Thursday evening I was on my way to the student union building and I saw what looked like the remnants of a demonstration around the old bus loop.

I think it is a campaign by the Students for a Democratic Society group at UBC.

From their site:

This campaign seeks to safeguard public spaces on campus, and to liberate corporate/privatized space so that it may be accessible to all. A huge component of this campaign is to oppose the University Blvd Development Plan in its entirety and essence (since its purpose is to make the centre of campus a corporate/private space to which students only have access as customers or condo owners/renters), and to replace this plan with one that maximizes public space and green space (keeps the grassy knoll), emphasizes student controlled space, makes the centre of campus car-free, and actually increases bus-ridership across the campus community.

I like the concept of free space and I agree that the feeling of student as customer is becoming stronger and stronger.

But from a non-political / activist perspective - I wondered why there were no people using the free space. Yes, it was a bit rainy outside and I imagine that couch being too wet to sit on but still…only information about the campaign was posted on the free speech board.

I took pictures and I felt a little awkward, like people were maybe watching or noticing me and I did not want to be noticed. It made me think about the personal barriers one would need to overcome to enjoy the free space.

Then I walked into the SUB and thought about the comfort people find in being a consumer. Spending money and receiving consumables and the right to be somewhere gives one purpose. To use free spaces, you need to make your own purpose. It will not be sold to you.

Members of groups like the one who organized this have their purpose - how can that purpose be distributed to everyone? Who will accept it if it means giving up comforts.

I imagine these groups face this problem all the time. I guess I am doing some inner reflection - why have I never gotten involved? Because it means giving up my comfort…