What is Occupation?

On July 13, Adbusters Magazine published a call to action entitled “a shift in revolutionary tactics.” Quote:

On September 17, we want to see 20,000 people flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall Street for a few months. [The Egyptian revolution] succeeded in large part because the people of Egypt made a straightforward ultimatum – that Mubarak must go – over and over again until they won. Following this model, what is our equally uncomplicated demand?

http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/occupywallstreet.html

Soon afterwards they published this catchy poster, asking “What is our one demand?”

On September 17 the Occupation of Wall Street began, and as of this moment three and a half weeks later there are now meetups in 1,390 cities and towns across the United States under the heading Occupy Together.

The Difference Between Occupation and Protest

The Adbusters call to action and the coverage of the occupation so far have focused on political and economic issues. But I believe that beneath the political and economic protests there is a deeper spiritual possibility.

The people in Zuccotti Park are doing two things. First, they are marching, making signs, getting arrested, etc. They are protesting. However muddy it is, they do have an agenda: End corporate personhood. Tax the rich. Etc., etc.

But they're also doing something bigger than protesting. Every night several hundred of them actually sleep in the park. They've set up a kitchen and a library and a first aid station. There are lectures and music and art going on. This is not protest. This is occupation.

Protest is one thing, and occupation is something different. Protest is about accomplishing specific political goals. Occupation is about turning public places into living, face-to-face communities. Protest is temporary. Occupation goes on indefinitely. Protest is political. Occupation is deeper than politics. Occupation is spiritual.

What is Our One Demand?

Some are quixotically trying to come up with the single demand that Adbusters originally called for. Douglas Rushkoff is closer to the mark when he sees the question as essentially rhetorical:

[U]nlike a traditional protest, which identifies the enemy and fights for a particular solution, Occupy Wall Street just sits there talking with itself, debating its own worth, recognizing its internal inconsistencies and then continuing on as if this were some sort of new normal. It models a new collectivism.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/opinion/rushkoff-occupy-wall-street/

Rushkoff ducks the question, but hints at the spiritual possibility of occupation in the phrase “new collectivism.” If the question is taken not politically or economically but spiritually, there is a clear and simple answer.

Love is the one demand.

What I want from my society is love. I want to walk into any neighborhood in the world without fear. I want to know that everyone is cared for. I want to trust that people in leadership are fit for it. I want love to be normal.

There is a two-way street between society and its members, but fundamentally the character of a society bubbles upwards from its members. If we have greedy corporations and opportunistic governments and divisive media, it’s because we as a public are greedy and opportunistic and divisive. If we want change in our governments and corporations and media, then the place to start is in our hearts and homes. As one occupier of Wall Street said: “Occupy your own heart, not with fear but with love.” Political protests can and do achieve real short-term change. But the systemic change we all long for will only happen as love takes root in the public character.

And this is why occupation as a new spiritual practice is interesting. Intentionally inhabiting public spaces together links my personal spiritual practice with society as a whole. It is important that occupation happen out of doors and with a minimum of organization, so that it has the widest inclusivity. Love over fear is something that I believe we are ready to all agree on. Occupation needn’t threaten existing spiritual communities. I plan to be in church on Sunday and occupy the park on Thursday. But occupation itself must be general: intentionally inhabiting public spaces together, love our one demand.

If you agree, then go find your occupation.