/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.5869939]

Russell Brand is bad for the left.
>not saying anything new
>not contributing anything meaningful to the discourse
>making a big show for the sake of his own fame
>using his fame to make himself seem like he can do something
>using the fact that he's a comedian and a drug addict as an excuse not to actually go into politics
>clearly unwilling to actually give up his money, possessions, etc. and actually start or fight in a revolution
>got made a fool of on live Britbong TV by Nigel Farage
>rich but complains about the rich
He's literally a caricature of what people don't like about the modern Left.
People should listen to Zizek instead of this moron.

[Anonymous No.5869950]

>>5869939
>skim to bottom
>People should listen to Zizek instead of this moron

breddy gud/10

[Anonymous No.5869957]

>>5869939
Actually thought this was a serious post until

>People should listen to Zizek instead of this moron.

Zizek is an unreformed liberal, no one should take him seriously.

[Anonymous No.5869958]

Great Literature thread, OP!

[Anonymous No.5869965]

What's bad for the left is good for the rest!

[Anonymous No.5869973]

You're a pleb. I disagree with the majority of what RB thinks (I don't even think those single mother scroungers have a right to taxpayer subsidised London homes) but you're a pleb.

[Anonymous No.5869975]

>>not saying anything new
this is a pretty dumb criticism you can levy at someone.
>>not contributing anything meaningful to the discourse
how is it not?
>>got made a fool of
not really, unless you're a ukip shill
>People should listen to Zizek
okay. you got me, 8/10

[Anonymous No.5869978]

>>5869957
>Zizek is an uninformed liberal
Kek, he's not a liberal and he's more informed than you'll ever be.

[Anonymous No.5869987]

zizek does not speak forcefully enough against identity politics infecting the left

[Anonymous No.5870001]

>>5869987
He's more vocal against that shit than any other contemporary left-wing talking head that I can think of.

[Anonymous No.5870019]

>>5869978
He was the liberal party's presidential candidate, also watch this defence of the EU, and his final point calling for regulated capitalism and attacking china.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucriJDhgRmA

His political conceptions and prejudices are liberal, he calls himself a communist because it sells more books.

[Anonymous No.5870024]

>Zizek
sniff sniff pure ideology sniff :^)

[Anonymous No.5870030]

>>5870019
He isn't a liberal in the sense that American liberals are liberals. Calling him liberal is an oversimplification of his complicated position.

[Anonymous No.5870033]

>>5870019
>defense of europe
what's wrong with that

[Anonymous No.5870064]

>>5870033
Well the EU is the ultimate project of bourgeois liberalism so if you defend it you're not a communist.

[Anonymous No.5870080]

>>5870064
That's your reasoning? If you aren't advocating the dissolution of an international union of sovereign states for purely ideological purposes, you're an ivory tower liberal?

[Anonymous No.5870087]

>>5870064
>>5870064
As if the EU can't be coopted by a pan-european left. You're just a stalinist if you think there is absolutely no use of a federal europe.

[Anonymous No.5870112]

Russell Brand is a hero, OP is jealous

[Anonymous No.5870115]

>Zizek
>instead of this moron

>Zizek
>moron
Pick both. Sucking Zizek's dick after having sucked Brand's is about the most perfect example of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire I've ever heard of.

[Anonymous No.5870116]

>>5870087
How do you propose co-opting the EU? the members of European Commission are selected by the European Council, so to turn the EU into some kind of leftist organisational you would need left governments in almost every member country.

>You're just a stalinist

Pretty much yeah

[Anonymous No.5870126]

>>5870116
>Implying that's inconceivable
>Implying that's a bad thing

[Anonymous No.5870130]

>>5870116
>you would need left governments in almost every member country.
uhh, yeah that's kind of how it works

>>You're just a stalinist
>Pretty much yeah
lol

[Anonymous No.5870151]

>>5870130
kruschevite revisionists pls go

[Anonymous No.5870156]

Zizek is probably the best current leftist since he can see how ideology brings the current political/social debate to such a low level piece of shit.

[Anonymous No.5870157]

>>5870151
what did you call me?

[Anonymous No.5870160]

>>5870151
Stalinism is for edgy faggots.
Hegel is the one true post-Platonic dialectician.
FDR did more tobuild socialism than anyone in the USSR ever did.

