Follow the Leader? An Interview with ME!

freedomboy

Follow the Leader? An Interview with David Moon.

[Interviewer]
What does it mean to be a leader?

[David Moon]
It means to be one who leads.

[Interviewer]
What does it mean to lead then?

[David Moon]
To show the way; to guide.

[Interviewer]
What does it take to be a leader in your movement?

[David Moon]
That is a tough question to answer. If I had a list of ingredients though, I think it would look something like this:

(Pause)

1. Selflessness
2. Compassion
3. Vision
4. Humility
5. Respect

[Interviewer]
Interesting. Why did selflessness come to your mind first?

[David Moon]
How can a leader lead if they are making decisions that only benefit their own well being, and not that of everyone? Furthermore, you can't lead people if they don't trust you. For my people to be willing to take a bullet for me so to speak, they need to know that I am willing to take a bullet for them.

[Interviewer]
Tell me about compassion. How does that come into play?

[David Moon]
Without compassion, there is no action. People who are apathetic play World of Warcraft all day. People who have compassion work for change. Compassion is the fuel that keeps the engine running.

[Interviewer]
What about vision? Will you elaborate on that for me?

[David Moon]
Sure. Vision is the most important component. That is what attracts people into participating. You have to be able to come up with new ideas constantly because of the incredibly large and ever changing world you are working with. You have to be flexible in your ideas. You have to see the next step in your strategy. You have to stay one step ahead... It is like chess really... Yeah. That is all I have to say.

[Interviewer]
Okay, what about humility? You are starting sound like Ghandi!

[David Moon]
We need more people who are like Ghandi! I mean, you have to be humble. You have to be able to learn from ANYONE! You have to be able to accept when you are wrong, and change your direction if need be. If you can't do that, you will hurt the very movement you are part of.

[Interviewer]
Fair enough. What about respect? Respect for what, or for whom?

[David Moon]
Respect for your opponent, first of all. As a leader, you will come across opposition. In the case of organizers, you always have an opponent. It may be a single person, such as in an election campaign. However, it may also be an idea or an event, such as legislation or a human rights issues. Then again, in the organizing field, (whether it be political, community, or labor organizing) the opponent is almost always made up of a large group of well funded, well trained people. Anyway, the point is that you have to respect your opponent, otherwise you may underestimate them.

[Interviewer]
I get the picture that your opposition is stronger than your movement. The way you describe them just makes them seem larger.

[David Moon]
Well, that isn't necessarily true... not at all really. It simply means that they have been willing to do things that we haven't been willing to do, such as lie to and manipulate their constituency. You know. It is like a spy movie with these people, and these corporations. They will do anything to meet their goal, even screw the people working below them. As long as it cost them less to break the law, screw people, and lie... they will. For them the ends justifies the means, even if the means is genocide.

[Interviewer]
Why do you think that is?

[David Moon]
I don't have to think, I know why. It is because they don't want to lose power. They will go on as long as they can. They will sustain their way of life no matter what it takes. That is why it is up to us to break that down. It is up to us to expose their system. You see, the system they have developed can only sustain itself as long as they can keep up their necessary illusions.

[Interviewer]
Necessary illusions?

[David Moon]
Yes. I think Noam Chomsky wrote a book about this very topic, you should look into it if you get the chance. Anyway, they have to keep up a number of illusions to sustain their way of life. One illusion is that they have to make people believe that decisions are being made in their best interests. So for example, in the case of empirical expansion, they have to keep up the illusion that there is always a severe threat that must be met with military control. So you spread misinformation, you lie, and you manipulate to spread fear and thus raising approval.

Another illusion is that the leadership is doing nothing wrong. This is where it gets the most complicated. With this illusion, you need ways to silence strong opposition. You need ways to smear opposition, and discredit opposition at any whim. You need to be able to limit information and conversation to only credit your cause. This is where you get media control and the PR industry.

It is all very interesting, I really suggest you look into it. The actual name of the book is in fact Necessary Illusions. Anyway, weren't we talking about leadership?

