Will Self Interview

A short interview with Will Self.
All secondary newsreel and archive material has been re-purposed to provide educational context. I do not own the rights to any of this footage.
Technical assistance provided by Abbas Jamali.

[@princejasbo]

There needs to be some kind of national anti-hero treasure award starting with Will Self. As a young guy in the 90's from a UK post-industrial town, i went to holland to work on flower/bulb farms as couldn't get a job. The nearest dutch bookshop to me only had Scale in English, I read it 4 or 5 times and have been a fan ever since. His musings on history and politics are outstanding, delivered in his humorous and uniquely UK cultural viewpoint. Even when he tells him 'You know we are f@@ked' he makes me smile, and here we are... Lucky, lucky students.

[@benw-king3380]

This is fantastic. Will has managed to pose two entirely opposing scenarios in which all hope appears lost. I wouldn't disagree that indeed we are in some pretty shit - and from the filming of this interview, things are far worse than even he imagined they could possibly be. What has it all been for? I'm talking about several thousand years, totalitarianism experimented with time and time again, rule by divine right, renaissance, parliamentary democracy, the enlightenment, another stab at fascism.....now of course we face the possibilty of deciding just how much we are prepared to lose in order to be free. All that sturm und drang ending in a flash of unimaginable heat. I think Lou Reed summed it up best, 'aw white light I said now, goodness knows, do it!'

[@johnjosmith42]

even if i were a hardline pro or anti brexit person, i couldn't help being impressed - okay, hit with a sense of pure admiration - for the sheer capacity of this guy. it's not even that he's so erudite, which he quite palpably is: it's the sense of sanity in the man. a wonderful listen. thank you for posting.

[@kevintwine2315]

Will self telling it how it is,as always

[@chrisbennett606]

Very true point made at the end

[@hamzariazuddin424]

I absolutely love his brute unnerved honesty - I feel exactly the same as him. I have this left leaning inclination towards Corbyn and a more socialist ideology for the country, and yet my personal life is completely paradoxical to this. I do not obsess over money, but I cant claim I don't want it. I c am just your typical middle class kid who has middle class problems and doesn't really do anything for the collective society. So how can I really call myself a socialist. Or even think i want that. What are the real downsides to a socialist agenda. Like what could go wrong if we turned towards a socialist political and economic policy. We don't really address these on the left. We all know whats wrong with Neoliberalism and happy to talk about that for 10 hours as thats the popular thing today but do we ever analyse and address what could go wrong if we were in government?

[@Sylviesongbird]

Socialism isn't really that radical. It doesn't mean not having money, it's just about having a healthier distribution of it. Fair pay, services that our taxes pay for and taxing billionaires more and making tax havens illegal because frankly no one needs billions and billions don't help the economy go round when they're stashed away in offshore accounts! It's nothing heinous, it's just a better system, for healthier, happier society on the whole. Capitalism is failing because it is simply unsustainable to have infinite growth from finite resources!

[@ldshasnobrain]

What could go wrong...are you serious. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Have you ever heard of a cou try called Russia, Cambodia, or China.

[@lukebarton5075]

That’s a rather excessive use of emoji.

[@moesypittounikos]

Will is brilliant here. I don't know why some commentators get worked up when an erudite and very clever man voices his clever opinion!

[@mikefullermikefuller4711]

Will Self is a true intellectual! He is perhaps more intelligent than me?

[@DenianArcoleo]

Always interesting to listen to Will Self. Don't agree with everything, but he is a treasure.

[@millwallholdings]

Yeah i would like to see the druggie and self harmer at the bottom of the sea with the other treasure Agree Denian

[@iSuRRendeReDuK]

The mans a prick

[@mattyfrommacc1554]

just come home from seeing him doing a conversation in my town, thought provoking, came home with a signed copy of his new book which I'm looking forward to reading

[@mikefullermikefuller4711]

Well done on your completion of the male menopause, Will!

[@funnyashell-24]

this man should be in hollywood...