[Anonymous No.5870179]

>>5870160
>idealism
vomitrocious

[Anonymous No.5870193]

>>5870160
>FDR did more tobuild socialism than anyone in the USSR ever did.
>this is what Americans actually believe

[Anonymous No.5870220]

>>5870179
>materialism
Pig disgusting
>>5870193
The USSR never had a chance of being a true workers' state and everyone knows it.

[Anonymous No.5870258]

>when you're promoting Marxism-Leninism in a thread filled with liberals and anarchists

[Anonymous No.5870266]

>>5869939

Russel Brand is bringing to the mainstream a dialogue that is not often seen on the mainstream..he is the first person with mainstream appeal to stand up and say all of this - what other entertainer/celebrity would have the gall to do that? Little because they are leeches, hanger on'ers to the system and they daren't upset the establishment.

He has passion, is witty, and he can articulate himself fairly well. He appears to be on a mission. For this reason I fully respect him; he says some great things and he's putting his status to good use. If anything he's making people think.

Friends of mine are beginning to say 'yes, he is right though' where any other person saying such things would be labelled a conspiracy tinhat. That, my friends, is the veil that he has managed to pierce - he is the celebrity trojan horse.

And not forgetting that he is still very young comparatively. Think of the things he is saying/doing now and imagine how that will progress in the years to come, if he carries on with such passion.

[Anonymous No.5870272]

>>5870258
>He thinks he's a Commissar
>He promotes Marxism-Leninism
>On 4chan
>In threads about Russell Brand
>And posts pictures of Best Korea's Grorious Reader instead of an actual Marxist-Leninist
>On /lit/
>He thinks he's promoting the welfare of the workers
>He supports the Soviet state
>He does it for free

[Anonymous No.5870290]

>>5870266
He's a 39 year old man

It's pathetic

[Anonymous No.5870297]

>the Left is more angry with another faction in the Left than they are with capitalism

Oh look, it's business as usual.

[Anonymous No.5870301]

>>5870266
>is the first person with mainstream appeal to stand up and say all of this - what other entertainer/celebrity would have the gall to do that?
Controlled opposition
>hanger on'ers to the system and they daren't upset the establishment.
If Brand meant it he'd go out and start an actual riot, or at least sell some of the jewelry he always wears when he's on camera.
>He has passion, is witty, and he can articulate himself fairly well
Passion and wit can be detrimental. He can't articulate himself well.
>That, my friends, is the veil that he has managed to pierce - he is the celebrity trojan horse.
Who cares about celebrities? Celebrity is a problem, not a solution.
>Think of the things he is saying/doing now and imagine how that will progress in the years to come, if he carries on with such passion.
If I have to listen to Russell Brand's stupidity for the rest of my life I'll just kill myself.

[Anonymous No.5870310]

CELEBRITIES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO CHAMPION THE WORKING CLASS
I AND MY DISDAINING INTELLECTUALS BUDDIES SHOULD
WE READ AND WRITE BOOKS

[Anonymous No.5870329]

>>5870272
>And posts pictures of Best Korea's Grorious Reader instead of an actual Marxist-Leninist

Juche is an adaptation of Marxism-Leninism

>He thinks he's a Commissar

The people's Commissar for anime image boards

[Anonymous No.5870342]

>>5870266
>Russel Brand is bringing to the mainstream a dialogue that is not often seen on the mainstream

In an awful, hamfisted way that is completely facetious. Not to mention that he's not even the first one to attempt something like this.

>He has passion
Being correct, or elucidation, is not a function of passion.
>is witty
Not really.
>And can articulate himself very well
His book is filled with awful, pedantic passages designed to make himself sound intelligent. In the end he's just using the same old worn-out British humor.

>Friends of mine are beginning to say "yes, he is right"
Get better friends. Or better yet, read some actual literature. Anything really. I don't even care if its Evola, Rothbard, or even that hack Friedman. Just read something other than Brand.

In the end, he's drivel, and he'll stay drivel. His mission to "bring philosophy to the plebs" only shows that he considers philosophy to be some elitist concept that his readership is simply too stupid to understand. He's elevated it to some unreachable plateau. Bourgeois thinking at it's finest.

