The apparent ease with which society accepts the logic of current protests is described as one of the most mysterious aspects of these troubled encampments. Protesting on the streets for housing is characterized as absolutely counter-intuitive and absurd, a sentiment often mocked by those opposed to such demonstrations. While it is possible to ridicule the situation or question the enthusiasm for sleeping outdoors while fighting for a roof, there remains an incomprehensible element regarding why these protests occur despite widespread public repulsion.
Interactions with random passersby reveal that even individuals who agree with the reasons behind the protests often reject the methods used, citing issues such as political radicalism, disobedience, and aggressive displays. Literature on the subject confirms that the brutality and aggression of these demonstrations are precisely what indignate the public. Consequently, a direct consequence motivating the protest is not immediately visible; posters do not translate into housing discounts, and no one will secure a home solely through protesting. While protests may alert authorities or create pressure, they often fail to garner popular support, as seen in France where such movements contributed to the rise of the National Rally.
The argument posits that these protests only make sense within a specific logic difficult for the average person to perceive. The protester is not an ordinary individual but someone with a different psychology interested in goals that only protest can serve. These demonstrations do not benefit the cause of housing, better schools, or any specific pretext; instead, they exclusively benefit the far-left within a framework valued only by that group.
For the far-left, these protests represent hope that someone will emerge capable of facing the poison that neutralized the left throughout the 20th century: comfort. The movement was not defeated by the right, fascism, or military forces, but by refrigerators and nice houses that neutralized the capital for claims the left was accustomed to finding in the people. Although the left initially fought for freedoms and social justice, it became a sacrifice over time. Even Marx recognized that while surplus value comes from labor, the world is willing to be exploited in exchange for material comfort, such as a car.
Being on the left has become counter-intuitive and difficult, requiring the rejection of what seems immediately better or more practical. The true left lives on the hope that crises will awaken the people, showing them they are being exploited and that sacrifice is worth more than comfort. Manifestations involving police and violence are thus a light and hope for this faction, signaling the emergence of individuals capable of abdicating comfort. These protests are not designed to capture popular sympathy, as the left knows it can no longer expect anything from the public while people still have something to hold onto.
Sources: Observador.