As some of you know, I'm unemployed. And being another day of unemployment I have to admit I was tempted to drive into DC and "occupy McPherson Square Park" like some other unemployed brothers and sisters have recently chosen to do and protest the system, but I passed on that idea and chose to "occupy the Total Wine" store instead -- not much of a demonstration since it was just me, but I think the store clerk got my point!
Anyway, after my highly successful (if not under-reported by the Washington press corp) protest at Total Wine where I left with nothing in my cart but issued the stern admonishment that they needed to stock more 2006 vintage Meritage, I left the store pondering what shall I do now? So, I chose to run around and be slightly productive. I deposited some checks, purchased another half-gallon of milk, dropped off the dry-cleaning and decided to eat at my favorite local Chinese place.
This restaurant is tucked away off one of main roads in McLean VA., my new hometown. For those who have never been to McLean, I highly recommend it. The town is small and slow-paced, highly affluent (or at least part of it is -- the area I live in is called McLean pronounced with a standard mid-atlantic accent sounding like "Mick-lane", the other side of town is pronounced by jutting out your lower jaw and doing your best Thurston Howell III impression, sounding like "MAC-LANNNE"). Sandwiched between Tyson's Corners Mall and downtown Arlington, anchored by the CIA HQ and the DC Beltway, little McLean is a perfect example of small town USA. Although pretty conservative and "white-bread" you'd be surprised at the diversity! English is still the second most popular language. Even on my little street of 20 households, there are only five families you could define as "white-Americans" and even one of those is mixed as the father is from England!
Which brings me back to my favorite little Chinese place...where only one of the staff really speak English. I've eaten there about a dozen times and shared about a dozen words not associated with the menu. The food is always good and its never really crowded. I think dinner is their big time, lunch seems to bring in just a few tables -- which is fine by me. When I eat alone I like to listen to what the other tables are talking about, and if it is too crowded I can't hear very well. I've found that when you eavesdrop on others they tend to not take it well when you ask them to repeat their last statement, so less crowded always works best for me.
Sitting there eating fried noodles with hot mustard, waiting on my extra spicy "Generals Chicken" I casually listened to the table next to me. Apparently the couple were married to each other and both work as recruiters for a placement firm. They were bantering back and forth about the "teams" they were overseeing and their various strategies to make their minions work harder. I've never worked in recruitment, so its hard for me to tell, but it sounded like a really crappy place to work - made even more crappy by these two "supervisors". My mind wondered to the option of canceling my order and driving into DC to see what was for lunch with the "occupy" crowd. I was certain the conversation would be more stimulating.
Ahhh! Too late my chicken is here....
So over lunch, if I couldn't be with the masses physically in McPherson Square, or Wall Street, or (you fill in the blank), at least I could be there in spirit and dedicated my "being" to becoming one with the MOB! I began my journey by exploring what makes these folks come together to occupy?
Now is when you want me to launch into how the world isn't fair and how the big businesses of the nation have "screwed" the little guy, and the rich are too rich and the poor are too poor, and the government is too worried about keeping power and using the peopleas puppets...but that's not what I've found. Of course it could all be true, I'm not going to fight anyone on those issues. The way you choose to see the world and the powers in it are exactly that -- your choice! Here is what I have concluded from my limited knowledge of human behavior and a mouthful of chili pepper infused chicken...(plus a little background in political science and of course all the wonderful and accurate coverage of these events by various news outlets).
The "Occupy Movement" is happening because there are a lot of people in the world who occupy nothing in their own lives; and in a desperate attempt to be relevant and meaningful, since they occupy nothing -- they choose to occupy a physical place (like a park or a street or a city) to feel a part of something. It's that simple! How do I know this to be true -- because it comes straight from the mouths of those that are "leading" this movement. (of course that is a loose term...anytime a movement is made up of 20-somethings that have a misplace sense of entitlement, 60-somethings that miss the "good ol' days" of protesting, throw in the American Nazi Party, the American Socialist Party, and the Labor Unions - there is a distinct lack of leadership). What they are saying always begins with blame! Specifically blaming others!!! Anytime your world revolves around that axis as a starting point basically means you have no control, no power, no purpose, no hope, no future and no personal meaning or value. I'm sorry, but unless this movement is totally comprised of the mentally ill (which I'll entertain as a possibility if someone wants to throw that out there), then I must conclude that these folks "occupy nothingness" -- and I'm sorry but that's pretty sad!
I've thought about alternatives that could be a replacement for this misguided movement - like "occupy yourself" which could be interpreted as getting a job (not like, "get a job you bum! - rather take a job, any job - volunteer make yourself busy actually doing something - be productive). It could also be a call to improve yourself - gain some perspective, enhance your values, take ownership of your life rather than allowing others to determine your future or your path. This isn't a liberal or conservative thought, so all my friends in the "blue states" calm down -- this happens to be a basic human right which has been stripped from some by the ideas that they are owed or entitled to this or that...don't know what contract you signed onto when you were born, but I guess I was in the wrong line. It's always been pretty clear to me I had to work for what I got and that blame or celebration begins with my reflection each day. Not too difficult or complex of a concept.
All of this brought me to the realization that we as a nation or as people individually have been lured into the false idea that "complex" or "difficult" or "complicated" somehow means value. It's like we have been directed by popular culture to seek out these states of being because they are somehow desired over the "simple", the "common", the "predictable" -- I mean come on, "complicated" is even an option to describe relationship status on Facebook -- what the hell is that about? Stop for just a second (this is where audience participation is required), actually STOP and think about what gives you happiness and peace and joy in your own life! Not the lives we watch on TV or read about -- YOUR LIFE!?!?
Do you have a list of things (it can be short or long -- no wrong answers here, afterall its your list, right?) IF, you did come up with a list, the question then has to be how much time do you spend focused on those simple things that bring you happiness, joy, peace? How does that compare to the amount of time you spend on the the complex and complicated? Which of those columns do you control?
I guess if you didn't come up with a list of simple joy producing things in your life -- its pretty clear that you need to come back to the light and start taking control of your life again, but that's too complex to discuss here (insert smiley face here)!
So, back to our frinds occupying the park -- I guess I feel like the whole movement begins with how these people view themselves individually. It doesn't take long to see that they all begin their self definition as victims which isn't a good place to start (nor is it warranted in my estimation). As for me and my unemployment status, I guess I'll choose to continue focusing on the simple things that bring me joy -- I tend to think those are the authentic reflections of me. The complicated has never panned out as worthwhile so why chase them! I hope some of these folks in the "park" (wandering in the wilderness) find the time to occupy something more meaningful (like their own lives - would be a good start).
I guess after lunch I'll go back to Total Wine and tell the clerk their inventory is perfectly fine! Why make things more difficult than they have to be...the 2008 Meritage is fine enough to enhance my simple moment of pleasure sitting on the back patio with my wife and dogs later tonight...you'll find me there "occupying" my favorite seat around 7PM, I say viva la resistance, let the protest begin!
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