So this is my first blog on Znet and I thought Id just make a few quick comments on Naomi Klein's article 'The Ownership Society' that was on the front page today.

Im not going to dive into any deep critique or analysis of her article, the comments posted by JD Casten examine the strengths and weaknesses of her ideas in a more articulate manner than I could summon anyhow. Instead I just wanted to write about the excitement and joy one can still feel when reading an article. Upon initial reading of Klein's article today that I felt that excitement when a piece of work expresses an accumulation of ideas, critiques and analysis one has developed and discovered over the years, but does so in such a clear and engaging manner. The analysis of the 'ownership society' clicked with me- that sense of "She just said exactly what I knew but haven't been able to express in such a coherent manner before!"
Klein's words crystallized my feelings and general ideas on the shifting consciousness of the working class. I found her article and its ideas refreshing, simple but able to express the complex concisely and insightfully.
Its the type of article I want to show everyone, hoping that they it clicks for them, and cuts thru the usual resistance to the radical perspective or the sometimes obtuse language or ideas.
I think for me she pinpoints in many ways (at least I feel this for Australian society) the shift from working class perspectives and attitudes. It helps an understanding of some of the apathy towards political action, in that working class political action would be against the interests of those who became part of the 'ownership society'.

There are other factors at play also but I think it elucidates an area not really seen before, in that the 'Right' as Klein uses the term, have shifted popular and working class thinking towards its own worldview, by making owning a piece of the pie obtainable and desirable.
This rings very true here in Australia, where there once was a strong and proud Labour movement (all be it racked by often corrupt and inflexible practices of Trade Unionism) but that has given way to a product driven consumerism and materialism, particularly throughout the conservative rule  of John Howard.

So I just wanted to share my feeling and thoughts on how joyful it can be when someone's ideas stir something in you, and allow you to put the pieces together to see the world in a different, clearer way. Its one of the reasons I love ZNet, as many of the writings Ive found here over the years have helped me grow and challenge and expand my perceptions of the society we live in, I think it gives hope that ideas and words still have the ability and power to make you excited and ready to go out and make changes. So Naomi Klein's article today was a bright light that kept me moving through yet another monotonous day as a wage slave, as it showed me yet another insight into how the world currently is, which means that it opens yet another way for us to change it for the better of all.