In an age of distortion, major columnists have powerful tools and a responsibility. His latest column on Russell Brand is an object lesson in how that can go wrong
I do not know exactly what MI5 told The Guardian shortly after the Graun published the Snowden revelations, but the Graun has been very careful to hew closely to the neocon line ever since.
It’s good to see you have discovered Monbiot’s duplicity. I objected many years ago to his smearing of Bolivian President Evos Morales in reference to Morales’ defense of striking miners. Wrote him a letter which he never deigned to respond to. A tool, in my opinion.
Damn Johnathan this is eloquent! I have never read anything so clear and concise and totally irrefutable! I wish I could write half as well as you. Every word of truth here is absolutely in keeping with what I believe in my heart and head. This is what has brought about my belief that our governments and lots of the citizenry have become a "Hostile Foreign Entity" the very thing they call us any time we call out their lies it is a standard response "you're a Kremlin operative" or "How are things in China"! I think people have been dulled to the point that they respond only to buzz words. Is it instant gratification that drives this or something else? I know from 30 years ago that the 12 year olds and older children of the day were being brought up in what to them was a disposable society. I had parents who grew up in the depression era in the US so understood how to keep what you have and maintain it so when my 12 year old step daughter was messing with my stereo I stopped her and her response was why don't you just get a new one! Mind you I took years collecting the components so I was just stunned. Is this then where we are? Throw people away, stereos, truth anything that isn't quick and easy? I think that if these canned responses from people like Monbiot who you are speaking about here can just throw out the right buzz words there is a whole bunch of nodding heads that will buy it.
Jonathan, nobody that I read is more adept at maintaining clarity in a complicated tale of manifold players and agendas. For myself, I tend to cringe at any linguistic assertion that corporate media pay “leftists” to bash other leftists. Clearly Monbiot is a corporate tool, and his ability to champion some liberal values makes him no less a tool. I think your consistent exposure of Monbiot is a very constructive use of your time and platform, and a clever way of contextualizing the efforts of struggling writers to achieve relevancy. I find it scary how the Monbiots and Tucker Carlsons of MSM can dupe people paying attention to them into believing their distortions and fabrications. They are consummate echo chamber artistes!
Thanks, Jonathan, for making it rather clear that Monbiot is simply what others have labeled, "controlled opposition". He certainly isn't qualified to speak to any question about who represents the Left, Right or anything other than the neolib-neocon cabal that he represents. In selling out journalistic and other democratic principles, if he ever had them) he has destroyed his reputation among any outside of that establishment elite for whom he now speaks while wearing the mask of the liberal side.
There is a long tradition of great humanitarian, anti-establishment voices in world history. I suspect if any of them were still living and writing, Monbiot would add all of them to his smear-list. But most people have learned that while one may gain a few nods here and there for smearing others, in the long run most will recognize the betrayals.
Russell Brand is parroting a fascist conspiracy theory, because Brand has attached himself right wing woo bullshit.
Monbiot is right to call Brand out for his anti climate change misinformation.
AFAIK Monbiot didn't call Brand a fascist. He said that he has become involved in far right conspiracies, because that's where the big clicks and bucks are.
Nor do I understand your defence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It's no more or less defensible that Germany marching into the Sudetenland, or the invasion of Iraq by the US and GB in 2003.
I'm not absolving the West of interference in the region, but it was never a justification for Russian military occupation of a sovereign state.
When murder is rewarded. Why would people like Monbiot not play along with Team-Genocide, when everybody that marches in the band is made a centi-millionaire and many billionaires; Very few humans are not infected with this 'greed gene'
BOJO summed it up best last year on the UK GOV problem and the talking head Urnalists, who frog march for Gov, "GOV only exists in to keep Pedophiles out of prison"-BOJO, now think long & hard what that statement actually meant;
The cat is out of the bag; You people can ignore it, but it is now proven that TRUMP & Pompeo (CIA Director) orchestrated the entire COVID operation as a means to destroy China & the European Economy.
Now Trump hired Pompeo, and CIA orchestrated the release of Covid on Iran, Italy, USA (mil-bases), and China; Trump was complicit with the operation from early 2019, even working with Gates in the simulation; Trump wanted a war, he wanted to beat China, he thought it would get him a second term by destroying China; Trump also wanted to market and monopolize the world distribution of mRNA knowing it would make 100's of billions of USD cash for his mafia pals in Israel; Trump wanted to justify the release of $2 Trillion USD to fight COVID flood cash in the USA and win his re-election;
The chattering classes keep going on about 'how trump didn't know", how he fired everybody who didn't go along with his lies and denial of real science. Guess what people the truth is out, and Trump is going down; Claw-Back time to return 10's of Billions of USD from the Kushner, Ivanka, and Baron Foundations;
Same. I used to admire Monbiot's passionate defence of the environment. It seemed to resonate from a place of fundamental love of nature as a precious thing... maybe this still holds true. Perhaps this was his only sincere moment because when I looked around at his commentary on other matters I was quite alarmed. His initial dismissal of Assange was vulgar to say the least considering he calls himself a journalist.
Great essay, thanks. Monbiot & MSM in general are seriously butt hurt that their gravy train of lies & omissions is going down the tube. Greenwald & Brand’s shows on Rumble are skyrocketing helping to end the #EmpireOfLies
I once admired George Monbiot. But his grim trajectory shows us where politics is heading
I do not know exactly what MI5 told The Guardian shortly after the Graun published the Snowden revelations, but the Graun has been very careful to hew closely to the neocon line ever since.
He's gone full Paul Mason...
There's either a whole load of cash or kompromat or blood/brain barrier issues out there at the moment...