[Interviewer]
Yes. So, many people accuse President Bush of being stupid, and lacking vision as far at the Iraq Invasion is concerned. According to your ingredients, he seems to be missing two? What do you think about that?

[David Moon]
Well, first of all, I don't think President Bush is stupid at all. I think he is living in a world, controlling so much power, that he doesn't think he has to answer to us. According to his actions, he thinks we are not worth his time. He believes we are lower life forms, and he does not fear our actions. He has no respect for us, which I guess is one of my ingredients... he underestimates us...

Ummm... what were we talking about?

[Interviewer]
President Bush, and his lacking of your ingredients.

[David Moon]
Oh, yeah. He is not stupid. He knew what he was doing with Iraq, and he was fulfilling his own agenda. He was doing what was in his own best interest. He lacks selflessness and compassion. In fact, I think he lacks all of my ingredients... He has never accepted responsibility for anything he has done wrong as far as I can tell, which means he has no humility. Yeah, he is a piece of work all right.

[Interviewer]
So what advice to you give those who are concerned enough to do something? What do you say to the next generation of leaders in this world?

[David Moon]
Well, first of all, I am young. I am part of that next generation I think, but... I think it is important for them to know that it isn't easy. People will spit in your face. You will be arrested, imprisoned, fired, threatened, smeared... anything can happen. You have to realize that by taking a strong stand against something, you are ruffling feathers... you are rocking someone's boat... you are threatening their way of life. You have to be ready for that. The best way to get through it is to remember that you are right. What you are doing is good, and it is right...

[Interviewer]
Well David, it has been a great interview. Will I be able to get another one from you sometime? Maybe we will be able to pay you next time?

[David Moon]
(Laughing...) Oh sure. Just make the check out to David *** though... David Moon is my stage name.

[Interviewer]
I'll keep that in mind. Do you hear that everyone? I am sure you just made the FBI's job easier! (Laughing...) (Pause) Well, thanks for coming!

Hoon

brokendave wrote:

Follow the Leader? An Interview with David Moon.

[Interviewer]
What does it mean to be a leader?

[David Moon]
It means to be one who leads.

[Interviewer]
What does it mean to lead then?

[David Moon]
To show the way; to guide.

[Interviewer]
What does it take to be a leader in your movement?

[David Moon]
That is a tough question to answer. If I had a list of ingredients though, I think it would look something like this:

(Pause)

1. Selflessness
2. Compassion
3. Vision
4. Humility
5. Respect

[Interviewer]
Interesting. Why did selflessness come to your mind first?

[David Moon]
How can a leader lead if they are making decisions that only benefit their own well being, and not that of everyone? Furthermore, you can't lead people if they don't trust you. For my people to be willing to take a bullet for me so to speak, they need to know that I am willing to take a bullet for them.

[Interviewer]
Tell me about compassion. How does that come into play?

[David Moon]
Without compassion, there is no action. People who are apathetic play World of Warcraft all day. People who have compassion work for change. Compassion is the fuel that keeps the engine running.

[Interviewer]
What about vision? Will you elaborate on that for me?

[David Moon]
Sure. Vision is the most important component. That is what attracts people into participating. You have to be able to come up with new ideas constantly because of the incredibly large and ever changing world you are working with. You have to be flexible in your ideas. You have to see the next step in your strategy. You have to stay one step ahead... It is like chess really... Yeah. That is all I have to say.

[Interviewer]
Okay, what about humility? You are starting sound like Ghandi!

[David Moon]
We need more people who are like Ghandi! I mean, you have to be humble. You have to be able to learn from ANYONE! You have to be able to accept when you are wrong, and change your direction if need be. If you can't do that, you will hurt the very movement you are part of.

[Interviewer]
Fair enough. What about respect? Respect for what, or for whom?

[David Moon]
Respect for your opponent, first of all. As a leader, you will come across opposition. In the case of organizers, you always have an opponent. It may be a single person, such as in an election campaign. However, it may also be an idea or an event, such as legislation or a human rights issues. Then again, in the organizing field, (whether it be political, community, or labor organizing) the opponent is almost always made up of a large group of well funded, well trained people. Anyway, the point is that you have to respect your opponent, otherwise you may underestimate them.