By the way be sure to catch BRAND X on Sky or FX sometime. I'm sure Murdoch could use the ratings.

[Anonymous No.5870373]

>>5870297
>no Posadist groups

no wonder america is in such a sorry state.

[Anonymous No.5870405]

>>5870258

lol why are they all so frightened and sdcared looking and on the verge of tears. Kim John looks like my girlfriend lol.

>>5870290

How is inspiring minds and inspiring change more pathetic than a 39 year old working a shitty desk job. I think you are jelly.

[Anonymous No.5870421]

>>5870405
What's pathetic about a desk job, NEET?

[Anonymous No.5870474]

UKIP rules

[Anonymous No.5870484]

>>5870301

I considered him being controlled opposition after seeing him in the Jermey Paxman interview, which seemed painfully scripted and had Brand in some sort of masonic garb.

>If Brand meant it he'd go out and start an actual riot

No he wouldn't. What's he gonna do, start shouting in the middle of the street, or take himself into the living rooms of the entire UK population? I think we both know the rational direction, which leads me to believe you are being intentionally contrarian, and/or automatically dismissive of Brand because of his working class roots, and because he sticks to those working class roots whilst being articulate at the same time. He has passion which is contagious, and he wants to bring a message of change; he's not forcing change on anyone, he's putting out anti establishment ideas to a mainstream populace - this has not been done before as far as I'm aware. I know celebrities are part of the problem, hence my Trojan horse comment and my developing opinion that you are not paying too much attention. Going for the easy jibes, being a pessimistic little fuck you are. You don't have to listen to anyone or anything, but change will be coming and you'll be left behind.

>>5870342

Russel has an affinity for language, if you didn't realise. He is an entertainer, if you didn't realise. Ham fisted seems right to me, you can't beat around the bush with the kinds of things he's saying ("Oh, you know, well, the disparity between rich and poor is widening at a pace, and over time, will likely get worse, causing an eradication of the middle class.. blahblahblah") He clearly is not wanting to speak of those terms. He's going for the long term goal, looking right ahead at what a perfect utopia might look like, and he thinks that wouldn't be achievable through the current system. So, ideas ideas ideas. He's a little gardener planting ideas in the head of the common man, just as politicians and media outlets do day after day after day. Only he's not selling fear, paranoia and hatred, he's selling love, compassion and altruism. You can see he is passionate in the way he gets, in his voice and body language, in the way he expresses himself. He can be quite witty and spontaneous with his humour, the way he can riff off things being done or said at that very moment; he doesn't need a stock of material in order to come across as funny/clever.

With regards to your opinion on his book, I can say I haven't read it, but understanding his love for words and language I can see why he writes the way he does. It's flowery, yes, possibly verbose but I wouldn't say he's designing himself to sound half-intelligent.

>Get better friends

Get fucked, Ludvag.

[Anonymous No.5870489]

>>5870421

if you have to ask, you're barely human.

[Anonymous No.5870506]

>>5870421

I was asking what makes one aspiration more valuable than another and I think you know that.

[Anonymous No.5870531]

>>5870489
Working for a living is more respectable than NEEThood or grandstanding.
>>5870506
Someone with an office job is working for a living. Brand is working for attention.
>>5870484
>What's he gonna do, start shouting in the middle of the street, or take himself into the living rooms of the entire UK population?
Considering what he's constantly advocating, I don't think that's asking too much. He's on TV often enough, so he's already in everyone's living rooms.
>working class roots
I don't care about his roots, I care about the fact that he's a comedian who knows nothing about politics, economics, or political economy, and seems to be in everything he's in for the money or the fame.

[Anonymous No.5870542]

>>5870484
>He's a little gardener planting ideas in the head of the common man, just as politicians and media outlets do day after day after day. Only he's not selling fear, paranoia and hatred, he's selling love, compassion and altruism.

Being a pedagogue of a different flavor doesn't count for anything when the last thing we need is more talking heads running around, spewing actual ideology. Brand's boring humanism might as well be another placebo to keep the masses sedated while they follow Brand's example of doing absolutely nothing. It's no different than some housemom buying some vapid book on Eastern Philosophy from Oprah's Book Club, simply because it will make her feel better and she doesn't have to do anything afterwards. And in the end, so what if we all love each other? How's capital going to be abolished if we all love each other, but still consume and buy into this system that Brand has no idea how to dismantle? Sounds like the road to some Huxley-inspired dystopia where we're all disabled by pleasure and mutual love to do anything about our current situation.

