SYDNEY, N.S. (CUP) — Henry Rollins is a prolific, straight-tothe- point kind of guy. He uses his diatribes as avenues to start conversations about the state of today's world concerning topics like sustainability and globalization.

His latest speaking tour is winwin for the more-than-musician, who goes stir crazy within an hour of any tour's conclusion. While touring, he gets to introduce himself to new venues, and he gets to work. Rollins is no stranger to, and has come to crave, hard work. Already over a dozen books into his writing career, his continued passion shows no sign of slowing.

Known in the '80s as the lead singer of Black Flag, and then for creating Rollins Band as the '90s drew near, only the most dedicated fans would know the real passion with which the man seizes life. Rollins does like to be idle, but he uses the opportunity to travel between tours to learn about the world in which he lives. Rollins is a champion for society. He is an exposer of propaganda and political intrigue.

During the 15 minutes leading up to showtime in Halifax, the excitement is palpable. A sound tech has come to the stage twice, and each time he enters the darkened stage he meets “Woo, Henry!” and exits to “Aww.” Finally, the lights come up and Rollins crosses the stage to the mic at centre. The crowd literally erupts into cheers and Rollins' bows begin. After about a half dozen bows he starts talking and the crowd quickly hushes.

Not one to mince words or avoid uncomfortable topics, Rollins addresses his age right away. “I started touring when I was 20. I'm 49 today. I'm not going to grow up and do something someday. Someday is now. I'm old. I'm not 89, but I'm 49.”

The man has been in the public eye since 1981 when a chance offer to sing one song with his favourite band led to the front slot the following year. He has been working as an entertainer since his late teens. Either way, you wouldn't know it to watch the man on stage.

Moving quickly through his discussion points, of which there are many, Rollins gets to the inevitable discussion of Canada versus America. “I know, sometimes you look at America as an odd spectator sport. A surreality show.” Although Rollins acknowledges the George W. Bush years with a mix of bemusement and disdain, America is the country he loves. Some of the people, though, he could stand to do without.

On recent news out of Mississippi - where a lesbian student wanted to take her girlfriend to the prom, so the prom was cancelled and ruined for all students - Rollins describes the administrators as “Dim-witted, smallminded, hate-filled, fear mongers.”

Reminding the audience that he can never understand what it means to be gay, Rollins is quick to make the point that he knows how hard it is to be a teen and could imagine contemplating suicide if one more method of alienation was added to the mix.

Moving on with the topic, he recounts his experience as a guest judge on season two of RuPaul's Drag Race. He goes on to talk about the eerie hotness of a punkrock drag queen who crept into the tail end of that evening's “tension relief.” It's the ease with which he relates the story that is most entertaining. No matter the topic, Rollins injects hilarity throughout the discussion.

Turning to federal politics in the United States, Rollins offers equalopportunity mockery. He discusses young and old, Democrat and Republican, and the diatribe focuses on experience and education.

Doing an impressive George W. Bush impression: “We democrafied the Iraqians.” As a passable Barack Obama: “I ... speak ... in perfect ... 12-point ... Helvetica. You can hear ... the punctuation ... in my speech ... period.” Turning his attentions to Senator John McCain's nonverbal communications during stump speeches: “He always starts with ‘My friends,' but then you look at his body language and he's really saying ‘Where's my soup? I'm cold! I don't feel like talking!'”

The crux of the evening is that people need to be educated. Rollins suggests that it is the responsibility of each student to be curious. It is our responsibility to pursue “higher knowledge” so that we can affect necessary change. He says we need people who are visionaries - who look at the world and think long term. We must “see the world in terms of sustainability.” We must, according to Rollins, be the kind of people who want to take care of our own generation and then 50 more generations to come after us.

At three hours, I was amazed that time passed so quickly, and yet so much got covered. We discussed age, sexual orientation, globalization, world politics and education. Rollins had a story about many of the impoverished nations he's visited and how the human spirit radiates from even the darkest of shadows. But the point is that if we learn about the world, we will learn to stop idealizing it.

While he has an admittedly utopian view of human society, he is the eternal optimist that we can reach our highest potential. It just takes a little education.