O.K., about a dozen people on my facebook page have shared this and everybody’s raving about it like Russell Brand is the next George Carlin, but I’m just not buying it. Here’s why:
First, I thought Paxman had a really good point when he asked how anybody could take Brand’s political opinions seriously in view of the fact that Brand has never voted. Brand fielded the question glibly, of course, the man is witty and reasonably erudite, I’ll give him that. Not Stephen Fry level erudite, but he handled the grilling better than most human beings could have. Paxman still had a good point, though.
Actually, he looks a bit like Charles Manson, doesn’t he?
Brand’s point was that nobody in politics has the public’s interest at heart, they are all crooked, and we need a whole new system. But Paxman pressed him on what that new system should be and the best Brand could do was to say “I’ll tell you what it shouldn’t be” and then proceed to list the whole litany of society’s evils. He’s really big on economic disparity.
I don’t disagree. We live in an insane civilization. The world is a wealthy, beautiful planet which could easily support all of its people in total luxury and only require minimum work. We need to figure out how to cooperate, how to distinguish between the ideas which will work for all mankind and those ideas which will only help the rich, and even them only in the short term. We need an actual plan to move forward, not just a good rant.
Brand didn’t propose one. I don’t think Brand knows of one. He’s a pretty good comic and I’ll bet he’d be an absolute blast to hang out with, but if we’re looking for someone to lead a revolution, I’m afraid we’re going to have to keep looking.
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