Unknown; Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group
Object Type
Signs
Description
Following the 2008 financial crash, many Americans lost more than 20 percent of their retirement funds. As investment portfolios plummeted, some workers—who were recently retired or nearing retirement—had to return to, or stay in, the workforce. This sign reveals much of the anxiety and anger around this issue.
Image Description
This hand drawn sign on poster board reads, "When a piece of crap takes a crap, and that crap throws up, then the throw up takes a crap, that's a 401K." Some of the letters are in different colors. The back side of the sign says the same message, but it has been completely crossed out with black marker.
Citation
"When a Piece of Crap" sign, circa 2011-2012; TAM.630 Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group Records; box 21; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University