>More shit about passion

Once again, it doesn't matter when all he does is talk and show up on TV and in movies with Jonah Hill. He doesn't even want to put himself in a position where he could change things because he's afraid that "he'll become one of them". Really? This is the best answer he could give? If all his passion just pushes him into a position of inaction, then he really isn't good for anything.

[Anonymous No.5870630]

>>5870531

>I don't think that's asking too much

Well I'm pretty sure he was at a protest rally the other week, so I think advocating for and going to campaign rallies is more than enough of the good work. He's not a politician, correct, which is why he isn't running for power. Like I say, what he's doing is refreshing and he's bringing new ideas and sentiments to the table. How can you say we don't need that, if not even to have people THINK about the systems that control their lives.

>seems to be in everything he's in for the money or the fame.

So you don't like his two tone message, you don't like that he gets paid to go to a studio and talk about his message, you don't like the fact he gets paid for writing and producing documentaries exploring the failing drug war? I don't understand why you choose to attack Brand for such stale reasons, when there are much bigger and offensive fish to be fried. You think politicians are in it to help the people?

>>5870542

To your boring old mind maybe, but he is speaking to a new generation of youth who are further isolating themselves through technology and vanity. Like I say, he's the mainstream voice of the underdog at the moment. He's not looking to stand up and say 'you here, think like this, be like this, you can't do this, you can't do that' he's merely sharing his perspective on what he believes makes progressive change, and that is through changing the minds of individuals. You change the minds of individuals by giving them new ways to think, and better things to look for. These things don't happen instantaneously, but once you get a consciousness shift, that is, a new foundation in ways of thinking, the ball rolls on it's own from there on; snowballs, if you will.

So I don't understand what either of your objections are. Are you afraid that Brand will lead people astray a la the pied piper? Or that he will actually get into power and sink the country? Do you find him plain annoying? I cannot understand why you would protest and argue to such an extent if you found him merely annoying. And don't forget, in this country he's free to do exactly as he is doing right now; beats blowing people up.

[Anonymous No.5870647]

>>>>5870630
>Like I say, what he's doing is refreshing and he's bringing new ideas and sentiments to the table
Nothing he's saying has been news since Occupy Wall Street started.
>So you don't like his two tone message, you don't like that he gets paid to go to a studio and talk about his message, you don't like the fact he gets paid for writing and producing documentaries exploring the failing drug war?
Pretty much. My feelings on the issues are separate from my feelings on Brand, whom I see as a character and some kind of controlled opposition.
>You think politicians are in it to help the people?
Nice false dichotomy.

[Anonymous No.5870678]

>>5870019
>He was the liberal party's presidential candidate
He was only that for political reasons you fucktard, it was a big tent party
The only communist party was the ruling party
> and his final point calling for regulated capitalism
Except he advocates a return to socialism like Alain Badiou
>His political conceptions and prejudices are liberal
This is bullshit, he attacks liberals all the time

[Anonymous No.5870701]

>>5870630
>To your boring old mind maybe, but he is speaking to a new generation of youth who are further isolating themselves through technology and vanity.
I'm a part of that generation, as is most people on this website. I can safely say that he does not speak for me.
> Like I say, he's the mainstream voice of the underdog at the moment.
Just like Kanye West was? There is no voice at the moment, other than the collective whining of tumblr and other social media outlets. Nobody is quoting Brand when they actually do go out and protest. I doubt they even know what he has to say about our condition. He is simply the voice of fools who come onto this board and claim he's saying anything meaningful.
>You change the minds of individuals by giving them new ways to think, and better things to look for. These things don't happen instantaneously, but once you get a consciousness shift, that is, a new foundation in ways of thinking, the ball rolls on it's own from there on; snowballs, if you will.
There's nothing new about what Brand is doing. It's a pastiche of some Buddhism, Humanism, and general New Age-y thought. The Flower Children of the 60's counterculture were doing the same thing, and actually acting on it, and they were BTFO. Now we have Brand coming along, a true charlatan, claiming to do the same thing - except this time he's in it for the money and the fame. If there's anyone with an old mind, it's him. He's simply taking the old, worn ideology and repackaging it.

