PRIVILEGED SONS

Occupy Wall Street: Young, White, and Well-Off

A new study documents the 'elite' status of the raucous movement

Jan 31, 2013 by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Nobody failed to notice certain characteristics of the Tea Party, which is/was largely white, well-off, and made up of older folks. But what of that movement's antithesis, Occupy Wall Street?

Katherine Connell at National Review relays the findings of a City University of New York study showing the OWS crowd to be, at least in its locus of Manhattan, essentially a more youthful version of Tea Partiers: white, well-off, and college-age.

"More than a third of activists in the Occupy movement in New York City had household incomes above $100,000," writes Connell. "Non-Hispanic whites constituted 62 percent of all respondents, though they make up only 33 percent of New York City residents."

And while most Americans don't hold a bachelor's degree, "highly educated young adults were over-represented among OWS activists and supporters," according to the study. And as Connell points out, "among [OWS'] college graduates, more than a quarter went to top-ranked schools, which might explain why the majority of graduates under 30 had some student debt."

Study co-author Professor Ruth Milkman spells it out so right-leaning critics don't have to: "Many were the children of the elite, if you will."

Via National Review.

Like this article? B Vote Up

?	Are you surprised by these findings about the Occupy Movement?

>
Yes, actually

>
Not at all

View results

All : 102

Comments (view in Forum)

Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

!
Never confuse the lazy with people that truly are disenfranchized.
- B5 • Vote Up r4 Replies
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

!
I don't know Neo . . . seems like this article is saying that the OWS crowd are the very children of the Tea Party crowd. Hmmmm . . . .
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Denizen_Kate
Feb '13
Post Removed by Moderators
u
Feb '13

Asdwee2

!
@Denizen_Kate thats like saying back in the old days that white youngsters who's parents own slaves but that they themselves fight for blacks freedom are bad or hypocrites. just because they may have certain characteristics does not mean that they don't deserve or should not be in the fight for the cause. In fact it was these (not essentially white youngsters) white people that the blacks even had a hope. And this its because of these rich-ish sons of or whatever you want to call them are aiding to our voice and may even lead to change
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Asdwee2
Feb '13

Denizen_Kate

!
@Asdwee2 - Hi. You must be new here. I'm always pulling Neo's chain. It's all in fun. He's very good humored. No harm was intended.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Denizen_Kate
u
Feb '13

Asdwee2

!
@Denizen_Kate no worries buddy, i just wanted to voice something and thought, hey what i want to say kinda fits into a rebuttal for that post, even if it was an intendedly good humored one :)
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Asdwee2
Jan '13

Thunderchicken

!
It was kind of the same way with the counter culture of the '60s too. The real people had more important things to do than whine. They had to earn a living.
- B5 • Vote Up r23 Replies
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

methinks

!
Yeah, and look...those hippies are now ruining...running the country.
- B5 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @methinks
Jan '13

Thunderchicken

!
@methinks

When I was young and stupid, I thought that was going to be a good thing too. Boy! Was I ever wrong on that one.
- B2 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Thunderchicken
Jan '13

drpeeper

!
@methinks Amen. Those 20 year old dolts burning the flag- spitting on soldiers- hating the country- are now our principals- professors-congressmen and political advisors and advocates. Bill Ayres is the perfect example.
- B4 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @drpeeper
Jan '13

drpeeper

!
@methinks There are exceptions. But, this is what I would call "The Worst Generation".

Their Parents made it through the depression, Fought WW2 & Built the Country in the 50's Boom. What did they do?
- B3 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @drpeeper
u
Jan '13

CommonSense

!
Exactly what's wrong with challenging the status quo if you find problems with it?
What about Occupy protesters who do have jobs and are earning a living and still find the time to protest because they rather use their free time doing that than watching reality tv? You're painting the whole movement with too broad of a brush just like people do with the tea party movement.
- B3 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @CommonSense
View all 23 replies >
u
Jan '13

AceLuby

!
Manhattan has a mean income of $120k and a median income of $65k, is it really that surprising that 1/3rd of the OWS had household incomes greater than $100k? Manhattan is also 54% white, not far off the 62% represented in OWS...

