I was on a national radio program earlier this afternoon that appears on NPR stations. The topic was the Occupy Wall Street Movement and its progeny, and the guest included Occupy protesters from Chapel Hill and Tulsa, a reporter from The Nation magazine, and a historian of social movements from Vanderbilt University.

Let’s just say my critique of the various Occupy movements was in the minority. (The host was fine and fair enough, though I suspect not terribly sympathetic to my views.)

There were some illuminating moments during the conversation. For example, the professor from Vanderbilt referred to the “habits of democracy” we’re seeing from the Occupy Wall Streeters. To which I replied that’s a very gentle way of referring to people whose movement has been marred by rape, violence, arson, public defecation, anti-Semitism, and all the rest. I was also struck by how the other guests were quite concerned when it came to (possible) violence used by the police, even as there was not a word of condemnation for the violence used by the protesters themselves. In fact, what the other guests tried (vainly) to do was to downplay the acts of violence, lawlessness, and filth that we’ve seen, to the point of arguing that much of it is imaginary (recalling the words of Groucho Marx, “Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?”). There were also some unintentionally humorous moments, such as when the Occupy Chapel Hill protester spoke about an anarchist book fair and anarchist library he seemed quite protective of. (It cause me to wonder whether one actually checks out and returns books from an anarchist library.)

But what was most obvious to me was the palpable sense of excitement from others on the program. One got the sense they felt as if this was their time portal to Woodstock (and Altamont). One could see how for those on the left, life and politics post-Occupy movement is more vivid and thrilling. It’s the closest thing to being part of a social revolution they may ever experience.

I said on the program that what we’re seeing is the pathetic end to a pathetic (and at times violent and lawless) movement. If that’s the case, there will be a huge void in the lives of some on the left. This is a moment they’ll be telling their grandchildren about.

There is something both poignant and pitiful about this.