[@gperilli]

Ok, He's great, lucid, clear, and honest about Brexit, socialism, the difficulties of effecting change, and his own failures to get some form of scoio-political change, and his conclusion is somewhat pessimistic; he was unable to get the kind of change he wanted even as an influential thinker/writer in 80s-90s, so the younger generation, given a different set of circumstances, should not even try...but strangely, as a student, I do see an alternative to what he is saying. We do need a collective of impoverished students who are smart enough to never pay £10k/year on university courses (and instead utilize the colleges in the rest of Europe), even if we do miss out on what Self has to say on something which is closer to our daily reality than his...

[@biroonghiyamate]

11:16 pedagogue is greek, not latin

[@WS-zn4cs]

Peter Sloterdijk published 1983 a book called Critique of Cynical Reason, wherein he defines modern cynicism as enlightened false consciousness. Meaning that it (the modern cynical subjekt) is fully aware of its (and the worlds) wrongness, but is unwilling or unable to alter itself acourding to its own acquired knowledge. Such a consciousness is deeply unhappy, resigned but well situated in the world it is living in. The projekt of enlightenment at the same time failed and succeeded in this subjectivity. When it has to justify itself, it presents the truth in such a way that this "naked thruth" itself becomes (in its function) a lie. From what Will Self is stating here, he is the perfect example of this kind of consciousness. Hence he is the personification of todays capitalist ideology.

[@hawkieandcawkie5188]

Thanks for the book recommendation. Shall read it and get back to you . I know so many cynics, and I assume we need their base line intelligence, and I enjoy their perspectives much more than the people they need in order to be as cynical as they are , but after a while I just want to "fix" them ... to cheer them up , and then I am accused of being like the 'other people' about whom the cynic is so good at generalising. It is a annoying dilemma in which I find myself trapped . I suspect the cynic is the Trapper.

[@filmsagainstempires1388]

This is the last guy I expected to be a vaper.

[@jamesrowden303]

You are amazed that a ex-drunk and drug user vapes? lol, ok.

[@hmq9052]

He started smoking at 12. Heroine by 16/18

[@jamesrowden303]

@@hmq9052 Heroine? So woke he isn't a hero.

[@grant9636]

The idea that you have to give up your individual spirit to embrace socialism is not his best thought to date but I do enjoy listening to him.

[@user-zu7wu8qt2k]

Excellent

[@ikonofcoil]

I find this very interesting

[@declinescore]

So we dropped the ball then to quote McKenna?

[@markrowe5992]

Well done Will Self. Thank you Will.

[@filmfanman65]

I'm a fan of Self's commentaries, but I think there's some conflation of disparate information and honest mistakes in his critique of socialist ideology. Of course socialism is not predicated on equal immiseration, and proving your loyalty through self-imposed poverty would benefit no one. His take on nationalizing industry seems rather antiquated -- that all socialist societies are carbon copies of the soviet union and so on. Corbyn, Sanders, Morales, Da Silva, and others around the world have all advocated for international class solidarity that goes against the old "socialism-in-one-country" cudgel proffered by Self. This is different from globalization, which sees the free movement of capital throughout the world at the expense of dislocating the working class.

[@alfsmith4936]

He's read a lot of 'the right' books and relies on 'the facts' in them.. He should use his knowledge to think outside the box imo but who am I to say that?..

[@LARPANET_3087]

Practically speaking though, how do you sustain our current standard of living when you get elected and billions of dollars suddenly flee your country? Look what happened with Francois Mitterand, the banks, using capital flight, basically twisted his arm into abandoning his entire platform once he was elected. No single country can go up against the global financial system without a collapse in its economy. As for the soviet model, I mean christ, a LOT of left wing groups are still using that as their template. It's pretty surprising.

[@gazriley624]

will self charlie watts seperated at birth

[@davedave4918]

Will Self is right: Why are younger people not angry with the previous generation? Perhaps consumerism has infantilised and pacified them to such a degree that they don't know how to rebel. And given the connectedness that social media affords, it would be relatively easy to cohere groups of like-minded individuals - seems they can share anything other than political ideas. A funny cat video can ‘go viral’; why not a political idea or movement? I guess consumer droids are just not built that way. I'm aged somewhere in between Self's generation and the 'millennials'; and from what I can gather, it is younger people who make up the majority against Brexit. Where are the demos? Where is the civil disobedience against the 'three Brexiteers' and all that they represent, and May’s bungling leadership? No wonder Self is worried. I am too. Cheers!

[@awful_noise]

I completely agree that consumerism is extremely pacifying, but I think it's a far more widespread problem with much deeper roots. And the problem may not even be consumerism itself, but rather a growing lack of empathy and understanding with our fellow man. I think it's a malaise which extends far beyond millennials and probably began with the generations which grew up under Raeganomics and Thatcherism, perhaps going even further back - my knowledge of political-history isn't too extensive. But from what I've observed - growing up in a variety of English towns and cities - most people nowadays consider themselves to be middle-class, or at least aspire to live what I would call a middle-class lifestyle (i.e. a secure income, private property, a car, etc.). And what this kind of lifestyle generally seems to do is make people selfish and less able to engage with bold ideas which can transform entire societies. I don't think this is entirely a bad thing, as it means we also now place a greater emphasis on individual freedom and expression - for the time being, at least. But it certainly has lead to a kind of political apathy, where any kind of clear or coherent ideology is thrown out the window and replaced by a desire to own things. As somebody who comes from a family which still consider themselves to be working-class, who've always lived on a fairly paltry income, I know I've certainly been suckered in by the metropolitan utopian dream, the Thatcher-Blair-Cameron-ite idea of neoliberalism, where we can all work to get our slice of the pie and everybody keeps themselves to themselves. So I don't think you can really blame people for aspiring to make money, even if it does lead to less engagement with the bigger picture and less intimate relations with a wider community. We all want our slice of the pie, even if the pie is a bit shallow and superficial. And on the subject of the internet and social media, I do think it's also part of the problem because it is now so ingrained in so many aspects of modern life (though like you say, I'm still optimistic because there is still huge potential in social media to connect and mobilise people in a positive way). One of the main reasons we see such a limited amount of genuine political activism these days - from across the spectrum - is that even working-class British families live reasonably comfortable (or relatively comfortable, by global standards) and unchallenging lives. People are still working ridiculous hours and struggling to make end meet, of course, but I don't see how anybody can muster the kind of passion which is required to overcome the problems we're facing - whether that be inequality, incompetent politicians, institutional racism, climate change, the list goes on - when the majority of people have a roof over their heads, a high-speed internet connection, and a seemingly endless supply of fast-food and pornography. People who are at the very bottom of society, the truly alienated and disenfranchised often have no access to these digital platforms which are now basically necessary to mobilise people for a big cause, so they're all but voiceless and easily ignored. Though there is still widespread support for Jeremy Corbyn, I think that by-and-large most of his support comes from people who are from middle-class backgrounds. So why would they put their necks on the line if it would mean giving up the comforts which have allowed them to view the world through these rose-tinted glasses? I think that's what Will epitomises when he talks about his diversion from socialism after gaining financial success, and it's his honesty here which I most admire, because I think most people on social media who claim to be socialists aren't willing to admit that they are in no way prepared to give themselves up to something which might impede their ability to have access to things like the internet. It's a bit of a confusing paradox, but I think that social media is just an echo chamber which people use to feel better about themselves. As Will said, what have been the upsides in the cases where we have seen protests? There were a few marches and demos in the wake of the referendum (although admittedly they were largely confined to London and not overwhelming in scale) and what they mainly seem to do is re-inforce the echo chamber which most on the left find themselves in: you go along with your placard, you see that there are other people also who hold your beliefs, you feel a bit better about yourself, and then everybody toddles back to their comfortable life in the suburbs with their MacBooks and Netflix. Even in cases where we've seen disruptions from those who are genuinely suffering, such as the 2011 riots, these also quickly blew over. And back to the idea of empathy or lack thereof, this echo chamber phenomenon is not exclusive to the left of course. I think it was a major factor in the complacency and hubris which caused enough conservative-minded people to believe the UK would be better off outside the EU. And to be fair to them, we're still yet to see how this'll actually play out (though the foreboding economic warning-signs are starting to become more clear as 2019 approaches). And although it's obviously not the kind of change I want to see, I do admire the way in which the Leave campaign have managed to convince (or manipulate) enough people to get behind their cause. Though I have no respect for there blatant fascistic agenda, the people in the media and the people on the ground who made Brexit and Trump happen have obviously tapped into something which does unify a large sway of the population. Where I disagree with Will somewhat, in light of the most recent general election, is that I think Jeremy Corbyn and Labour's new youth-centred direction do offer some hope for humanity and the future of the UK. There does seem to be a resurgence in empathy, and a rejection of the capitalist status quo, especially from people like myself who had to amass huge debts in order to go to university. But the sad truth in my mind is that Corbyn's failure to galvanise support is due to his vision being driven by understanding for people in difficult situations. At this current moment, people are more driven by their own desires, and most people have the ability to actualise these (and I include myself in this). Perhaps if Brexit does turn out be an utter shambles, and people are suddenly unable to gain access to their creature comforts, then we will see a shift in attitudes and a rekindling of big collectivist ideas. But while it's easy to speculate on these things in an academic context, I think that in reality it's probably not going to play out like that. So I strongly agree with Will when recommends the abandonment of hope and the embracing of radical subjectivity and individualism, even if it does mean you're a begrudging cog in the capitalist-consumerist system. Thanks for watching.

[@davedave4918]

I agree. A majority of people would either define themselves as middle-class or aspire to be middle-class. I believe that middle-‘classness’ is a direct result of consumerism. As consumerism has over the past seventy-odd years gained momentum in the West, so to has the rise of the middle-classes. This is born out in China, where as more goods, products and services become available, a new middle-class is on the rise. I think that one of the drivers (and perhaps accelerators) of consumerism is the idea of individualism. Consumerism and (aggressive) individualism operate together. The more ‘individual’ individuals are, the easier they are to manipulate and sell stuff to. But the more individualised a group becomes, the more fragmented it becomes and is therefore less able to cohere into like-minded political groups. The irony is that the consumer defines him or herself by what s/he consumes, using products and services etc to ‘build’ a sense of ‘individuality’: clothes, tech, cars, food and so on. These things are generally mass produced and/or mass marketed, available to anyone who can afford them. Where’s the individualism there? Individualism is an illusion created and maintained by a false need, or ‘false conciseness’. This is the means by which Neo-Liberal Capitalism breaks down the will of people to properly hold government to account. Hence liars like Trump, Farage and Johnson get away with what they do-post truth and all that. Anyway, I digress: My point is that the “growing lack of empathy and understanding with our fellow man” that you rightly point to is I think a direct result of consumerism, of individualism, of people happy ‘tending their own gardens’. People get lied to and knowingly misled by politicians, their civil liberties might be eroding, they gullibly accept the Tory whip-crack of ‘austerity’ with a ‘yes sir’, yet if you took everyone’s TVs away or rationed their internet access there would be bloody revolution-as you say: “Perhaps if Brexit does turn out be an utter shambles, and people are suddenly unable to gain access to their creature comforts, then we will see a shift in attitudes and a rekindling of big collectivist ideas.” So Will is right, and yes perhaps brave, when he says that we are fucked and should abandon any hope of affecting political change, and should take an ‘I’m alright Jack’ position “tending to our own gardens”. This is however the goal of consumerism. To pacify us to the point of not just being content to tend our own gardens, but even more content spending hours gazing longingly into our own navels. I’m not saying that I am any different you anyone else; the middle-class lifestyle of a consumer droid is alright. In fact, it’s more than alright, it is positively seductive. And that’s the heart of the problem. This also feeds into what you rightly say about the social media echo chamber. The filter bubble phenomenon seems on the face of it to be counter to the idea of consumerist individualism. The bubble shuts out those who do not share one’s beliefs or political POV or one’s morality or whatever, so one can exclusively mix with one’s ‘own kind’; one’s own ‘tribe’. I would argue that ‘Brexiteers’ are tribal. Most hardcore Brexiteers (at least the ones I know of who haven’t changed their minds since the referendum) are openly hostile to ‘remainers’. It’s a similar picture in the US with Trump coming to power on the back of a ‘tribe’ of vary angry people, with Trump now their ‘chief’. So I disagree with Will that it is not worth attempting to affect political change. Brexit and Trump are two obvious example of where there’s genuine anger change can come. This brings me back to my original comment and my opening question: Why are younger people not angry with the previous generation? If they were not so busy being good little consumers, pacified by the fear of losing their nice middle-class lifestyle, and of loosing their ‘individualism’ (me included here, and you), and allowed themselves to become really bloody angry about the state of the world, then things might just change for the better. But as Will fears, it’s not likely to happen any time soon Cheers.

[@shuddupeyaface]

I thought Tom Paulin was as bad as it gets. I was wrong.

[@WarArrow1]

1) Michael Gove is Booji Boy - not sure why it's taken me so long to notice. 2) Well done all you terrified dingbats engaging with the fact of Will Self not being a pipe-fitter from Peckham rather than anything he actually says. Let the bad times roll! :)

[@nkenchington6575]

Self, like Peter Hitchens, was a lefty riiiiiight up to the point where he started to make some proper money. He says that socialism wasn't necessarily the fillip that led to a better life for workers, but does he genuinely disagree with Chomsky et al on this? Does he really think that factory owners benevolently decided to grant their employees more time off because they felt they needed a bit more rest?! He gave up the fight; luckily, we're not all so fickle. We are the 99%.

[@63Baggies]

Will Self's observations on the 'Snowflake generation' are spot on and only serve as an indictment of his own generation. After all, who's children are these?

[@matchbox555]

Lose the annoying clips.

[@richardduplessis1090]

Self#s analysis is flawed from the beginning but seems compelling if you accept the initial mistaken premise. He is essentially deeply dishonest bceuase he pretends that he's disclosing deeply held beliefs when his communication is a calulated piece of theatre merely to support his view, and as such is persuasion only. He's not aided by the fact that he has the face of an ORK out of Lord of the Rings.

[@mhl8396]

Too bad you lost Will.

[@Velvet0Starship2013]

@8:47 :how on Earth does the "satisfaction" of the "people at the bottom of the heap" factor in to anything....? Further: is the Will who is clever enough to understand that "experts" are going to be more effective decision-makers also so naive as to believe that these expert decisions will be made with the best interests of "the people at the bottom of the heap" in mind? An "expert's" education is expensive, and comes with years of mind-shaping doses of *knowing-all-too-well-which-side-of-the-bread-the-butter-is-on* . Brexit is a bait-and-switch, and a fantasy, but can you blame avid Brexiteers for wanting to fuck with a system that isn't *for them* , however things end up? The bottom 2/3rds of the pyramid rarely, if ever, get to see experts from their ranks doing much more than providing local color on the telly. Will has an okay job and he hates the notion of being locked in the barn with the cattle... he's a Continental Metrosexual survivor of Cool Britannia. I feel his pain. But it's not as though he's speaking in any other than a self-serving way here.

[@Burps___]

Will Self, stick with fiction.

[@sidarthur8706]

all this time i thought will self was a novelist. why is youtube always telling me that i'm supposed to be interested in what he thinks?

[@sprobablycancr4457]

Wikipedia: Self is a *professor of Modern Thought* at Brunel University London. He was appointed in 2012 and continues to serve in this capacity. Remember kids, 'Pick up the litter, and dont waste money on a "Flat screen" tv', and Volunteer locally [at some profit making enterprise, after working your nuts off all day/night] Where in fuck do these people live?

[@myroseaccount]

In the interests of concision and to sum up quickly, one can only say, "what a twat".

[@stuntroamer59]

I think Brexit was necessary. Enough with Brussels pseudo experts.

[@billymodo7555]

Ask ALL of your close friends and associates if they can name the British Prime Minister or the President of France or the Chancellor of Germany. They are always able to name the President of The USA. Now ask them to name the president of the EU and not one single respondent will have the slightest clue. This is because The EU doesn't have a president... It has FIVE presidents and none of them were elected to office. Just before the UK's EU referendum these Five un-elected EU presidents published 'The Five Presidents Report' (Google the PDF and read it for yourself). To my utter astonishment this sinister report was never mentioned or discussed in any of the TV or Radio debates. Not one Journalist focused on this critical publication which set out the future vision of these five un-elected, appointees. Now we have to watch as our 'Elected' Prime Minister' negotiates our political future with the five un-elected presidents of this European political tyranny and not a mention is made of this in the media. Not one person you ask will know that their 'Elected' MEP cannot propose a law, stop a law, alter a law, hinder a law or do anything more than simply Implement the Laws (or Directives) that are created by The EU Commission. The EU Commission is entirely made up of un-elected appointees from each of the member nations who make up the EU. That means that not one of the 500 million EU citizens has the democratic mechanism to be able to vote for the people who create the laws that effect every one of us. So ask your friends and associates if they can name the five un-elected EU Presidents or the five institutions over which they preside.... I promise you not a single one will know who there EU leaders are. I voted for the UK to leave the European Political Union because continued membership puts an end to the hard won democratic values our people claim to cherish and hold in high esteem. My one reason for leaving (the maintenance of our democratic right to choose our legislature) is better than the best one hundred reasons I've been given for remaining.

[@ryanfletcher4203]

I wonder if he's made himself a badge! 'I am an Intellectual' I feel he needs a badge so people who meet him are made aware of this.

[@Owenlightowler]

Not aged well, this one.

[@dandlion1958]

Once a smackhead always a smackhead

[@mbcahill6707]

Is that the voice of experience talking, Dan?

[@dandlion1958]

yep just the experience of life, something you are yet to achieve

[@mbcahill6707]

So you're a smackhead, Dan? I'm sorry to hear that. At least you're able to admit that you have a propblem -- that's the first step. Good luck and I hope you get clean soon, and stay clean too. As you say " Once a smackhead..." Cheers!

[@krimewaveuk]

Dan's not a smackhead - he's a dick head.

[@millwallholdings]

Dan thinks the kids are more important than the older generation You know the ones who have known no wars, paid hardly any tax want us to pay for their uni and wants them to march more and protest to try to stop a Democratic Decision This is what has been breed by the worst generation of parents ever I just see the Left as Nazis now

[@slyfoxmedia3272]

I used to have much respect for Will Self, till he with many started crying when the vote did not go there way!! Hypocrisy and believing that because he went to University, free from charge of course, that he and the so called enlightened elite, know more than the ignorant Brexiteers, who do not know what we have done.. I say bollocks to the all remainers, that are trying to stop the will of the people.

[@101242cg]

Your comment literally has nothing of substance. Try harder and educate yourself.

[@slyfoxmedia3272]

Cheebs -O Haha, oh sorry oh genius one!!

[@101242cg]

Apology not accepted. "I used to respect someone until they had a different opinion to me." "He is educated, therefore his opinion is invalid." "The opinion of 16,141,241 people is invalid and undemocratic because they disagree with my opinion and the opinion of people like me." This is what you have just said. Just take a minute and think about what you are saying.

[@101242cg]

You've completely and utterly misinterpreted my reply. Just calm down and read the following slowly and carefully- At no point did I say the vote is not valid. You're also assuming how I voted, and my political persuasion in general; how do you know how I lean politically? All I did was critically analyse your "argument". Your comment is a great example of political tribalism in action. You've judged me without having any idea of what I believe in. Why does everyone who doesn't agree with you have to be an "enemy"? A "fanatic"? A " hypocite"? For future reference, calling people mentally ill, sarcastically questioning their intellect, and generally using insults is bad for any argument. It just makes you look desperate and unable to form a coherent basis for what you are trying to say.

[@slyfoxmedia3272]

Cheebs -O Haha lol, what a pile of shit that just came out of your mouth!

[@williamblack7400]

Champagne socialists or cocain socialists

[@martynfenton4862]

Mr manic depressive. God you would want to put your head in a vice if you spent more than a week with this guy. I don't think I have ever heard him say something positive about anything or anybody, he just moans about everything It's not that he says anything particularly bad it's just he always comes across as no hope

[@joeking1019]

Junkie