Post by mireill35 on Nov 16, 2011 22:14:41 GMT -5
The crippling economy was always felt close to home, but has never been closer than the protest on Wall Street. The Occupy Movement, which protests the uneven distribution of wealth among Wall Street, is in fact a shining example of the American liberty to free speech. In this right, however, they have induced a panic in addition to an already escalating crisis. Danforth from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible show similar traits to the Occupy Movement. Danforth helped create a hysterical Salem bent on expunging witchcraft. However, unlike the Occupy Movement which is outside the, Danforth is in total control of the consensus in Salem. The Occupy Movement is comparable to Danforth in the sense that they attempt to benefit the public welfare by controlling financial crisis with fear, therefore furthering the opposition to the uneven distribution of wealth.
On the surface, financial problems and witchcraft have entirely different causes, but using fear as a method to further the crises is relevant in both cases. When put in comparison, fear was created by rebellion. Danforth created fear by the condemning the accused to death, an effect the made that made it easier to control the crisis. Similarly, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a clear indication that American society is suffering, which in itself instills fear among the population. For them to stand up against the financial and political behemoth makes the rest of America feel insecure about their own financial status. They have escalated the fear so much so that even presidential candidates feel the need to address the issue: “Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential contender, has accused them of waging ‘class warfare’”, proving America is in an internal panic. Class warfare is a term that exactly pinpoints America’s fears. The protest claims the rich are repressing the middle-class and lower-class citizens. By using the word warfare, which implies a violent struggle, the protest has put the citizens on a breaking point to further their own cause.
By putting America in such a dire state, the Occupy Wall Street protesters seek to gain enough members to put them in a position of power by using democracy. However, they remain outside the consensus at the moment. Unlike Danforth, who was immediately put into a position of power, the protesters are politically weak group. Wall Street instead remains in control of the consensus in the crisis because of its monetary power. The main goal of the Occupy Movement is to spread the wealth, so they demonstrate more selflessness than a lust for power. In that sense, they take a more moral approach to the crisis. Danforth, on the other hand, benefits his community by rooting out witchcraft. In comparison, Danforth was intent upon usurping the witchcraft to save the public, just as the Occupy Movement attacks Wall Street. By seeking to benefit the public, they claim a moral allegiance in the crisis
The protesters used the fear as an attempt to gain control in the financial crisis, similar to Danforth used fear to take advantage of the crisis. The financial crisis created undue stress among the national community that the movement seeks to relieve. In the effort to alleviate the stress, they use fear to subversively claim power in the consensus, despite their good intentions. However, fear is necessary for the movement because they draw their power from the public’s support. Therefore movement would unfortunately not have the same desired effect, and would not have given them the media attention they needed.
Word Count: 580
www.cnn.com/2011/11/14/us/occupy-movement/index.html?npt=NP1
www.crescent-online.net/main-story/1992-november2011/3190-occupy-wall-street-movement-and-us-oligarchy.html
On the surface, financial problems and witchcraft have entirely different causes, but using fear as a method to further the crises is relevant in both cases. When put in comparison, fear was created by rebellion. Danforth created fear by the condemning the accused to death, an effect the made that made it easier to control the crisis. Similarly, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a clear indication that American society is suffering, which in itself instills fear among the population. For them to stand up against the financial and political behemoth makes the rest of America feel insecure about their own financial status. They have escalated the fear so much so that even presidential candidates feel the need to address the issue: “Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential contender, has accused them of waging ‘class warfare’”, proving America is in an internal panic. Class warfare is a term that exactly pinpoints America’s fears. The protest claims the rich are repressing the middle-class and lower-class citizens. By using the word warfare, which implies a violent struggle, the protest has put the citizens on a breaking point to further their own cause.
By putting America in such a dire state, the Occupy Wall Street protesters seek to gain enough members to put them in a position of power by using democracy. However, they remain outside the consensus at the moment. Unlike Danforth, who was immediately put into a position of power, the protesters are politically weak group. Wall Street instead remains in control of the consensus in the crisis because of its monetary power. The main goal of the Occupy Movement is to spread the wealth, so they demonstrate more selflessness than a lust for power. In that sense, they take a more moral approach to the crisis. Danforth, on the other hand, benefits his community by rooting out witchcraft. In comparison, Danforth was intent upon usurping the witchcraft to save the public, just as the Occupy Movement attacks Wall Street. By seeking to benefit the public, they claim a moral allegiance in the crisis
The protesters used the fear as an attempt to gain control in the financial crisis, similar to Danforth used fear to take advantage of the crisis. The financial crisis created undue stress among the national community that the movement seeks to relieve. In the effort to alleviate the stress, they use fear to subversively claim power in the consensus, despite their good intentions. However, fear is necessary for the movement because they draw their power from the public’s support. Therefore movement would unfortunately not have the same desired effect, and would not have given them the media attention they needed.
Word Count: 580
www.cnn.com/2011/11/14/us/occupy-movement/index.html?npt=NP1
www.crescent-online.net/main-story/1992-november2011/3190-occupy-wall-street-movement-and-us-oligarchy.html