Journal Entry #1

 First Journal Entry!

What is happening with Occupy Wall Street?

I have been out of the country for the past two weeks, and while I was away I turned to the only English speaking news station at night time to catch up on the news. From what started out to be a small protest when I left, Occupy Wall Street has turned into a huge movement that has gained national coverage. It is being talked about in the little coffee shops of Greece, and people are proud of the Americans for “showing some passion for once” a quote from an 85 yr old Greek man I met.

Although many are proud of what is going on, since there is not actually one real demand that is out there there are many folk who believe that is the reason why the protests are worthless.  Yet, I am going to try and provide here the answer to why you are wrong. Specific demands have not been enacted for the simple reason that it would be pointless to make those directed demands until the movement has become stronger in the political arena. Instead, occupiers have chosen to make their demand the occupation itself, and the direct democratic state occurring…which may or may not come up with some specific demand…which is OK.

 This position of “OK” is actually a fantastically powerful statement for what Wall Street Occupiers have come to represent. This goes against what all of us have grown up thinking we should do in order to be heard. 1.Know the issue  2. Formulate a plan of attack 3. Attack…Yet, since truth of what the issues are of the REAL problems is often too much to ask of the American mass media, the question of demands has turned into an enormous PR question.. Which I think is brilliant.

Numerous people I know, and even those while I was in Greece asked me, because I was American, what is the point? Who are the organizers, is there any type of organization? They look for that step by step recipe they are accustomed to. They are used to group being formed with a charismatic celebrity spokespersons (the organizers supposedly), trendy slogans and advertising occurs, and lists of resolutions, or demands are compiled .These “organized” groups do a little research host little lobbies, gain some press, and always have a few specific people that speak to the media  for exposure. It is the number one formula embedded in people's minds as how things should be done or problems should be solved.

Historic movements that have changed unequal human states, influenced governments and societies to modify directions are people based, movements. Movements where people demonstrate through their actions as a mass that  they will no longer be silent and as a mass they will overturn what  has occurred. They no longer can be ignored because they are out in the open, and with determination they do make change.  Look at the freaking 1960’s people!

News reports (even in Greece) have been calling the protesters nonspecific, yet in a world as complex as ours, we’re all uninformed about most things! Yet, being aware of the wealth from Wall Street and its huge influence in politics does not require a comprehensive knowledge of what stock trading is or a masters degree in finance. Everyone in the movements come with their own way of thinking of “people before profits”.  Yes, a variety of other issues varying from ending the wars, to affordable healthcare, to more welcoming immigration policies have arisen so it can be confusing. I get that. However these issues are all at some level interconnected, and why not protest for all of the other disparities that is wrong with our Government if you are out there already? Why does it have to only be one specific issue per protest? The answer is seriously as simple as that! As word spreads, the crowd has been getting older, more diverse and everybody’s demands have been different which is OK once again.

One thing that is certain with this movement is that hope for a better world for us to live in is there. These occupiers deserve to be taken sincerely by all; they are contesting for what we have complained about within closed doors. PEOPLE oriented movements such as Occupy Wall St have messages that are very clear if people decide to actually listen.

Food for thought on Education and Class

Check out this interactive "how class works" site put together by the NY Times, I thought it was interesting and wanted to share them with you fellow social class enthusiasts!


http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_02.html

Readings - Anyon, Gorski, Laureau, Engel.

 

Consider your own experiences as you read this week. Pick a quote and / or main idea from two texts as a way to examine and consider your own educational experiences from a class lens. This reflection on your own schooling should not be a telling of stories but a substantive discussion.

 

Educational experiences through a class colored lens are considerably different for each individual in the US. As we have looked at before, the higher regarded class somebody is in, the better they are off when it comes to pretty much anything in their daily lives ( either as small as being served at a coffee shop differently or something as big as education offered to them). 

 

Though there are many ways to describe a person’s class, the top four distinctions come from education, wealth, occupation, and income, and each one of those distinctions is prompted by the other.  Therefore explaining why resources made available to those of the middle and upper classes has a unfaltering advantage when choosing an educational path. Though all Americans have great expectations of their schools and we tend to invest them with the primary responsibility for providing our children with the means by which they may succeed in an increasingly uncertain work world, this unfortunately cannot be fixed by schooling because it only fosters social classes even further.   

 

Schools most definitely reinforce social class  in their curriculums, and I first hand have seen this occur. For example, I attended a private high school in Providence RI, well known for its prestige. The majority of students (excluding myself and my brother), are from the top social classes because of the money or occupations their parents hold. My cousins (same middle/working class as my family), attended East Providence High School. The differences when comparing the curriculums and classes offered between my cousins and myself were vast.   Though we both had the same basic classes (English, math, gym).  East Providence offered vocational studies to its students, and my private school did not and never will. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions here about fostering the working/middle class, but does that not set up the students for careers with no mobility to move up in their class?...I don’t know the answer… Yet again, my cousins who attended that vocational program loved it and were happy to go to school and , and prepare themselves for the career that they do today. I don’t know what the real problem is, the fact that schools reinforce social class with those types of programs, or are the just reinforcing to make students stay interested? This one example only fuels the argument which Bourdeua made that certain schooling curriculums are different in skills leading to “social power and regard (medical, legal, managerial) are made available to the advantaged social groups but are withheld from the working classes to whom a more "practical" curriculum is offered (manual skills, clerical knowledge.” How schools prepare students for further education and jobs,  plays a big role in the classes offered…