Micah White on The National with Wendy Mesley discussing The End of Protest

Summary

In this interview, Michael White, the initiator behind the Occupy Wall Street movement, discusses the movement's roots in Canada and its evolution. He critically examines the effectiveness of traditional protest methods and suggests that modern activism needs innovation. White's new book, 'The End of Protests: A New Playbook for Revolution,' proposes a shift from disruptive demonstrations to building social movements capable of winning political power, as seen in Spain with the rise of the political party Podemos.

Takeaways

• 📢 The Occupy Wall Street movement began as a protest against economic inequality and quickly spread globally, representing the 99% against the wealthy 1%.
• 🌱 The idea for Occupy Wall Street originated from the Canadian anti-consumerist magazine Adbusters, with Michael White being instrumental in its inception.
• 🔮 The initial goal of Occupy Wall Street was to get money out of politics, but the movement was leaderless and participants struggled to articulate a single demand.
• 💡 Michael White believes that despite its shortcomings, Occupy Wall Street was a 'constructive failure' that raised awareness about income inequality and inspired other movements.
• 🚫 White criticizes the traditional methods of protest, suggesting that mass marches and online petitions are no longer effective in bringing about change.
• 🛑 He argues that the Black Lives Matter movement learned the wrong lesson from Occupy's failure, focusing too much on disruption rather than gaining control over institutions like the police.
• 🌐 White suggests that social movements should aim to win power, citing the example of Podemos in Spain, which evolved from a social movement into a political party that wins elections.
• 📈 He proposes a new approach to activism that involves building social movements capable of influencing elections and gaining political power, rather than relying on traditional protests.
• 🤔 White reflects on the role of individuals like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, suggesting that while they represent a desire for change, the focus should be on decentralized social movements rather than singular leaders.
• 🚀 He admires the 'risk it all' attitude of figures like Donald Trump and believes activists should adopt a similar mindset to achieve real change through social movements.
• 🌟 The interview concludes with White's vision of a future where social movements can lead to the 99% governing the world, emphasizing the need for innovation in activism.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the Occupy Wall Street movement according to its initiators?

The primary goal of the Occupy Wall Street movement, as initiated by Adbusters, was to get money out of politics.

How did the Occupy Wall Street movement spread globally?

The movement quickly spread to 82 countries around the globe, resonating with the sentiment of the 99% against the wealthy 1%.

What does Michael White believe is broken about modern protests?

Michael White believes that the current model of protest is broken, as mass marches no longer effectively bring about real change.

What is the title of Michael White's new book, and what does it propose?

The title of Michael White's new book is 'The End of Protests: A New Playbook for Revolution,' which proposes new strategies for achieving social change.

How does Michael White view the effectiveness of the Black Lives Matter movement?

While supportive of Black Lives Matter, White offers criticism, suggesting that the movement may have learned the wrong lesson from Occupy Wall Street and should focus on gaining control over institutions like the police.

What does Michael White suggest is the future of social movements?

White suggests that the future of social movements lies in building political parties that can win elections, as seen with the rise of Podemos in Spain.

What is Michael White's stance on the use of online petitions in activism?

White is critical of online petitions, viewing them as easy gestures that do not effectively translate into real social change and may lead to a loss of hope in activism.

What does Michael White propose as a new approach to activism instead of traditional marches and petitions?

White proposes that activists should innovate and adopt new strategies, such as forming social movements that can influence elections and gain political power.

How does Michael White evaluate the Occupy Wall Street movement in terms of its success?

White considers Occupy Wall Street a 'constructive failure' because, while it did not achieve its primary goal, it did raise awareness about income inequality and inspired new movements.

What does Michael White think about the role of individuals like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in social change?

White sees both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders as symptoms of the public's desire for social change but criticizes the reliance on singular individuals rather than decentralized social movements.

What is the key message of Michael White's book in terms of achieving social change?

The key message of White's book is that activists need to move beyond traditional protest methods and adopt new, more sophisticated strategies to gain political power and effect real change.