Back in October 4, 2011, I predicted the Occupy Wall Street movement would fizzle, simply because the U.S. corporate media were not behind it. pug_ster argued Obama’s first term supporters were starting to become disillusioned, “Just today the Unions, Moveon.org and many other left groups whom have supported Obama in the past are joining this protest.” While true, I still think U.S. media propaganda is too strong. For sure, they talk about the wealth gap in this country. However, their narratives in painting a more dire picture abroad and not pushing the Occupy’s narratives domestically allows a skewed view to fester within the American public. The following short video does an exceptional job in explaining this perception versus reality gap in America.
Hidden Harmonies China Blog
As China Re-Awakens, Finding New Harmonies in a Brave New World...
William says
Striking stuff, especially for those who go on about supposedly horrifying Gini coefficients in the developing world (the clue is in the word “developING”!).
If there’s a China angle to this, it’s probably that people shouldn’t keep thinking of the US as a place where everything is equal and fair. Fair in many procedural ways, but in many ways unfair. Certainly not the only developed country worth admiring / learning from. This knee-jerk comparing of everything against the US as a yardstick has to stop.
YinYang says
Right. Or this presumption that “freedom” and “democracy” is the solution to every society’s ills is ludicrous.
Zack says
i gotta say, and this also comes from personal experience from working and studying in america, is that for a nation that likes to trumpet about how it did away with ‘the class system and relics of the Old World’, the reality in this ‘New World’ is that the inequality and class system is a carbon copy of that very Old European World.
This infograph is the main reason why Ameria’s leaders need to divert attention and anger from the populace towards foreign entties like a Rising China because once that attention is turned inward and towards the 1%, it’ll be Revolution all over again. The American elite need wars every few years so as to maintain control and legitimacy, as well as profit, than any real needs to serve justice.
Ray says
In HK the wealth distribution is similar. In mainland China, the top 1% earners is becoming richer faster than anybody else too. The only difference in China is that SOEs control a sizable share of the economy and prevent private enterprises from having any monopoly in strategic areas. Another distinct feature of China’s model is that most of the bottom 50% has access to housing and don’t have to pay any taxes.
Zack says
in a way this suits the Elites in Washington; a larger pool of unemployed and a defunct jobs economy results in a boom in military recruitment which is just ideal for the warmongering opportunists and profiteers who’re married to the industrial-media complex.
It’s interesting how similar corporatocracy and feudalism are in practice; and the best thing about it is that americans are sold on the idea of the hollywood american dream that they fear the reality of knowing the system is broken and will do what they must to continue with the lie they’re living in.
Mch27 says
I honestly don’t think anybody does. Most developed countries do frown upon America for its wealth inequality and poor human rights record.