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- Love and Occupy Wall Street
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- Introduction
- Bell Hooks is a writer who is well known for explaining the fundamentals of love. Her work has imprinted a lot of significance in the society and is related to events which have taken part in the past. For instance, Occupy Wall Street is an event which has taken place in many countries whereby citizens express their concerns on the distribution of the country’s wealth or resources. Occupy Wall Street comprises of some characteristics or aspects addressed by Bell Hooks in her book All About Love: New Visions. The aspects discussed by Bell include love ethics, greed, spirituality, honesty, justice and commitment among others which are conceptualized in Occupy Street Wall. The essay therefore addresses these aspects considering the writings of Bell Hooks and in relevance to Occupy Wall Street.
- Self-actualization
- The self-actualized people usually have realistic perception about themselves and everything around them. In addition, most of the self-actualized people are problem centered. This implies that most of these people will to be innovative in trying to find solution to the various problems that they may face. Most importantly these people will also tend to be involved in the finding of solution of the problems that other people face. Another important point to note about the self-actualized people is that they tend to tend to be happy with themselves. This implies that self-actualized people are also happy with what other people do. In addition, it is also evident that these of people have a sense of continued freshness of appreciation (Hooks, 2001). In relation to this it is therefore important to note that these types of people are also tend to view the world with a sense of appreciation.
- However analyzing the people and the agenda in the Occupy Wall Street movement it is evident that some of these people are not self-actualized. This is because most of the people in the movement view on the negative side of the world since them only believe that the entire world wealth is only owned by 1% of the world population. In addition most of these people are not self actualized since they do not believe that they have the solution to their own problems. This implies that these people do not believe that they can be able to solve their own problem without necessary blaming other people for their own problems. Analyzing this movement it is also evident that these people do not appreciate the other especially the rich people since the movement aims at convincing the rich to share their wealth with other people.
- Honesty
- Honesty is one of the most important qualities that all the human beings need to have. Honesty refers to the act of being truthful, refraining from lies hypocrisy and cheating (Hooks, 2001). In addition a person who is honest usually adheres to facts only. This implies that such people only give fact of what has happened or what they know. Most importantly a person who is honest does give any excuse or give any lengthy explanation when asked to give the truth of certain issue.
- However analyzing the community the Occupy Wall Street movement it is evident that most of the people in the movement are not honest. This is because most of the people are advocating on some issue, which they do not really understand. In relation to this some of the people in this movement are accusing the rich people of corruption however; if they are told to give evident they may not be having any to support their argument. This therefore implies that these people fail to adhere to fact about various issues. In addition, some of the issues raised by this group are shows that the group is not sincere. This is because, the group only raises the negative issues that the government and the rich people have done to the economy. However, the group fails to recognize any good deed that the government and the rich people have done to the economy.
- Justice
- Justice is an important aspect in the society since it helps to stand for the truth of the various issues that affect the society. According to Bell Hook it is evident that justice demands for one t have integrity in his or her deeds (Hooks, 2001). Moreover, she also advocates that justice also entail one to have moral universe. This implies that one need to ensure that he or she not only understand what is right or wrong but also able to put things into perspective and weigh the options. Most importantly according to her justice require one to have a complex accounting of various issues.
- Analyzing some of the issue raised by the Occupy Wall Street movement it is evident that the movement is against social injustices. In relation to this the movement is accusing the government of promoting inequality. The movement is also accusing the rich people of corruption and the use of the public funds. However critically analyzing these issues raised by this movement it is evident that the movement does not adhere to the principles of justice. This is because instead of articulating their issues in the street they ought to go to the courts in order to seek justices. One can therefore argue that by going to the street the movement at the same time denying other people justice since they are interfering with their businesses.
- Commitment
- Commitment is one of most important fundamental concept that each individual needs to have in his or her life. According to Bell hook commitment is very powerful since it influences how one thinks and acts (Hooks, 2001). In addition being committed also entails working hard to ensure that one is able to look for solution for the various problems that one may be facing. Commitment also helps one to know how to handle things when times get tough. In order for any relationship to succeed it is therefore important for all the parties involved in the relationship to become actively committed in ensuring that it is sustained. Analyzing the Occupy Wall Street movement it is evident that these people are committed in their course of ensuring that fight against social inequality and greed corruptions. One of clear indication of the fact that the people in this movement were committed towards their course is the fact that some people some in the movement were to spend more than seven hour in a day in the street.
- Community
- The communities play an important role in sustains life in society. According to the Bell Hook there is no better place one can able to learn the art of loving than in the community( Hooks, 2001). This implies that the people in the community need to learn how to be honest with each other and show commitment towards ensuring that they continue to build relationships. This can therefore help to ensure that love is sustained among all the member of the society. Critically analyzing the issues raised by the Occupy Wall Street movement it is evident this movement feel that love does not exist in the community.
