As I wade through the “Best of 2011” lists, I can’t help but think 2011 will go down in history as a turning point. Perhaps just one of many turning points through the ages, but nevertheless, a year that saw a tectonic shift taking place across the world.
Of course, I’m talking about the spontaneous uprisings across the Arab world–the “Arab Spring”–beginning with the sacrificial act of one lone fruit vendor in Tunisia, Mohamed Bouazizi (29 March 1984 – 4 January 2011). Bouazizi set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides. According to Wikipedia: “His act became a catalyst for … inciting demonstrations and riots throughout Tunisia in protest of social and political issues in the country. The public’s anger and violence intensified following Bouazizi’s death, leading then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to step down on 14 January 2011, after 23 years in power.”
And in our own country, as well as across Europe, citizens have found their voices as they’ve spontaneously risen nonviolently in protest against unfair financial practices and unjust laws that protect the most wealthy and powerful at the expense of the least powerful in our society. But unlike protest movements of the past, the Occupy Movement signals a change. Perhaps never again will we see protests led by one or two charismatic leaders, centralized decision makers, and codified, hierarchical demands.
If this new world of massive, global protests without go-to leaders confuses people (and it surely does, given the hostile reaction from much of the establishment press and politicians), this book, which says nothing about the Occupy Movement, per se (published in 2006), definitely anticipates and explains what’s going on: The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations. Written by Ori Barfman and Rod A. Beckstrom, this easy-to-read, clear explanation of the new world of “open” vs. “coercive” systems will open your eyes to the inevitable change we’re seeing all around us.
Just as the internet, AA, the world of Wiki-everything, the blogosphere, and apps like eMule that capture (steal) music have no president, no CEO, or central headquarters, those entities, like the Occupy Movement, operate as starfish, not spiders. To find out why, pick up the book!
And enjoy now the last few days of this magnificently transformative year!
Here’s your “FRIDAY–A NEW WORLD (ALREADY HERE!)“video postcard:
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