These statistics don't show anything except that OWS matches fairly closely to the area that they are occurring. Drawing any kinds of conclusions from this very simplistic study is frankly stupid.
- B2 • Vote Up r5 Replies
- r Reply
Post
u
Jan '13

Hireman

!
@ AceLuby At first blush, your numbers are relevant. However, here are some errant assumptions. First, this is Occupy New York, not just Manhattan. Second, they did not specify whether the Occupiers live in NY as opposed to Hoboken NJ, Yonkers NY, or any other location. It's very true that 100k is not much in NYC, but once you step outside of the city for a few miles, it actually is well above the median, which is where my guess is that these people emit from.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Hireman
u
Jan '13

AceLuby

!
@Hireman You have no idea where these people are from, neither does the writer of this article, that's my point. You're just guessing and making assumptions as to where these people are from and denying that the most obvious case is the most probable, that the people there most likely live in or around that area.
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @AceLuby
u
Jan '13

Hireman

!
@AceLuby You're right, I have no idea, like you. However, I'm very familiar with the NY market, hence my assumptions.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Hireman
Jan '13

NormalFlora

!
The real question here should be DOES IT MATTER??? Why should we color the message by who the messenger is? OWS may have had some difficulty at first, but the message eventually came out, and the message is valid: Why aren't we holding the banks to the promises they made when we bailed them out? Why are we allowing them to keep the bailout money instead of loaning it to deserving individuals and small businesses, which was part of the terms of the bailout agreement?
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @NormalFlora
Jan '13

Waynestew

!
@NormalFlora I don't really know if OWS message is clear. I still don't know what that message was. I really want to. But it just became very cloudy overtime.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Waynestew
u
Jan '13

Yank

!
Considering that this started with Adbusters hiring/recruting NY college students it is no supprise.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

TheJimmy

!
Aka White Guilt
- B3 • Vote Up r1 Reply
- r Reply
Post
o
Jan '13

OhWiseOne

!
Absolutely.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @OhWiseOne
Jan '13

Knightkore

!
Rich spoiled kids being indoctrinated by progressive liberal professors....
- B5 • Vote Up r1 Reply
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

Penn1699

!
To feel guilty for being who they are. For the crap shot that got them there.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Penn1699
u
Jan '13

Hireman

!
I don't know that a family income of 100k in the greater NYC qualifies as anywhere near rich...
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

DARSB

!
Before everyone gets into a full frontal Zuccotti frenzy, this study did not actually survey the people in Zuccotti Park, and it found that a quarter of the OWS people it did survey had incomes of $15,000 a year or less.

You may now carry on with your agenda imposition activities.
- B3 • Vote Up r1 Reply
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

methinks

!
And these were the same people drinking Starbucks and blogging on their smartphones all day long...
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @methinks
o
Jan '13

OhWiseOne

!
Do the Occupiers know about soap and water? Sorry. Couldn't resist.
- B1 • Vote Up r1 Reply
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

stepped_in_it

!
Education of soap and water isn't taught until PhD studies....so, I'd say nope!
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @stepped_in_it
u
Jan '13

Realthinker

!
We knew this last year. These kids haven't a clue as to what this country really needs, they just know they are against everything Republican, because everyone knows Republicans are evil, greedy, racists, bigots and homophobic. Get rid of Republicans and everyone will be nice and life will be wonderful and the government will be our all loving nanny.
- B Vote Up r4 Replies
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

hankf68

!
Yeah, we need more of the Wall Street Big Bank system of doing things! That's worked so well!
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @hankf68
u
Jan '13

Realthinker

!
@hankf68 For an excellent analysis of what really happened with the economy and the housing collapse, I recommand the book "Reckless Endangerment" by New York Times author Gretchen Morgansen.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Realthinker
Jan '13

hankf68

!
@Realthinker ...fair enough, I'll check it out and may I recommend to you the following http://www.snagfilms.com/films/browse/filmant...
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @hankf68
Jan '13

hankf68

!
@hankf68 ...chose "The End of Poverty?"
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @hankf68
Jan '13

harold_lloyd

!
They're the ones who are best positioned to see what's going on and to understand the implications.