[Interviewer]
I get the picture that your opposition is stronger than your movement. The way you describe them just makes them seem larger.

[David Moon]
Well, that isn't necessarily true... not at all really. It simply means that they have been willing to do things that we haven't been willing to do, such as lie to and manipulate their constituency. You know. It is like a spy movie with these people, and these corporations. They will do anything to meet their goal, even screw the people working below them. As long as it cost them less to break the law, screw people, and lie... they will. For them the ends justifies the means, even if the means is genocide.

[Interviewer]
Why do you think that is?

[David Moon]
I don't have to think, I know why. It is because they don't want to lose power. They will go on as long as they can. They will sustain their way of life no matter what it takes. That is why it is up to us to break that down. It is up to us to expose their system. You see, the system they have developed can only sustain itself as long as they can keep up their necessary illusions.

[Interviewer]
Necessary illusions?

[David Moon]
Yes. I think Noam Chomsky wrote a book about this very topic, you should look into it if you get the chance. Anyway, they have to keep up a number of illusions to sustain their way of life. One illusion is that they have to make people believe that decisions are being made in their best interests. So for example, in the case of empirical expansion, they have to keep up the illusion that there is always a severe threat that must be met with military control. So you spread misinformation, you lie, and you manipulate to spread fear and thus raising approval.

Another illusion is that the leadership is doing nothing wrong. This is where it gets the most complicated. With this illusion, you need ways to silence strong opposition. You need ways to smear opposition, and discredit opposition at any whim. You need to be able to limit information and conversation to only credit your cause. This is where you get media control and the PR industry.

It is all very interesting, I really suggest you look into it. The actual name of the book is in fact Necessary Illusions. Anyway, weren't we talking about leadership?

[Interviewer]
Yes. So, many people accuse President Bush of being stupid, and lacking vision as far at the Iraq Invasion is concerned. According to your ingredients, he seems to be missing two? What do you think about that?

[David Moon]
Well, first of all, I don't think President Bush is stupid at all. I think he is living in a world, controlling so much power, that he doesn't think he has to answer to us. According to his actions, he thinks we are not worth his time. He believes we are lower life forms, and he does not fear our actions. He has no respect for us, which I guess is one of my ingredients... he underestimates us...

Ummm... what were we talking about?

[Interviewer]
President Bush, and his lacking of your ingredients.

[David Moon]
Oh, yeah. He is not stupid. He knew what he was doing with Iraq, and he was fulfilling his own agenda. He was doing what was in his own best interest. He lacks selflessness and compassion. In fact, I think he lacks all of my ingredients... He has never accepted responsibility for anything he has done wrong as far as I can tell, which means he has no humility. Yeah, he is a piece of work all right.

[Interviewer]
So what advice to you give those who are concerned enough to do something? What do you say to the next generation of leaders in this world?

[David Moon]
Well, first of all, I am young. I am part of that next generation I think, but... I think it is important for them to know that it isn't easy. People will spit in your face. You will be arrested, imprisoned, fired, threatened, smeared... anything can happen. You have to realize that by taking a strong stand against something, you are ruffling feathers... you are rocking someone's boat... you are threatening their way of life. You have to be ready for that. The best way to get through it is to remember that you are right. What you are doing is good, and it is right...

[Interviewer]
Well David, it has been a great interview. Will I be able to get another one from you sometime? Maybe we will be able to pay you next time?

[David Moon]
(Laughing...) Oh sure. Just make the check out to David *** though... David Moon is my stage name.

[Interviewer]
I'll keep that in mind. Do you hear that everyone? I am sure you just made the FBI's job easier! (Laughing...) (Pause) Well, thanks for coming!

Good stuff Dave! Is this in connection to the Union work?

freedomboy

Hoon wrote:

Good stuff Dave! Is this in connection to the Union work?

Yeah the interview was conducted based on my union activity. When they approached me on the idea though, I told them about my community activity as well. The interview had no real direction, it just so happens he asked me about leadership first, and it continued on from there... A really short interview really...