Stephen Fry on the Financial Scandal in Beautiful English

[twistedbass15]

Genius

[TrollingAround]

fecking love Mr Fry - what a voice of reason.

[neonatalpenguin]

Fry reckons he was misquoted here. Search for 'Stephen Fry Carpool', and skip to 22:36

[StickItUpYrBumGugle]

@neonatalpenguin I'm glad if that's the case. People put way too much faith in him. I think he's great, but people trust his opinion far too much.

[D3w10n]

I fiddled things -.-"

[sid8980]

Why isnt he prime minister ffs

[00Billy]

If you could invite any ten people to a dinner party.......

wouldn't Stephen Fry be one?

[scraper228]

@00Billy I'd invite Stephen Fry and 9 of his clones :L

[Frederf220]

@00Billy He would be all 10

[digimaton]

this man really is a bore, only a privileged posh twat like this would view the expenses scandal as an "over exposure" issue perpetuated by the media, get f***ing real, greedy bastards lining their nests with tax payers money pisses a lot of people off, and deservedly so, anyone who fails to appreciate why this might be the case needs a reality check, because it evidences a remarkable lack of insight regarding corruption in British politics, the expenses scandal is only the tip of the iceberg.

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton

When part of the scandal is "biscuits" I have to side more with Fry.

Obviously, individuals with ridiculous expenses (a moat), should individually be put right, but the expenses scandal, was overblown.

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq I think you are missing the point entirely, a net was cast, the level of abuse varied, but abuse did (still does) exist. It took what you consider to be an overblown response to see that a system, that for too long remained unchecked, was for the first time subject to significant public scrutiny. Any efforts taken to expose the plutocratic system of governance we are subjected to in the UK are good in my book and the mainstream media actually doesn't go far enough.

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton

Imagine for a moment, if every theft in the world got the same press coverage as bank robberies. Every time someone steals a razorblade (Gillette estimates upto 1/4 of theirs are stolen rather than sold), we get 3 days of coverage.

As Jon Stewart recently said, and as I've been saying for years: If you amplify everything, you hear nothing.

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq false reasoning i'm afraid, we are talking about a very small group of select individuals, a fraction of the country's populous, and within that, a small clique of a larger political class that we, the citizenry, have elected. With public duty of this kind, it is necessary to acknowledge certain moral responsibilities that come with the job, certain idealogical standards. The cynical rot that grips this country stops people such as you from appreciating what's really at stake here.

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton Look, there are a lot of words in each of your posts, and more than a few accusations thrown around, but the content is falling short.

It is not false reasoning. Spending 2 months talking about whether or not John Prescott should have billed a toilet seat is clearly detracting from more important issues, especially when most of the "scandalous" expenses are arguably justifiable.

Question:

Cost of any poorly implemented government policy.

vs

The cost of Prescott's toilet seat.

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq not sure why you consider what amounts to less than 488 characters "a lot of words." To suggest that 2 months were spent talking about Prescott's toilet seat is a cynical characterisation of a very serious issue. There were many column inches, by many commentators, dealing with all aspects of the debate, reducing this to a matter of toilet seats and biscuits is unjustifiable. MP's expenses are paid for by the state, the same can't be said for journalists (unless with the BBC).

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton

To call something serious, you have to compare it to something.

The Iraq war? No.

Wembley? No.

Millenium dome? No.

ANY inefficiency in our NHS? No.

The cost of the entire debacle here is suggesting that under SUBJECTIVE guidelines for what could be claimed as expenses, some people seem to have seen fit to charge for things other people did not.

It is banal. Should we stop electing fat people because they break toiletseats more often and it comes out of taxpayer money?

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq generalities, the wishy washy relativism you are using to try and paint the entire affair as "banal" is simply a reflection of your overtly cynical disposition. You know perfectly well that the word "serious," in the context used in the last comment, was applied specifically to the matter of you presenting this as somehow about toilet seats and biscuits, to you it's a big fucking joke, good for you, but many people find the affair objectionable, and for good reason

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton I'm still waiting for that reason. At least I've put forth examples of where scandal is misapplied.

All I've gotten from you is 4 posts (that's more than 488 characters for those counting) of wailing, gnashing of teeth and ad hominem attacks.

Address the points, bring up a couple of your own, or resign yourself to the fact that you are an imbecile incapable of raising them, but cease the false propositions of my cynicism.

Now, can we have some actual discourse on the matter?

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq discourse? but I'm an imbecile.

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton

And I'm thus far:

Cynical over-privileged posh twat in need of a reality check due to my remarkable lack of insight, according to you.

This was, by the way, posted before I'd even entered the room or listened to Stephen's opinion on the matter.

Now, you see how wounded you felt because I levied a single word against you? You can barely continue the discussion.

