the new Colosseum

It's really not as complicated as at first it may appear.  I mean all the rioting and general mayhem that has been going on lately in America.  It can get to be quite confusing, trying to figure out who is against, and who is for ~ whatever.  Marching for this, protesting that, rioting...well, seemingly just for the fun of it.

Exactly.

Showing up wherever there may happen to be a "protest" going on, is the newest and most exotic form of the more traditional "block party."  It takes edgy to a whole new level.  To be sure, sometimes it involves no little danger.  But that just adds to the excitement of it all.  And young folks, especially those who spend most of their time in and around the city where there is never a whole lot going on, are always looking for something exciting ~ or at least interesting to do.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not making light of such activities.  Although I did say that "it's really not as complicated as at first it may appear," I do not thus mean to suggest that such things are not actually very wicked; indeed, they are.

Doubtless there are some very wealthy organizations and/or individuals who have recently been fomenting and manipulating public demonstrations, for their own nefarious purposes.  Financing large-scale, public exhibitions (which is what they are) ensures that certain people will be in certain places at certain times and to do certain things.  But it is highly doubtful that anyone has thousands of "protesters" on their payroll.  Rather, it is far more likely the case that some handfuls of paid agitators are used to catalyze (provoke, instigate) much larger operations, by drawing the attention not only of news media but (more important for what I want to address), also, by drawing larger crowds; which, in turn, fuels the fire.

I have sought to understand how it has recently been the case ~ or, rather, how it has seemed to be the case ~ that college campuses all across America have spontaneously erupted in flames of protest.  Why wasn't that as much of a problem, say, five years ago?  How is it that so many colleges and universities (rather suddenly) now seem to be cesspools of vitriol and violence?  Is that a formula that attracts more students and patrons?  Or is there something else going on? ~ even if that 'something else' is contributing to what other, real and deep problems that already existed in America's institutions of higher learning.

Take a closer look at the above photograph.  Then, if you are ambitious, go to "Google/images" (here), and type something like "riots on college campuses," in the search bar.  You can review images related to "riots on college campuses" all day long, if you wish.  And if you do, you will see what I saw.

Look at how those guys in the above photo are dressed.  Who dresses like that in real life?  Yeah, the one guy is bloody, and others are wearing gas masks; as I said, the trendy, new block parties are really edgy, dangerous even.  There have been many instances when that people were seriously injured or even killed at protests.  But all of that serves to heighten the drama, the pathos and emotion, of such "events."  The more intense the drama, the greater is the adrenaline rush.

Most protests extend into the night.  People (can) do lots of things at night that they wouldn't otherwise do during the day.  And admission is free; you don't have to buy a ticket.  It gets even better.  People can come dressed (or undressed, as often happens) anyway they please.  So, it's more than a mere block-party; it has elements of a costume party thrown in for added measure.

Besides, no one has to participate in destructive or physically harmful behavior, who doesn't want to.  As a matter of fact, most such events involve far more spectators than agitators ~ as evidenced by the fact that there are always lots of folks standing around taking pictures and/or filming whatever bizarre or interesting things that may occur.

Why, else, might be the reason why that college campuses seem to be the most popular places for such block-parties ~ I mean, protests to occur?  Could it have anything to do with the fact that so many students know each other?  And how many rowdy young folks ~ especially, young guys ~ are susceptible to the temptation to break things, either to vent their pent up anger or to impress their peers?

The Obama administration, in so many ways, purposively cultivated a climate of lawlessness; so that participating in lawless, riotous, public protests are actually an indication of one's political sophistication: it's chic.

So, when all that is taken together, it appears, to me, that the recent phenomenon involving (especially) campus protests and riots, is like the new Colosseum: where throngs of spectators gather not merely to observe but actually to be a part of the action: to smell the sweat and blood; to see the violence and destruction as it happens.  It's the newest form of gladiator sports, but without a stadium.

Back in the day (twenty years or so ago), professional football satiated the animalistic instincts of domesticated males, who were content to sit on their sofas and drink beer while watching grown men batter each other.  But that was in a time before there were so many rules in professional sports.  And all of that is way too mundane for this generation ~ most of whom are starved to death not just for the lack of any meaning in their life, but for want of something, anything, that helps them, even momentarily, feel alive . . . including a chance to be heard, and seen.