mbs: yes to both.
. . . Most people in my experience pretty much agree with or least don't oppose capitalism as such. . . .
mbs: Sure . . .
. . . Why bother to worry overmuch what these people think, if they more or less go along with the status quo?
mbs: if it isn't obvious, the question is how to encourage them to question and reject the status quo.
. . . 2) You talk about tactics, Max; what would you suggest (this is curiosity, not sarcasm)? I personally doubt the effectiveness of protest of any vein, especially without good politics to back it up, as Yoshie mentioned. I truly doubt protest will have much of an effect without there being some iron-clad proof of "unfair" use of deadly violence a la the Kent State protest shootings (peaceful, "good [probably white, but maybe not] kids" who get shot down). Didn't that have some sort of "mass ripple" effect in American society at the time?
mbs: from what I could see, the people minus the rock- throwers were planning exactly the right things. Marches for those who wanted to march, non-violent CD aimed at shutting down the summit for those willing to do that.
3) Max and Kelley: see 1) but in the context of the sheer ignorance most people have of the sort of stuff we discuss routinely on this list. Again this is my personal experience, but it seems most average folk really just want to live out their lives without getting hassled or bothered too much, and the status quo more or less delivers that bill of goods. "If it aint broke, don't fix it." is a common motto, in one form or another, I've heard. Todd (So much more to say . . . .)
mbs: I would differ. I think for most people life is an endless hassle, and a serious, honest person with solutions to common, important problems can get a hearing. Of course, other people get hearings too.