Help me be more Billy Bragg and Less Adam Curtis.

tim_wand

Every year I make the same Resolution to be less Cynical. Just like Millionaire Socialist Billy Bragg.

Our enemy really isn't capitalism, it's cynicism. That's one the things I learned from Woody (Guthrie)... Not to be cynical... That cynicism... It destroys you, it rots you away from the inside. So that sense of optimism and humanity... which 20 years ago I would have called socialism but now I'll call compassion... You know, that idea is still out there and alive and if you can plug into that and encourage that it makes it all worth while.

Buy every year I end up feeling more like Multimillionaire Political commentator Adam Curtis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcy8uLjRHPM


I really should just get out and ride my bike more!

Stevo_666

Sorry Tim, I just can't bring myself to help you do that

veronese68

TW is a multimillionaire?

tim_wand

Veronese68 wrote:

TW is a multimillionaire?

No the Xmas boxes weren't that good this year. Still there's always the shares in 5 years when I can cash in!

RDW

Adam Curtis's documentaries are always interesting and very watchable, but his explanations of 'what is really going on' often feel a bit forced, with more than a hint of conspiracy theory.

As parodied by Jules Evans - "This is the story of how Isaac Newton invented the theory of gravity, only for it to be used by the ruling elite to maintain control’:

http://philosophyforlife.org/this-is-th ... e-attacks/

Another good article:

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio ... ace-review

As for Billy Bragg:

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/07 ... southbank/

Frank the tank

The masses are being f**ked by the elitist few the world over.

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

tim_wand

Frank the tank wrote:

The masses are being f**ked by the elitist few the world over.

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

I was going to title this let me be Frank and Less V Tech

RDW

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

RDW

This Curtis parody was just mentioned on another forum and is well worth the watch - it skewers his style very neatly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1bX3F7uTrg

Stevo_666

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

tim_wand

I love the connection Curtis makes with.

Whilst 70'S Dj's are arrested on claims of historic sex abuse. Not one Banker has yet been arrested for the Global economic crisis!

There's a very obvious correlation in those two statements. I blame Prince Andrew and the Royals.

Frank the tank

Stevo 666 wrote:

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

Not about a viable alternative as you put it, just human nature, people will only take so much whoever is doing the f**king over. The last minor example (in the GB) was the poll tax and that was not detrimental to all. So if we end up where the masses really do have nowhere to go and are truly downtrodden, what do you think they'll do.

Nowt to do with leftie la-la land.

arran77

Frank the tank wrote:

The masses are being f**ked by the elitist few the world over.

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

Yeah, come the day of the revolution brother

I'm right there with you Frank

Stevo_666

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

Not about a viable alternative as you put it, just human nature, people will only take so much whoever is doing the f**king over. The last minor example (in the GB) was the poll tax and that was not detrimental to all. So if we end up where the masses really do have nowhere to go and are truly downtrodden, what do you think they'll do.

Nowt to do with leftie la-la land.

These 'downtrodden masses' - most of which have a job, somewhere to live, TV's, phones etc - they're all ready to rise up are they? You're talking like deprivation is still on a par with Victorian Britain. It's not. Maybe look at countries where there is some real deprivation and see if they are staging a few communist revolutions - Africa, maybe? Nope, they're not revolting so not sure you can expect our lot to go all revolutionary any time soon.

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

ballysmate

Stevo 666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

Not about a viable alternative as you put it, just human nature, people will only take so much whoever is doing the f**king over. The last minor example (in the GB) was the poll tax and that was not detrimental to all. So if we end up where the masses really do have nowhere to go and are truly downtrodden, what do you think they'll do.

Nowt to do with leftie la-la land.

These 'downtrodden masses' - most of which have a job, somewhere to live, TV's, phones etc - they're all ready to rise up are they? You're talking like deprivation is still on a par with Victorian Britain. It's not. Maybe look at countries where there is some real deprivation and see if they are staging a few communist revolutions - Africa, maybe? Nope, they're not revolting so not sure you can expect our lot to go all revolutionary any time soon.

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Only if your telly is less than 46 inch led.

Stevo_666

Ballysmate wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Only if your telly is less than 46 inch led.

Bugger, I'd better get revolting then

arran77

Stevo 666 wrote:

Ballysmate wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Only if your telly is less than 46 inch led.

Bugger, I'd better get revolting then

I thought you already were revolting :P

Stevo_666

arran77 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Ballysmate wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Only if your telly is less than 46 inch led.

Bugger, I'd better get revolting then

I thought you already were revolting :P

You silly boy. I'm talking about joining these tw@ts:





...who clearly are so downtrodden and have nothing to lose, that they go around trying to overthrow the evil rich. Oh, hang on a sec...

arran77

Ballysmate wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

Not about a viable alternative as you put it, just human nature, people will only take so much whoever is doing the f**king over. The last minor example (in the GB) was the poll tax and that was not detrimental to all. So if we end up where the masses really do have nowhere to go and are truly downtrodden, what do you think they'll do.

Nowt to do with leftie la-la land.

These 'downtrodden masses' - most of which have a job, somewhere to live, TV's, phones etc - they're all ready to rise up are they? You're talking like deprivation is still on a par with Victorian Britain. It's not. Maybe look at countries where there is some real deprivation and see if they are staging a few communist revolutions - Africa, maybe? Nope, they're not revolting so not sure you can expect our lot to go all revolutionary any time soon.

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Only if your telly is less than 46 inch led.

That's the problem in this country, you have two distinct groups, those that truly are in poverty and those who think they are.

It's the later that I get the right hump with, people who expect everything to be given to them for doing feck all and then complaining that it's not enough. This country make it far too easy for people like that :evil:

Frank the tank

Stevo 666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RDW wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

It won't happen in my lifetime, but before too long the masses will revolt because they will have nothing to lose.

"The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. "
- Communist Manifesto, 1848.

Could take a while then, and may not end well...

Almost certainly, judging by countries that did give it a go. But don't spoil some people's little hard left la-la land fantasies by making them come up with a viable alternative

Not about a viable alternative as you put it, just human nature, people will only take so much whoever is doing the f**king over. The last minor example (in the GB) was the poll tax and that was not detrimental to all. So if we end up where the masses really do have nowhere to go and are truly downtrodden, what do you think they'll do.

Nowt to do with leftie la-la land.

These 'downtrodden masses' - most of which have a job, somewhere to live, TV's, phones etc - they're all ready to rise up are they? You're talking like deprivation is still on a par with Victorian Britain. It's not. Maybe look at countries where there is some real deprivation and see if they are staging a few communist revolutions - Africa, maybe? Nope, they're not revolting so not sure you can expect our lot to go all revolutionary any time soon.

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Whether I do or not is irrelevant.

Stevo_666

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Whether I do or not is irrelevant.

I think it is, because it may give us an idea of what level of deprivation you think is enough to incite revolution. Or maybe make us wonder why you seem keen on revolution if you are in a position where you do have something to lose?

Frank the tank

Stevo 666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Would you count yourself as one of the downtrodden masses?

Whether I do or not is irrelevant.

I think it is, because it may give us an idea of what level of deprivation you think is enough to incite revolution. Or maybe make us wonder why you seem keen on revolution if you are in a position where you do have something to lose?

I'm not keen on revolution.

I just offered up an opinion, like many do on here.