Protesting as a hobby

No matter where you look these days, people are out protesting. I just spent a month in Europe. Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Brits, are all out protesting. Here, we have people protesting in NYC, DC, and other cities. I find myself a bit perplexed as to the causes and , more importantly, solutions that these folks are proposing. I really haven't seen anything other than a lot of clever (and no so clever) slogans and demands. One thing that gets me (and many other people who are employed or are actively looking for employment) is this: where DO they get the time? I know I don't have time to read a book, much less go protest for a day, or a week.... These issues that are being protested  (when they are actually stated) are typically large, systemic faults which are not solved quickly or easily. Many are a result of decades of damaging behavior by our societies. Most are solved by fairly puritanical prescriptions: work hard, save for rainy day, don't gamble, etc. etc. They are certainly NOT solved by a bunch of people sitting around holding up signs. Protesting what? We are all guilty of the mess. We all rode the borrowed gravy train. If these folks don't like where we are, look in the mirror. One doesn't have to go protest for that. The media is straining hard to explain on the behalf of the protesters what "they relay mean". Rubbish. There is only one advice that is appropriate for them: Get to work!!