The stupidity of the anti-vaxx nutcases

[klang]

fwiw, and not wanting to be negative or judgemental or anything (and taking into account that everyone is different etc etc), but I know a few people who went down the hole, and none of them ever came back. It's a very slippery road from mild 'quite interested in different views' to full-on loonery. Unfortunately.

 

[bimble]

Yeah exactly that, you are not extreme in your views. Did you show her that recent Guardian article by Monbiot on Brand? Is that the type of thing she might take in more than your concerns bimble? Is she a bit vulnerable as well, for her to take on these views so willingly is a worrying sign.

I did I sent her that article. Her reply was that she’s going to ‘keep an open mind for now’ and not judge before she’s listened to what Russel brand says for herself.
She’s not vulnerable other than, she really wanted to fall in love with someone and now she has and he’s a Russel brand fan .

 

[krtek a houby]

fwiw, and not wanting to be negative or judgemental or anything (and taking into account that everyone is different etc etc), but I know a few people who went down the hole, and none of them ever came back. It's a very slippery road from mild 'quite interested in different views' to full-on loonery. Unfortunately.

Same. It's heartbreaking but there is no more dialogue to be had with them.

 

[bimble]

I am extreme to some extent anyway, about conspiracy theorists, it makes me react in not the best way to this stuff (I’ve got a bunch of personal history that makes me this way) not saying I’m wrong just I’m a bit obsessed with it and very zero tolerance. I’m not giving up on my friend, I’ll outlast hippie guy, be here when he’s binned.

 

[BigMoaner]

I did I sent her that article. Her reply was that she’s going to ‘keep an open mind for now’ and not judge before she’s listened to what Russel brand says for herself.
She’s not vulnerable other than, she really wanted to fall in love with someone and now she has and he’s a Russel brand fan .

This is the idea that many of them have - that they are the open minded ones - rather than so patently gullable and niave - and we are the closed minded sheep. It's incredibly emotionally satisfying for many of them.

 

[LDC]

Yeah, 'I'm going to keep an open mind for now' is polite speak for 'I'm not interested' isn't it? Sad, sorry your friend has gone this way. TBH if it was me I'd write her a letter and cut contact but say you're there when she comes through it. Same as if someone started hanging out with far right people, and it is pretty much that tbh.

 

[bimble]

When she first said the ‘open mind’ thing to me was about a week ago when we were out having a meal and I reacted so full on that next table turned round to look. How open, is what I said, exasperatedly, or frightenedly tbh probably. It’s when she first mentioned going to the Russel brand festival this summer.

 

[BigMoaner]

Yeah, 'I'm going to keep an open mind for now' is polite speak for 'I'm not interested' isn't it? Sad, sorry your friend has gone this way. TBH if it was me I'd write her a letter and cut contact but say you're there when she comes through it. Same as if someone started hanging out with far right people, and it is pretty much that tbh.

also depends on how much she allows it to arise in a normal social encounter with her. if she never speaks of it but you can still remain bonded, then that's one thing i guess. my mate would not shut the fuck up about his "views" - because he was by then an unselfaware extremist in the truest sense. So it was a clear case of blocking all contact. painful, sad, and still saddens me 2 years on. but at least there was no trying to figure it out.

 

[BigMoaner]

my manosphere mate - the last three times we have met, he has stuck to his word and not mentioned any of that shit. we have got along as we always had. he has so many positives parts of his character, i am thankful. i think him shutting up about it was in a way suggesting he doesn't hold the views that strongly, anyway. i like the fact that i challanged him each and every time he raised them, and i get the sense that he respects me for challanging them.

 

[bimble]

also depends on how much she allows it to arise in a normal social encounter with her. if she never speaks of it but you can still remain bonded, then that's one thing i guess. my mate would not shut the fuck up about his "views" - because he was by then an unselfaware extremist in the truest sense. So it was a clear case of blocking all contact. painful, sad, and still saddens me 2 years on. but at least there was no trying to figure it out.

Yep this is where I get stuck. I don’t mind if she wants to believe in reiki or crystals or whatever, but the Rothschilds / new world order stuff, that area, even if she never ever mentioned it once but gave it credence, that’s a no that’s a friendship killer.

 

[krtek a houby]

This is the idea that many of them have - that they are the open minded ones - rather than so patently gullable and niave - and we are the closed minded sheep. It's incredibly emotionally satisfying for many of them.

It's probably fulfilling a need for many. A belonging to a movement, perhaps.

 

[BigMoaner]

my third chakra is shuddering, russell.

 

[BigMoaner]

western fascist appropriates eastern mysticism he likely knows near nothing about to reformulate into a neoliberal's dream blend for distracting and warping the enslaved masses. we live in ridiculous times.

 

[BigMoaner]

i would honestly rather go out for a booze with a bunch of tory party back benchers than that lot. honestly. that's how much i can't be doing with the wellness trash that saturates teh culture.

 

[fucthest8]

It's probably fulfilling a need for many. A belonging to a movement, perhaps.

Exactly this. Look above at how he's branded it. Huge numbers of us don't live in communities any more and it has left a hole. I feel it, I really do. It's why this place means so much to me. I always feel like there's someone here who knows me.

