Why keep trying to clean up corrupt political systems? Glenn Greenwald offers this advice:
[O]ne indisputable lesson that history teaches is that any structures built by human beings – no matter how formidable or invulnerable they may seem – can be radically altered, or even torn down and replaced, by other human beings who tap into passions and find the right strategy. So resignation – defeatism – is always irrational and baseless, even when it’s tempting.
I think the power of ideas is often underrated. Convincing fellow citizens to see and care about the problems you see and finding ways to persuade them to act is crucial. So is a willingness to sacrifice. And to create new ways of activism, even ones that people look askance at, rather than being wedded to the approved conventional means of political change (the ballot box).
For reasons I alluded to above, putting fear (back) in the heart of those who wield power in the public and private sector is, to me, the key goal. A power elite that operates without fear of those over whom power is exercised is one that will be limitlessly corrupt and abusive.
Many years ago, country comedian Jerry Clower told a humorous tale about “A New Bull”.
The story centered around three bulls who had just learned that a new bull would be joining them on the farm and each one’s plans to challenge the new bull in order to protect their claims on his respective harem of hiefers.
The new bull arrives and turns out to be a very large and aggressive Brahma. The two older bulls immediately decide not to challenge the newcomer, but the youngest of the three rushes to challenge the new bull.
When on of the older bulls asks the youngest what he thinks he’s doing, he answers that he wants to make sure the new bull knows he isn’t the only bull on the lot.
The Occupy protests were like the young bull’s challenge, in that they raised public awareness of the corruption of our political system, by the greedy and oligarchs who are hacking our culture into a facist utopia.
The weak link in our democracy, the exploitable flaw, has turned out to be commercial broadcast media, and the political hackers in true social engineering style use control of the media with pure vengeance against any who dare oppose them.
Welcome to World War III.