The fragility of the woke

Victor David Hansen

Black Lives Matter, antifa and their large numbers of imitators and loosely organized wannabes are mostly made up of middle-class youth, often either students or graduates. They deem themselves the brains of the rioting, the most woke of the demonstrators, the most sophisticated of the iconoclasts. In truth, they are also the most paranoid about being charged or being hurt.

What explains the passive-aggressive nature of these protesters and rioters?

Many no doubt are indebted, with large, unpaid student loans. Few seem in a hurry to get up at 6 a.m. each day to go to work to service loans that would take years to pay in full.

While some of those arrested are professionals, many are not. Few seem to be earning the sort of incomes that would allow them to marry, have children, pay off student loan debt, buy a home and purchase a new car.

Historically, the tips of the spears of cultural revolutions are accustomed to comfort. But they grow angry when they realize that they will never become securely comfortable.

In today's high-priced American cities, especially on the globalized coasts, it's increasingly difficult for recent college graduates to find a job that will allow for upward mobility.

The protestors are especially cognizant that their 20s are nothing like what they believe to have been the salad days of their parents and grandparents -- who did not incur much debt, bought affordable homes, had families and were able to save money.