Russell Brand speaks the truth to wide applause.
Yesterday’s post here on Learning from Dogs looked at the utter insanity, the greed, the short-sightedness of extracting oil in greater and more varied ways; as if the future for all of life on this planet just didn’t matter. I guess the truth is that for those who stand to benefit from this wealth, the future of the planet just doesn’t matter.
The recent interview on BBC Newsnight by Jeremy Paxman of British comedian Russell Brand has gone viral. At the time of writing this post, YouTube report 7,661,280 viewings! It’s not surprising because what Russell Brand is saying is obvious to millions of people all around the world. What Brand is expressing is as clear as a lone, lighted beacon at midnight on the darkest Winter night one could imagine.
The UK’s Guardian newspaper published an article about the interview last Friday. It was called: Russell Brand takes on the crisis of civilisation. But what now? Here’s how that article opened:
During his Wednesday night interview with Jeremy Paxman on BBC Newsnight, comedian and actor Russell Brand said what no politician or pundit would ever dare say: that without dramatic, fundamental change, the prevailing political and economic system is broken, and hell-bent on planetary-level destruction:
With Dr Ahmed, the author of that Guardian article, concluding:
And in doing so, we might begin to realise that it is precisely the lack of a single, top-down manifesto that is our greatest strength – because, unlike the old, dying, fossil fuel dependent paradigm of endless growth for its own sake for the corporate few, the new, emerging post-carbon paradigm will be co-created by people themselves from the ground up.
That is why Brand’s answer for the way forward is so compelling:
“We shouldn’t destroy the planet. We shouldn’t create massive economic disparity. We shouldn’t ignore the needs of the people.”
If we want our children to inherit a habitable planet, rather than bashing Brand for not having a more coherent solution, we need to start being part of it.
Dr Nafeez Ahmed is executive director of the Institute for Policy Research & Development and author of A User’s Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: And How to Save It among other books. Watch his film, The Crisis of Civilization, for free. Follow him on Twitter @nafeezahmed
“We need to start being part of it.”
You know what! The incredible response to that Paxman-Brand interview shows the millions of us who are already “part of it.” Yes, it really does feel that the time is now. That time that so very many of us, in a myriad of different ways, are fighting for our beautiful planet from the ground up.
Finally, if you want to read that interview between Paxman and Brand in detail, then over on Corrente there is a full transcript of the exchange between them.
Long may this run!
Learning from Dogs 
I unfortunately have a mistrust of entertainers dealing with real world problems, though they are useful for capturing media attention.
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The critics shoot the messenger. Brand has been compared to the teenager with lofty fantasies of revolution, I would see him as a jester who can speak his mind to the king- but the message is clear- politics of growth is failing us.
Growth is now failing us- the time of abundance is over- the oil is getting harder to find and wealth has a price of ACC. In its dying decades the politics of growth and the economics that have harnessed cheap energy is failing us. The promise that we will turn the corner to economic recovery is a lie- the rich get richer selling the obsolete dream of more, more for us, more for our children, more for the poor people in developing nations.
Politicians either fail to see reality or are terrified of it. who would vote for someone who offered less material wealth? But perhaps we would support a politics that offered more- more liberty from being a wage slave, more security because we are not dependant on fossil fuels and less concerned about the impacts of climate change.
If politics fails to lead then who? As [evil] king Herod’s spiritual adviser said ‘if not you, who? If not now, when? [Hillia the Great] and if it us rather than just you we can all step up to be heroes. It will be tough, the greatest challenge is accepting that the old comforting system needs to be rejected. Change will happen anyway so let it be us that determines where it leads.
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I totally agree with you Julesbollocks, the system is failing and yet still the Governing bodies never learn, It will be those younger generations to come who at the moment are being forgotten and left out who have no focus who will bring about changes and we are living in the times of Change! I agree We each have to take responsibility for our actions, and Russell Brand, his message is being heard and agreed with because so many more are feeling exactly the same way. But have no platform from which to speak.. Revolution in Consciousness IS here, and when enough join in like minds then We will be the change.. 🙂
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Absolutely Sue- the first step is the simple revolution of consciousness- previous regimes have tried to restrict something as simple as people sharing ideas – like the old soviets restricting travel and others restricting access to film or books.
