Russel brand may have started a revolution.

[The Riddler]

If he donates 1/10000000000th of his profits to anything, he would have effectively accomplished more for that cause than you (or any regular civilian) ever could no matter how righteous you are.

This is the gap in understanding that exists between the neolib theoretician and a conservative who does things in real life. You don't solve problems by throwing money at them. You solve them be going in, volunteering your time, and doing work. I've done 1,000,000,0000X more work for the poor & needy than 1/1000000000ths of Brand's profits could ever accomplish. Volunteerism and personally donated charity will accomplish more than a trillion of Brand's brand of self-important faux-intellectual drivel will ever do.

Those who think Brand's got the right idea are just people who don't actually volunteer their time to help the poor themselves and want to feel like they're "doing something" by offloading actual charity onto the government. It's the lazy intellectual's escape hatch from actual service, which substitutes money for love - dictatorships for freedom - and bureaucracy for service. But history has repeatedly proven socialism to be the opposite of helping the poor, and yet every generation has a new strain of hipster doofuses who think they've got it figured out this time around. They never learn.

[mvaliz]

The planet is not becoming uninhabitable for life. Short of nuking the entire surface of the planet (and even then life will most certainly continue), the planet will not becoming uninhabitable.

When you remove the reason to produce (need), you will impoverish all. Money is only representative of product, it carries no inherent value. A world of millionaires where no one has reason to work as the product of their labor will be seized and redistributed is a world of impoverished millionaires.

What a crock of shit... mostly applied to the stupid notion that "No one has a reason to work" based solely on a dollar figure.

Trust me, if you won the lottery and bought a mansion on a beach somewhere, within 6 months you'll go mad from boredom. Sure, you won't go work a gas station, but you bet your ass you'll start a new hobby - and that hobby grows into a new art, or a new website, or even a new invention or new service.

Do you believe the Wright Brothers made the airplane to get rich? You think George Stevenson invented the steam engine to make a quick pot of gold? No - they saw potential in something interesting and explored it.

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This is the gap in understanding that exists between the neolib theoretician and a conservative who does things in real life. You don't solve problems by throwing money at them. You solve them be going in, volunteering your time, and doing work. I've done 1,000,000,0000X more work for the poor & needy than 1/1000000000ths of Brand's profits could ever accomplish. Volunteerism and personally donated charity will accomplish more than a trillion of Brand's brand of self-important faux-intellectual drivel will ever do.

Those who think Brand's got the right idea are just people who don't actually volunteer their time to help the poor themselves and want to feel like they're "doing something" by offloading actual charity onto the government. It's the lazy intellectual's escape hatch from actual service, which substitutes money for love - dictatorships for freedom - and bureaucracy for service. But history has repeatedly proven socialism to be the opposite of helping the poor, and yet every generation has a new strain of hipster doofuses who think they've got it figured out this time around. They never learn.

1) I don't believe you in the slightest. Nobody with your cynical attitude towards society could ever give a damn about somebody else... particularly when you're spouting all of them being "lazy and asking for hand outs"... The very idea that you believe there are "needy" goes against every single thing you've talked about on these forums - the idea that there ARE people who need help that are beyond normal means of job-growth.

2) Unless your idea of "I've done more work for the poor & needy" is you making insane forum rants telling them they're lazy.

[Deleted]

Pretty much exactly what I was going to say. Webb's reply should really be read by everyone.

Brand might mean well but he's succumbing to sensationalism if he thinks revolution is the answer. If you want change, take part in the democratic process.

Can you show me ONE example of when taking part in the "democratic process" has brought positive change?

[DEATHETERNAL]

What a crock of shit... mostly applied to the stupid notion that "No one has a reason to work" based solely on a dollar figure.

The "stupid notion" is not based on the dollar figure, it is based on the impending seizure of what is produced. The dollar figure is to reinforced that regardless of how much money you are given, it is meaningless if no one produces. Money doesn't create product. Production creates product. Without production and therefore product, money is worthless.

[mvaliz]

Can you show me ONE example of when taking part in the "democratic process" has brought positive change?

...millions upon millions of Black people and women over several hundred years across the globe are right now, at this very moment, staring very coldly at you.

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The "stupid notion" is not based on the dollar figure, it is based on the impending siezure of what is produced. The dollar figure is to reinforced that regardless of how much money you are given, it is meaningless if no one produces.

The dollar figure, sure... but don't assert that the human would not "produce" unless they had a dollar as an incentive. :P

[Shadowmelded]

Can you show me ONE example of when taking part in the "democratic process" has brought positive change?

Most developed nations?

[DEATHETERNAL]

The dollar figure, sure... but don't assert that the human would not "produce" unless they had a dollar as an incentive. :P

I see no reason to believe that, if given the opportunity, a majority of the population (more than enough to collapse the world economy) would simply consume and entertain themselves instead of producing anything. When you give someone the opportunity to have a home, food, and some comforts for nothing at all, most would take it. Need (that dollar incentive when that dollar represents food, housing, comfort, and other results of production) is what generates the willingness to produce.

[Spectral]

Can you show me ONE example of when taking part in the "democratic process" has brought positive change?

Marriage equality.

[mvaliz]

I see no reason to believe that, if given the opportunity, a majority of the population (more than enough to collapse the world economy) would simply consume and entertain themselves instead of producing anything. When you give someone the opportunity to have a home, food, and some comforts for nothing at all, most would take it. Need (that dollar incentive when that dollar represents food, housing, and comfort) is what generates the willingness to produce.

And you're basing this on exactly WHAT?

Trust me, son, I tried that... it doesn't work.

I left my job at age 30 with more than enough money to satisfy me for 2 decades of never having to work. I damn-near grew insane after year 2 of sheer boredom. I kept filling my time with things... forrest preserve walks. Warcraft. Other games. Cooking... TV watching...

You'll go insane without a purpose. Without a drive. Without purpose. People who just "consume" won't just consume... they'll become experts at something out of sheer boredom.

Ask any retired person who has their mental faculties - they get thoroughly bored of just sitting on the rocking chair all day. Humans crave experiences... and basic consumption just gets old.

[dyzz]

Well this was a total waste of time. Russel Brand is a moron.

[Deleted]

Its already started in the UK.... Russell Brand simply has his finger on the pulse...!

[PACOX]

ugh...His words are dangerous. Not for the current establishment but for people who are buying into his stuff. He has a half cocked idea is calling for revolution? So the system can be damaged any more? He raised points that everyone, even most politicians, want to fix. In the US liberals and conservatives are divided not by who wants to help lower socioeconomic classes, they are divided by how to help and both systems would work if there was a perfect world designed for their respective systems.

Heavy taxation of corporations is not a fix. Taxation is not the problem that needs to be addressed when it comes to dealing with predatory corporations. Free markets aren't the solution because that has worked...never. Environmental penalties is a good way to half innovation, productivity, and thus the economy. You can't just penalize a corporation for its practices before you invent/fund an equal and better alternative. Waste is one thing that you can regulate though.

Finally, I would never someone how trust someone who dresses like Brand on the evils of corporations and socioeconomic issues. I've never seen this guy dressed down, he is always in designer clothes. Not just name brand clothes, designer clothes. I bet he doesn't live in the average suburb, and I bet he is exuberant with his money just like a lot of entertainers who amass a ridiculous amount of money.

[Theodon]

Its already started in the UK.... Russell Brand simply has his finger on the pulse...!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtPY8k8MXIA

You honestly think Anonymous are going to play any meaningful part in a revolution? You MUST be joking. Anonymous aren't any of those people you see in their video. They're self-serving keyboard warriors that deface websites. They've done far more harm than good.