KiteZA

Confront Racism: Zeitgeist Movement and #Occupy

If you’re the kind of person who knows there’s a lot of problems in our society, and you’re looking for solutions for what to do about it, there’s a good chance you’ve found yourself here on our blog.

There’s also a good chance you might have come across something called the Zeitgeist movement…

(via Socialist Scum, peopleofcolor)

For reference purposes. Basically, the Zeitgeist movement is misguided at best, fraudulent and dangerous at worst.

(via socialistscum-deactivated201209)

Supply and Demand of University Education

I had an idea for contributing effectively to changing the structure of education-related decision-making (that could be used elsewhere). It’s still a very hazy, undeveloped concept, but the basic idea is to use the tools that defend the status quo against it to achieve change. Take a look at this BBC News article: “Thousands march in student protest over university fees”, for instance:

Students are protesting because they object to increases in the cost of university degrees. They are clearly disillusioned with the status quo, and unhappy about the point that the university fee issue has reached.

The political elite tend to deny the possibility of change, in this case lower fees, by claiming it’s not feasible “in this economy”. The social factor is always spoken about (“help future generations etc etc”), but usually ignored in favour of the more pressing economic issues.

The tools used to justify the situation, namely economic principles, could be used by the protesters themselves to counter the arguments made by those in power. What about a little supply-and-demand to adjust the prices of university fees?

The idea, specifically, was set off by this graph:

Which I had initially thought was a graph showing the face-value costs of a university degree. So what if it was?

1. What if one was to take a survey of the views of university staff (academic and administrative) regarding what would be an ‘acceptable’ tuition fee?
2. What if one was to then do the same kind of survey with university (or university-aged) students, across a variety of disciplines, socio-economic backgrounds, and degree types, and ask what they would be willing to pay for their degrees?
3. Finally, what if one were to take the actual cost of a university degree today?

My guess is you would end up with responses that, when graphed, would look something like this:

When represented by a simply supply-demand graph, you would likely see that the status quo is not operating at a point of equilibrium. Furthermore, simplistic economic analysis would suggest a shift in the supply of university education, such that it would allow a greater proportion of the population into higher education (an increased equilibrium quantity), while reducing the overall cost of a university degree (reduction in equilibrium prices).

So, spread the word. Throw in a bit of intellectualism to general protesting.

Agitate. Educate. Organise.

Spread the powerful slogans.

Contribute to a more equitable future.

The self-inflicted wound of US foreign aid cuts

Brief but excellent analysis as to why cutting aid (which forms such a small part of the US total budget) isn’t necessarily as quick and easy a fix as lawmakers would like.

From the article:

In short, Obama’s new vision for aid started the right conversation; but the budget cutters have muted it. Foreign aid is seldom charity; it is an investment. The US needs to invest in growth and development abroad for our own sake, as well. If US aid is working, then as other countries of the world grow, they will be more apt to purchase our products, will be less apt to be struck with civil unrest that can jeopardise our geopolitical strategies, and improve our standing in the world in a manner that pays dividends.

Secondly, the unwillingness to cut on military expenditure is far more likely to hurt in the medium term. In the tug-of-war between American interests and anti-American sentiment, military presence tends to send people towards anti-imperialism, whereas provision of aid (when used constructively) is better for both parties.

American exceptionalism, and other broadly ethnocentric aspects to prevalent ideology, will likely play a significant contributing role in the demise of American international hegemony.

There Are Realistic Alternatives

Gene Sharp’s de facto ‘rules’ for a non-violent revolution, based on the key tenets of the Albert Einstein Institution:

• Defending democratic freedoms and institutions
• opposing oppression, dictatorship, and genocide; and
• reducing the reliance on violence as an instrument of policy.

The short work is divided into three parts:

1. Developing a Realistic Alternative to War and Other Violence
2. The Importance of Strategic Planning in Nonviolent Struggle
3. Steps in Strategic Planning for Nonviolent Struggles against Repressive Regimes

You don’t need to be facing down an oppressive regime to use the lessons contained within, however - the principles of non-violent protest can be applied to broader projects for good.

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Read. Be inspired. Contribute to change.

Intellectual Roots of Wall Street Protest Lie in Academe (via The Chronicle of Higher Education)

The defining aspect of Occupy Wall Street, its emphasis on direct action and leaderless, consensus-based decision-making, is most clearly embodied by its General Assembly, in which participants in the protest make group decisions both large and small, like adopting principles of solidarity and deciding how best to stay warm at night.

This intensive and egalitarian process is important both procedurally and substantively, Mr. Graeber says. “One of the things that revolutionaries have learned over the course of the 20th century is that the idea of the ends justifying the means is deeply problematic,” he says. “You can’t create a just society through violence, or freedom through a tight revolutionary cadre. You can’t establish a big state and hope it will go away. The means and ends have to be the same.”

When 2,000 people make a decision jointly, it is an example of direct action, or direct democracy, Mr. Graeber says. “It makes you feel different to go to a meeting where your opinions are really respected.” Or, as an editorial in the protest’s house publication, Occupied Wall Street Journal, put it, “This occupation is first about participation.”