aka Ken Smith: John A. Stoehr's "mostpeople"

"Because mostpeople have allowed the economy to be rigged," @JohnAStoehr writes in his column entitled "Silicon Valley Bank and why we allow the economy to be rigged." On this topic, past tense verbs are not useful, and maybe neither is blaming the victims. In the present tense, vital institutions are already captured, hollowed out, made dysfunctional. Now what?#

Journalists rarely write about the substantial skill and tool set needed for activism to have a chance for success. The kinds of knowledge needed, the attitudes required for the long game, the partnerships that give small groups a chance to create a bigger voice.#

Journalists rarely write about the need for a big voice with reach and staying power, since politicians know immediately if they can safely ignore you. And the institutions need to be somewhat healthy, eg., the courts, or activism will likely be stifled by the powerful in residence there.#

Journalists rarely study episodes of activism that succeed or came close: the complex tool/skill set, the long game, vital partnerships, depth of knowledge about the society's ways, good luck, and a voice with reach and staying power. Each trait needed now and for years to come.#

And for the most part these episodes are not looked at in this way in schools. It's "Rosa Parks was heroic" rather than "Rose Parks had this skill set, these allies, this long-term strategy with her people . . ."#

Major institutions have been captured. They're now strongly defended by their conquerers. Change will require a long, well-planned and well-supplied siege. If the campaign begins somewhere, we probably won't hear about it, since the newsrooms have been stripped of most reporters.#