When Paxman learns that Brand has never voted, he tries to make the issue completely personal, saying to Brand: "so you struck an attitude, what, before the age of eighteen." This is tantamount to calling Brand's politics nothing more that an adolescent pose, rhetoric without substance. Just over two minutes into the exchange, Paxman seems to be on top when Brand says:
"Well, I'd really been a drug addict at that point, because I come from the kind of social conditions that are exacerbated by an indifferent system that really just administrates for large corporations and ignores the population that --"
Paxman interrupts with a desperate ploy: "You're blaming the political class for the fact that you had a drug problem?" But Brand keeps on with an articulate critique of the present moment that reduces Paxman to accusing Brand of not believing in democracy and wanting a revolution. Something is happening here, and he doesn't seem to know what it is.
Now, in response to Brand's articulate litany, Paxman goes in a completely different direction: "All of those things may be true --" They are true!" says Brand. "I wouldn't argue with you about many of them," Paxman responds, at which point the interview appears to be edited and what follows is some nonsense about Paxman's beard.
Paxman shifts back to the inquiry mode, asking Brand for details again about what me means by revolution and what are the specifics of the new system he wants, but his tone now is less confrontational. Even so, when Brand says voting makes no difference, Paxman responds, "It does make a difference," without offering any evidence that it does. And he's already agreed with Brand that in many important ways, voting hasn't made a difference.
After six minutes, Paxman seems more hesitant, the exchange becomes more of a conversation. Having conceded most of the problems facing the world, Paxman tries yet another tack in defense of the powerful: "It's possible that human beings are just overwhelmed by the scale of the problem."
That seems desperate and improbable, since he's defending people who, rather than appearing overwhelmed, are actively making the problems worse. When Brand lucidly says as much, Paxson, without looking Brand in the eye, says, "You don't really believe that." But he's quiet almost to the point of inarticulateness at this point and offers no rebuttal. Brand by now is energized and needs no questions to continue his hyperactive analysis than ends with, "why pretend, why be complicit in this ridiculous illusion?"
Lacking a relevant response, he tries irrelevance, and then silence
Paxman, defender of the status quo, answers only: "Because by the time somebody comes along that you might think it worth voting for, it may be too late." In other words, Paxman is suggesting, your analysis of the crisis is essentially correct, but the only way to fix it is to work within the system. At this point, after almost nine minutes, Paxman even looks as hopeless as he sounds, and Brands spins on.
After another minute of saying nothing, Paxman asks quietly, "Do you see any hope?"
"Yes, totally, there's going to be revolution, it's totally going to happen," Brand snaps back. And then he gets personal with Paxman in a startling way. Brand says:
"I remember seeing you on that program where you look at your ancestors and you saw that your grandmother had to brass herself or else get f**ked over by the aristocrats that ran her gaff and you cried -- because you knew that it was unfair, and unjust. And that, what was that, a century ago?
"That's happening to people now. I've just come from a woman who's being treated like that, I've just been talking to a woman, today, who's being treated like that. So if we can engage that feeling, instead of some lachrymose sentimentality trotted out on TV for people to pore over, emotional porn -- if we can engage that feeling and change things, why wouldn't we? Why is that naive? Why is that not my right because I'm an 'actor'? I've taken the right. I don't need the right from you. I don't need the right from anybody. I'm taking it."
The segment ends and Paxman hasn't said another word.
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