Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Let’s be clear, with every generation, protests on college campuses have become as predictable as a cold in winter. But man, oh man, have things shifted from when your dear grandparents were hoisting flags and pitching tents at their good ol’ campus greens.If you think you’re the radical innovators of demonstrations, brace yourselves, because a trip down the memory lane of student protests is basically the best unplanned comedy special not yet streamed.
In the swinging sixties, kids were fighting for their right to speak freely, sock it to the government, and not go to bed early. Fast forward and we’re here, ranting about everything from free speech to free Palestine. I’m not just throwing darts on a map here; it’s quite literally the escapades painting the bold and wild signs today.
But, boy, what a morphing landscape this has been! From tie-dye shirts and Vietnam wars to craft glitter signs about every -ism in the book. I mean, back in the day, protesting meant skipping class, risking jail, or worse, getting a haircut to look presentable on TV! Now, student activism might just mean tweeting from a cafe while sipping a particularly repugnant, mildly burnt, overpriced cup of coffee. Progress or procrastination? You tell me, pumpkin!
The digital age has thrown in a swanky wrench. Social media, hashtags. #ProtestFromHome. Dear seasoned protesters would flop in their graves – or their recliners, considering some of them are very much alive and tweeting too!
And here’s another kicker — the administrative reaction! In the ’60s, kids were being hosed down. Nowadays, they’re being handled like delicate, temperamental garage-made vases that might crumble if tweeted at unfavorably. Universities practically need a full-time Crisis PR Guru, armed with a PhD in 21st-century temperaments and a minor in leftist haiku criticism.
It’s chaos out there, but it’s the multilayered, gourmet type of chaos, kind of like a seven-layer dip no one remembers bringing to the party. Dive in, and you might find something tasty, or just end up with a really confused palate.
And for every sign held high about climate change, there’s a solitary figure wondering if their protest signs are biodegradable. Yes, sweetheart, that contradiction is just as delicious as a meat-eating vegan.
Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new. Or as I’d like to put it: they mock the mono, but sign up for the stereo. The playbook may have changed, the attire has certainly seen better days, and the slogans are now designed by graphic design majors who could tell Helvetica from Arial at ten feet, no glasses.
Speaking of slogans, they used to be sharp, kids. I mean, you could practically shave with the edge on some of those 1960s protest chants. Fast forward to today, and it’s like we need subtitles. “What do we want? Complicated demands that require nuanced understanding and won’t fit on this sign but check our website for a TED Talk link!”
As I wrap this up from my curmudgeonly corner, ye future activists and reformers, with your phones and your cloud protests — remember, the essence of a good protest could be a strategic combination of anger, passion, and maybe a smudge humor. Startling, isn’t it?
But then again, if you can’t laugh at yourself while standing up for what you believe in, are you really protesting, or are you just loudly agreeing with everybody else at art school?
Source: From Free Speech to Free Palestine: Six Decades of Student Protest
