Of course partisans for one side or the other will judge this video on ideological grounds, I think I can say objectively it's a pretty good, though slanted, documentary on the ephemeral Occupy movement which appeared and disappeared in a relatively short period of time, full of sound and fury, signifying...what? The movie explores that question. "Occupy Unmasked" is better than just a polemic, it is very effective in showing just how inarticulate, destructive, and frankly, just plain fatuous the Occupy movement was. How the encampments were a breeding ground for filth, crime and disease and how it ended leaving piles of fetid trash and millions of dollars of damage to local businesses, and to public parks and buildings. There is a lot of detailed information here and the graphics are electrifying. It's a fun video to watch.
What it shows is the American left in the 2st century, adrift in a sea of slogans and political and historical ignorance. Gone are the clearly defined goals of the old communists and socialists. Participants in the demonstrations can hardly articulate what it's all about, they appear tongue-tied when trying to answer the simplest question about what they want or what the aims of the movement are. Their main aim seems to be to cause as much violence and disruption as possible and then see themselves on the evening news. They never get beyond, "Hate the rich!" and "Capitalism sucks!" Mostly the demonstrators were privileged white kids who were taking some time off and thought the government should forgive their student loans. Perhaps they believe that if they can cause the collapse of the current system something new and wonderful will emerge from the ashes. Because they're so poorly educated they don't realize how often that's been tried before with disastrous results.
I think this is a very good film on a subject that could have been ruined with too much heavy-handed polemic and paucity of information. It could have been pretty awful and I would have said so despite my personal antipathy toward the infantile and destructive tactics of the demonstrators. I think most people who aren't committed leftists will enjoy it because of the skill and drama with which it's realized.
What it shows is the American left in the 2st century, adrift in a sea of slogans and political and historical ignorance. Gone are the clearly defined goals of the old communists and socialists. Participants in the demonstrations can hardly articulate what it's all about, they appear tongue-tied when trying to answer the simplest question about what they want or what the aims of the movement are. Their main aim seems to be to cause as much violence and disruption as possible and then see themselves on the evening news. They never get beyond, "Hate the rich!" and "Capitalism sucks!" Mostly the demonstrators were privileged white kids who were taking some time off and thought the government should forgive their student loans. Perhaps they believe that if they can cause the collapse of the current system something new and wonderful will emerge from the ashes. Because they're so poorly educated they don't realize how often that's been tried before with disastrous results.
I think this is a very good film on a subject that could have been ruined with too much heavy-handed polemic and paucity of information. It could have been pretty awful and I would have said so despite my personal antipathy toward the infantile and destructive tactics of the demonstrators. I think most people who aren't committed leftists will enjoy it because of the skill and drama with which it's realized.