After Russell Brand was invited to co-edit the political magazine New Statesman for their "Revolution" ssue, he turned to BBC News with Jeremy Paxman to express his further indignation with the world in an interview last week.
The "Revolution" issue published Oct. 25, includes contributions from Gary Lineker, David Lynch, Naomi Klein, Rupert Everett, Amanda Palmer and Alec Baldwin. There's also an essay by Brand himself. The cover art was produced by Shepard Fairey.
Brand's willingness to edit a political magazine led to a spirited conversation with Paxman where the actor-comedian said without dramatic, fundamental change, the prevailing political and economic system is broken and hell-bent on planetary-level destruction, The Guardian reported.
After telling Paxman he does not vote, Brand was asked where he gets his authority to speak about politics.
"I don't get my authority from this pre-existing paradigm which is quite narrow and only serves a few people," he said. "I look elsewhere for alternatives that might be of service to humanity."
Brand continued "alternative means, or alternative political systems," to which Paxman asked: like what? Brand replied jokingly, "well I haven't invented it yet, Jeremy, I had to do a magazine last week. I had a lot on my plate."
Brand then seriously listed his political beliefs: the government shouldn't destroy the planet, shouldn't create massive economic disparity and shouldn't ignore the needs of the people.
In the interview, Paxman builds on Brand's political incompetencey of not voting, ever, and said the democratic process for change involves voting, but since Brand doesn't vote he can't be part of change, adding "in a democracy, this is how it works" and if Brand can't be asked to vote, why should others listen to his political point of view?
"Well I don't think its working very well Jeremy, given that planet is being destroyed, given that there is an economic disparity of a huge degree," Brand said. "You don't have to listen to my political point of view, but its not that I am not voting out of apathy, I am not voting out of absolute indifference and exhaustion."
Brand, who stated he has never voted and never will, defended his point and said the disenfranchised, disillusioned, despondent underclass are not being defended by the system, so voting for it, he says, is pointless and will only make it worse.
The interview gained tremendous social media support for Brand, but journalist and commentators were not impressed, calling Brand's ideas simple, and "the ultimate expression of Slackerism," according to The Independent.
Brand attached himself to this underclass that is not being represented by the political system. He said he comes from the sort of social conditions which are created by an indifferent system only serving major corporations.
"The apathy doesn't come from us, the people, that apathy comes from the politicians, they are apathetic to our needs," Brand said. "They are only interested in servicing big corporations."
Paxman said he would not argue with Brand on the issues he is highlighting, adding many people would agree with him if it wasn't for his vague talk of revolution, and that he wants to know the "scheme," of Brands plans.
In response Brand said "don't ask me to sit here in an interview with you in a bloody hotel room and devise a global Utopian system. I am calling for change, I am calling for a genuine alternative." He added that when this genuine plan is introduced he will vote for it, but said he would not waste his time otherwise.
"I don't mind if you don't take me seriously here just to draw attention to a few different ideas," Brand said at the end of the interview. "We can no longer have erroneous, duplicative systems held in place. Only systems that serve the planet, and the population of the planet, can be allowed to survive, not ones that serve the elite."
