Ozymandias
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I couldn't get anywhere near this guy when I went to see him here in Glasgow a few months ago. He is a movie star as well as social commentator. These people have their entire days mapped out into 15 minute segments. I get the feeling Brand would lap up the party case. He is tapping into something people are craving. Togetherness and real change.
"I have no problem with inequality per se, Up to a point it can be a motivation for growth." Piketty
It's been reported in the past ten days that some experts from the FT or LSE are claiming that Piketty's sources are inaccurate. What a shame that his book has been a best seller yet his conclusions are pathetic reformism. Marx turning in his grave again.
Listen thanks Vin. Believe it or not I'm an Opera Singer and I studied at the RCM in London. I sing Tenor for Scottish Opera Chorus now. Apart from Opera I also write music and these lyrics came to me in the past week. I'm involved with a team of professional songwriters and we are about to start working on this song tomorrow. We utilised samples from the "Concerto for Stan Getz" for Saxophone and Orchestra by Richard Rodney Bennett and I scribbled up these lyrics to go with the jazzy fragment we have so it's a work in progress…
"The best essay(s) will achieve either of the following: a) It will succeed in falsifying part of TZM’s central thesis. If so, TZM will publicly announce a shift in its advocacy, or (more unlikely) will concede that its entire thesis is invalid and will cease to exist (at least as it does now). b) It will not succeed in falsifying part of TZM’s central thesis, but it will provide a decent counterargument to or at least helpful reframing of one (or many) of TZM’s core advocacy points. This will allow TZM the opportunity to expand on or clarify any potential shortcomings or ambiguities in the way it has thus far presented such points." I don't know how serious this is but it could be a prime opportunity for opening up serious debate with TZM. When you read the PDF you can see that issues of political action or class consciousness are not even on the TZM radar. They are terrified of being branded "Socialists" and in order to avoid alienating potential members they have just airbrushed out the entire concept of political organisation and class self awareness thus throwing the baby out with the bath water. A few years ago I wrote this stupid thing on the (then) TZM global forum detailing in 10 points how I thought TZM might fail. It was poorly thought out and it might have prejudiced TZM against the WSM because the tone was a bit wanky. It was even posted on the SOYMB blog but I asked for it to be taken down. I still stand by the points I made though. I just hope the judges won't completely ignore a submission from a Socialist because of what I wrote. I guess such an essay wouldn't exactly be a "debunking" but more a process of fine tuning the argument for the establishment of an RBE and I can think of no other organisation on earth other than the WSM who can get right to the bottom of why TZM are languishing in atrophy. Of course the SPGB hasn't exactly got anywhere in the past 110 years either but that's a different matter and not the fault of the party. When I think of all the great minds in the SPGB I am confident someone can come up with a written challenge which might illustrate that without democratic, conscious and political organisation, TZM will get nowhere.
I watched this yesterday. Don't know why cos I hate the cunt. Second half of the video is equally depressing.
I just tried to copy and paste a photo of the T Shirt but don't know if it worked. I have a feeling that Brand would balk at anything to do with the word "Socialism" much like the Zeitgeist crew. I just expect his book to be window dressing for a reform programme because the guy doesn't know any better. Although come to think of it didn't he mention "Socialist Utopia" or words to that effect when he gave Paxman a drubbing? He frustrates me as much as Peter Joseph insofar as he dresses up his lack of a grasp by utilising flowery language. I guess he's heading in the right direction though. Securing a debate/discussion with this guy would be almost impossible though I imagine. He's a "megastar"…
I had a Standard, a copy of SOYMB, a mix tape of music and a T -Shirt (with “Abolish Capitalism” emblazoned on the front) all wrapped up in gift paper for him when I went to see him here in Glasgow in February. Could I get anywhere near him? Could I fuck. Even hung around outside 1 Devonshire Gardens (exclusive hotel here in Glasgow where all the stars stay when they are gigging here) but no luck. Something tells me he wouldn’t be receptive to our ideas anyway. I just don’t think the SPGB would be cool enough for him.
Yes of course. I just found it interesting that a government study could come up with the two quotes I pasted. Just thought I would put it out there as further evidence that workers may be slowly beginning to realise there is something badly wrong.
I've never heard of this guy. I mean would we even have found such an article in a mainstream newspaper 5 years ago? I find it astonishing.
I don't think PJ is a good communicator. I would say the opposite is true. He would put your average worker off. It's bad enough trying to convince workers of the SPGB case which is argued in straightforward language never mind the TZM jargon juggernaut. I began to watch a TZM video lecture entitled "Economic Calculation in a Natural Law" which was recorded in Berlin presumably intended to tie in with the release of their new guidebook. I stuck it for about 15 minutes and switched off the minute he started talking about "Structural Classism". Pretentious pish. The problem is TZM are so terrified of being lumped in with the left that they will do anything to avoid being branded "Socialist" and as a result they throw the baby out with the bath water by inventing an entirely new lexicon of techno psychobabble gobbledygook mixed with faux intellectualism. Peter Joseph revels in it because he thinks he's a genius and he likes the sound of his own voice. He wants a mention in the history books. And the result for TZM in the past 5 years? Nothing but atrophy. What fucks me off is that self important little pricks like Frederico Pistono are talking their shite and getting lecture gigs all over the world whilst the very finest thinkers, debaters and public speakers languish in utter obscurity within the WSM. It's a fuckin joke man.
