Reply To: Russell Brand

[Siderite]

I am no psychiatrist, so my opinion is just that and not one backed by expertise. The clips I see of him today are far different from several years ago. They’re less lucid and filled with more odd ramblings, strange diversions and at times odd outbursts of emotion. I don’t mean it to be mean, but I find it odd and worry he might be unhealthy.

I clarified what I meant by conspiracist and you have twisted it beyond all proportion. I mean it’s those who see themselves as never wrong, when there is an accusation against them it’s because of ‘the establishment’ out to get them. Any disagreement is disingenuous behaviour from the metropolitan liberal elite/progressive agenda. Not because they disagree with them; any opinion against such people is inherently bad faith. from Ironically, many of the same people were fine when people like Owen Jones and Aaron Bastani get called out for their own, similar conspiracist thought where everyone against them was an establishment figure out to do them down.

As for progressiveness, there is much to that I disdain and find it too embroiled in identity politics. That said, the other side is just as bad. There is nothing wrong with celebrating gay people, for example, just because it hurts the feelings of conservatives, the religious or makes them feel disgust. I couldn’t, frankly, give a stuff about such whining about their hurt feelings or disgust because society now acknowledges gay people. It’s not appalling that society tolerates gay people or trans people and doesn’t make them out to be anything but decent because of something which isn’t something that can be controlled. I don’t think of trans rights in the same way as many current trans rights activists do, I know, but don’t want to make out that being trans inherently makes someone trans a freak. Does some of the progressive nonsense go too far? Yes, I am no fan of seeing the kink people in pride in front of kids, nor the trans issues being simplified to make out anyone who thinks women should have their own spaces is some kind of bigot. However, the other side just want gay people to go back into hiding, from what it seems, and act as thin skinned about it as the ‘snowflake progressive’ counterparts. Similarly with women’s rights. Male violence towards women is a thing, and should be dealt with. That’s more important than men moaning that it hurts their feelings. It doesn’t mean all men are aggressive or violent.