K-punk recently announced on his Facebook page that he was going to start de-friending "friends" who didn't agree with him because he wanted to make his page a space for like-minded comrades committed to raising class consciousness. So far I have not been culled, but it can only be a matter of time.
brand vs paxman
- Thread starter luka
- Start date
Anybody who has been privately educated, in K-punk's class war world, is objectively, ideologically suspect, no matter what the circumstances (Assisted Place, Scholarship, financial sacrifice on family's part, or if they escaped as soon as they could) and no matter what they have done since. This would include, as far as I know, me, Luke, Matt Ingram and Sufi.
crackerjack
Well-known member
Sing it, brother.
Wasn't he also recently quizzed on WWI – a subject on which he's just written a book/made a TV series, yet apparently knows fuck all.
There was a point to Paxman once. Now he's as much a product of celebrity culture as Robbie Savage, TV pundit.
hmg
Victory lap
Made your nipples hard, typing that, didn't it?
You missed out David Attenborough, Brian Cox and Brian Cox.
Anyway, what about abolishing the House of Lords and replacing it with something like this?
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Check out the Labour backbenches, or local councils, or other democratic organisations who day in day out work to change things. Like, for example, the Citizens Advice Bureau, who have just made a massive change to discourse and practice around Payday loaners and Zero Hour Contracters. Or the trade unions who day in day out fight Coalition cuts and employer malpractice. And whose equivalents barely survive or exist indepenenlty in non-democratic states such as (just some examples close to my heart) Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine.
Brand's argument is arid because it is ignorant, not because he is working class.
hmg
Victory lap
You don't get it at all, do you? What do you have vested in the current system that you're so certain it cannot be substantively changed?
We're an advanced society lumbered with an ancient political system that is hopeless at anything other than perpetuating inequality and bolstering the position of the rich. Is it beyond us to build something better and futureproof?
I've ordered a copy of this by a right Tory, but at least he's daring to think a bit
Amazon product ASIN 1849544220
We're an advanced society lumbered with an ancient political system that is hopeless at anything other than perpetuating inequality and bolstering the position of the rich. Is it beyond us to build something better and futureproof?
I've ordered a copy of this by a right Tory, but at least he's daring to think a bit
Amazon product ASIN 1849544220
crackerjack
Well-known member
Then you can't have been looking very far. Tom Chivers and the Robert Webb (posted upthread) should do for starters, but there's plenty more.
Castle is a great example. All her battles were "boring" and "democratic": seat belts, breathalisers, union reform, pay beds in hospitals. All important, in their way. She was a warrior socialist, but crucially a democratic socialist. Did what she could within the desirable limits. The history of Labour in this time and before (Bevan, Cripps, Dalton, Morrison, etc) is all about the limits of socialism in a democracy. What you can do before you cross a line into non-democratic politics. It would be worth studying, for you lot, although you may find it a little dull.
I think I get it, though.
I think I get it, though.
hmg
Victory lap
It was Ralph Nader's idea anyway.
From wikipedia "she attracted controversy when she told local government leaders to give added emphasis to motor vehicle access in urban areas, as "most pedestrians are walking to or from their cars.""
Cheers for that, Babs.