..."Massive(click here) and effective street protest" was a global oxymoron until — suddenly, shockingly — starting exactly a year ago, it became the defining trope of our times. And the protester once again became a maker of history....
If there is a congratulations in this annual recognition then let me offer it.
TIME magazine celebrates the one person that influenced the history of our time. There was no second place that could even come close to "The Protester." 2011 has been a remarkable year for people of the world. They have moved mountains this year.
In a larger sense I hesitate to speak to the sincere meaning of this note in history. There were a variety of reasons people protested depending on the country, but, there was a common thread and it was oppression. The Protester was the person that acted against oppression. It is remarkable to realize in the year 2011 that protesting was still necessary. I am hoping this will be the end to such oppression for all peoples. Considering the Egyptians are being vigilant to their established freedoms to date speaks eons to the degree oppression in the world is still insidious.
Of "The Protester," the demographics would outline a uncharacteristically poor person. One so removed from the power within their own country, they had no voice otherwise. The challenge of the protester will be to maintain their voice into the future and reshape their world to eliminate this reoccurring to those taking their place in the future. The greatest testament to this year's protester would be for their protests to never be necessary again. Will that happen? Probably not.
The systems of society is scared of autonomy. Governments want to have control, especially when it comes to war. The trend in most cases is to recognize a leader, a hierarchy, if you will. The pinnacle of that hierarchy inevitably leads to temptation of corruption and exploitation. It has been the case since human existence began, from tribes to empires to democracies, there has always been a pinnacle of hierarchy that lends itself authority over others. Can that behavior change? The Roman Senate tried to change it, somewhat successfully. The Thirteen Original Colonies of the USA when forming their own government chose the same 'pattern' as so many civilizations before them.
Some of the notion that there has to be a single leader to a mass of people has a religious basis and is why women are oppressed in many aspects. The one quandary any study of women reveal is the idea that paternalism is the pinnacle achievement of any society. Supposedly, in the scholars opinion, the organizational authority is paternalism. For as long as I can remember I opposed that notion. I believe societies have practiced paternalism in their government structures for far too long and have warred and oppressed for millennium. Power does not interpret well when a single authority speaks for the masses of people. The people's voice always gets lost. And it gets lost to ideology because a single leader cannot and will not speak for the diversity and multiple needs of an entire society.
The ability of a peoples to be their own resolve is somewhat of a question when entering into complex relationships with other cultures, other societies. The question as to the ability of the populous to understand their relationship to others unlike themselves is the issue. Paternalism wins out because there is a 'Brain Trust' where complex societies find themselves facing each other in their differences. Whom makes the decision to war or to peace? Whom controls the system that controls all others? It is a question that will have answers only in the way of the masses protesting.
The Romans called the populous "The Mob." But, it was always the Roman Emperor's fear to lose control of the mob as there would be no defense against it. So, the philosophical question as to "How did the protester reach this recognition on the cover of TIME magazine?" is more than interesting and will be debated in places leadership will have little interest.
I congratulate every protester that has stood for their values in ways that have toppled hierarchies around the world. There has been much sacrifice, including bloodshed. There have been significant numbers of deaths to those that found ending the oppression for themselves, their children and the future of their countries and this planet more important than their longevity. It is an amazing moment for the world. Let's hope the old ways pass away and the new MOB finds the best way to the future.
TIME magazine celebrates the one person that influenced the history of our time. There was no second place that could even come close to "The Protester." 2011 has been a remarkable year for people of the world. They have moved mountains this year.
In a larger sense I hesitate to speak to the sincere meaning of this note in history. There were a variety of reasons people protested depending on the country, but, there was a common thread and it was oppression. The Protester was the person that acted against oppression. It is remarkable to realize in the year 2011 that protesting was still necessary. I am hoping this will be the end to such oppression for all peoples. Considering the Egyptians are being vigilant to their established freedoms to date speaks eons to the degree oppression in the world is still insidious.
Of "The Protester," the demographics would outline a uncharacteristically poor person. One so removed from the power within their own country, they had no voice otherwise. The challenge of the protester will be to maintain their voice into the future and reshape their world to eliminate this reoccurring to those taking their place in the future. The greatest testament to this year's protester would be for their protests to never be necessary again. Will that happen? Probably not.
The systems of society is scared of autonomy. Governments want to have control, especially when it comes to war. The trend in most cases is to recognize a leader, a hierarchy, if you will. The pinnacle of that hierarchy inevitably leads to temptation of corruption and exploitation. It has been the case since human existence began, from tribes to empires to democracies, there has always been a pinnacle of hierarchy that lends itself authority over others. Can that behavior change? The Roman Senate tried to change it, somewhat successfully. The Thirteen Original Colonies of the USA when forming their own government chose the same 'pattern' as so many civilizations before them.
Some of the notion that there has to be a single leader to a mass of people has a religious basis and is why women are oppressed in many aspects. The one quandary any study of women reveal is the idea that paternalism is the pinnacle achievement of any society. Supposedly, in the scholars opinion, the organizational authority is paternalism. For as long as I can remember I opposed that notion. I believe societies have practiced paternalism in their government structures for far too long and have warred and oppressed for millennium. Power does not interpret well when a single authority speaks for the masses of people. The people's voice always gets lost. And it gets lost to ideology because a single leader cannot and will not speak for the diversity and multiple needs of an entire society.
The ability of a peoples to be their own resolve is somewhat of a question when entering into complex relationships with other cultures, other societies. The question as to the ability of the populous to understand their relationship to others unlike themselves is the issue. Paternalism wins out because there is a 'Brain Trust' where complex societies find themselves facing each other in their differences. Whom makes the decision to war or to peace? Whom controls the system that controls all others? It is a question that will have answers only in the way of the masses protesting.
The Romans called the populous "The Mob." But, it was always the Roman Emperor's fear to lose control of the mob as there would be no defense against it. So, the philosophical question as to "How did the protester reach this recognition on the cover of TIME magazine?" is more than interesting and will be debated in places leadership will have little interest.
I congratulate every protester that has stood for their values in ways that have toppled hierarchies around the world. There has been much sacrifice, including bloodshed. There have been significant numbers of deaths to those that found ending the oppression for themselves, their children and the future of their countries and this planet more important than their longevity. It is an amazing moment for the world. Let's hope the old ways pass away and the new MOB finds the best way to the future.
