For this reason, this generation is often referred to as la generación sin miedo, or “the generation without fear.” This “fearlessness” has allowed them to be more openly critical toward the government and is one of the theories behind why the recent protests have gained so much steam. This theory is consistent, too, as major education-focused protests also occurred in 2008 and 2011. Here again, the leaders (students) of such protests were born after the dictatorship. I’ve reflected a lot on my perspective coming from the U.S. compared with people my age in Chile and compared those interactions with those a bit older than me, who are often more conservative when talking about the social dynamics in the country. While I may disagree or not understand where they are coming from, I have found that it is important to take a moment to understand how and why our perspectives may differ.
Today, while physical protests have largely stopped in the midst of the global pandemic, Chileans continue to keep the movement alive through social media campaigns, honking horns in the street, banging pots and pans out of windows, and by making music and art. A referendum to vote on whether or not to redraft the constitution was originally scheduled for April, but it has been postponed until October 25 due to Coronavirus. After the vote, though, it is questionable whether or not the changes will satisfy the demands of the people. The Chileans I have talked to expect street protests will start up again when social distancing is no longer necessary. We’ll have to wait and see.
Sources:
Investopedia. 2020. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/gini-index.asp; La Tercera. 2020.
