Discontent is its Own Reward

The Wall Street demonstrators are at a tremendous disadvantage: In a crowd you can always find someone who will make the group look bad. The bigger the crowd, the better. But there is an additional problem here. Angst does not qualify as a movement. Being worried or unhappy, although they may be common themes in mankind, does not constitute an organizing social point. It can sometimes--the French Revolution was outrage all dressed up with nowhere to go--but generally specifics are necessary.

I was watching a demonstrator being interviewed a few days ago and he stated his motive for being there was his high college student loan payments. As a guy whose grandfather did not go to grade school, I was not moved to search for the barricades.