In Initiation Ceremonies, Den Beste draws an analogy between hazing and protesting a popular war though unpopular means:
It’s been noted that there is a rising tide of antiwar protests in the US and in Europe, and it’s also been noted by many that some of the signs and slogans they’re using vary from brainless to idiotic to outright vile. In some cases the demonstrators are doing things which are virtually guaranteed to cause nearly everyone outside the movement to have negative reactions. (For example, the recent protests in San Francisco which involved deliberately interrupting traffic, or ejecting various unpleasant bodily fluids in public places.)The most obvious theory is that by doing this these people hope to influence the more general public to their point of view politically, but given that it’s equally obvious that it’s been a notable failure, and indeed in many cases has been causing general animosity, there’s also been much speculation that those responsible for these demonstrations are unwise, or stupid, or deluded.
But even if these demonstrations have had little political effect at all, or outright negative effect, on the public as a whole, it also has the effect of making those in the movement itself particularly dedicated to the cause. There’s little practical difference between wearing weird robes and dancing and chanting on a street corner, and having a vomit-in at City Hall.