Yesterday, in a dream, I uncharacteristically was toying with investing in the stock market, something I’ve never done. I wasn’t really serious about it. Jeanne’s father, John, came to me. I knew he’d had experience with the market when he was alive, so I asked him for advice. He immediately and forcefully snapped at me: “Don’t invest!” Upon waking, I appreciated my time with John, but saw little relevance to our interaction.
Upon encountering my stepson in the kitchen I spontaneously blurted out, from some unknown place: “iPhone, therefore I am!” He assured me that I wasn’t very original. I thought I was quite clever but, with self-importance in check, I was nonetheless struck by the meaning of the words that had come through me.
Rene Descartes, contemplating how he knew he existed, came to his famous conclusion: “I think, therefore I am.” In our time, right now, “I” has become a collective identity. Technology and the human need for interconnection have merged into a new identity for this current generation. It knows it exists because of its interconnectedness. Indeed: iPhone, therefore I am!
When I connect the dots of these two experiences on the day of the burgeoning global Occupy movement, I come to the following message: I Phone—Don’t Invest! What does that mean?
I=the collective Occupy movement.
Phone=communicate as a mass united whole.
Don’t invest=use the power of the purse to force change.
It’s unity through interconnected communication that is creating revolution, bringing down governments. Turn that power now, as a mass, in a targeted way at the market. Don’t just Occupy Wall Street, rattle it through the power of the purse!
On Friday, with Apple’s release of the new iPhone, a mass ripple of commerce flowed through the market. Everywhere in the world people lined up to purchase their new phones.
Occupy has the power to send ripples, if not tidal waves, through the market by targeting a specific company or bank, by coordinating worldwide to boycott a store, a product, a bank, etc.
You have to hit a corporation where it hurts. The only language it understands and listens to is the bottom line.
Michael Moore says it well. It’s not about bringing down capitalism, but it is about restoring fairness and human decency. Corporate greed must be checked. This can no longer be accomplished through government. In one form or another the 1% own the government. But the 1% do need the 99% to buy their goods and services to stay in existence. This puts direct power to change the world in the hands of the people.
The worldwide Occupy movement may seem to be in a fledgling stage, but its intent touches the hearts of the masses who cannot march. There is majority sympathy with this minority movement. Bring the march of communication toward a targeted goal. Everyone can march this way.
It’s time to put the brain and tools to work. A targeted effort toward a specific corporation must be communicated on a mass scale. The message to the corporation: Make specific changes or we withdraw our support.
No laws broken, no one hurt, simply a market correction from the people, by the people, for the people.
If this resonates, please pass it on,
Chuck