I live here, as I guess you do, and have done for the last 20 years. I fully understand that for most of HK, most of the time, life goes on as normal. Although in the last few days we have been under a semi-curfew with the MTR and most shops closing by early evening, (7-Eleven have closed the last 3 nights in a row - that is unprecedented - 7-Eleven never closes!)
Yes, there's a "reality TV" aspect to it if you're not actively out on the streets protesting (I was in the earlier big legal marches). And yes the "leadership" (which is no such thing of course) is utterly useless.
When 12 year old girls feel strongly enough to get arrested on the street then the road back is going to be long and hard.