Comments on: Why Monbiot is so Miserable http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html Challenging Climate Orthodoxy Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:47:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: New addition to my blog roll | IAIN HALL's Sandpit http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-13870 New addition to my blog roll | IAIN HALL's Sandpit Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:42:11 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-13870 [...] George’s problem is that the culture he wants us to be part of is entirely negative. In contrast to this cultural pessimism, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May celebrate human achievements – however shallowly, and appear to risk their lives for their passions, while Monbiot considers us to be a destructive plague on the planet. Clarkson is a hero, and Monbiot is a chicken. Clarkson bumbles his own way into making history by doing dangerous things like driving to the North Pole, while Monbiot twitches behind his curtains, tutting about what other people are getting up to. Clarkson, for all his faults, is full of spirit, letting bad things bounce off of him. Monbiot dwells on the fantasy dystopia he’s read about. The irony here is that while the things that Top Gear represents are somewhat coarse, it is Monbiot’s dark dark narrative which creates apathy. The only reason he can think of for organising our collective efforts is that if we don’t, we will all drown. What George needs to realise is that people don’t drive cars because they watch Top Gear, they watch top Gear because they love cars and the positive things that cars represent. Environmentalism offers us nothing positive. Climate Resistance [...] [...] George’s problem is that the culture he wants us to be part of is entirely negative. In contrast to this cultural pessimism, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May celebrate human achievements – however shallowly, and appear to risk their lives for their passions, while Monbiot considers us to be a destructive plague on the planet. Clarkson is a hero, and Monbiot is a chicken. Clarkson bumbles his own way into making history by doing dangerous things like driving to the North Pole, while Monbiot twitches behind his curtains, tutting about what other people are getting up to. Clarkson, for all his faults, is full of spirit, letting bad things bounce off of him. Monbiot dwells on the fantasy dystopia he’s read about. The irony here is that while the things that Top Gear represents are somewhat coarse, it is Monbiot’s dark dark narrative which creates apathy. The only reason he can think of for organising our collective efforts is that if we don’t, we will all drown. What George needs to realise is that people don’t drive cars because they watch Top Gear, they watch top Gear because they love cars and the positive things that cars represent. Environmentalism offers us nothing positive. Climate Resistance [...]

]]> By: Richard http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-5476 Richard Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:07:21 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-5476 Monbiot is the kid that got bullied at school, and now wants everyone to suffer in his tofu munching, pedal powered car, grow your own lentils grim world. In fact i'd like to go back to school, so i could bully him some more ! Monbiot is the kid that got bullied at school, and now wants everyone to suffer in his tofu munching, pedal powered car, grow your own lentils grim world.

In fact i’d like to go back to school, so i could bully him some more !

]]> By: Editors http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-73 Editors Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-73 Gasp! Smashing up cars to sell DVDs?!!! Shock!!! Acting like children and misleading and being deliberately provocative!!! Somebody ought to ban this filth. <br/><br/>Anon's concern that "many people seem incapable of distinguising between mindless entertainment and serious, informed journalism or debate" reveals a contempt for the public which is all to common amongst the environmental movement. Those dirty, stupid proles don't deserve democracy. And his call for 'responsibility' is also revealing of the puritanical and censorious nature of environmentalism. <br/><br/>Of course Top Gear is just a TV program, and Clarkson just a TV presenter. The problem is that the shrill tones made by the likes of Anon and Monbiot elevate him. As we say in the post, <i>If we want to know why Clarkson is the last bastion of resistance to dull orthodoxies such as environmentalism and political correctness, don't watch Top Gear, read Monbiot</i>. <br/><br/>Monbiot's attempt to arrest John Bolton was a pointless stunt designed to create attention for himself, same as Clarkson blowing up brand new cars to sell DVDs. Gasp! Smashing up cars to sell DVDs?!!! Shock!!! Acting like children and misleading and being deliberately provocative!!! Somebody ought to ban this filth.

Anon’s concern that “many people seem incapable of distinguising between mindless entertainment and serious, informed journalism or debate” reveals a contempt for the public which is all to common amongst the environmental movement. Those dirty, stupid proles don’t deserve democracy. And his call for ‘responsibility’ is also revealing of the puritanical and censorious nature of environmentalism.

Of course Top Gear is just a TV program, and Clarkson just a TV presenter. The problem is that the shrill tones made by the likes of Anon and Monbiot elevate him. As we say in the post, If we want to know why Clarkson is the last bastion of resistance to dull orthodoxies such as environmentalism and political correctness, don’t watch Top Gear, read Monbiot.

Monbiot’s attempt to arrest John Bolton was a pointless stunt designed to create attention for himself, same as Clarkson blowing up brand new cars to sell DVDs.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-72 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:25:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-72 "Clarkson remains popular because he represents something entirely more positive."<br/><br/>Like smashing up a brand new car to sell his DVD? Every episode of Top Gear is now a bunch of 40-something adolescents acting like children and providing absolutely no useful information. In fact, they are misleading and deliberatley provocative - I suspect purely in the name of entertainment which is all it is. Problem is - so many people seem incapable of distinguising between mindless entertainment and serious, informed journalism or debate. I actually, against my better judgment, enjoy Clarkson's humour sometimes, particularly on HIGNFY. But the fact that someone with his influence and viewing figures is so grossly irresponsible is unforgivable. <br/><br/>"Monbiot may have done some brave things in the past"<br/><br/>If you read the news you would know Monbiot recently attempted a citizens arrest on former US government official John Bolton for his part in instigating the war on Iraq.<br/><br/>Enough - there is probably better use of my time than trying to explain this here. “Clarkson remains popular because he represents something entirely more positive.”

