RICHARD SENNETT and SASKIA SASSEN from the New York Times say it much better than I did:
America is in many ways different from Britain, but the two countries today are alike in their extremes of inequality, and in the desire of many politicians to solve economic and social ills by reducing the power of the state.
The term repeated here over and over again is “mindless thuggery”. If that describes a potent mix of electronics envy, unemployment, lack of appearant exits and the sheer thrill of breaking glass, I guess it covers it. The true test will come the next time the police shoot an unarmed protester or passerby. Have we reached the point where any protest gathering will turn into a raging mob? And what’s up with the word “Yob”? Where did that come from?
article extracts from the New York Times
