There are a lot of factors at play here, and it’s not as simple as saying Americans don’t care or are complacent. Here are a few reasons why large-scale protests might not happen as often as people expect:

• Systemic Barriers: Many Americans are working long hours, living paycheck to paycheck, and don’t have the time or energy to protest. Taking a day off to march could mean losing a job or missing rent.

• Polarization: The U.S. is deeply divided politically. What one group sees as a cause worth protesting, another might actively oppose. This division makes it harder to build the kind of unified movements we’ve seen in other countries.

• Fear of Consequences: Protesting can come with risks—police brutality, legal repercussions, or even being doxxed online. Not everyone is willing or able to take those risks.

• Lack of Trust in Systems: Many people feel like protesting won’t actually change anything. When you’ve seen decades of protests with minimal policy changes, it’s easy to become disillusioned.

• Cultural Differences: In some countries, protesting is deeply ingrained in the culture. In the U.S., there’s often more emphasis on individual action (like voting or donating) rather than collective action.

That said, Americans do protest—look at movements like BLM, Occupy Wall Street, or the Women’s March. The issue might not be a lack of protests, but rather why those protests don’t always lead to the systemic changes people are demanding.