Russell Brand speaks on stage. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Russell Brand just promoted what he calls a “magic amulet” that can protect users from “evil energies” – and the internet is not happy about it at all.
Brand, a comedian and vlogger, has become an increasingly controversial figure in recent years. He was accused of sexual assault and blocked from monetizing YouTube.
In recent months, Brand has been back in the news after converting to Christianity and focusing much of his online content on his new-found religion.
It is this environment in which the British celebrity is promoting something he calls a ‘Magical Amulet’, a piece of hardware called the Lifetune Flex from Aires Tech. Watch the video that stirred the internet here:
Since the ‘Magical Amulet’ cost $239.99, this video sent the internet into a tailspin. We’re going to talk about why, and what this says about the online world.
What is Russell Brand’s ‘magic amulet’?
In the video, Brand states that the world is filled with “evil energies,” pointing to the “phones out there” and “all the signals” as possible reasons for this. He states that he is “fortunately” wearing this “magic amulet from Aires Tech that stays put”. [him]
safe for all the different signals out there.
Although the video was originally posted to TikTok on September 9, it gained significant fame when Will Sommer uploaded the video to Twitter on October 15. At the time of writing, the video has been viewed 14.7 million times.
A screenshot of the video that Russell Brand made to promote the ‘magic amulet’.
So what about Brand’s ‘Magic Amulet’ has caught the attention of so many people? And why are they so angry?
What does the internet say about Russell Brands’ “Magical Amulet”?
This can be summarized in two main points. The first is the alleged lack of science behind the amulet. Twitter user @V_ForVanilla says Brand is talking about the Lifetune Flex blocking signals “While wearing a microphone on his chest that uses WiFi….”
Another Twitter user, @BacklogReviewer, takes a closer look at the technology behind the ‘Magical Amulet’. He says he’s “not convinced of the science” behind it, and that all the claims were simply “a whole bunch of bullshit jargon.”
Besides the reported weak scientific theory of the ‘Magical Amulet’, the other element that has the internet in a frenzy is the cost.
Many Twitter/X users commented on the $239.99 price tag, with some calling it “weird and pathetic,” and many others calling it a “grift.”
In closing, @BacklogReviewer summarizes much of the response online: “We’re left with Russell Brand shilling a plastic keychain for a company whose scientific justification is the most obvious thing I’ve ever read, backed by a foundation that has a mind control expert in their publication list.”
Why are people so angry about Russell Brand’s ‘Magical Amulet’?
Many of the elements behind this anger towards Brand have been discussed above, from his reported controversies to the fact that many consider the ‘Magic Amulet’ a ‘scam’ to separate people from their money.
Another explanation can be given to explain why the online world is so angry.
When the Internet first became mainstream, there were many experts who believed that it would usher in a new era of knowledge and understanding. Some, like expert John Allen, thought that people’s ethics would even stop them from doing immoral things online. In fact, there was a feeling that the Internet could change society for the better.
Instead, many believe that the Internet has made the world a worse place, leading to more partisan politics in countries like the US and general misinformation.
When events occur such as Russell Brand promoting a ‘Magical Amulet’ it can subconsciously remind people of the loss of this dream. The Internet was intended to propel humanity forward into a glorious future, one in which we can be free of ‘grifts’ and people who use science for their own gain.
So when a controversial celebrity goes online to advertise a ‘Magical Amulet’, it shows that the internet hasn’t actually changed society much at all. Many view Brand’s actions as just part of a long list of scams dating back to time immemorial.
It’s nothing new, and for many online citizens, that’s the problem.
