Reinventing Activism, Part 3: Borrow Something From (gasp) Corporate Culture Mickey Z.

[Tace]

Photo credit: Mickey Z.

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

July 8, 2020


(Part 1 of this series can be found here)

https://worldnewstrust.com/reinventing-activism-part-1-marching-in-circles-mickey-z

(Part 2 of this series can be found here)

https://worldnewstrust.com/reinventing-activism-part-2-what-would-a-personal-trainer-do-mickey-z


Within the realm of activism, “corporate” is a dirty word.

Don’t get me wrong, corporations have done their damnedest to earn such vitriol and malice. It would take several volumes for me to even attempt documenting this catalog of criminality. But let’s keep things simple by summing up: Corporate power is, directly and indirectly, responsible for poisoning and destroying the natural world while simultaneously reinforcing cultural dynamics that lead to perpetual oppression, discrimination, and poverty across the globe.

The sins of Corporate America are no secret. People write books about them, make movies about them, create podcasts about them, hold signs “protesting” them, and file lawsuits related to them. Corporate malfeasance is so normalized that it’s regularly parodied in popular culture (thus creating more corporate profits).

Countless “movements” -- most notably Occupy Wall Street -- have sprung up to allegedly address this planetary crime spree. By relying on the same old failed tactics, these protests accomplish nothing more than a tsunami of social media posts (thus creating more corporate profits).

I’d like to share something I’ve witnessed over and over, through direct experience: A global event happens. It could be anything from an election to a police shooting to an environmental disaster or war crime… whatever. This event enrages a portion of the population. Some of those enraged folks feel a strong need to express their ire but wind up attending disorganized, futile gatherings called “protests.” At these gatherings, long-existing activist groups show up to sell their newspapers and hand out flyers about their next meeting. This propaganda lures in some of the recently activated dissidents and thus guarantees that nothing new will be tried and zero progress will be made.

It’s almost as if some “activists” are more concerned with gaining followers than garnering results (insert rimshot here).

My question: Why can’t new activists instead choose to learn from winners?

(more)

https://worldnewstrust.com/reinventing-activism-part-3-borrow-something-from-gasp-corporate-culture-mickey-z