Leadership Advice from Russell Brand

When I told my parents about being elected President of the Student Council, I asked for some advice, I asked ‘How do I be a good leader?’

One of the many suggestions was to watch an interview with Russell Brand. It’s quite a strong one and to be sure, controversial one. However, while every single person I knew was reposting it on facebook saying that it was amazing all I could think was:

“What a god damn ass.”

I’m all for change. I think change is the one think that keeps us as a human race from going extinct. Granted, that also results in the death of millions of species and the general screw up of our global environment, but Hey! Change is happening.

What Brand talks about, actually defends himself about is the fact that he doesn’t vote. He never has, and he never will. I think that that’s great. Each to his own, and I admire him for sticking to his guns.

However, what I hate is that this man, is a Comedian/Actor by profession. He isn’t a political thinker, or a philosopher. He is a comedian who says that ‘the system sucks, so I won’t work with it. I want a new system’

Those words were searing hot, but they have no strength to it. It will get ample of support, because the apathetic people that I spoke about last time? They love it! They’ll make a statue of this clown because he said what ‘had to be said’.

Let’s go back a second, ‘what exactly did he say?’

That the government needs to represent the interests of the people. That they need to solve the economic disparity between the rich and the poor.

Again, we are not privy to all the intricate decisions that a government makes. That’s a separate argument all together, however what we are doing? Blindly saying that the government isn’t working for us.

That’s not how it works. I love that Brand was calling people for a revolution, and I want a revolution, but I want a revolution where the people storm the houses of Government and say, “You will do this for us. We want this. Nothing else.”

But by saying that you should revolt by not voting? That’s not going to solve anything. Your vote is important simply from the perspective that it’s your vote. If you choose to not vote, you are saying that you do not care and you refuse to be a part of the system that exists.

That is unbelievably childish. It’s as good as seeing all your friends playing a game, refusing to play the game, sitting in the mud and decisively saying that you won’t play until everyone plays your game.

And the problem that extends from that; is that everyone will have their own game, or at least different variations of the same type.

Secondly, Russell Brand is hardly a person to talk about the disparity between the rich and poor. Yes, this is a personal attack, however, considering the nature of the statement, a personal touch is required.

Russell Brand is a celebrity, he recently trashed his Hugo Boss sponsor at an event because of some god forsaken reason, and a couple of years ago, he got married in Rajasthan and must have blown more than a couple of million dollars in that wedding that lasted less than a year. If his dream is to cure the economic disparity, would it not be more effective to actually take a personal effort in it?

It’s great to applaud a man who takes it upon himself to say the things that everyone wants to say. But if you look at what he’s saying, and realize how unbelievably retarded it is, you’ll be quick to click the next link.