Much to the chagrin of right wing proponents, and for that matter, to anyone in valiant support of the dogma of big business health as a key driver of economic wellbeing, the Occupy Wall Street protests continue to rage on full throttle. In the refuge of Zucotti Park, NY, shaggy-haired collegiates and other such interesting folks inclined to support high levels of government intervention have remained steadfast in their opposition of all things Wall Street.
Some of the most prestigious banks on the Street, such as Goldman Sachs most notably, have become key targets of the hippy-like enthusiasts. As the protest begins to gain traction on a worldwide level and transcends the New York Metropolitan area, one must begin to contemplate the long-term political effects that will undoubtedly ensue. Democrats essentially have all of the major media outlets in their back pockets, and will ostensibly capitalize on the uproar to drive home their perception of Wall St. as an evil place, in which money-hungry traders and salespeople prey on uneducated, defenseless folks. Such machinations of reality will, in turn, result in a higher likelihood of the incumbent, who has of course done a superb job thus far of accelerating the economic recovery in recent years, being reelected. Spare me the indignity. The fallacy of the logic of such left-wing enthusiasts is evident in several demonstrable areas.
Our nation is based upon the economic fundamentals of capitalism, which essentially state that people reap what they sow. In other words, you get out of life what you put into it. Instead of focusing on berating the supposed inequalities of the financial system, people can always benefit themselves by becoming educated, and by extension, landing better jobs. Critics of this ideology will point out that education isn’t available for all, which I agree with on certain terms. For those growing up in poverty and without any real emphasis on education, perhaps the hopes of attaining a higher-level education seem unfeasible.
However, public libraries, which may seem archaic by today’s increasing technological standards, are a completely free and oft-overlooked resource that can supply any curious minds with more than ample resources. Moreover, there are numerous government grants and financial aid programs available to those in need, which, despite my political inclinations (which certainly should be evident by this point), I would advocate retaining if the GOP is in fact able to weather the storm. The key in this whole old-fashioned education process is to become curious in the first place. If people truly want to learn and make something of themselves, there are actually sufficient resources and government programs available to make that collective dream come to fruition. So essentially, those who point to Wall St. as the bad guy on the proverbial block should realize that these people are in fact not out to keep the unemployment rate high, nor are they particularly motivated by profiting off the naiveté of regular, everyday citizens.
Just because Wall St. represents the beacon of monetary success does not mean that it should be subject to the abject vitriol of such overzealous people. Wall St. banks actually make social responsibility and community servitude a main priority, which speaks to their acknowledgement that those less fortunate than they could benefit from some generosity. In blunt terms, the Occupy Wall Streeters should focus less of their energy occupying the streets, so to speak, and a bit more energy on bettering themselves on a personal level, which perhaps could give them the ability to capitalize on capitalism as well. For those interested in Socialism, go ask Russia how that worked out for them. Like Communism, it’s a sound idea in theory, but reality oftentimes renders theory irrelevant, my friends.
