Look here, having turned the tap of abstractions off we continue to find that it keeps dripping. Russell Brand for example wont leave us alone. Aside from his acting and comedy career he has for a long time spoken politically in the media about anti austerity and anti capitalist themes. In another example of 'a sign of the times' he has, like so many other swinging egos, has taken to full blown monetized forth holding on the YouTube video service. Forgive me but we must have a go at him. He began by simply elaborating on his anticapitalist views which while not particularly illuminating were delivered with a comedians skills and made more powerful because of it. 'Heja Russel' one might say.1 The last time we saw him was when gleaning the Borg in the early stages of the pandemic, we saw him still working his charms, talking comedically about big tech companies and their tax avoiding, society shaping ways, (I remember the phrase 'my nipples are buzzing') but with hindsight can we see a certain drift, the first ripples perhaps of what would become that great wave of confusion with regards the politics of the pandemic, particularly in his discussion of the 'big reset' theory. We know that whatever that is about it was a phrase that was crossing the border from anticapitalist revolutionary to alt right conspiracy fascist land unchecked. That much we saw for ourselves but in our Work 40 go, while we slip slided over various young news sites and investigative magazines we came across a piece about Brand on slate.com which was not so much about what he has said and more about the way he presents and promotes his channel. It was essentially a critique of this Brand for taking up the tried and tested you tube formula for gaining maximum attention, such as sensational titles, capitalised just so to attract the algorythm (meaning you Borg). Take a look at it and you can well see.
We might well agree with what the man says sometimes but we agree also with Lili Loofbourow's analysys that his packaging is slotting him in to the game of realities where the politics of what he discusses is up for grabs more than he might realise. As Loofbourows says at the end of her piece regards Brands pandemic stories, "he has totally confused which powerful interests are trying to screw us (hello, YouTube!) and which ones are trying to save our lives."
The reason that the case of Russel Brand keeps dripping into our thoughts is that his political positioning seen through the framing of the you tuber and taken in the broader context of the indy media conspiracy industry is ambiguous and this is perhaps more dangerous to society than the overtly far right content of the daily stomper for example. For us we see his comedically articulated anticapitalist anti elitest world view dovetailing with some far alt right Nrx business for sure and he should be aware of that danger and if he isn't he better ask somebody. (Not his agent). The problem is the framing as Loofbourows shows us. Framing is important as institutional critique shows us.2 Does he know what he is doing? Is he just a comedian doing his act? Just trying to maximize his audience and make hay?
It seems this Brand is all in! To his political channel he has a compliment 'relax' channel! Some sort of quasi zen, yoga business. He drives his audience into a psychological frenzy on 'RB 1' then ushers them over to 'RB 2' where he can calm em down. And repeat. That's some jekyl and hyde nonsense. It reminds me of the 'It Could Happen Here' podcast that we allowed ourselves last year in which the narrator spins out a detailed and frighteningly plausible account of how civil war may be about to erupt in the USA at any time and this is interspersed with surreal commercials for mediation apps! This was perhaps an accident of the adverts but not so with Brand; he's in business and business is good. He's scrambling for the dollars as if he has none but he does, he is rich and famous so why bother with it all? Is this just how he lives? A hobby? He leaves one with little choice than to ask the immortal question - why doesn't he just fuck off?
We take in prize fights on occasion. We were suckered in to the low end world of grandaddy pugilism recently, a world where old boxers, as old as 58, fight in sad shows along with some fueding youtubers. Its a huge money spinner but the sweet science is nowhere to be found. In any case Don Donald was surreally secured to commentate on one of these affairs in 20213 during which he made a comment about sport not being so popular as it once was and that "people like politics now". That revealed what we have suspected, that it is just good business to him; he used to be in property now he's in politics. But 'people like politics now' in the context of Borg orchestrated culture wars and grand conspiracy narratives about powerful elites to which people identify and in time extract their identity. This is a context in which reality is formed, as Bridle says, "by fundamentalist insistence on simplistic narratives, conspiracy theories, and post-factual politics." A context where politics and news has become the product of attention seeking online personalities with enough intellect to offer captivating and revelatory political commentary to draw in an audience before seamlessly performing, as Loofbourow says, giant leaps of logic that are the essential trick of the popular conspiracy theorist. It is easy to miss especially when you are enjoying the show. Now lets be quite honest, this leap of logic accusation is something we do also, just look at our banner ffs,4 but this is an artistic context. Perhaps students do this leap when writing essays and perhaps it is natural occurrence when one is trying to articulate a theory but look here, that is when the teacher steps in to point out this flaw in the argument. Indeed academics live between the leaps in logic and if one is going to be made it is extensively articulated and referenced until it is no longer a great leap in logic. That is the work.
Yes it is natural to exaggerate and leap, it is essential and creative even, thinking out of the box and all that but the problem is when this thinking is applied to what has become essentially 'the news' of the world to some people. Then it is different. If you are laundering the disinfo then leaps of logic are a sly art, the essential ingredient. But if you are waving the flag in the left hand, and have an ounce of self awareness, then these leaps of logic must be checked. Of course that would ruin the show so he carrys on. Back to the immortal question.5
Brand has realised also that "people like politics now" as entertainment and has found his selves on the You Tube bandwagon sitting at top table and in this context of lifestyle conspiracy news evangelism it hardly matters that his is a leftist message because the tide is coming from the right. But once again this is only such an issue because it seems increasingly the case that people are taking in the likes of Brand, Icke, Jones or whoever as news outlets! Subscribing to the channel and receiving the news via 'the daily beep' in the pocket. You see people jogging manically around societiesparken, ear pieces in, and to us it as likely that they are taking in the latest episode of their favorite conspiracy influencer, as they are the melodi festival!6 But listen to us once more, perhaps it was always going to be difficult to ignore all these abstractions in favour of the far future. We have tried but they weigh on us. Let us say a little of todays study.
Overby back field in neighbour Henricks land there is a slightly raised point which affords a very varied view over the fake lake towards the Vestakulla barn. That is where we were today, in late afternoon.
With a handshake,
John
1. 'Heja' is a Swedish word meaning to cheer for. 'Heja Russell' translates to 'go Russell'.
2. A strand of critical art in which the art work or exhibition draws attention to the various factors of its own framing.
3. Don Donald provided special commentary for the September 11th Triller fight card featuring Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort.
4. Needless acronym for 'for fucks sake'.
5. Why doesn't he just fuck off?
6. Eurovision song contest.