It’s good to see you have discovered Monbiot’s duplicity. I objected many years ago to his smearing of Bolivian President Evos Morales in reference to Morales’ defense of striking miners. Wrote him a letter which he never deigned to respond to. A tool, in my opinion.
Excellent article
Damn Johnathan this is eloquent! I have never read anything so clear and concise and totally irrefutable! I wish I could write half as well as you. Every word of truth here is absolutely in keeping with what I believe in my heart and head. This is what has brought about my belief that our governments and lots of the citizenry have become a "Hostile Foreign Entity" the very thing they call us any time we call out their lies it is a standard response "you're a Kremlin operative" or "How are things in China"! I think people have been dulled to the point that they respond only to buzz words. Is it instant gratification that drives this or something else? I know from 30 years ago that the 12 year olds and older children of the day were being brought up in what to them was a disposable society. I had parents who grew up in the depression era in the US so understood how to keep what you have and maintain it so when my 12 year old step daughter was messing with my stereo I stopped her and her response was why don't you just get a new one! Mind you I took years collecting the components so I was just stunned. Is this then where we are? Throw people away, stereos, truth anything that isn't quick and easy? I think that if these canned responses from people like Monbiot who you are speaking about here can just throw out the right buzz words there is a whole bunch of nodding heads that will buy it.
Thanks for filling in my own view.
Jonathan, nobody that I read is more adept at maintaining clarity in a complicated tale of manifold players and agendas. For myself, I tend to cringe at any linguistic assertion that corporate media pay “leftists” to bash other leftists. Clearly Monbiot is a corporate tool, and his ability to champion some liberal values makes him no less a tool. I think your consistent exposure of Monbiot is a very constructive use of your time and platform, and a clever way of contextualizing the efforts of struggling writers to achieve relevancy. I find it scary how the Monbiots and Tucker Carlsons of MSM can dupe people paying attention to them into believing their distortions and fabrications. They are consummate echo chamber artistes!
Thanks, Jonathan, for making it rather clear that Monbiot is simply what others have labeled, "controlled opposition". He certainly isn't qualified to speak to any question about who represents the Left, Right or anything other than the neolib-neocon cabal that he represents. In selling out journalistic and other democratic principles, if he ever had them) he has destroyed his reputation among any outside of that establishment elite for whom he now speaks while wearing the mask of the liberal side.
There is a long tradition of great humanitarian, anti-establishment voices in world history. I suspect if any of them were still living and writing, Monbiot would add all of them to his smear-list. But most people have learned that while one may gain a few nods here and there for smearing others, in the long run most will recognize the betrayals.
thanks for saying this. cognitive capture is a blunt instrument and a subtle drug.
Russell Brand is parroting a fascist conspiracy theory, because Brand has attached himself right wing woo bullshit.
Monbiot is right to call Brand out for his anti climate change misinformation.
AFAIK Monbiot didn't call Brand a fascist. He said that he has become involved in far right conspiracies, because that's where the big clicks and bucks are.
Nor do I understand your defence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It's no more or less defensible that Germany marching into the Sudetenland, or the invasion of Iraq by the US and GB in 2003.
I'm not absolving the West of interference in the region, but it was never a justification for Russian military occupation of a sovereign state.
Monbiot's criticism of Brand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khAs-mpZ0nU
Russel Brand on Real Time recently was a bit over the top 🤣🤣
When murder is rewarded. Why would people like Monbiot not play along with Team-Genocide, when everybody that marches in the band is made a centi-millionaire and many billionaires; Very few humans are not infected with this 'greed gene'
BOJO summed it up best last year on the UK GOV problem and the talking head Urnalists, who frog march for Gov, "GOV only exists in to keep Pedophiles out of prison"-BOJO, now think long & hard what that statement actually meant;
https://bilbobitch.substack.com/p/grand-covid-conspiracy-theory-finally
Follow the Money.
The cat is out of the bag; You people can ignore it, but it is now proven that TRUMP & Pompeo (CIA Director) orchestrated the entire COVID operation as a means to destroy China & the European Economy.
Now Trump hired Pompeo, and CIA orchestrated the release of Covid on Iran, Italy, USA (mil-bases), and China; Trump was complicit with the operation from early 2019, even working with Gates in the simulation; Trump wanted a war, he wanted to beat China, he thought it would get him a second term by destroying China; Trump also wanted to market and monopolize the world distribution of mRNA knowing it would make 100's of billions of USD cash for his mafia pals in Israel; Trump wanted to justify the release of $2 Trillion USD to fight COVID flood cash in the USA and win his re-election;
The chattering classes keep going on about 'how trump didn't know", how he fired everybody who didn't go along with his lies and denial of real science. Guess what people the truth is out, and Trump is going down; Claw-Back time to return 10's of Billions of USD from the Kushner, Ivanka, and Baron Foundations;
https://www.unz.com/runz/the-alt-covid-community-begins-unraveling-the-origins-of-covid/
Same. I used to admire Monbiot's passionate defence of the environment. It seemed to resonate from a place of fundamental love of nature as a precious thing... maybe this still holds true. Perhaps this was his only sincere moment because when I looked around at his commentary on other matters I was quite alarmed. His initial dismissal of Assange was vulgar to say the least considering he calls himself a journalist.
O! for the halcyon days when George gleefully pilloried Tony and Cherie's naked, fruit-smeared celebration of the Mayan Gods in Telum...
The four horsemen of the British New Left
https://imgur.com/a/6kInzdj
Great essay, thanks. Monbiot & MSM in general are seriously butt hurt that their gravy train of lies & omissions is going down the tube. Greenwald & Brand’s shows on Rumble are skyrocketing helping to end the #EmpireOfLies