I think the difference in Brand between the Paxton interview and this one, is marked and notable! Whereas in the Paxton round he was, on several occasions, against the ropes in terms of providing practical alternatives to the status quo, in this interview he repeatedly uses the phrase "creative direct action" - which gives some shape to his proposals at least, especially with the examples he cites.
He has either been told by a PR expert, or (more likely) he's learned himself through practice, that air-time is precious, and to stick to the agenda of the interviewer is a lost opportunity. I LOVE the way he dismisses the graph, because at base level he is being told "Look here at this, this thing. Absorb this, and then I'll ask you a question about it." That technique is manipulative and leaves no room for Brand's alternative agenda - but we accept it as the normal paradigm because we're used to handing "journalists" and "interviewers" the power of the moment.
To then declare as Brand does "Well, I'm going to use this time to talk directly to the viewers...." is SUPERB! Not only rather funny, but succinctly encapsulates his demand that we should break down the power structures to which we currently acquiesce, and turn things on their heads. Who needs the capitalist mouthpiece that is Evan Davies, when there are several million people to be spoken to, in way that (like it or not folks!) will resonate with hundreds of thousands of them.
That interview with Davies was more impactful, made more sense, and was more inspiring in terms of practical direction than I've seen so far.
I come at this from the perspective that Brand might not be right on everything, but he is earnest and honest in what he says, he's a good-hearted man, and it chimes with me politics strongly.
