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Power to the People....did Glastonbury turn you into a Leftie?


parsonjack
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Interesting discussion with my Mum recently regarding politics, the General Election, B***** and how we vote as a family.....during which she surmised that I've only gained Socialist tendencies since visiting Glastonbury Festival.

Whilst I've always leaned to the Left I'd freely admit that my opinions in recent years have to a reasonable degree been further influenced and solidified by things I've heard or seen at the Festival.

Anyone care to admit they were a full on Tory until a night in Left Field with Billy Bragg?  

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I actually had a slightly different experience. I've always been left and come from hardcore lefty stock, but I was in Leftfield a few years ago when somebody on the right had the gall to suggest there could be a more balanced debate to be had. Billy Bragg was so viscous in his condemnation of such a suggestion, it actually made me a bit embarrassed to be aligned with him.

I mean, I get it - Leftfield is for those of us on the left. It's about recharging more than it is debating. But the self-exclusion of the left is one of the core problems we face. It's OK as long as it's just us in the room; freedom of speech is fine as long as it only applies to us; violence is horrible when it's the right but it's a revolutionary uprising when it's us.

Maybe I'm just getting older and therefore inevitably more right wing, but it seems to me that bubbles on either side of the political fence serve little more than to bolster pre-conceptions, whereas true progression lies elsewhere.

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I really dislike labels, be they political, cultural or otherwise as they can be divisive and manipulative but that's just my opinion. Smarter people than me will give me a hundred reasons why they're important. I'd say that the attitude of the majority of people in attendance has influenced and educated me far more than specific areas like Leftfield or Greenpeace. I tend to use the five days at the festival as the barometer to how we should treat each other, in the main. The reality of how the real world is come Monday is always the factor that gives me the Glasto blues.

Inclusivity, tolerance, kindness, togetherness, equality. Just a few of the positive things that Glastonbury has exposed me to over the years. More important than the music, the politics, the headliners, the weather, all of it.

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1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I really dislike labels, be they political, cultural or otherwise as they can be divisive and manipulative but that's just my opinion. Smarter people than me will give me a hundred reasons why they're important. I'd say that the attitude of the majority of people in attendance has influenced and educated me far more than specific areas like Leftfield or Greenpeace. I tend to use the five days at the festival as the barometer to how we should treat each other, in the main. The reality of how the real world is come Monday is always the factor that gives me the Glasto blues.

Inclusivity, tolerance, kindness, togetherness, equality. Just a few of the positive things that Glastonbury has exposed me to over the years. More important than the music, the politics, the headliners, the weather, all of it.

Superbly put :) Id also like to think Ive brought some of that learning to the efest forums 

Edited by crazyfool1
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1 hour ago, kalifire said:

I actually had a slightly different experience. I've always been left and come from hardcore lefty stock, but I was in Leftfield a few years ago when somebody on the right had the gall to suggest there could be a more balanced debate to be had. Billy Bragg was so viscous in his condemnation of such a suggestion, it actually made me a bit embarrassed to be aligned with him.

I mean, I get it - Leftfield is for those of us on the left. It's about recharging more than it is debating. But the self-exclusion of the left is one of the core problems we face. It's OK as long as it's just us in the room; freedom of speech is fine as long as it only applies to us; violence is horrible when it's the right but it's a revolutionary uprising when it's us.

Maybe I'm just getting older and therefore inevitably more right wing, but it seems to me that bubbles on either side of the political fence serve little more than to bolster pre-conceptions, whereas true progression lies elsewhere.

I saw the same thing years ago when I went to see Tony Benn. Some bloke tried to disagree with TB and got shouted down by the audience before he could finish. I thought that was more than a little embarrassing. To be fair to TB, unlike BB, he was telling the audience to let him speak as he wanted to chat to him.

And to answer the OP: no, I've always been a bit of a leftie. I just think that leftie sorts of people happen to enjoy the sort of things that Glastonbury offers.

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1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I really dislike labels, be they political, cultural or otherwise as they can be divisive and manipulative but that's just my opinion. Smarter people than me will give me a hundred reasons why they're important. I'd say that the attitude of the majority of people in attendance has influenced and educated me far more than specific areas like Leftfield or Greenpeace. I tend to use the five days at the festival as the barometer to how we should treat each other, in the main. The reality of how the real world is come Monday is always the factor that gives me the Glasto blues.

Inclusivity, tolerance, kindness, togetherness, equality. Just a few of the positive things that Glastonbury has exposed me to over the years. More important than the music, the politics, the headliners, the weather, all of it.

Wise words and I'd agree....taking it further than simply politics I firmly believe that GF has also made me far more well informed on many issues I had limited appreciation of beforehand....and I also believe I am a better person for it.

Perhaps a visit should be on the national curriculum?

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I don't think debate changes people's minds anywhere near as often as experience does, but you still have to be open to it.

 

To me Glasto has such a great "we're all in it together" vibe that I really hope other people also see and enjoy. Whether that leads to more left leaning ideas, i dunno...

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I think what happens is that many people start going to festivals in their late-teens / early twenties which is the same time that they discover their own political identity and start to vocalize them.

Also, if you are raised in a conservative home, but have a more liberal outlook, it probably takes an experience like Glastonbury (or university) where you meet other people with a similar outlook, to feel confident enough to express your views and in turn challenge the views of those back home.

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I like Billy Bragg, but he can be wildly off the mark at times.

I saw him on the panel of the Infinite Monkey Cage at Glastonbury when he tried to convince the world that scientists base their beliefs on faith in much the same way as the religious do (ie Scientists cannot see Dark Matter, so their belief in it is faith-based). I was glad Prof Brian Cox was there to correct him, although he didn't seem to take it on board. Maybe some in the audience were enlightened though.

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Glastonbury is my escape from everything. I understand the history and ethos of the festival but that doesn’t mean I have to join in. 

I would consider myself centre left. I’ve always voted Labour rather reluctantly after Gordon Brown/2010. I’ve recently joined the party though and plan on backing Kier Stramer for leadership. 

I don’t think going to the leftfield tent listening to Billy Bragg preach to the converted is genuine political debate and I can’t say I’m too surprised to read some of the stories above.

Politics is way too tribal at the moment in light of the past 10/12 years since the recession. I don’t want to get bogged down in that at Glastonbury.

I would add that Glastonbury is a great example of socialism in action. Everyone getting on helping each other out. 

Edited by Tommy Dickfingers
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It didn't turn me into a leftie but it made more tolerant of people. I volunteer at a few festivals and sometimes you not really sure what you are coming up against but it certainly made me more confident of chatting to people about things and I am still surprised that once you start a conversation about something mundane customers sometimes come out with their life stories, all be it abridged. And they are glad they have told you.

Edited by marathonsteve
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Didn’t turn me as I didn’t need to be turned! But it did reaffirm my faith seeing younger generations question everything, becoming more aware of global issues such as the climate, poverty and Human rights. We live in a country where most of the press feed us with the right wing agenda, Glastonbury gives us a chance to see the other side. It’s not really a matter of turning people, it’s just giving a platform to those with alternative views.  

Of course Glastonbury is all about the music, the cameraderie, the party atmosphere but its thought provoking walking through the healing fields, greenpeace left field etc. And long may that continue! 

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I really enjoy going to talks and debates at Glasto as the spirit is usually very open and good spirited. 

However. The ‘oh Jeremy Corbyn’ incessant chanting was so cringeworthy I would have happily gone and voted BNP or something just to shut them up. 

I quite enjoy the Glasto politics (with a small p), the environment and nuke stuff mainly, but generally dislike the party politic stuff. 

 

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6 minutes ago, whitehorses said:

However. The ‘oh Jeremy Corbyn’ incessant chanting was so cringeworthy I would have happily gone and voted BNP or something just to shut them up. 

Yeah it was a bit much, but it was a different time. He represented a chance for us to escape the never ending Tory austerity fuckery that’d been going on. 

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2 minutes ago, stuie said:

Yeah it was a bit much, but it was a different time. He represented a chance for us to escape the never ending Tory austerity fuckery that’d been going on. 

Not how I saw it or him. I was always deeply unimpressed by his style of 6th form politics. 

Edit: Anyway he’s gone now, so no need to worry about that anymore, don’t need this to become a JC debate. Apols. 

 

Edited by whitehorses
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