Copied text from a forum post I made a few hours ago.

I refuse to believe that even a majority of the mob is in this for mindless opportunism. Of course the whole situation is regrettable and completely stupid. The attacks are all wrong and make no sense, attacking local businesses instead of carefully picked political targets, but these things happen like forest fires, starting and spreading where there is the most kindling, and can be reasoned with about as as easily. Even if individual rioters can’t make eloquent, thought-out arguments for their actions, the drive must be feelings of righteous fury, of moral indignation for being wronged or ignored by the world at large. Without that, the sparks would never catch like they have. I’m not intimately familiar with the British sociopolitical climate, so I take even my own thoughts with a grain of salt here. But I do know people. This wouldn’t happen without some core unrest, and to ignore the root causes and chalk it up completely to “mob mentality” or greed is dangerous and irresponsible, and will only guarantee that things like this continue to happen.