Russell Brand on revolution: “We no longer have the luxury of tradition” But before we change the world, we need to change the way we think.

[Póg mo 1,749]

Russell Brand on revolution: “We no longer have the luxury of tradition”

But before we change the world, we need to change the way we think.

When I was asked to edit an issue of the New Statesman I said yes because it was a beautiful woman asking me. I chose the subject of revolution because the New Statesman is a political magazine and imagining the overthrow of the current political system is the only way I can be enthused about politics.

When people talk about politics within the existing Westminster framework I feel a dull thud in my stomach and my eyes involuntarily glaze. Like when I’m conversing and the subject changes from me and moves on to another topic. I try to remain engaged but behind my eyes I am adrift in immediate nostalgia; “How happy I was earlier in this chat,” I instantly think.

I have never voted. Like most people I am utterly disenchanted by politics. Like most people I regard politicians as frauds and liars and the current political system as nothing more than a bureaucratic means for furthering the augmentation and advantages of economic elites. Billy Connolly said: “Don’t vote, it encourages them,” and, “The desire to be a politician should bar you for life from ever being one.”

I don’t vote because to me it seems like a tacit act of compliance; I know, I know my grandparents fought in two world wars (and one World Cup) so that I’d have the right to vote. Well, they were conned. As far as I’m concerned there is nothing to vote for. I feel it is a far more potent political act to completely renounce the current paradigm than to participate in even the most trivial and tokenistic manner, by obediently X-ing a little box.

Continued on linkhttp://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/russell-brand-on-revolution

[Jacque67 7,328]

Russell Brand - uggh. What an attention seeking #######. I hate how he likes to pretend he's an intellectual- a rather common trait amongst the British media.

[mota bhai 2,675]

He needs to STFU. He's a moron.

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

Voting is useless, especially in a two party system. I agree with him on that. Democrats and Republicans when it comes down to it are two sides of the same coin, bought and paid for.

Still, no one has ever said it better than George Carlin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwmnMR0RbXU

Edited October 25, 2013 by Sarah and Adnan

[Peikko 1,575]

He needs to STFU. He's a moron.

He's not a moron, but he is wrong. Voting is important and relevant regardless of who you get to vote for, voting is a responsibility that everyone should take seriously and the only people who win when the average joe doesn't vote is the very political elite that is despised by the non voter.

Why does anyone expect anything meaningful about politics from an entertainer anyway? He's good at his job but his job is not politics,

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

He's not a moron, but he is wrong. Voting is important and relevant regardless of who you get to vote for, voting is a responsibility that everyone should take seriously and the only people who win when the average joe doesn't vote is the very political elite that is despised by the non voter.

Why does anyone expect anything meaningful about politics from an entertainer anyway? He's good at his job but his job is not politics,

And the fact that elected officials at all levels need to raise hundreds of thousands, millions, if not billions of dollars from mostly wealthy (or stealthy - gotta love secretive PACS) benefactors to win an election is exactly why it doesn't matter who wins, your vote doesn't matter. To get anywhere in politics, you need to do what your real constituents want, ie: the people who paid for your election.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Sarah and Adnan

[Peikko 1,575]

And the fact that elected officials at all levels need to raise hundreds of thousands, millions, if not billions of dollars from mostly wealthy (or stealthy - gotta love secretive PACS) benefactors to win an election is exactly why it doesn't matter who wins, your vote doesn't matter.

That's what they want you to believe. The system is broken, it needs fixed but revolution is not the answer.

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

That's what they want you to believe. The system is broken, it needs fixed but revolution is not the answer.

The system has been broken for so long because we have complacency. The masses are suffering but are being placated with fighting over social issues or staged partisanship. Even reform like the so-called "Affordable" Care Act punishes the poor and the working class, particularly in states that refused to expand medicaid. But it will be a huge boon to health insurance companies. It was designed that way. It never would have succeeded through all its challenges if it was real reform.

Also, you are taking the term "revolution" to mean some sort of blood running in the streets scenario. This does not need to be. But we need to recognize how our system has become so corrupt that the very foundations are broken. You don't start to fix that without revolutionary ideas and actions.