We seem to live in a society now where people who go round saying things like "let's redistribute all the wealth" and "let's write off personal debt" get a big round of applause. Everyone who goes "ok, now let's look at the logistics and economics of what you are suggesting" gets called a Nazi before they've even finished talking.

It's very easy to say the things people want to hear. Coming up with working solutions is what should make someone a hero.

Unfortunately, from what I can gather from Brand's babblings (admittedly I haven't read his book, just chatted to folk who have) is that he isn't really putting solutions out there. He's just putting his punchable face out there instead. Maybe I'm being harsh, but perhaps it was because his 'comedy' wasn't in demand any more and he needed another way to keep himself in the media.

You are being sold Socilaism, nicely packaged in £24.99 bundles, that eases your middle class guilt, helps you feel superior to us 's*** munchers' and gives you something to talk about at length (see above) and noisily when he opportunity arises.

Brand is no more offering 'arguments against capitalism' than I am a credible choice for the next manager of Palace, however don't let that stop you from belieiving that he will incite the masses to revolt against the system and create Jersulem on England's green and pleasant land, no more than I believe that with the right training, a decent left back and someone who knows where the f***ing net is is stopping me from leading Palace to Europa League glory.

Show me a student revolutionary who isn't either trying to assuage their middle class guilt, trying to be clever &/or more intelligent than us s*** munchers and/or is trying to lose heir virginity and I will laugh in their face.

Mate, you are what you are. Deal with it. However ensure you don't end up as a balding pony tailed revolutionary.

Edited by matt_himself (11 Nov 2014 10.43pm)

But he's not! As you can see even on this very thread, generally it's only really me and Nick sticking up for him in any way, the rest is almost exclusively personal attacks on Brand with some critique of his ideology. I was gonna quote a Stuk post the other day where it was literally personal attack after personal attack with no intellectual engagement whatsoever, but missed my chance and now it is drowned in a million other similar posts.

You don't have to be an avid HOLer to realise that me and Nick are not exactly universally respected for our views on here, so to suggest that someone we have respect for is 'saying things people want to hear' is a load of bollocks. He has actually managed to unite posters on here who are almost always at loggerheads. That in itself is impressive.

I am not at all saying Brand is some sort of saviour. There are many academics and intellectuals on the left who are infinitely more detailed in their arguments against Capitalism, but to be fair to him Brand isn't claiming he is. He is one bloke with some unorthodox views who is fortunate enough to have a fairly high soapbox to shout them from. And at the very least, in raising people's awareness of genuinely brilliant grassroots movements like the E15 mums and the People's Assembly he is doing something I personally applaud.

Says the man who is campaigning against the 'deficit' but doesn't know the difference between the trade or budget deficit.

Go to bed Gusset.