Americans Are Waking Up to the Effects of 'Disaster Capitalism' -- a Much Better Way of Is Possible

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/activism/people-across-america-are-waking-effects-disaster-capitalism-much-better-way-life-possible

In her book Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, Naomi Klein explains how crises are used by governments to distract and frighten people so that unpopular and exploitative policies can be pushed through

It seems that now there is a different reaction disaster capitalism. Rather than disasters providing cover for the implementation of dangerous capitalist policies that lower wages and increase the wealth divide, the disasters being caused by these dangerous policies have woken the public and are leading to a more active and empowered people.

We face a triple threat of the “e”crises - in the economy, environment and energy - which are all connected, says journalist and academic Nafeez Ahmed, but rather than allowing them to overwhelm and weaken us, people are rising to the challenge of solving these crises through direct confrontation with the forces that created them and by building alternative solutions. People are taking initiative rather than waiting for leaders.

Ahmed states, “People are really hungry actually for answers, hungry for solutions, hungry for alternatives, so really this is actually an unprecedented opportunity. It’s an unprecedented crisis but it’s also an opportunity to dream-weave and say ‘well actually everything is going to go to pot over the next 20-30 years if we don’t change, so here’s an opportunity to think outside the box.’”

[chervilant]

1. Direct confrontation

may still require activism that results in injuries and arrests, particularly as the police nationwide are militarized.

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, none are going to give up the money and greed fostered by 'Disaster Capitalism.' And the

militarization of police by DHS will ensure 'Disaster Capitalism' is propped up for/by the real wealth controlling the strings. Change for the better generally does not come about nicely.

[zeemike]

3. And it about time people start waking up.

And actually I am encouraged by what is happening to those who have woken up and what they are doing...I have spent some time on Youtube looking at people with alternative life styles and that gives me hope...especialy when it is the young doing it.
One of the best is aquaculture and urban farming, which is far more helpful than you might think.

[Johnny Ready]

4. The great information exchange - We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The way I see it, the US will never be the same. Technology has allowed everyday people to both exchange and debate ideas and or philosophies which has empowered a generation of thinkers, to become activists. The days of paying for a newspaper and using it mainly for the purpose of cleaning your windows have long since past. Today the internet has captured the attention of the world, as a result more people are in touch with the issues now, more than ever. I think this can only serve us well, as explained very thoroughly in your article.

[DefenseLawyer]

5. As long as the super rich own the government

I don't think they are overly concerned about activists emerging from the masses. Not only that, although you claim that because of the internet, "more people are in touch with the issues". I just don't see that in the world I'm interacting with every day. People know they are fucked. That's for sure. But as far as knowing exactly why, or what to do about it, I'm not seeing the internet fueled level of enlightenment of which you speak.

[Johnny Ready]

7. The DU would be my first and best example.

of internet enlightenment. It will only continue to grow.

[DefenseLawyer]

8. To quote Carl Sandburg

The people so often sleepy, weary, enigmatic,
is a vast huddle with many units saying:
"I earn my living.
I make enough to get by
and it takes all my time.
If I had more time
I could do more for myself
and maybe for others.
I could read and study
and talk things over
and find out about things.
It takes time.
I wish I had the time."


Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-internet, but it's not some magic bullet that will fix what ails us.

[Dustlawyer]

6. We need to talk to every cop we know and/or are related to to get them to come around!

Most are conservative, but not all. They need to see how the 1% plan on using them against us and what we are really all about.

[Locrian]

9. that's really it ^^

They have so divided us and isolated people that it's easy to use fear to control us.

We all need to find a way to break down the lies and propaganda that is constantly being spread and find common ground.

[socialist_n_TN]

12. Not just cops, but the military too. ESPECIALLY the EMs and NCOs.........

If they are actively on our side, the cops won't matter so much.

[Zorra]

10. The real negotiations will begin when the majority sits down for awhile, and doesn't produce or buy

anything for a week or so.

If we don't allow them power of us, they won't have any power over us.

[rhett o rick]

11. I wish I was as optimistic. The internetz allow some to be more informed.

However, there are a lot of Americans that just dont care. And with education being decimated, it will be easier to lead the uneducated. And IMO our religions dont help. They teach authoritarianism and not skepticism. While those that want to keep informed the internetz is great, but IMO the PowerToBe can shut down the internetz whenever they decide.

I think we are at an interesting tipping point regarding the NSA and spying on Americans. I believe it is so flagrant that the NSA is never going to reform. At some point I believe they will just flat out say, "It is what it is and the public can lump it."

[socialist_n_TN]

13. Well, better than nothing, but......

there's a huge difference between waking up to something and organizing to stop it. The whole point of disaster capitalism as a focus for instituting these neo-liberal and neo-conservative policies is that the power structure is in place to ram it through. The "rammers" are organized, VERY well funded, and ready to go when disaster strikes. The opposition for the most part isn't.

[marmar]

14. k/r

[NYC_SKP]

15. Kick! (nt)

[leftstreet]

16. Capitalism IS the disaster

[truebluegreen]

17. Here's hoping this is true.

I can see TPTB using the current crisis to push a Grand Bargain...which would be another disaster to exploit...lather, rinse, repeat.

[BelgianMadCow]

18. The Shock Doctrine + the Eurozone crisis

really is all you need to know. That Doctrine, perfected eveywhere BUT the West since Chile 1973, is now coming home to roost.

We Belgians now find it "OK" that democracy in Greece is crumbling. State broadcaster closed, universities closing, children going hungry, third world diseases doing a comeback etc. After all, they were lazy (except they work the most hours per week in Europe, oops).

[xchrom]

19. +1