Reply To: Russell Brand

[Just Iron]

I seem to be a bit of a lone voice on this one though there have been some points of agreement and also some evidences of a bit less polarisation for which I’m grateful. A couple of further comments.
I don’t see the same evidence in Peterson of mental disturbance as you do, Sidey. Maybe I’m just not paying attention ..but I do listen to a fair amount of his stuff. Its also possible that you are coloured by your dislike of some of the positions he takes. I would urge caution on any referring back to those well documented mental/addiction battles. Some of us have also been there and just might have emerged more sane than Joe average.
Another concern is this use of ‘Conspiracist’which I see as a bit of a catch all disqualifier for anyone challenging the ‘progressive’ agenda. The word ‘populist’is used in the same way. If anyone challenges the view, for example, that society is characterised by the fact that men are somehow inherently toxic and women generally victimised by this pathology then the labelling kicks in. The same with any challenge to the notion that not only must LGBTQ plus representation be tolerated but also promoted or even celebrated as evidence of decency. Likewise with anyone suggesting that it’s not clear to what extent the climate is changing in terms of speed, extent and potential catastrophe nor whether alleviation measures may not actually cause more suffering and even death than those proposed measures. These are just a few examples of how a narrative is being promoted ..from what is now a progressive establishment .. which seems to brook little challenge and seems to carry the approval and cooperation of the press, other media and other institutions in a whole swathe of countries. Whilst I agree that some go too far in ‘seeing’this as an issue I believe that the rise of alternative outlets for news and discussion is necessary and healthy. Many of the voices which are dismissed as conspiracists do, I believe, provide an essential balance to progressive establishment power.
One more point ..and a major one more directly related to the Brand case ..but I’ll post this first because I don’t want to lose it!