>So I don't understand what either of your objections are. Are you afraid that Brand will lead people astray a la the pied piper? Or that he will actually get into power and sink the country? Do you find him plain annoying? I cannot understand why you would protest and argue to such an extent if you found him merely annoying. And don't forget, in this country he's free to do exactly as he is doing right now; beats blowing people up.
My objection is to him selling this book at all, claiming there's some sort of knowledge to be found in it. My objection is to people like you claiming he will somehow lay the foundation for a new age, when really he's just some public personality with a boring book. Even if he did get into power, he would be completely ineffectual because that's the nature of his ideology. It's a do-nothing, feel-good way of thinking. I would rather he just stop trying to play philosopher and go back to being an entertainer, that way I don't have to see or hear about him on this board ever again.

And what would it matter if he's free to do this? He's free to blather. And? What do bombings have to do with any of this? Why would the only alternative to reading Brand be blowing something up? There are so many other, more rewarding things someone can do, but you picked an extreme simply to make him look better by comparison.

[Anonymous No.5870743]

>>5870647

It is a continuation of Occupy, which I'm guessing you were opposed to? If you watch his documentary on the war on drugs you begin to understand his mind set of how he sees positive change being made. He talks about the blossoming of a core idea into reality; how that might come and about and how it might go wrong. He doesn't want to take over and start dictating you. I think he's coming from a good place, and he indeed has a unique character. You see him as some kind of controlled opposition. May I ask what is your reasoning for coming to such a conclusion? Have you any proof or evidence to support this view, or is it just a gut feeling? You were leveraging scorn upon Brand for wanting to help people and being in it 'only for the money and fame', and I wondered if you thought the same about politicians?

[Anonymous No.5870745]

this sure is literature

[Anonymous No.5870762]

>>5870156
Nah, it's Cutrone.

[Anonymous No.5870763]

>>5870701

You sound upset that you bought his book. I'm posting no longer because I understand your position and we are free to disagree. That and I just smoked a bong and don't want to spend my high talking with you. We will see the outcomes unfold after all. And when they do, I will smile!

[Anonymous No.5870769]

>>5870763
So long faggot. Go be an intellectually inert, dead fish somewhere else. I didn't even buy his book.

[Anonymous No.5870777]

>>5870743
I don't oppose Occupy, but I think it's been ineffective, in part thanks to people who have ideologies like Brand's. If he had the balls to try and become a dictator I might respect him more.
>He talks about the blossoming of a core idea into reality; how that might come and about and how it might go wrong.
So did Marx in the Manifesto, and I'm sure Marx was more eloquent than Brand ever will be.
>You see him as some kind of controlled opposition. May I ask what is your reasoning for coming to such a conclusion?
1. You agreed when I said this earlier.
2. Why would they give him time on TV of they didn't think he wasn't a threat?
3. He dated the daughter of one of the bankers he always complains about, he has connections to important people, he's literally a comedian talking about revolution, people like you think he's doing something big when he clearly actively isn't, and he doesn't have anything like a coherent or threatening plan of action.
I do t know if he is or isn't controlled opposition, but he seems like the perfect person to control and oppose.
I'm sure some politicians care about what they're saying and mean it. I'm sure Brand cares and means some of what he says, but I think if he's so sincere he should either start a violent revolution, encourage a general strike, or run for office.

[Anonymous No.5870780]

>>5870763

Typical unscrupulous Brand-poster. He is not serious enough to argue his point of view.

[Anonymous No.5870785]

>>5870763
Kill yourself

[Anonymous No.5870788]

>>5870769

Sorry man. I would love to stay but I'm chilling out now.

[Anonymous No.5870803]

Come on guys I've been here like 15 hours, and that medication just wiped any need to continue arguing with such brick walls - let's admit we were getting to be going in circles anyway.

[Anonymous No.5870810]

>>5870803
You're a huge faggot. I bet you're actual Russell Brand and you google yourself so you can defend yourself from people who call you out on your shit.

[Anonymous No.5870824]

>>5870810
calm down /b/ro

[Anonymous No.5870835]

>>5870824
>>>/b/