Getting personal: The neo-Marxist who stands up for what’s right

Jonathan Starling is no stranger to politics. He ran in the last general election as an independent and often makes his view known on current affairs through the media. Mr Starling is part of a non-partisan group of activists who are pushing for a referendum on gaming. The target  is 4,000 signatures and the 34-year-old says there are about 2,500 signatures already. “It’s been quite a good response so far and we’re hoping to collect a lot more signatures,” he told us. 

“I’d like to repeat that the petition is solely for a referendum on casino gambling — it doesn’t take a position for or against casino gambling itself, only that the people should have a say in it, as promised by both political parties in the last election.”

There are four locations where people can sign; Rock Island Café, Kirk’s Jewellers, BIU HQ and the BIU Gas Station. You can sign online and the group’s website is: Bermudareferendum.wordpress.com

Mr Starling is a researcher at the School of the Built Environment, part of Heriot-Watt University. He helps teach a course on Urban Strategies & Design Case Studies, supervise Masters students for dissertations in the field of Ecological Economics and is completing a PhD in Human Geography/Urban Studies.

Mikaela Ian Pearmansought to find out what makes him tick...

Your earliest memory?  I remember my older brother looking down at me.  He was wearing a red clear plastic sun-hat.  I think I was in a pram or something.  We were outside, but in the shade, I think in the garden in our family home at Riddell’s Bay.

 What were you like in school?  I was quiet, shy and bookish.  Very much followed the rules.  I had a speech impediment, which I think contributed to my being shy. 

 Who is your hero/heroine? Indiana Jones; no question.

 Which human trait do you dislike the most?  A lack of honour – to oneself and others.

 Human trait you value most in others? Kindness.

 Which film character would you be? Indiana Jones.

 When did you last laugh out loud? And why?  I laugh out loud almost every day – I’m fortunate to know some very funny people! Besides, life’s too short and ridiculous to not laugh every day.

 Do you believe in fate? I believe we have limitations depending on what we’re born into and live in, but I believe we can make our own destinies within our life situations.

 Your greatest fear?  Being shipwrecked in the open sea at night, with no sight of land or of anything.  I refuse point blank to watch the movie ‘Open Water’…

 Most embarrassing moment?  Once back in school, in gym, I was asked by the coach to go and make sure the showers were turned off.  I couldn’t get this one to go off and was having a long monologue to myself about it and complaining about life in general – general teenage angst.  When I came out I realized I’d been speaking out loud and everyone in the changing room was just looking at me… 

Hobbies/Interests – I like to read novels, play chess and scrabble and go for nature-walks.

 Property aside, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?  Plane tickets.  I was fortunate to travel as far as China, Singapore and Malaysia – that set me back quite a bit!

 Your ultimate ambition?  To help create a better world.  Or write a novel.

 Your most unappealing habit?  Putting people into labels/boxes.

 Describe yourself in three words.  Helpful.  Gentle.  Intellectual.

 Best party you’ve ever been to?  The Scottish Socialist Party…  Joking!  

After graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 2009 all of my fellow students had an all-night party full of traditional – and non-traditional -  dancing– we ended up watching the sunrise from Arthurs Seat, this mountain right in the middle of Edinburgh.  It was just a great night with good friends, good dancing and good conversation.

Worst job you’ve ever done?  Years back I was living in Toronto and I worked a lot of odd-jobs: a worker in a fast-food joint, a bus-boy in a Lebanese restaurant and a janitor at a hospital where I had to clean the morgue sometimes.

 Biggest disappointment?  Learning that all too often it’s not how hard you work but who you know.

 Biggest regret?  Not learning a second language when I was younger.

 Closest you’ve ever come to death?  A car crash in Canada. I was travelling to surprise my then-girlfriend for New Year’s, and the mini-van I was in skidded on some ice on the highway and we ended up in a snow bank.  I was a bit banged up, but not as bad as this lady who had slipped out of her seatbelt.  I just remember seeing her slamming into the sides of the van, the car spinning, car lights and then everything going dark. I woke up in an ambulance.  I wasn’t injured too badly but during the crash I was pretty sure that was it.

 Your desert island song?  Dust in the wind by Kansas.  It’s an old song, but I really like it.

 What animal would you be and why?  I think I’d be an owl.  I like to observe what’s going on, intervening when it’s needed.

 What do you do if you can’t sleep?  I read and write - or study Arabic.

 If you had a time machine, where would you go?  I’d go back to meet my grandfathers.  I’d like to have known them. 

 Your most memorable dream?  I used to have this recurring dream that for some reason, I slipped out from my 60th birthday party to walk the dogs, when this motorbike pulls up with two people wearing tinted helmets and shoot me.  I always looked at it as ‘well, I know I’m not going to die until I’m at least 60, so that’s good!’  I haven’t had it for some years now, but it was very, very memorable!

 Most unpleasant exchange you’ve have had with a person?  I’ve encountered some really unpleasant people, including a group of neo-nazi thugs in Canada who assumed I was Jewish and a communist.  They weren’t very pleasant and not much for polite conversation…

 Best advice you have ever taken?  That you don’t know unless you try and that the best way to deal with your fears is to confront them.

 What do you most dislike about your appearance?  My teeth.  I drink way too much coffee and tea. 

 What do you like best about your appearance?  I like my height – I’m pretty tall and I enjoy it.

 What’s your attitude to money?  It’s a means to an end.  I’d like to have enough of it to be secure in my old age, but I don’t let it dictate my decisions.

 Which cartoon character is most like you?  I’d like to say the Green Arrow, but probably more like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes.

 Nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?  I love you.

 Define romantic love.  I think this involves having care, responsibility, respect and knowledge of the other; and to achieve that, well, you have to have those same qualities towards yourself.  To me love is more a state of being, a capacity to love, and something one has to work hard to achieve and to maintain.  It’s not something I think one ‘falls into’ – although it can certainly grow out of infatuation, as long as one actively choses to do so.

 Tell us a joke.  So, a capitalist is walking through the factory with a friend and stops to tell a worker to work harder.  The friend asks how much he pays the worker – ‘$15 an hour’ he says.  The friend asks him where he gets the money to pay the worker – ‘I sell products on the market’ he says.  The friend asks who makes the products – ‘Well, the worker does’ he says.  The friend asks how many products the worker makes in an hour ‘Oh, about $50 worth I guess’ he says.  To which the friend says ‘Huh, so, really, the worker pays you $35 an hour to tell him to work harder?’ to which the capitalist replies ‘huh, well, um, but I own the machines and the factory!’  The friend thinks for a while and then asks how he came to own them – ‘Oh, well, um, I sold products and bought them’.  The friend then asks him who made those products.  The capitalist looks angrily at his friend, grabs him hard by the arm and tells his friend to shut up before the worker hears him! 

Maybe there’s a reason there’s not a lot of socialist comedians after all…

 Most treasured possession?  Despite the above, I think I’ve got a good sense of humour!

 A dream location for a home?  I’ve never been, but I’d love to have a house on one of the Greek Islands.  Crete maybe?

 What keeps you up at night?  All the things I haven’t finished doing or that need to be done.

 Guilty pleasure?  Dark chocolate.

 Name some favourite:

• movies - Reds, Bulworth, The Godfather

• books - Don Quixote, The Death of Artemio Cruz and 1984

• dishes - Pomegranates, pizza and curry.

• vacation spots - Cuba, New York City, Italy

 Your attitude to exercise?  I need more!

 Your proudest achievement?  Finishing Marx’s Grundrisse and Capital vol I.  Those are not the easiest of books, although Capital isn’t too bad really!

 If you were a pigeon, who would you poop on?  A statue of Adolf Hitler

 Pet peeve?  People that litter.

 If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?  Make sure my family was looked after and then buy a house.

 Most daring thing you’ve ever done?  Taking part in demonstrations for a better world knowing that there was pepper spray, tear gas and riot police provoking violence.

 What would you most like to be remembered for?  Not being afraid to stand up for what I think is right.

 Most important lesson life has taught you?  Everyone has a bias, but it’s those who are aware of their own bias – and have spent the time to really think it out – that are best able to be objective and engage in constructive criticism.

 Can you describe your political leanings in one concise sentence?  A democratic socialist neo-Marxist.

 Which politician/political philosophy has had the greatest impact on your political outlook?  Marxism – particularly the works of Rosa Luxembourg, Henri Lefebvre, Antonio Gramsci and David Harvey.

 On the local political stage, who impresses you most right now? And least?  I’ve been impressed by Walton Brown’s contributions in the House of Assembly.

 If a UK or US government did a U-turn on a promised referendum, what would the political fallout likely be? Demonstrations, a lot of egg-throwing from the people, and likely a no confidence vote in parliament.

 How would you describe the quality of local political debate right now

a. in the House

b. in the media 

I find it disappointing in the House of Assembly.  It’s like kindergarten, with gloating, disrespect and spin from both parties – though in my experience, the Government benches (regardless of who’s in power) seem to be the worst offenders.

In the media, I feel that there is a lack of critical investigative reporting in general.  Don’t get me wrong, we have some excellent journalists, but I feel our politicians get too much of a free ride and are not being held accountable by the media.  And as the bulk of the people look to the media for information with which to keep the government accountable, it has a negative trickle-down effect, allowing the government to get away with things.  The current government is, in many ways, doing the same things that the previous government was lambasted for in the media, but without being really challenged by it.  Whether that is due to political bias on the part of editorial lines or owners, a honeymoon grace period for the new government, or the media being in the midst of its own internal crisis and so not able to function properly, I don’t know. 

I’m also continually disappointed by online comments.  All too often it’s dominated by political tribalism and personal attacks rather than diverse critical thought and mutual respect.