‘Rioting Mainly for Fun and Profit’
9th August 2011
Young males are particularly prone to rioting. Witness the football and basketball riots at fine U.S. universities, or the recent Vancouver hockey riot. Indeed, the photographs here and elsewhere make painfully clear what is happening in Tottenham and now other parts of London—young men are flooding the streets looking to have some fun. This is no spontaneous group reaction to a perceived injustice; before leaving home these able-bodied lads are dressing up in hoodies, covering their faces in bandanas, and checking Twitter and the like to see where the action is. They want to get drunk, mix it up with the police, and grab all the liquor, pricy sneakers, snazzy clothes, and electronics they can.
August 9th, 2011 at 13:58
Ah, yes, Flash Mobs–one of the the joys of Twitter and a 24/7 linked up populace!
The Law of Unintended Consequences is alive and well.