As Occupy London but not the Tents continues on the grounds of St Paul's it somehow looks a bit futile. A pointless waste of time, sort of like filling in a job application.
Like all these protests be they anti-G8, anti-3rd World Debt, anti-Globalisation, anti-Iraq War, anti-Banks, there is one consistency. The protesters consistently don't know what they want, let alone how to get it.
They are consistently incoherent and inarticulate about their aims and motives. If you listen to their arguments/logic it difficult to understand how anyone can give them what they want because they clearly don't yet know.
What is left is speculation. Speculation about their grievances.
Maybe it is the behaviour of the banks, irresponsible lending. Lending too much to people who had too little. The proposed solution is that the banks should start lending again. Turn the tap back on and once again lend too much to those with too little. It's strange how the solution looks a lot like the problem?
Maybe the current problem is not the lending but the aggressive repayment, high security required and high interest rates despite the historic low on Threadneedle Street.
Maybe the grievance is the bankers bonus and the governments' response of bank bailouts. On both counts the the concern is not green-back greed but the green-eyed monster. Jealous eyes on the bankers bounty and the financial support to keep the irresponsible lenders sort of lending. Here the rallying call is why them and not me.
Maybe the grievance is public spending cuts to fund the bailout. But then again those most concerned with public sector cuts are not the ones who use public services, but those who spend the tax they didn't earn to deliver sub-standard, yet expensive public services. Strange how the public sector workers cry foul over cuts but also complain about pay and pension constraint. I have yet to see the public sector strike over long hospital waiting lists, excessive bureaucracy, inefficiency or excessive taxation. But pay and pensions now that's a cause worthy of downing pens for.
Ironically Occupy Wall Street like the previous anti-globalisation protests has went global. It is a convenient catch all for the disaffected. But despite some global support, until their non-elected spokes-people can figure out what the problem is, it is unlikely that a solution will be found.
For their sakes let's just hope they are more articulate on their job applications that they are when they speak to the global media.
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