What have we learned from “Occupy Central”?

Nine people have been found guilty for starting Occupy Central.  The establishment types gloat: How naive you are, dreaming that you can pressure the government to change its position on elections?  See how we (the establishment parties) have taken control of the legislature, while so many of you (the pan-democrats) have been disqualified, and you are now going to prison.  Serves you right!

The political scene is indeed quite depressing.  Just note how faceless, lazy, and inane some of the people who now sit in the legislature are; how disconnected and inept so many of the government officials are; and how disheartened and dismayed so many of the citizens are.  

How did it happen?  What lessons have we learned from Occupy Central / Umbrella Movement and what do we do now?   

Is continued banging of the head against the wall the only way to demonstrate our determination to seek social justice?  Is mass movement the only way to move forward?  Is there really no way to promote the cause within the current political system - without breaking the law and going to jail?  Are there not more innovative means to engage the citizenry in addressing social injustice? 

On the other hand, I wish to believe that at least some of the people on the establishment side truly believe that the current government is moving slowly towards a more open and fair system, despite all the inherent iniquities.  Given these assumptions, aren’t at least some of the idealism and disquiet of the young people legitimate? And if so, aren’t there more innovative ways to address those aspirations, other than disqualification and complete suppression of dissent? Haven’t we all been young and idealistic once?  

Or perhaps my assumptions are overly optimistic.  If so, it is just too depressing. 

“Innovation” is all the rage these days, at least in science and technology, and business.  Politically and socially, however, there seems to be a serious lack of imagination on all sides.