In the beginning the “Occupy Wall street” movement seemed more like a massive flash mob, but as time goes on, it seems it is turning into a corporation. You can even find advertisement’s for Occupy Wall Street driving down Chicago interstates. This tells me one thing, the 1% better be ready for a long battle because the Occupy movement is not a grassroots campaign anymore, but more of a moral right’s corporation. As they grow, the movement keeps finding ways to show the 1% how they should operate by leading through example.
Corporate Acts
Lately, the Occupy movement has tried to punish the 1%, who is getting rich off of the holiday season, by creating their own free market. They have set-up several locations in Chicago so everyone will have access, and are asking that people bring in donations of items they don’t need, and can take what they do need. They are requesting home-made gifts, winter accessories, and life essentials.
Occupy Chicago is also training its followers like a corporation would train its employee’s. On December 6, 2011, they had a speaker from the Conflict Resolution Center talk about non-violent protests. They also have teach-ins before most marches so no one is left in the dark about why they are marching. Other examples of corporatism are having male models create ads, and the acceptance of donations.
Why they are nothing like the 1% of Corporations
While it seems Occupy Wall Street is going corporate, they are still nothing like the 1% that head corporations they are fighting against. They use the donations they receive to educate and give back through programs like their free market. Occupy Chicago is also trying to secure a home for the movement through the winter months. For now, it seems the General Assembly is staying humble and working to do what is right without finding ways to make money off of the cause or letting the attention boost their ego like many of the one percent have been accused of doing.