The strength of this movement rests in two things: Unity and distribution (or decentralization, if you prefer.) With that in mind, I've borrowed some conceptual tools from one of the most enduring and powerful distributed human institutions I know:
TWELVE STEPS FOR OCCUPIERS
- We admitted we were individually powerless over the corporate/political alliance that has made our futures desolate.
- We came to believe that the collective power of the 99% could restore us to hope.
- We made a decision to commit our will and our lives to the purpose of change as we understand change.
- We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our social and economic structure.
- We proclaimed to the power structure, to ourselves, and to our community the exact nature of the harm being done.
- We were entirely ready to tolerate uncertainty and promote change in the cause of remedying the harm.
- We humbly joined with others who share our goal of change, without trying to impose our own priorities and methods.
- We made a list of all the assumptions that divide us from others in the 99%, and vowed to repudiate or overcome those assumptions.
- We made direct attempts to establish common ground wherever possible, except when doing so would cause or perpetuate harm to collective solidarity.
- We continued to examine the reasons we seek change and the assumptions that impede our ability to work together to achieve it.
- We sought through direct and indirect nonviolent action to effect change that will restore our control of our economy and our government.
- Having had a personal and community awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to our neighbors, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
TWELVE TRADITIONS FOR THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
- Our common welfare should come first; our ability to effect change depends upon unity.
- For our movement purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a belief in a better future as expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
- The only requirement for participation is a desire to restore control of our government and economy to the 99%.
- Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or the movement as a whole.
- Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message of change by direct and indirect nonviolent action.
- A group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the movement's credibility to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every group ought to be fully individually-supported, declining institutional contributions.
- The movement should remain forever non-professional, but our groups may employ special workers.
- Our movement ought never to be structured; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
- Our movement has no opinion on issues other than the need for change that restores citizen control of our government and economy; hence the movement's credibility ought never be drawn into ideological or partisan controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; at the level of press, radio, and films, etc., we may speak only as individuals, not on behalf of the movement.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of collective unity, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities
These conceptual tools have served others very well. I don't honestly know whether they are realistic or applicable for the Occupy Movement, but I offer them for consideration because I believe the distributed nature of the movement is the source of our power, and that it is worth preserving, and that these tools could be helpful in that preservation.
respectfully,
Bright
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