Want to know how to make the PSLM stop yelling? Ask them what they’re really fighting for. They don’t know.

The living wage campaign has taken offense recently to those who agree with its cause but still resent its attitude. I count myself as one of those people, and, after spending a fair amount of time trying to figure out what it was that irked me so much, I think I’ve finally put my finger on the reason.

Briefly put, the living wage campaign acts as if it is fighting to save the world but is not really sure why. Despite their radical activity, many ardent protesters—even some of the people actually sitting in— don’t know some of the most basic facts about the cause they’re fighting for. Nonetheless, they push forward with increasing noise, fervor and aggressiveness. I believe it is this over-ambition based on somewhat shaky motivation that people resent.

Before going further, let me start by saying: I was wrong. PSLM, I’ve listened to your arguments, I’ve read your papers, I’ve seen your protests and, most importantly, I’ve stopped being stubborn. You are right, I was wrong. The living wage is a fair and decent thing, especially considering outsourcing, and I believe that Harvard should pay its workers fairly.

That said, I still had two concerns about the living wage figure of $10.25. I agree that Harvard should pay the living wage, but I wanted to make sure that $10.25 was, in fact, reasonable. I believe that a reasonable living wage would support a small family (maybe four people) in modest housing (i.e. not expensive Cambridge housing). For all I knew, $10.25 may take these concerns into account, but I set out on Saturday to find out for sure.

Strangely, I found almost immediately that the living wage campaign didn’t really know the answers to these questions either. When pressed for specifics about what it takes to support local residents, the protesters grew first confused, then belligerent and defensive and finally walled up.

These are basic questions we’re talking about. Is $10.25 meant to support workers who live in Cambridge, or workers who live in more affordable areas? They didn’t know. Is $10.25 supposed to support a family, or an individual? They didn’t know. These questions, while very basic, are also very important.

I also asked another question that seemed pretty crucial to the issue—what does money buy around here? The living wage people are attempting to sell the idea that $8 an hour is a great atrocity, but, when pressed to explain what it actually costs to live in the area, they do not know. How can they make such a fuss about Harvard not paying enough when they do not even know what it costs to live in the area? Again, I believe that the campaign’s escalating actions despite haphazard understanding of the issues well illustrates the attitude that many would-be-supporters shy away from.