Barthes’ theory of the reader "writing" the book takes into account not only experience that persuades perception but I would think that it covers as well the historical time in which the words are read. This particular passage, relating Sabina’s fear and discomfort about parades, struck a chord in light of the current political campaigning:
A protest march had been scheduled, and she felt driven to take part, Fists raised high, the young Frenchmen shouted out slogans condemning Soviet imperialism. She liked the slogans, but to her surprise she found herself unable to shout along with them.
When she told her French friends about it they were amazed. "You mean you don’t want to fight the occupation of your country?" She would have liked to tell them that behind Communism, Fascism, behind all occupations and invasions lurks a more basic, pervasive evil and that the image of that evil was a parade of people marching by with raised fists and shouting identical syllables in unison." (p. 100)
For me, this took on the meaning of mob mentality, and that the difference of point of view is often founded in good intention but that the intent is lost in the passion of voice it is often given.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology