The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

I like this post Rob. It is rambling 🙂 but it is something I can relate to.
The Burmese monks are far more inspirational to me than someone like Oprah, even though she has done huge amounts for various groups around the World.
I think the difference is selflessness. Where people continue to “fight” despite the possible negative affects on their personal circumstances.
The Dixie Chicks took on freedom of speech even though it could lead to the demise of their career. The Burmese monks took on the countries political agenda despite the potential for horrific violence. Oprah and Bono take on issues but you never feel they would sacrifice their careers or lifestyle for their cause.
That’s not really a criticism because most people don’t want to put their family lifestyle in jeapordy over a “cause” but then most people aren’t proffessing to try and change the World while living a lifestyle that most Royalty could only dream about.
You wrote two other posts that I think relate to this issue, mid-level happiness and that redemption one, I tried to find them but couldn’t but all you are saying is what makes you you, so don’t apologise for this post because while you aren’t exactly fighting the biggest issues on earth, you’re at least fighting certain wrongs regardless of what implications that has on you or your company.
Finally I remember that Coke research work you did and for all the great ads WK are doing with “Coke side of life”, I wonder if any of it would of actually seen the light of day had you and the boys not sold in the cultural concept of youth optimism to Atlanta.
The only concern over this post (excluding the smiths praise which I will put down to jetlag, LOL)is whether I should continue calling you the Bob Geldof of advertising or the Dixie Chicks of advertising 🙂

and pete, dont worry about the coke thing, we sold the strat to mtv. were the most environmentally friendly agency on the face of the planet. 🙂

Rather than declare himself a presidential candidate, I reckon Rob is showing us all that he’s a big fan of George W.
Read the post again guys. Rob goes on about standing up for what you believe even if its not popular and GWB gave the bird to world opinion when he decided to pebble dash that place once known as Iraq.
He doesn’t care what other countries think, no one tells the leader of the most powerful nation on earth who he can or can’t fuck up, especially a bunch of peace loving hippies.

Ah, great post.

Im not a fan of the Dixie Chicks music, but I respect them more than 99% of bands after how they stood up to the right wing reactionaries in the US.

And that quote from Michael Moore is so true. The US government is so much more dictatorship than people seem to realise.

And be careful when you quote Michael Moore – I like his films but there’s a documentray on the way that apparently shows them to be fraudulent.

oh Rob, it’s so good to read a post like this after going through the blatanly mindless “I’ve got the longest cock in the whole fucking world”-comments that sadly take over Scamp’s nice blog. I hope non of the creaitve people commenting there anonymously has a job in advertising. Or at least at Wieden’s, CP+B or cynic. Never read so much dickheaded ego-bullshit.
Oh, it seems that I am angry and used some expicit words. Sorry for that. But it’s just nice to read something good.

How did I paint myself into the corner of defending Bono? But twenty years ago he was banging on about poverty and AIDS via Live Aid and apartheid via Sun City protets and Mandela and ten years ago there were anti-nuclear stunts for Greenpeace and stuff in Sarajevo.

As for Mr Moore – well I haven’t seen it either but stretching things an making sure the facts are right seem a little contradictory to me. Either you can walk into a bank, open an account and walk out with a gun or you can’t – and apparently you can’t.

Hello peeps and thanks for the kind words [bar Billy, but he’s young and American so what do you expect!] it’s just something really bothering me at the moment so I felt I just had to rant 😉

Now John … while I respect Bono for putting his name to all sorts of major issues … the fact is both he – and to a certain degree Oprah – have only put their name to issues that have already attained a certain degree of mass awareness.

It’s not like Geldoff who took on something that few knew about – Bono has always ridden a wave of awareness so whilst I accept he has done good, I do not believe his intentions have been as selfless as he likes to make out.

As for Michael Moore – well he has always said he gives an extreme view because this is the only way to counter the opposing extreme view of media groups like Fox News etc.

He intention is to balance the spectrum of opinion so people can make a more balanced view though I appreciate I am obviously very biased because we have done work for him and continue to be involved in Dog Eat Dog.

So while I am sure the movie that slags him off has plenty of interesting points, I would question the motivation of the people behind that movie rather than immediately place Michael Moore in the ‘bad bloke’ pile.

Right, I’m off to read Scamp’s blog – I love it when ad people show themselves for the cocks that they are.

PS: WHERE THE FUCK IS MARCUS AND NP … I was expecting BIIIIIIIIIIG comments from them after my Smiths acknowledgement.

I’m actually really rather nervous today – I’m not even on best behaviour – just plain nervous. Shitting my pants actually. 3hrs 55mins to go.

Daft bugger. Don’t be silly.

When Rob M mentioned stretching points and putting one side – I resisted the obvious retort that that sounded like bad advertising. I’m not putting anyone in the bad bloke pile, just like I’m not putting Bono and Oprah in the saints pile. That’s my point.

Too many piles around here.

Call it your birthday pressie NP … and did you get my email from a couple of days ago?

Don’t get me wrong, I still fucking hate The Smiths [and I’m not exactly that keen on the Dixie’s music] but for standing up for something they believe – even if it is hugely unpopular with the masses – I do have a certain amount of respect for them. Now it’s me that feels faint 🙂

I think I have to see whats going on at Scamps… must be where all my commenters have gone!!!

Depends why he saved them…

Here here. Brendan for president!

Hi Brendan, I love your post and am a big supporter of what you are talking about and trying to do – but I don’t think it is just the government who are to blame for this devolution of societies values … I believe we are all guilty to a certain extent and if you search on my blog for ‘Champagne Socialism’ you’ll understand why what some people say versus what some people do are completely different.

Saying all that, it’s great to have you come here for the first time and I hope it won’t be the last because I like learning from debate – but I llke doing something about it even more.

You really have to meet Jill, you’ll be in Dixie Chicks heaven!

I LOVE their doco, it single-handidly changed the way I felt about that band and whilst their music doens’t exactly do it for me, I do have to admit “I’m Not Ready To Make Nice” has got deep into my soul – which makes a change from Queen, ha!

didnt you know rob was a member of the kkk?