1. No
2. Original intentions (long forgotten) were to call attention to the number of people that can commute by bicycle in the same amount of space taken/jammed by people in cars.
3. It is now a 'gateway' type ride that actually gets some people comfortable with riding in the streets. Hopefully, eventually, they ditch the 'group anarchy' mode of the ride and progress on to being better skilled cyclists.
4. Orwell... not really.
5. There is very little similarity between CM and May Day. For one, May Day is barely celebrated stateside MayDay marks a particular date/event of significance. CM doesn't. MayDay is mostly celebrated by pro-labour political orientations. CM is mostly "on the left" however despite how much a few members on here would like to pigeonhole everyone who does CM, riders can readily come from ANY political orientation. I know quite a few 'right wing' conservatives who ride CM. Environmentalists and cycling enthusiasts exist beyond politics, you know. [and, judging by that other thread, ******bags, a**holes, and narrow-minded people exist on any side of the argument, however do not represent all people nor anyone beyond themselves]

Hope that helps.

PS: NOT EVERY SOCIAL RIDE IS LIKE CRITICAL MASS.