Russell Brand's alternative politics

[Bonzo77 13]

It's been shocking watching the press attack Russell Brand. Whether you like him or not.

[Anna B 1,414]

It's been shocking watching the press attack Russell Brand. Whether you like him or not.

 

Indeed.

He featured prominantly in the Daily Mail every day for 2 weeks not so long ago.

You can tell how successful he's being by the ammount of vitriol they poor on his head. He's really getting under their skin....

[Bonzo77 13]

Indeed.

He featured prominantly in the Daily Mail every day for 2 weeks not so long ago.

You can tell how successful he's being by the ammount of vitriol they poor on his head. He's really getting under their skin....

 

I particularly like the headline in the Sun where they had the cheek to call him a hypocrite!

[Harrystottle 10]

Much as I dislike Russell Brand, he has a point. Nobody cares for the British working man or woman now, it's all a money game. If the locals are too snippy, bring in people who will undercut them. Pay people low wages and force the state to top up their miserable wages with tax credits, effectively subsidising big business. Let multinational companies register their EU head office in Luxembourg and pay 5% corporation tax there thus enabling them to avoid paying billions in tax had they registered in the UK or Germany.

Let big business like Vodaphone or even Yorkshire water have a tax holiday (I think a three year holiday in Vodaphones case?) on the grounds that the firm is "investing in infrastructure", or some such. Anybody here ever had a three year tax holiday?

Let UK manufacturing industry be outsourced to low wage economies, let low wage workers flood the market here.

Everything is done because it is "good for business"; but that doesn't mean that it's good for the ordinary person.

[johncocker 10]

Russel Brand doesn't have any alternative politics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usual empty rhetoric from Russel Brand. Using language to disguise the lack of substance underlying his ideas.

Anyone who thinks Brand is making a point of any signficance should read some Orwell.

[Bonzo77 13]

Usual empty rhetoric from Russel Brand. Using language to disguise the lack of substance underlying his ideas.

Anyone who thinks Brand is making a point of any signficance should read some Orwell.

 

I've read both. Brand is making a very valid point. Anyone who doesn't think he is might as well walk around with their head up their backside!

[Chris_Sleeps 10]

I like Brand immensely, his comedy and personality. If anyone thinks that he is leading us into a new world of thought - they've lost the plot.

 

He's an idealist, and I hold onto the hope that human beings can still gain something from that; but as a man to follow, count me out.

[Bonzo77 13]

I like Brand immensely, his comedy and personality. If anyone thinks that he is leading us into a new world of thought - they've lost the plot.

 

He's an idealist, and I hold onto the hope that human beings can still gain something from that; but as a man to follow, count me out.

 

He's just a menace, nothing more. I agree with his views and he's turned me onto politics like no one has before, I thank him for that. I love the fact that his profile is helping people and p***ing people off at the same time.

[SqueakyPete 10]

I like Brand immensely, his comedy and personality. If anyone thinks that he is leading us into a new world of thought - they've lost the plot.

 

He's an idealist, and I hold onto the hope that human beings can still gain something from that; but as a man to follow, count me out.

 

My thoughts exactly.

[johncocker 10]

I've read both. Brand is making a very valid point. Anyone who doesn't think he is might as well walk around with their head up their backside!

 

 

once you extract your head from brands arse you'll find russell Brand

is the stupid persons political thinker, as Stephen Fry is their idea of an intellectual.he typifies the modern phenomenon of politically correct conformity and obedience being pre-packaged and sold as a product, masquerading as rebellion.

 

He rails against the socially-accepted, pre-designated targets of Fox News and the Daily Mail, institutions that everyone already knows are full of bias and misinformation, yet never dares touch the BBC, Guardian, MSNBC, Russia Today, Channel 4 etc. because it wouldn't be profitable for his budding cult of personality.

 

He sells himself as a generic rebel, who needs the 'elite establishment' in power quite simply because thats exactly what his cult needs to be seen as rebelling against in order to generate its power. Throw out any issue you care to mention and you'll know precisely what stance he'll take because you know what stance he's supposed to take; predictable; spouting the sort of philosophy you"d expect from a sixth form debate and would be on the losing side there,

Edited December 6, 2014 by johncocker

[Bonzo77 13]

once you extract your head from brands arse you'll find russell Brand

is the stupid persons political thinker, as Stephen Fry is their idea of an intellectual.he typifies the modern phenomenon of politically correct conformity and obedience being pre-packaged and sold as a product, masquerading as rebellion.

 

He rails against the socially-accepted, pre-designated targets of Fox News and the Daily Mail, institutions that everyone already knows are full of bias and misinformation, yet never dares touch the BBC, Guardian, MSNBC, Russia Today, Channel 4 etc. because it wouldn't be profitable for his budding cult of personality.

 

He sells himself as a generic rebel, who needs the 'elite establishment' in power quite simply because thats exactly what his cult needs to be seen as rebelling against in order to generate its power. Throw out any issue you care to mention and you'll know precisely what stance he'll take because you know what stance he's supposed to take; predictable

 

He stands for community, regulation of big business and financial institutions and a change in the current system that benefits the mega wealthy. He stands for closing legal tax loopholes that are only accessible for the rich.

 

All of these are good things. All the money he earns goes to good causes and he's using his celebrity to make people's voice heard.

 

The press reaction to this is just a by product, that's the predictable element. If you don't like him, don't listen to him. The fact that people are talking about him means what he's doing is working. I'm glad he gets under your skin.

[johncocker 10]

He stands for community, regulation of big business and financial institutions and a change in the current system that benefits the mega wealthy. He stands for closing legal tax loopholes that are only accessible for the rich.

 

All of these are good things. All the money he earns goes to good causes and he's using his celebrity to make people's voice heard.

 

The press reaction to this is just a by product, that's the predictable element. If you don't like him, don't listen to him. The fact that people are talking about him means what he's doing is working. I'm glad he gets under your skin.

 

its a bit rich for Brand to carp on about wealth when he enjoys its fruits. 15 million last count :suspect:However, I think an argument against Brand's position should be as follows:

 

Conditional redistribution is a bit limp intellectually. If greater equality is good in and of itself and Brand is committed to that principle then he should be redistributing from himself to poorer people - surely doing so if and only if even richer people do it as well (especially if compelled to do so) rather undermines the moral rectitude of his position?

 

By doing so himself he strengthens his argument, he doesn't leave himself open to charges of champagne socialism. He also avoids the "Guardian trap" of claiming that inequality is wrong, but obviously excluding his own considerable wealth or arbitrarily setting the bar at a level that is just above what one deems enough to be a comfortable life.

 

Its always suspicious when someone takes a moral position that doesn't require any personal compromises. It would be a bit like a right wing millionaire saying everyone should pay less tax and taking the lead by tax avoiding like hell.

 

---------- Post added 06-12-2014 at 14:59 ----------

 

He's just a menace, nothing more. I agree with his views and he's turned me onto politics like no one has before, I thank him for that. I love the fact that his profile is helping people and p***ing people off at the same time.

 

which is a good thing I suppose so long as it gets you off your playstation and youtube, but you have to bear in mind that he omits the difficult bits that elected politicians cannot avoid. Brand can avoid policy prescriptions because, like many celebrities who espouse political views, he can get away with uttering witty banalities that avoid detail. In this respect he is part of a disturbing phenomenon, the worship of unaccountable comedians who are not especially funny and who are limited in their perceptions. There was a time when audiences would turn up to hear political orators. Now they pay homage to the celebrities as they express their disdain for politicians.