In just over a month, a new movement has arisen. “Occupy” continues to inspire, confound, confront and raise discussion about the impact of corporations on democracy, and whether it’s possible to divide money from politics.
Occupy has spread like a virus, first among American cities and now internationally, with Occupy Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne localising the anti-greed sentiment of their Wall St parent, only to be violently dismantled by state authorities.
Proving that advertising execs aren’t the only ones who can communicate to a mass audience, there’s even a YouTube video promoting the ideas of Occupy: that capitalism is an inherently unsustainable system in constant economic, environmental and social crisis and war, and that people power can be more powerful than the people who are in power currently and who are deeply compromised by their ties to big business.
What do you think?
Is Occupy using the tools of the devil – marketing – to spread its message?
Or, in this brave new digital age, is mass communication a must?
