[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

The visceral reactions - the tone of the responses - to this, say more than the content of any of the posts by orders of magnitude. I'll keep my basic response relatively short as I can see this thread being "cleansed" (also the reason I am not quoting anyone) :

I think Brand is brilliant, in the true sense of the word. I think he is a confused, frustrated genius who struggles to water-down what he has to say enough to make it suitable for consumption by a general public who don't already instinctually "feel" the world that he describes, and when he talks there's a certain element of it being a relentless thought process that he is simply sharing. I agree with almost everything he has to say.

A note to kirk: consider, please, that just because you personally are confused by or don't understand what he is saying, does not mean that it is objectively confusing or incomprehensible. You are not the benchmark by which the clarity of thoughts or opinions are measured. For example, the meaning of "an armageddon for the individual" is perfectly clear to me without any further explanation. I can't break it down and explain it in a way that you will understand - no one here can - it's either the sort of concept that you just think "yes, absolutely" as soon as you hear it or its one that you will likely never understand.

I guess Brand's only major fault, then, is "preaching to the choir" - the people who hear him speak and understand his message perfectly are those who already agree with and understand that message.

That's not necessarily a problem. Watching his videos and just gaining the knowledge that other people out there do see things the same way you do, understand the world as you understand it, can be quite comforting. I guess something like "the trews" is sort of like a sermon, in that respect. He often comes out with things that succinctly express ideas that are already in my head as a jumble of static and random thoughts. One liners that I hear and think "YES! That's it! That's what I've been trying to express!".

His use of language can be convoluted and obscure but IMO his videos are for those people as I described above, and not for those like yourself, who wouldn't understand what he has to say no matter how it was phrased.

That's not to insult your intelligence or a skills of comprehension. In the past you've struggled to understand things I've said on here or completely misunderstood them when other members have found it to be perfectly clear. Likewise, you yourself have expressed the same feeling of being misunderstood when you feel you are being clear. We each just have a completely different set of beliefs.

There really is no need to 'patronise' me TS, or belittle my intelligence, 'listening comprehension' or ability to rationalise - no matter how 'nicely' you dress it up and I find your comment that: "His use of language can be convoluted and obscure but IMO his videos are for those people as I described above, and not for those like yourself, who wouldn't understand what he has to say no matter how it was phrased." highly insulting.

When I said that I did not understand what Brand was trying to say, I was being rhetorical - not confused. I do not understand what Brand is saying because he is saying NOTHING rational and everything which I have read of what he has written and everything which I have heard him say is random and confused, or when he has been more lucid he is merely regurgitating ideas which have been around for decades and which have been expressed by far superior intellects than his and with more clarity and fluidity.

Brand has not reinvented the wheel.

Perhaps you would like to respond to me and tell me exactly what Brand stands for?

That's not such a difficult or unreasonable question is it?

As for your jibe; "You are not the benchmark by which the clarity of thoughts or opinions are measured" you are WRONG, because I AM indeed the benchmark by which I personally measure others clarity of thoughts and opinions. How can I not be?

My senses PERCEIVE and my brain PROCESSES those perception and in a nano-second BS is ascertained and classified as BS, and I express my opinion of what data my brain has just processed, accordingly.

Do you perceive and experience something but absolutely REFRAIN from posting an OPINION because it is YOUR opinion only, and not THE BENCHMARK which ALL others will AGREE with?

I NEVER professed to BE "THE BENCHMARK by which the clarity of thoughts or opinions OF ALL OTHERS is measured" so your comment is meaningless really, but useful nonetheless to help me understand why you UNDERSTAND what moron Brand is saying in his garbled preaching.

Your post even starts off with two contradictions TS:

"I'll keep my basic response relatively short as I can see this thread being "cleansed" (also the reason I am not quoting anyone)"

Because your post is not only NOT "relatively short" (as you admit in a follow up post) but you actually repeatedly indirectly QUOTE me as shown by the text which I have emboldened (which you do NOT admit in your follow up post).

I have my opinion of Brand as you have yours, but whereas in my lengthy post discrediting him, I actually gave reasons and used facts to support my contentions, the Brand supporters on here have thus far failed to reciprocate in their attacks on my posts and in their defence of their hero.

Instead, where I write in criticism of Brand's guff: "In a way Armageddon is coming ... For the individual" -- WTF does that mean? It's just meaningless twaddle. He neither knows The Bible, nor understands the ramifications of total nuclear war for the idiot to believe that 'Armageddon' - in either context - will be an 'individual' experience."

Your response is: "For example, the meaning of "an armageddon for the individual" is perfectly clear to me without any further explanation. I can't break it down and explain it in a way that you will understand - no one here can - it's either the sort of concept that you just think "yes, absolutely" as soon as you hear it or its one that you will likely never understand."

The above is the same deflection drivel which other Brand supporters on here have used. Do not shirk from giving an answer which you cannot give by claiming that to do so would be futile because I would not understand it.

I have no such fears concerning my intellectual capacities, so humour me and post your explanation of just how Biblical 'Armageddon' or actual 'Nuclear' can be an 'individual' experience as motor-mouth Brand, The 'Urban Messiah' proclaims.

Incorporate it in a post which also includes a synopsis of what Brand IS SAYING (write it in Pigeon English if you like to assist me in comprehending it) and I will duly respond.

We are not heated, we are not being personal - just debating.