NEWSNIGHT - Paxman vs Brand.

[Swanny]

Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman talks to Russell Brand about voting, revolution and beards...




I used to think Brand was a complete cock but he's really earned my respect lately

[Uber Dave]

Paxman "So you struck an attitude [about voting] before the age of 18"
"Brand" Well, I was busy being a drug addict at that point."

I wet myself laughing when that bit came round!

I have seen a number of videos where they have tried to get one over Brand and he ruins them all. Very intelligent bloke.

[Dabz]

Very intelligent and a vocabulary to die for. Cracking interview but can't say I agree with him on everything this time..usually I agree 100% but there are certain parts of his argument that just simply aren't feasible

[redken1]

"It is not that I am not voting out of apathy. I am not voting out of absolute indifference and weariness and exhaustion from the lies,treachery and deceit of the political class that has been going on for generations" I think this is borne out in the poor election turnouts in recent times. I find it very encouraging that more and more high profile public figures appear to be challenging the ‘status quo’ and asking searching questions. He is growing on me. Lol

[Uber Dave]

The bit about Eton and Oxbridge being like the houses of parliament scaring people and not others is something I had never considered before either.

[DC]

Check this one out too I think Wiltshire builders posted this on here last year ish . I used to think he was a bit of a knob but take my hat off to the bloke there arent many people with a profile such as his saying the sort of things hes saying http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-NCD...notation_52654

[Toph]

I've just changed my opinion of this bloke... I was nodding my head through that whole interview.. Redken would be proud of me..

[Dabz]

Good blog post in the Telegraph in response to this, which sums up my views on the content.. But don't get me wrong, I still live how Russel is challenging and puts across a decent argument, it's just the idea of revolution being the answer which simply isn't feasible

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/to...revolutionary/

[redken1]

Of course we can all use stats and figures (as I do) to further our particular argument. Tom Chivers takes his view that the status quo is working based on a 200 year comparison, when he says, “But the political system – or, more precisely, the wider human system of society – is working. Wherever you live in the world, the odds are that you will have an easier life than someone born in the same place 200 years ago” IMHO a fifty year comparison will give us a much more accurate yardstick, showing the unfair global wealth distribution and the ever increasing power of large corporations to which Russell refers. Here in the UK, the gap between the rich and poor has widened for the past 20 years. That gap increased every single year under the last Labour (some still call them a socialist party) admin, surely reinforcing Russell’s point about all politicians representing the interests of the large corporations. I don’t believe the “system is working” when The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that nearly 870million people of the 7.1 billion people in the world, or one in eight, were suffering from chronic under nourishment. And closer to home, according to those working at the coal face,we have seen a 700 per cent rise in the use of food banks in the last couple of years. Revolutions happen because masses of the population feel disenfranchised, disillusioned and marginalized. Fifty years ago people would have laughed at Russell Brand’s comments, saying leave “politics to the politicians” Now we laugh at our politicians and give far more respect to the views of public figures who are not part of the political establishment. Just saying Lol

[Swanny]

I don't vote, it only encourages them.
I agree with Russell that the system is totally corrupt and needs to go.
Revolution is the only answer but it must be a peaceful one as the system is set up to deal with violence and will win every time.
How it can happen I have no idea, what it can be replaced with I have no idea but it needs to happen.


Viva la


These people only have power because we give it to them. If we ignore them they have no power.