will express my gratitude to them for validating thoughts I've had for years, and for trying to remind our country how important it is to stay thinking.

integrity lost

i've spent a lot of time lately thinking about what's wrong with society. not in a judgey, 'those darn kids these days' sort of way, but connecting dots to see how we got to where we are. when i look around, i see society as a whole not caring about respect. self respect, respect for others, respect for our planet. especially respect for our differences. how boring would it be to live in a world where everyone thought the same way? we would choke on our blandness, like a lump of wonderbread stuck in our collective throat. instead, we're different, and our differences are beautiful. but we seem to have forgotten that. we trash talk and belittle each other, we ridicule the political leaders that we elected. we have forgotten that we have more in common than not.

there is such disparity in american society today. social stratification is back in a big way, riding a corvette with a platinum convertible top, and why shouldn't it be? that's the american dream, right? for the wealthy to not only safeguard their wealth but grow it? and honestly, i do think people should have the right to invest. if you have been blessed with material wealth, you should be able to do whatever you want with it. in that sense, i (gasp) agree with many conservatives. it makes sense to me that you shouldn't be penalized because you've done alright for yourself.

however, you shouldn't be rewarded either. you have already been rewarded, and your bank account reflects that. you shouldn't be exempt from the rules those not in your tax bracket have to live by because they don't know any better. you shouldn't receive special discounts. you shouldn't have to pay less because you make more. and anyone who buys what the wealthy tell us is easily bought.

look around. the people in charge are the ones trying to safeguard their wealth, and we are foolish to validate them. instead of defending billionaires, corporations and wall street, we need to start respecting them. we need to start seeing them for what they are, as greedy, selfish, money making machines who are very good at what they do. let's not pretend they're helping us. that's not their function, and we need to start showing ourselves and the rest of the world that we're smarter than that.

we need to respect each other. we need to respect that some people's lives are enhanced by religion, by their personal relationship with god, and that doesn't make them weak. we need to respect that some people are attracted to people of their own gender, and it's not a big deal. we need to respect the fact that the age of heroes has changed, and the only one riding to town in a suit of armor is ourselves. if we want things to change, then we need to start. it's mental, seriously. if you want to live in a world of equality and respect, then stop disrespecting those around you. instead of demanding from the world that which you DO deserve (because you do), try putting out into the universe the energy you'd like to come back. basically, if you think you deserve to be richly happy and satisfied and at peace, then approach the world from a place of generous happiness, satisfaction and peace. change is absolutely possible, but our problem is we've been looking in the wrong place.