I was pretty impressed when I first ran across Russell Brand about a year ago. Click this link to read what I said back then. I liked Brand's message, and I liked the edition of New Statesman for which he acted as guest editor. His edition of the magazine was focused on "Revolution," and he ran a lot of good articles.
This is not to say that criticisms aren't possible. Criticism is always in order. A columnist for Salon.com, for instance, pointed out at least one very real and very significant problem with Brand's own contribution to his "Revolution" issue, and she warned against "vanguardism" in general, and a too quick willingness to let celebrities do the work for the "ordinary people" that have been marginalized and left with no "purchase" in our current political system. Her point was that "revolution by celebrity" is not a prescription for genuine revolution. I do have to agree with that!
Check out the latest Brand appearance, however, on Democracy Now! As far as I am concerned, Brand continues to be "right on" about revolution. And now he has a book out on the topic.
I still think what I said last time.
Get Ready!
http://www.democracynow.org/events/inquiries
JEREMY PAXMAN: Is it true you don’t even vote?
ReplyDeleteRUSSELL BRAND: Yeah, no, I don’t vote.
"Right on"?