Liberalism, socialism, communism and most government intervention originate from some sort of envy. If they can’t have this then nobody else can. If I don’t have it then you can’t have it.
Let’s take a look at this example: a family is standing near a road working on their farm. As the father and son work hard, they see someone drive by in a Rolls Royce and the father turns to his son and tells him that one day he’ll have enough money to purchase such a car. Another father and son duo are also working hard, but this time when they see someone drive by a Rolls Royce, the father turns to the son and tells him how unfair it is that some have so much and others have so little, and that government needs to intervene and redistribute all of the wealth.
What does this have to do with anything? Well, this is what’s happening in east London.
The Protest of Success
In recent years, Shoreditch, a previously impoverished neighborhood in the British capital, has transformed into a tech startup hub, and has thus become somewhat of an affluent (and hipster) part of the city. The gentrification of Shoreditch should be something to be happy about, but many protesters are not.
In Shoreditch, there is a restaurant called Cereal Killer Café, a trendy cereal café that simply sells cereals and maintains an ’80s and ’90s décor. Essentially, the business is selling cereal that would normally cost consumers a few bucks at the grocery store for a lot more than that. The markup is huge.
They found a way to satisfy the customer in exchange for money. They encouraged the customers to part ways with their money. This is the rudimentary premise of free markets. To you, it may be befuddling to spend $10 on a bowl of cereal when you can just spend half of that at the grocery store for an entire box and a carton of milk (or soy).
Well, a mob of angry protesters aren’t celebrating.
On Saturday, a large crowd of demonstrators threw paint and smoke bombs at a small restaurant, which also led to the damaging of other businesses in the area. This was part of a protest against the gentrification of the neighborhood. Customers and staff members had to run for cover and barricade the doors to ensure their safety.
Reportedly, the crowd of hundreds carried burning torches and sported plastic pig heads and decided to use force to try to get their way.
“The people that have done this, they obviously have a point to prove, but they went about it completely the wrong way,” said cafe co-owner Gary Keery in an interview with CNN. [They are] protesting against the class war by targeting an independent business. We’re being used as a scapegoat for a bit of publicity.”
Since the incident, London police arrested a person on suspicion of criminal damage, while one officer was hurt. Moreover, the protesters, who call themselves F–k Parade, are showing no remorse as they are celebrating their actions all over social media and in newspapers.
“The Cereal Killer Cafe is a legitimate target for protest as a symbol of the invading hordes that have taken over Shoreditch, driving up rent prices and driving out ordinary people who have lived there for years,” reportedly wrote one supporter. “Yes, hipster businesses aren’t the actual problem — capitalism and landlords are — but it is certainly a good thing that these people were made to feel unwelcome.”
Meanwhile, Will Harvey, who admitted to being part of the protester, wrote an op-ed in the London Guardian over the weekend. He attempted to defend his atrocious acts of damaging private property and putting people in arm. He wrote:
“While I sympathise with the workers who had to clean up on Sunday, and am deeply sorry that some children were intimidated by the protest, the petty vandalism that occurred pales in comparison to the brutality of the gentrification that is destroying the lives and demolishing the homes of some of London’s most vulnerable people.”
He later added:
“While I understand people’s annoyance at property damage please put it into the context of the violence of poverty, hunger and homelessness many thousands of Londoners are being subjected to. The cereal cafe was back open on Sunday morning while the destruction caused by gentrification continues – as will the fight back.”
So, these activists are fighting against poverty by destroying businesses and protesting gentrification that aim to reduce poverty. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Perhaps they were just upset because they didn’t come up with establishing a café that sells a bowl of cereal for $10 and the sounds of Chumbawamba playing in the background.
A lot of comments seem to be pertaining to consumers who questionably spend several dollars for a bowl of cereal. But we have to remember that it’s simply a case of subjective value. The customer places the product in higher regard to the money they hold. You do it everyday. You go to a convenience store and you would rather have a carton of milk than the $5 in your hand.
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