Russell Brand/Parklife

[meoverhere]

AIBU to think this is very funny (and well deserved?)

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I now see voting as a huge leap of faith as ime over the years what politicians say and what they do are rarely the same. The duty that I used to feel to vote has gone as I no longer feel the system can be changed and the parties are not open enough for me to see what I am voting for.

But yet the country ticks on, still moving, still working, still thriving. So much so the EU wants us to give them a huge chunk of money because we've pulled ourself out of the economic shite so well.

Alex James....phwooooar

That looks like the gas tower thingy in Purley Way, Croydon.

That is all.

Damon, Damon, oh Damon....

I'll have them all, bar Dave (sorry Dave).

noddy, I just want to support you on the voting thing. Totally reasonable position exercise your right not to, I think.
If you think there is no genuine difference between the different options with respect to the issues which most concern you, then voting can be seen as a way of supporting and maintaining a system you don't think is working.
If enough people don't vote, it becomes clearer that something is awry.
You will of course encounter endless sanctimonious (and largely irrelevant) tales of our ancestors if you say that on here, though.

Thankyou clock x I am surprised that it has created such heat tbh as I know a lot of people who don't vote and a lot more who plan not to again

I wonder what would happen if there was a 'none of the above' box on the ballot slip. That way the strength of feeling of lack of faith in the major parties would be measurable. In my naivety I would hope that would be enough to shake things up a bit. I'm aware that this would never happen though

I don't think you can simply opt out of a democracy

When you turn up at the polling station, they cross your name off the electoral roll. No matter what you do inside the booth the powers that be (as it were) know you participated. That makes getting you to tick the right box the most important thing on their to do list.
If you don't engage with democracy, the politicians wont be bothered about you.

I remain unconvinced about the value of spoiling a ballot. I'd be interested to know if any politicians really care about it as a genuine act of protest - at least (if we can assume they are deliberately spoiled, which I don't think we can) it registers a willingness to engage rather than just apathy.

Not voting just means some else gets to decide who runs the country, and the fewer voters that turn out the less accountable MP's become, which cannot be a good thing. I don't particularly like a system dominated by party politics, but I do not accept that disengaging is the best way to protest.

As the years go on I see disengaging as positive.

Why? All that happens is you don't get your say, however small. Other people will choose for you.

I find actively engaging does have an effect. I write to my MP and councilors and always get a reply back, often resulting in something positive happening or at least an explanation as to why things are the way they are. I know it's easy to get disillusioned but away from the more visible aspects of politics most local representatives are doing it for the right reasons, in my experience.

If you opt out, then I guess you can stop caring and not bother watching question time and getting agitated when people talk shite. So maybe that's a good thing. But in my opinion, you can't moan about the government and be taken seriously, if you don't engage.

The only people who are ever going to run this country are either the Labour Party or the Conservatives, who both now essentially stand for the same thing so using your vote doesn't count for anything (I do vote btw but understand why people don't).

There is no democracy, a party like the greens could never get in because the media will do everything to make sure it doesn't happen. The system is self serving and corrupt and it may serve some of you and that's great but it doesn't serve many, many people. If Russell Brand or anyone else wants to use their position to try and make life better for those who are most underrepresented in our current political system then great! I'm all for it.

I heard a really intelligent conversation amongst some children today about politics and how they have been motivated to get more knowledge about the system etc because of Russell Brand and if that is all he achieves then it's a job well done.

What you are hearing come out of RB's mouth is something reminiscent of 'Word Salad'. Not as unintelligible, but on a similar continuum.

I am not here to be convinced to revisit voting in the uk system. I am not complaining about the govt I am rejecting the system we have after years of engaging with it. Other people already choose for me and now I am choosing. Who exactly won't take me seriously? Party politics no longer for me it has led us to a place where UKIP is seen as a choice and I won't be a part of it.

The main reason to keep on kicking Russell Brand (and the best way to do it is by making him look silly) is his misogyny. A world run by Russell Brand and people who think Russell Brand is wonderful would not be much better for women than the one we have now and might be a lot worse.

Just in passing, all these knobs who 'speak for the people' - they are always men, and they always speak for men because it doesn't seem to occur to them that women are people too.

Hear hear, SGB.

Unfortunately Noddy although I can see your frustration and agree with you, not voting just silences you. I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country so my vote is always worth nothing but I will continue to vote, to argue and to engage with the system as I don't understand how disengaging can be positive

The Times had an article about RB at the weekend, pointing out that his ideas don't stack up when you look beyond the surface, that this is "cut and paste" philosophy. The article used a great comment which rang true in my opinion, it said "he creates a wall of noise and words designed to stifle the possibility of thought"

Parklife is a brilliant response!

I was frustrated when I did vote tbh.

I think a lot of people will disengage over time with the current system.

I think that would be a great idea