Yet I've had to wade through your recurrent prejudgments every post. Were you not aware that other people own shoes?

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq hmm, no, I AM an imbecile, I entertain idealism, but it's incorrect to assume that I had already reached a conclusion regarding your socio-economic status; let alone how it might impact upon your thinking. Judging by your remarks, there does appear to be an underlying thread of cynicism. And no , you don't need a "reality check," we simply hold different views on the matter, never the twain etc. it's a question of bias, hence the pointlessness of further discussion.

[Baalthazaq]

@digimaton

In other words, "taxpayer money" doesn't demand inhumanity from our elected officials. Only in a few cases did something "scandalous" happen. Should those be scandals? Sure.

Should the whole thing have been? No. Roughly 5 people did something scandalous, and they're the ones in court. Does Cameron's 218 pound subjective overspend matter? No.

Could Brown's gardening be considered a reasonable expense? Sure. He's PM. Impression is a big deal internationally.

[digimaton]

@Baalthazaq 5 people would not be in court were it not for the public backlash, and changes would have been applied to the expenses system if it were not for the exposure, so the so called "over blown" response to the situation achieved something. Relative to other matters that deserve attention it might not seem that important, but that is not a reason to dismiss the entire debacle as "banal".

[murrayp4]

Yes, but its the taxpayer that pays for such dishonesty..

[TheTubeMouse]

When this story first broke I couldn't help thinking of that frequently shown advert warning that benefit thieves would be prosecuted. If that's the way to deal with a single mum on a council estate with very little money who cheats the system, then surely it's also the way to deal with sleazy politicians who do the same but have less excuse to do so.

[TheTubeMouse]

Much as I admire Stephen, I can't agree with him here. Yes, it was whipped up by the media to sell papers but this is the thin end of the wedge. How MPs abuse their expenses is indicative of their lack of integrity and that has a bearing on their behaviour in politics as a whole.

[togzig]

I like Stephen Fry - but Johnny Rotten is funnier

[Idnarmadur]

The worst thing about Stephen Fry is that I cannot concentrate on his message because I am so delighted with his voice, wording and manner of speech. It's quite frustrating for me to face this intellectual incapability of mine -.-

[pritz29]

the feeling is mutual-nonetheless we have the messrys of articulate polemicism in Fry, Hitchens and the like to assuage our personal incompetence

[derdriui]

Awesome :)

And hey, I'm sure the "media" find it easier than to talk about war and poverty and disease. Less controversial.

[ruairidhpritchard]

Thank you Mr Fry, absolute voice of reason.

[dollychick5]

:D That is all.

[BoonyBanny]

The Telegraph have been analysing MP expenses for five years - and did they whistle when they saw annually published anomalies and extravagances? Not a bit of it. The Telegraph waited for a nice, fat mountain of expense claims to rack up to dish out to a paying public and their sales have not been higher since last week.

There is a pot of money MPs access - it is not diverted from a children's ward. Maybe that needs changed, but don't fall for the Torygraph's pick'n'mix expose.

[MXDP]

I agree with Stephen. I'm glad he stirred things up somewhat.

[ZupaSC]

Stick to comedy Fry. These MPs treat the electorate as sheep to fleece SO it is important.

[lane0065]

let me get this straight, you are telling stephen fry; the internationally renowned actor, director, producer, writer, presenter, advocate and intellectual that he should stick to comedy?

[ZupaSC]

Thats what Iit says. Are you stupid or do you just like asking stupid questions?

[lane0065]

no i'm not stupid but clearly you have some intellectual issues. you dont have to agree with what he is saying but he is more than just a comedian. he has written numerous novels and documentaries, acted in movies and television series, hosted QI and narrated the Harry Potter novels. Considering that your analysis of this situation is simple in the extreme, perhaps i should not be surprised that you discount most of stephen fry's career and label him a comedian.

[ZupaSC]

I wanted to make a point, not a feckin autobiography!

You really have too much time on your hands to be asking pointless questions and even more pointless statements.

[lane0065]

i dont think it is pointless. it is possible to make a point without resorting to stereotypes and cliches. yes there is something wrong when public servants pervert the system by charging everything to their expense accounts but that was not my issue. my problem was that you attacked stephen fry because he happened to disagree with you. you can make your point without suggesting that your opponent is worthless

[ZupaSC]

Scrap that - I'll PM you in a bit.

[Blackmark52]

@lane0065 My only complaint about your assessment of Stephen Fry is that it ignores that he is also an accomplished debater for reason and critical thinking.

[Exmech2]

@lane0065 I so very agree. The tag under Mr. Fry's name should have read "Intellectual" and not "Comedian".

[Redheadfury]

@lane0065 Stephen Fry's career. He started off as a con man & went to prison. He's not whiter than white and would be the first to admit it.

[Mooktopia]

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