They want the rest of us to understand that unrestrained capitalism will destroy our socisty.
- B2 • Vote Up r22 Replies
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

Canoochee

!
Liberal mostly white college kids understand capitalism? LOL Probably 80% of them will be lucky to spell it.

Of course when I was young and dumb I thought I understood everything too.
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Canoochee
Jan '13

harold_lloyd

!
@Canoochee
"...when I was young and dumb I thought I understood everything..."

I see not much has changed.

And yes, they understand capitalism. They know that 'unfettered capitalism' inevitably results in a continuing concentration of wealth, and influence because of that wealth.

A plutocracy, if you will.

May I recommend...

http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-pluto...
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @harold_lloyd
Jan '13

Canoochee

!
@harold_lloyd I notice one of the richest men in the world George Soros was not mentioned on that page. Wonder why?

So tell me oh wise one.

How are the wealthy 'concentrating' the wealth?
How does that benefit them?
How does that harm the rest of the country?
Do you believe there is a finite amount of 'wealth' in the US?
- B4 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Canoochee
u
Jan '13

AceLuby

!
@Canoochee How about this... you show me one society that flourished where the poor were ultra poor and the rich are ultra rich and I'll answer your questions as to what societal benefits and harms there are from wealth concentration.
- B2 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @AceLuby
Jan '13

Canoochee

!
@AceLuby So I need to educate you before you feel qualified to answer my questions which were not posed to you but to harold?

This would be the fourth time I have had to bring you up to speed. Try to keep up will ya?
- B4 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @Canoochee
View all 22 replies >
Jan '13

bsking

!
No surprise. same way back in the sixties. rich white punks like Bill Ayers we're doing similar crimes.
- B2 • Vote Up r1 Reply
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

bsking

!
PS-
Which is probably the reason why Bill Ayers likes Obama so much... he recognizes the same criminal attributes he himself has
- B2 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post @bsking
Jan '13

stepped_in_it

!
Youth, when not "made" to provide for their own enjoyments, get bored. Some call it spoiled, I call it Mama's boys/Dada's girl!
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
u
Jan '13

Tina

!
Not surprising considering that they all seem to have some source of money and could afford to not be working for that long. Which of course means that they were still sponging off the family while protesting the very source that provided that money.

The real crime was those who they claim they were part of were hurt far more than anyone else.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
o
Jan '13

cleverusername

!
like the preachers kid rebels in their way...like kids rebel against their parents...like this ...hmmmm
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

Zazziness

!
I've never understood why The Tea Party hated the OWS folks so much. Both were discontent with government. Both wanted strong changes. Maybe The Tea Party mainly resented the youthful health of the OWS folks.
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

TheJimmy

!
Having passion for any cause is simply overcompensation for one's own personal defects.
- B Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

MongoAPillager

!

Are you surprised by these findings about the Occupy Movement? no, that's who we said they were when it started,that wasn,t in the media's script at the time
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

SyNNeR

!
OWS was never about being rich. This is a great example of how the media likes to report and portray things.

Seemingly, it would be assumed that ALL OWS participants are, "poor, unemployed, pot smoking-hippies" that have no clue how the "real world" works.

To anyone that was actually a part of the movement or even took the time to participate in one of the General Assemblies, you would have seen that the group was made up of diverse, intelligent individuals that were just sick and tried or the "same ol' same ol'. All different cultures, views, and ideas, melding together towards a common goal.
- B2 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
Jan '13

Dan_Tien

!
A great many of the OWS crowd in my neck of the woods were homeless people who took advantage of the opportunity to camp in nice public spaces. I know that only liberal media is biased, but couldn't "highly educated young adults" who are characterized as "children of the elite" also be characterized as "highly educated. intelligent and idealistic young adults who recognize and oppose corporate greed and corruption"?
- B1 • Vote Up
- r Reply
Post
R Load more comments...

Politix

Are you surprised by these findings about the Occupy Movement?

Are you surprised by these findings about the Occupy Movement?