Seriously, this idea is just so pervasive, in questions like “how is blocking the road supposed to make people like you”. The purpose is to disrupt, not rally. It may have the bonus of getting more people on your side, but the primary purpose is punitive action against the state and capital. Why do so many think otherwise?
It is the Libs. They have to believe that this is the purpose of protest, because their politics revolves around idealism. Political change is convincing people to vote for you and take your side in the marketplace of ideas. That is why MLK’s non-violence was so that you look good and respectable when you march to raise awareness and try to convince people.
People also forget or maybe don’t realize that the intention is to demonstrate that you are willing and able to mobilize a mass of people. People who could come with arms and the intent to make things very unpleasant next time. It is a threat, a challenge to the state, “do you really want to do this?”
Because everything in our society has been commodified to the point where everything is a product that is being sold to you, even a political position. Especially a political position. Food, schooling, healthcare, and politicians all advertise and slogan to sell you something. Everything is set up like this in the ‘marketplace of ideas’ so most people living under capitalism can’t imagine anything else.
This is also how you can get people outright rejecting an objective fact if it isn’t presented to them in a way that sells them on it.
idk. The idea that protest is coercive and a use of force never showed up when I was in highschool, that’s for sure.
I think it goes way back though. There have been petitioning movements and letter writing campaigns and attempts to sway the hearts of politicians one way or the other for a long time.