With the internet communication is easier but politicians still chose the talking points – the extreme of this is the far right who try to make some non issues absolute matters of survival- alternatively the Big Brother of 1984 where the tyrannical government filled the media with horoscopes, celebrity and ‘newspeak’.
currently the US is defending its right to tap anybodies phones and email, and all in the interests of national security- the Islamic terrorists whilst a problem and murderous are just a few thousand. It seems an awful lot of effort and money and attention compared to the real dangers we as a civilisation face.
step 1- recognise we are heroes
step 2- create the agenda
step 3- ….. well.. people are creative and I’m sure we can all learn from each other what actions work.
Best Jules
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The future is in our hands, and agree its all about finding alternative ways of living, embracing Nature and each other..This world can no longer carry on in the same groove of Greed and Profit. We will have to learn and live without the commercial world forever in competition, and learn that to survive we need each other AND Nature, We need to re-learn how to co-operate with each other.. We are all interconnected in this world, And Each Human soul has as much right as the next… But our society, (We) have bought into, creates the Haves and Have-nots..
And if we don’t start to find that way by ourselves, then Nature will I am sure shake us like we have never been shaken before… And the Material of this world will mean nothing when we have destroyed the Earth..
thank you for your reply
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Alex, I think Jules’ comment offers the reasons why, comedian or not, Russell Brand has struck a chord with so many.
Thank you both for your comments.
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I have to say Paul Russell has hit the nail on its head, and put into words what many are now feeling, and yes often he plays the clown, But even the old age pensioners of this world who have voted faithfully year in year out, now see the world and its Corporate Controlling Monopolies grasping ever harder to extract every ounce they can, out of those who have worked, saved, and tried to put aside for their children… What is happening is slowly being exposed, and the Lies with it..
And it will not need Russell Brand to start a Revolution… Because talking to the every day folks in the streets, if things keep on being squeezed, Energy Bills, Food, Rents, Council taxes etc, No return on savings, while profits in bankers pockets grows.. People are now more aware.. And like we have seen in places across Europe. There will come a time when the straw will break the camels back!
Great post
Sue
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Sue, as always (and I know I’m becoming repetitive!) thank you so much for your support and your comments. Oh, and bless you for drawing this blog to the attention of Lois.
However, brace yourself for a very different blogging experience on this place starting Friday! All revealed tomorrow.
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Will love to see what you have in store Paul 🙂
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H’mm, wonder if you will approve! Sorry, I know I’m being tantalisingly cheeky!
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🙂 Well tomorrow is Halloween after all 🙂
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Sue directed me to your site, I had heard about the Russell Brand interview but hadn’t seen it until now While I have enjoyed a couple of his movies I never realized the intelligence and passion he has for the people and the planet until now. He has given me hope for a future.I live in the Us and have been looking around at the failing educational system and worried that the next generation will not understand what the ideals were for this country or what we have lost and therefore would not know what was worth fighting for. But with the popularity Brand has among the youth his message should wake them up and get them questioning the current policies and state of affairs. I hope his message is embraced by all and sparks a movement to correct the path we are on now.
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Dear Lois,
Well a big ‘thank you’ first to Sue and to your goodself for commenting in this place. Hope you will be a regular visitor although, as you will see from my post tomorrow, November may be not what you expected! Just been across to your blog and loved what I read. What part of the US are you based?
Oh, and if you see anything on Learning from Dogs that you would like to publish over on Living Simply Free please help yourself, subject to the usual linking/referring game!
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Thank you, Paul I will be back to read more thanks for visiting my blog as well. I live in northwestern Pennsylvania. Same goes for you, I don’t copyright anything as I believe in sharing what I have and do.
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Ah, a bit of a tramp from Oregon! Big thanks and look forward sharing stuff both ways.
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Oregon is one state I have always wanted to visit but yet to get there. I still need to visit the northwest and the New England states and can say I’ve seen all the states (except Alaska and Hawaii) and parts of Canada.
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