It's How You Frame It

George Lakoff, in his October 19th article "How To Frame Yourself," gives words to what I've been trying to articulate in my own mind about the Occupy movement and what needs to happen in America. He uses the idea of frames and framing as in "Frames are just structures of thought that we use every day."

Responding to the media and punditry that cares about the movement having "no demands," Lakoff says:

"I think it is a good thing that the occupation movement is not making specific policy demands. If it did, the movement would become about those demands. If the demands were not met, the movement would be seen as having failed."

Exactly. Because the Real Work is not changing policies. The Real Work is about changing the frame, changing the reference points we use to define our society.

What we need to do in America is rid ourselves of the notion that money is everything; that the making of money, the accumulation of money, is the goal and the yardstick of success; that everyone is a rugged individualist who must either stand on his/her own feet, or fall. This is the narrative, the ideology, the taken-for-granted aspect of American life that must be replaced with a narrative of diligence, modesty, reverence, empathy, compassion.

It's an outlandish idea, that a movement could focus on re-calibrating the moral fabric of a nation, particularly one as debased and poisonous as our own, and not spend all its moral capital and human energy wrestling with policy. Changing policies will not change the essentially corroded and corrupt national ideology.

Read the Lakoff piece, it's brilliant.

Occupy October; Todd Gitlin the Fart

Todd Gitlen did not distinguish himself today on Tom Ashbrook's Onpoint.org broadcast that focused on the Occupy Movement. The former SDS president, while guardedly encouraging of the movement in general, ruled out the idea of a third party, belittled Ralph Nader (see Chris Hedges' The Death of the Liberal Class on the 'Nader cost Gore the election' canard and obfuscation) and urged the Occupy Wall Street movement to throw its weight behind the Democrats and electoral politics within an established two party system. Gad.

By contrast, the Occupy Wall St guests/representatives Bre Lembitz (NY), Jon Phoenix (Northeastern, Boston) and Peter Kuhns (LA), demonstrated vision and integrity, collective mindsets not yet closed and determined. We need imagination and vision, not faith in the Democrats.

See also: James Howard Kunstler's second pointed rant in as many weeks.

Dewey Square Sunday, October 9 Boston

Occupy Boston

http://occupyboston.com/

The young will lead, the middle-aged with means must provide support. This is how change might come.

Donations for the New York City group: http://nycga.cc/donate/

Declaration of the Occupation of New York City:

http://nycga.cc/2011/09/30/declaration-of-the-occupation-of-new-york-city/

Occupy America

Could this be the beginning of real resistance to the Corporate State? Can the Occupy Wall Street movement which, by now, has spread to other cities across the country, be the spark that sets in motion real mass resistance? Could it possibly re-configure the Red/Blue, Dem/Rep divisions and coalesce into a movement that unites the 99% of the population who are being ongoingly fucked by the moneyed class and their courtiers in government?

It's too soon to consider this incipient movement in terms of the Arab Spring or the collapse of Communism. To do so would be to underestimate the remorseless and unchecked State Security apparatus that has been assembled in this country since 9/11. When drones can target and assassinate an American-born citizen abroad, how big of a jump would it be for something analogous to occur here, in America?

Nevertheless, the Occupy movement, at least in this chilly moment in the wasteland of autumn 2011, stands out as some glimmering flicker of idealism and possibility.

Chris Hedges certainly thinks so.

As does James Howard Kunstler.

Further commentary and updates to follow, including links to sites that support the movement, screeds that elucidate the principles, goals, and tactics of the protests, and various other comments and reflections.

J. Michael Lennon

J. Michael Lennon, longtime friend of Norman Mailer, a master editor and writer himself, Mailer's authorized biographer, and this last week of August and first few days of September the facilitator of the week-long creative non-fiction workshop at the Norman Mailer Writers Colony. A man of stentorian voice, "thunderstorm eyebrows," and the most expressive face I've ever seen - if you watched Mike talk but couldn't hear him, you would still get a very good idea of the emotional content of whatever it was he was talking about.

J.Michael Lennon, Mailer Center, Provincetown, MA September 2, 2011

Yet fear not - despite bearing a small resemblance to Boris Karloff & despite the suggestion of a latent volatility in his stern countenance, J. Michael Lennon is a generous, encouraging, perceptive instructor who conducts a hugely positive workshop. Thanks and praises to this man. Go hear him read, buy his books, study with him if you can.

Ai at the Asia Society

Allen Ginsberg, Bluefields, Nicaragua, 1986

Ai Weiwei's New York years, the early 80s, documented and on view in an exhibition of his photographs at the Asia Society.

Well worth a look too, Ai at the Allen Ginsberg Project.

A photograph of Allen Ginsberg, January 1986, Bluefields, Nicaragua (1986 being one of the years during which Ai lived in New York and knew Ginsberg).

Way? Weiwei!

In a surprising move, China has released Ai Weiwei.

Asserting that Ai had confessed to "tax evasion" and has promised to pay what he allegedly owes, and suggesting also that an unnamed health condition that Ai suffers from contributed to the decision, the Chinese authorities freed Ai last week. Further, four of Ai's associates (his driver, accountant, studio assistant and designer), detained at the same time,  have now also been released.

China, not known for its impartial justice system nor its lenience in handling so-called 'dissidents' and perceived enemies of the state, insists the releases did not come as a result of international pressure (as many of those who contributed to that pressure following Ai's detention aver). According to Chinese officials, China's "judicial sovereignty" was never at stake.

Regardless of why the decision to release Ai and his associates was made, the huge international uproar at his detention some three months ago certainly took China by surprise.

Ai's future is uncertain, however. He has been barred from using social media, he cannot discuss his case with the media or comment on it in any way, and he cannot travel abroad. So while he is no longer physically incarcerated, it remains to be seen to what extent China manages to control his Art.

In addition, as Britian's The Independent points out, it's important that the west remembers "... the other 1,426 individuals known to be languishing in Chinese jails for political or religious reasons." The international furor over Ai's detention was an admirable and sustained response but, the paper warns, those concerned for China's other dissidents cannot become complacent.

Jerome A. Cohen, writing in the Wall Street Journal, condemns the Chinese judicial system and states that "This was no ordinary tax case but a politically motivated investigation designed to silence an increasingly popular critic."

(Stencil image from the Drains to Bay Stencil Gallery)