Like smashing up a brand new car to sell his DVD? Every episode of Top Gear is now a bunch of 40-something adolescents acting like children and providing absolutely no useful information. In fact, they are misleading and deliberatley provocative – I suspect purely in the name of entertainment which is all it is. Problem is – so many people seem incapable of distinguising between mindless entertainment and serious, informed journalism or debate. I actually, against my better judgment, enjoy Clarkson’s humour sometimes, particularly on HIGNFY. But the fact that someone with his influence and viewing figures is so grossly irresponsible is unforgivable.

“Monbiot may have done some brave things in the past”

If you read the news you would know Monbiot recently attempted a citizens arrest on former US government official John Bolton for his part in instigating the war on Iraq.

Enough – there is probably better use of my time than trying to explain this here.

]]> By: Editors http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-71 Editors Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:41:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-71 The difference is that Monbiot travelled the world and came back to tell everybody that they shouldn't be allowed to see it. Clarkson, however, doesn't wish to deprive anyone of anything. Monbiot returned from the dead bearing a sandwich board proclaiming the end of the world, but Clarkson celebrates human achievements. <br/><br/>Monbiot may have done some brave things in the past, but the experience only seems to have weakened his spirit and faith in humanity. Maybe he didn't recover from his experiences quite as fully as has been reported on Wikipedia.<br/><br/>Clarkson remains popular because he represents something entirely more positive. The difference is that Monbiot travelled the world and came back to tell everybody that they shouldn’t be allowed to see it. Clarkson, however, doesn’t wish to deprive anyone of anything. Monbiot returned from the dead bearing a sandwich board proclaiming the end of the world, but Clarkson celebrates human achievements.

Monbiot may have done some brave things in the past, but the experience only seems to have weakened his spirit and faith in humanity. Maybe he didn’t recover from his experiences quite as fully as has been reported on Wikipedia.

Clarkson remains popular because he represents something entirely more positive.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-70 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:57:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-70 "Clarkson is a hero, and Monbiot is a chicken."<br/><br/>From Monbiot's bio on Wikipedia:<br/><br/>"Working as an investigative journalist he travelled in Indonesia, Brazil and East Africa. His activities led to him being made persona non grata in several countries[8] and being sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia in Indonesia.[9] In these places he was also shot at,[10] beaten up by military police,[10] shipwrecked[10] and stung into a poisoned coma by hornets.[11] He came back to work in Britain after being pronounced clinically dead in Lodwar General Hospital in north-western Kenya, having contracted cerebral malaria.[12]<br/><br/>In Britain, he joined the roads protest movement. He was attacked by security guards, who drove a metal spike through his foot, smashing the middle metatarsal bone. His injuries left him in hospital..."<br/><br/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monbiot<br/><br/>So yeah, Clarkson is a real hero... “Clarkson is a hero, and Monbiot is a chicken.”

From Monbiot’s bio on Wikipedia:

“Working as an investigative journalist he travelled in Indonesia, Brazil and East Africa. His activities led to him being made persona non grata in several countries[8] and being sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia in Indonesia.[9] In these places he was also shot at,[10] beaten up by military police,[10] shipwrecked[10] and stung into a poisoned coma by hornets.[11] He came back to work in Britain after being pronounced clinically dead in Lodwar General Hospital in north-western Kenya, having contracted cerebral malaria.[12]

In Britain, he joined the roads protest movement. He was attacked by security guards, who drove a metal spike through his foot, smashing the middle metatarsal bone. His injuries left him in hospital…”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monbiot

So yeah, Clarkson is a real hero…

]]> By: Jimmy Dean http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-69 Jimmy Dean Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:19:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-69 Great post.<br/>You absolutely hit the nail on the head. <br/>Mr. Monbiot is indeed a chicken - a well paid far-leftist attack chicken who is encouraged to cluck angrily at the progress of the western world.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong, I hate Bush and the neocons just as much as anyone else, including Monbiot. However, holding the anti-Bush position does not excuse the man from his persistent stupidity. Great post.
You absolutely hit the nail on the head.
Mr. Monbiot is indeed a chicken – a well paid far-leftist attack chicken who is encouraged to cluck angrily at the progress of the western world.

Don’t get me wrong, I hate Bush and the neocons just as much as anyone else, including Monbiot. However, holding the anti-Bush position does not excuse the man from his persistent stupidity.

]]> By: jk http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-68 jk Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:08:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-68 Super Post! I fell for Top Gear when I was working frequently in the UK. They just added it to the BBCAmerica station (unfortunately with your news, but that's another story) and I have been enjoying it again. Much if the left seems to operate in Monbiot mode.<br/><br/>Keep up the great work! Super Post! I fell for Top Gear when I was working frequently in the UK. They just added it to the BBCAmerica station (unfortunately with your news, but that’s another story) and I have been enjoying it again. Much if the left seems to operate in Monbiot mode.

Keep up the great work!

]]> By: Sceptic Max http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-67 Sceptic Max Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:45:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-67 Great website (I was redirected by Samizdata.net) and a great post. Top Gear is great entertainment. I wonder whether they (and miserable Mobi) know that a Hummer is more environmentally friendly than a Prius? (See http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/print_item.asp?NewsID=188) Great website (I was redirected by Samizdata.net) and a great post. Top Gear is great entertainment. I wonder whether they (and miserable Mobi) know that a Hummer is more environmentally friendly than a Prius? (See http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/print_item.asp?NewsID=188)

]]> By: Falco http://www.climate-resistance.org/2007/11/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable.html#comment-66 Falco Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:28:00 +0000 http://climateresistance.wordpress.com/2007/11/03/why-monbiot-is-so-miserable/#comment-66 Great post. The sods do lack a sense of humour, hopefully they will eventually go off and be miserable on their own, like goths. Great post. The sods do lack a sense of humour, hopefully they will eventually go off and be miserable on their own, like goths.

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