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We are the 53%

RedEyedAbyssRedEyedAbyss
edited 2011-10-15 12:37:08 in Politics

http://the53.tumblr.com/

(you're probably better off with http://actuallyyourethe47percent.tumblr.com/ unless you don't want the joke explained since then you can avoid giving the former page views)

I almost wanted to put this in IJAM, but I decided against it since it's more black than comedy (in fact, instead of laughing, I feel genuinely sad for them)

People defending their lot in life as wage slaves. Such is the fate the myth of the American Dream has reduced them to. I wonder if peasants back in the days of feudalism were this adamant about defending their miserable existence.

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Comments

  • AHRAHR
    I don't get it. What's 53%?
  • nohaynicklibrenohaynicklibre
    Kichigai birthday!!

  • RedEyedAbyssRedEyedAbyss
    edited 2011-10-15 12:55:32
    It's a rebuttal to Occupy Wall Street 
    representing the 99% rebelling against the 1% of Americans owning 40% of the wealth . Supposedly 53% refers to Americans that pay federal taxes and are thus above the poverty line. Think about that percentage for a bit.
  • AHRAHR
    OIC. OK.
  • RedEyedAbyssRedEyedAbyss
    edited 2011-10-15 13:03:03

    Is the American propaganda system so effective that this is considered acceptable?!

    By the way, I wish to emphasize that they are not the ones to blame. These images are merely the symptom of how the media has manipulated the populace against their own interest. If anything, blame the manipulators, not the victims.

  • GelzoGelzo
    Pony Sleuth
    I'm plenty satisfied with the standard of living that comes from being just around middle class, but that doesn't mean I like the idea of potentially getting shot to the poorhouse because of some accident or because the economy gets tanked. And I especially don't like that there are so many in that position.
  • IcalasariIcalasari
    No rainbow star
    I don't get where the percentage comes from D:
  • GelzoGelzo
    Pony Sleuth
    I think 53% is supposed to be the number of people who pay taxes or are above the poverty line or something?
  • DonZabuDonZabu
    edited 2011-10-15 13:18:53
    >implying that the entirety, or even the majority, of the Occupy Wall Street protestors wouldn't be more than happy to work for their living if the job market wasn't completely fucked.
  • DonZabuDonZabu
    edited 2011-10-15 14:41:45
    Anyway, notice that most of these people aren't saying "I work one 40-hour a week job for my livelihood, stop whining", they're saying "I work two or three jobs for 70+ hours a week, stop whining". If it were the former, they might have a point, but the very fact that it's the latter should in itself be an indication that things need to change.
  • RedEyedAbyssRedEyedAbyss
    Hence the black comedy.
  • Wicked223Wicked223
    We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced, For the Earth Had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year
    There are plenty of criticisms to be made of the 99% slogan (such as presenting the "99%" as people who are struggling to make a living, when most of them are doing pretty well for themselves), but this? This is just pure masochism.

    What's also pretty funny is the amount of people on the list who had to rely on welfare/unemployment insurance at some point to get by, and still deride people for having to do the same.

    And even funnier are all the high school/college students saying "I WILL be the 53%". Yeah, good luck with that, kiddies.
  • GelzoGelzo
    Pony Sleuth
    Man, this sort of shit is starting to make me uneasy. Maybe I should get more serious about making myself employable.
  • CounterclockCounterclock
    Belief
    @Gelzo, It's either that or live your life as a bum ^_^
  • MalkavianMalkavian
    MORONS! I'VE GOT MORONS ON MY PAYROLL!
    Some people will be attached to a system no matter how much that system has screwed them over. That image you posted is rather frightening.
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    I'd like to think there's a degree of satire in that image.

    At least, her smile doesn't come across as sincere to me, anyway.
  • Wicked223Wicked223
    We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced, For the Earth Had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year
    There isn't, Juan, trust me.
  • CounterclockCounterclock
    Belief
    I'd say there's.... Juan  degree of satire.

    ~Glasses~
  • vandrovandro
    edited 2011-10-15 16:10:14
    He who laments and can't let go of the past is forever doomed to solitude.
    Isn't the american dream just propaganda to get inmigrants? It does bother me that just above 50% is supposed to be considered good.
  • ChagenChagen
    [tɕagɛn]
    No.

    The American Dream is the simple true fact of Capitalism's superiority.

    I'm saying this as a minor socialist, by the way.
  • MadassAlexMadassAlex
    One foot in front of the other, every day.
    > Capitalism's superiority
    > I'm a socialist

    wut

    Socialism rocks because we've got industrial production and massive resource surpluses.
  • TheConductorTheConductor
    edited 2011-10-15 16:46:40
    ^^ I tried and tried to find a .GIF to convey my utter amusement at that comment. But I can't. So I'll just say this;

    lol.
  • MillerCrossMillerCross
    You can change. You can.
    There isn't, Juan, trust me.

    ;_;
  • GelzoGelzo
    Pony Sleuth
    Capitalism doesn't work out as well when the system can reward you just for being wealthy in the first place rather than being productive.

    Of course you can make the argument that that isn't capitalism, but it is what happens now.
  • SchitzoSchitzo
    They're somethin' else.
    Who am I supposed to agree with? Both sides sound pretty douchey, in my opinion.
  • RaddRadd
    edited 2011-10-15 17:17:39
    @Chagen

    That is stupid. You aren't a Socialist. Shut up.
  • ChagenChagen
    [tɕagɛn]
    No. Guys, what I am saying is that Capitalism works because humans are greedy pieces of shit. We're the most horrible beings on Earth. Capitalism exploits this. Socialisn doesn't.

    I wish it wasn't true, but the system that exploits that Humans are the most horrifying and greedy cunts alive works better than one that doesn't.

    I wish Socialism worked. But it doesn't.
  • RaddRadd
    @Chagen

    That is stupid. You aren't a Socialist. Shut up.
  • ChagenChagen
    [tɕagɛn]
    Heaven forbid I have an opinion.

    Oh wait, I forgot. Having opinions is Wrong(TM)
  • RaddRadd
    edited 2011-10-15 17:29:44
    No. Saying Socialism would be nice if it worked disqualifies you from being a Socialist. In other words, it's not that you aren't supposed to have opinions, it's that you're ignorant.
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