From Wall Street to Occupy Wall Street

What’s the Latest Development?

Vlad Teichberg is part of the Occupy Wall Street movement but his story is more unusual than most. After writing a thesis on number theory at Princeton University, he traded derivatives on Wall Street. He believed firmly in the promise of globalization, i.e. the distribution of wealth globally, but since 9/11, he says he has lost faith. Now he heads Global Revolution, a loose organization of pro-democracy workers that, among other things, distributes video cameras to individuals in global hotspots, like Tahrir Square during the Egyptian Revolution.

What’s the Big Idea?

Teichberg believes in the power of modern media to aid democratic movements. “If everyone is watching, the state can’t just crush people. That’s what kept Tahrir Square from turning into Tiananmen—they knew people were paying attention,” he says. The Occupy Wall Street movement, thanks in large part to the modern media Teichberg promotes, has already spread to cities across the country. Despite the recent violence in Oakland, local governments are searching for ways to evict those protesting against injustice in America.