Russell Brand Another Celebrity Another Divided Mind

I'm not even sure where to begin but go ahead and watch the video clip I just posted.

If you are not interested in watching, believe me, I understand.


Jeremy Paxman interviews Brand and tries to engage Brand on specifics concerning Brand's overall philosophy as it pertains to politics. It is clear Brand is clueless but that doesn't stop him from opining and criticizing. He even vaguely suggests that he became a drug addict because the government was not making effort to serve his socioeconomic status.

Russel Brand apparently feels he is losing status among his peers because he is doing what typical celebrities always do -- creating more inflammatory rhetoric about revolution, socialism, and serving the people.

He advocates drastic distribution of income and enormous taxes on corporations because I guess this is supposed to make everyone perfectly equal and happiness cannot be found without changing everyone else first. It's the government; it's their fault. Oh but he doesn't vote; he never has. He actually suggests that no one should vote because it doesn't change anything and we need change.

This is the same old tired rhetoric and description of government systems that have been tried over and over and have only produced further disparity, and well...millions of dead people, all the makings of "e-qua-li-ty."
This is the quintessential divided mind.

Russell is angry, emotional, and is conveying his inner-self and insecurity. He wants [the government] so badly to serve the poor, yet he is no longer poor. He wants [the government]  to save the earth, yet I didn't hear him mention how he recycles. He wants [the government] to redistribute income, yet I'm wondering why he still has his money and has yet to distribute it? Here is the problem with the divided mind...

On one hand he is expressing this great empathy for the world and those who are less fortunate yet he is unable to understand responsibility. Nothing is stopping him from changing yet he wants others to make the change first. He wants to ignite others to instigate revolution but, hey don't look to him to make those changes in himself.

Brand is a funny guy and he most likely worked hard to get where he is today and good for him. He deserves all he has but for whatever reason, when people like him become drunk with their celebrity, they lose sight of their own journey. They come to believe they are "special" because of their success and that instead of telling others to work hard and follow a passion, his special-ness affords him an inherent knowledge that he has answers that others do not have. He knows nothing about history but wants to be a part of changing history.

Brand and others like him need to understand that they are no better than anyone else. We are all equal. You do not need a specific government system to fix your problems.

True leaders are those that teach independence, not dependence. A true leader will tell people to worry about themselves; be the change you want from others. If Brand is not giving away his money, he is not being the change he wants from others so how or why would he ever expect to be taken seriously? Why should anyone listen to him? The sad part is, there are people who will listen to him because they too are divided inside their mind.

Brand wants to punish corporations and says that profit is evil. I am wondering how he came to decide that profits are evil and when he stopped accepting residual checks from the films he has made?

Notice too the same rhetoric of "us" vs. "them" when he talks about the wealthy and the poor, the 99% vs. the 1%. You cannot advocate equality while simultaneously suggesting that the wealthy are separate from us. We are equal because we are a part of each other. One person's success is everyone's success.

Our goal should be helping people discover themselves, to work hard in the position where they currently are, and to acquire goals that will help the individual to evolve. As individuals evolve, they can become more free with more choices, and this freedom helps everyone. The best thing you can do for yourself and others is to work on succeeding, to improve the quality of your own work.

When are these far-lefty advocates going to understand that the more you draw attention to something, the more of it you create? The more you worry about the poor, the more you will increase poverty.

If I could say anything to any of these celebrities, I would say this...

G-d loves you. He wants you to be happy. He wants you to live in comfort so that you may enjoy your life without having to resort to crime or live in squalor. You have nothing to be ashamed of or guilty of. Profit you receive from the work you create is good for you, your family, and anyone who is around you.

You can only change yourself. You will not change others no matter how hard you try, because you are equal in G-d's eyes. Everyone has their own power to change their own lives. Everyone is responsible for their own life. The best way to help others is to appreciate the freedom you enjoy. Show people that hard work and dedication are the main tools to succeed. Be the example without involving a third party.

You are not better than anyone else. Do not divide people by sex, race, or socioeconomic status. Stop talking about it. Nobody is better than you either, so what works for you can work for others but we all have different paths-- respect that. You are not separate from others, you are a part of others. The "1%" is part of the "100%," it is not separate.  Let people live their own lives. Advocate personal responsibility. Trust in freedom. Let go.

Government is necessary but not an answer. Problems are solved with the individuals that make up the whole. Individuals helping themselves are helping the whole. When you try and help the whole, you are only helping a few individuals -- your aristocracy that you're complaining about -- yeah, that was brought about from trying to "help" the whole.

Learn History. Learn Jack Kerouac:

Kerouac: “As for the Russian take-over of Czechoslovakia, that showed the world what they’re like, what the communists are really like. They’re fascists.” 

Kerouac: There are people who make a rule of creating chaos, so that once the chaos is underway they can then be elected as the ones who take care of the chaos. 

Buckley: And you think this applies to the Chicago situation? 

Kerouac: No, I’m not talkin’ about Daley, I don’t know anything about him, I wasn’t there, but I’m talking about [Saunder's] idea of protesting and runnin’ around, and makin’ noise all over the place. You create chaos, you can become the commissar…of the control of chaos… 

Kerouac: My father and my mother and my sister and I have always voted Republican…always. We voted for Hoover… 

Kerouac later interrupts Saunders, who seems a little discomfited by the unexpected abuse from an elder statesman of the counterculture: 

Kerouac: You make yourself famous by protest! 

Saunders: That’s not… who does? Not me… I make myself famous by singing [unclear]… 

Kerouac: I made myself famous by writing songs and lyrics about the beauty of the things that I did, and the ugliness, too… 

Saunders: You’re a great poet, I will admit… 

Kerouac: But you make yourself famous by saying, “Down with this!” and “Down with this,” “Throw eggs at this” and “Throw eggs at that!” 

Saunders: That’s not what I want… 

Kerouac (dismissively): Take it with you, I cannot use your abuse, you may have it back! 

Saunders: Okay, you’re still a great poet and we admire you…

Kerouac's words confirm that people like Brand are offering us nothing new. Revolution, socialism, radical change...these ideas are nothing new and have only done nothing but embolden evil leaders who desire power. They push people to riot and protest in order to ultimately gain control over them.

In order to evolve you must focus on your own transformation and encourage others to do the same.