- Spirituality
- Spirituality is one of the aspects that Bell Hooks explains about in her book. Spiritually, human love entails the first response in reference to the explanation by Hooks (Hooks, 2001). Basing from her writings it is predominantly clear that re-evaluation of spirituality has posed some benefits in the post modern era. The conceptualization of eternal essence as per the writings of Bell Hooks bases on the foundation of reality in her work. Nevertheless, this is replicated in the occupy Wall Street event whereby the participants would demonstrate to ensure that equality in wealth is observed. Hooks emphasizes on love for each other. Moreover, Bell Hooks explains spirituality as a private view. However, the spiritual conceptualization explained by Hooks is met with some critics in that her attempts in practicing spirit justice do not deliver justice to human beings and that if people love themselves more, they will also develop more love towards the others as well. According to Hooks (2001) people fail to recognize the brokenness in reality because they have broken relationships with God, whereby this is characterized by their unwillingness in observing justice towards God as well as admitting their comprehensive dependence. On contrast to the occupy Wall Street, the followers had spiritual believe which united them. Therefore, it is evident that Bell Hood conceptualizes love in a spiritual manner, relating to values of a religious person and their relationship with God. In addition, Bell Hooks reveals that people need to love one another since it is a spiritual requirement. The explanation of love by Hooks reveal that once a person realizes the love offered to them by his/her neighbor, it is then that this person will recognize spiritually that they have needs. This is when the person realizes that spiritually they are incapable of satisfying his/her wants and needs. In this case, Hooks explains that a person like the one described will respond to the God who initially showed him/her love. On contrary, this person will hate the God who has always deemed withholding as per the explanation by Hooks. The response of hatred or love to God is also imprinted towards the other people in that, if a person treats his or her neighbor with truelove he or she is eligible for receiving wrath from the neighbor.
- Values
- Hooks expresses different values pertaining to love. The same values are also implicated in the occupy Wall Street. The values of an individual contribute a lot towards expressing their love to the others. Hooks explains that a person has to practice love towards themselves so that that they can express better love towards the other people. Therefore, love accompanied or led by personal values. Hooks explains that here physical tendency which in this case would be personal values have granted her much than a neighbor would grant or give (Hooks, 2001). This reveals that she has great support towards values and especially personal values. Considering the case of occupancy Wall Street, the participants want all people to be treated equally and with the same love. For example, the demonstrations which have taken place in some of regions in America and other countries have implicated that people would like others to have positive values and mind about the welfare of others as well. Compassion is a value which Bell Hooks also talks about in her writings which relate to occupy Wall Street whereby the demonstrators think that the wealthy lack compassion.
- Greed
- The conceptualization of greed by Bell Hooks relates to occupy street wall in the case that in both stories some people are seen to love themselves and do not bother to care about their neighbors. For instance, in the occupy Wall Street the demonstrators imply that only 1% of the people in America are wealth and the 99% are poor. Therefore, wealth is not evenly distributed and only a few people benefit from this wealth. According to Hooks (2001), greed subsumes love and compassion; living simply makes room for them. Bell Hooks explains that greed is something that everyone or anyone can resist everyday. People have started realizing the significance of sharing the available resources equally an aspect which Hooks pinpointed and which is replicated in Occupy Wall Street whereby people are fighting to eliminate greed. Greed as viewed by Hooks is a temptation which people need to learn on how to eradicate it and that they should work in unison to bring changes in the public policy thus electing progressive and honest leaders. This same aspect is imprinted in Occupy Wall Street where the citizens are demonstrating, a sign of unison in working towards changing the values of the leaders and eliminates greed as well as restoring fair policies in the public sectors. Eliminating love as per the explanation by Hooks is a way of expressing respect to love and one major factor which will facilitate measures of saving our planet.
- Love ethics
- Bell Hooks has explained how people should love one another. Love ethics is implicated in Occupy Street Wall whereby the public policy lacks love ethics. Bell Hooks explains ethics of love as having compassion towards one another and that people should mind caring for their neighbors specially when they are in need (Hooks, 2001). On contrary, Hooks relates ethics of love to acknowledging the help which one offers for his/her neighbor and that this should not be met with wrath or hatred. Love ethics is valuing the presence, help and efforts of each person and treating people equally. This includes equal distribution of resources as the aspect which the demonstrators of Occupy Street Wall are fighting to restore. In reference to Hooks writing, the morals of a person contribute much towards practicing love ethics. People need to recognize that without love and failure of practicing love ethics leads to hatred, separation and disagreement. The political leaders being criticized in Occupy Wall Street do not practice love ethics and are governed by greed, hatred and selfishness since they do not recognize fellow citizens.
- Conclusion
- From the above it is evident that the people in the Occupy Wall Street movement need to learn some of the principle that help to sustain love in the community. In addition, it important for the members of the movement to ensure that they advocate their issues in the best way possible through seeking justice in the court of the law rather than going to the street. Most importantly these people must learn to be self-actualized. This can help to ensure that they are able to solve their own problems without necessarily blaming other. Finally, it is also important for the members in the Occupy Wall Street movement to ensure that they are also committed in ensuring that they build strong united community.
- References
- Hooks, B. (2001). All about love: New visions. New York: Perennial
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