I don't belong to any sports clubs, don't really go to my local that often, barely know anyone in my road outside of my immediate neighbours. The feeling of belonging - and to something important - is powerful

 

[BigMoaner]

straw poll:

you are going for a pub crawl in the west end.

two groups:

dozen tory back benchers

or

a dozen wellness/"natural" influencers

which one would you choose.

choices, choices, choices.

 

[bimble]

It would be easier for me if she'd met a jordon peterson straighforward libertarian right admirer type, it would be less emotionally taxing, i've just done so many years around the hippie-druggy-brains so open they fall out vortex, my long misspent youth, it brings up all that, the years of tolerating men who spout dangerous bollocks whilst wearing indian jewellery and organic cotton trousers etc. Fed up with it and its a hundred times more popular now than it was then.

 

[BigMoaner]

Exactly this. Look above at how he's branded it. Huge numbers of us don't live in communities any more and it has left a hole. I feel it, I really do. It's why this place means so much to me. I always feel like there's someone here who knows me.

I don't belong to any sports clubs, don't really go to my local that often, barely know anyone in my road outside of my immediate neighbours. The feeling of belonging - and to something important - is powerful

pity the messages in the main are about atomised, "spiritual individuals", totally in charge of their own enlightenment/health. most of eastern philosophy that has been adopted in the west is a nice handy package to destress and make perfect the neoliberal subject.

 

[pbsmooth]

my third chakra is shuddering, russell.

View attachment 366884

That middle distance stare seems to be his thing. Oooh so mysterious, zen and intelligent.

 

[LDC]

Sad to see Vandana Shiva with this lot, she's an example of how ecological concerns divorced from solid left wing politics can lead you in some weird conspiratorial directions as well.

 

[BigMoaner]

That middle distance stare seems to be his thing. Oooh so mysterious, zen and intelligent.

only a slight smile - because he is so defiant, so brave for asking questions.

 

[BigMoaner]

my third chakra is shuddering, russell.

View attachment 366884

the utter purity of it all.

 

[BigMoaner]

spout dangerous bollocks whilst wearing indian jewellery and organic cotton trousers.

oh, that unholy treble.

 

[krtek a houby]

Exactly this. Look above at how he's branded it. Huge numbers of us don't live in communities any more and it has left a hole. I feel it, I really do. It's why this place means so much to me. I always feel like there's someone here who knows me.

I don't belong to any sports clubs, don't really go to my local that often, barely know anyone in my road outside of my immediate neighbours. The feeling of belonging - and to something important - is powerful

Aye. Which is a thing when it comes to malicious individuals seeking to mess around with this community. Like the good bimble, am obsessed with seeing them challenged and outed. Probably too much but there you go...

Back on Brand, he offers something very seductive, like all grifty gurus and would be prophets... it's not a surprise that such a powerful charismatic individual will attract a following.

Knew a couple of people who worked with him long time back and they thought he was a dick but Tbh, didn't pay much attention. thought he was amusing and a breath of fresh air. Especially tying (admittedly easy targets) US media in knots.

Didn't see the whole cult of personality thing coming.

 

[mojo pixy]

I used to know .. I mean not just 'know' but I was part of things, of crews, like a big expansive gang .. so many hippies and others of this type, all going on about 'family', calling me 'brother' and talking about love. Guess how supportive they were when I accidentally had a child with an abusive person and my mental health totally fell apart? Guess how many of them I've seen or even heard from in the last 8 or 9 years, now I'm a single parent? Literally zero, I became persona non grata as soon as I needed any kind of actual support.

Fuck them all, and their stupid cliches and hypocrisy and self-centred bullshit. Grr.

 

[pbsmooth]

Sad to see Vandana Shiva with this lot, she's an example of how ecological concerns divorced from solid left wing politics can lead you in some weird conspiratorial directions as well.

they may not all be nutjobs to be fair. I see that Bruce Parry is on there - can't find any evidence of him being a loony. this might be one where Brand stays more on the hippy track to get some new followers. he maybe keeps the full crazy stuff for youtube.

 

[LDC]

Yeah, I think in some ways that's one of the dangers of it all though, in that it exposes people into one reasonably harmless thing to dangerous ideas and tendencies.

As others have said this kid of environmental/wellness/spiritual stuff is often a pipeline into conspiratorial thinking.

Actually looking through the list of people presenting/whatever there's a few people that might be open to pressure; for example Kehinde Andrews has always seemed pretty sound, not sure he would be happy hanging out with alt-right loons.

 

[editor]

my third chakra is shuddering, russell.

View attachment 366884

Just £225 a ticket for an alcohol-free event!

Community 2025 | Friday 11th – Monday 14th July

Community is about personal awakening and social change.Russell Brand and friends will be back for 3 days of camping, conversation on spirituality, wellness, healthy living and our environment. Profits from Community will go to our Stay Free Foundation which proudly supports people through...

www.russellbrand.com

Biet Simkin is the world-renowned spiritual teacher and best-selling author dubbed “The David Bowie of Meditation”. She creates huge meditation and breathwork experiences that she scores with her own music.

Kirsty Gallagher is a moon mentor, soul alignment and spiritual coach, yoga teacher and meditation teacher

Sad to see Beans On Toast on the bill...

 

[LDC]

This stuff is just total poison.

 

[Yossarian]

Just £225 a ticket for an alcohol-free event!

And it could go a lot higher: