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Kyra Geddes's avatar

Thanks Nigel. Astute analysis as always. I think reading your weekly missives might count as my Alzheimers presentation strategy - all those terms you bandy around so breezily keep me on my toes!

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Nigel Bowen's avatar

One day soon, the great-Australian-novel-reading public will be puzzling over the term you breezily bandy about, Kyra!

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Christopher Gage's avatar

They have 'nostalgia economics' across Norway and Scandi, France, Germany et al. All are way better off than my fellow Brits...

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Nigel Bowen's avatar

Good point, Christopher. And I think there's plenty of evidence that people in those countries report being considerably happier than their Anglosphere counterparts, who embraced neoliberalism much more enthusiastically.

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Christopher Gage's avatar

We had it thrusted upon us, really. Around 7% would vote for crazy social-economic liberalism.

And yes. I think much of our current social problems are down to us turning the economy into a gameshow. Most people just want a decent job and a decent life, not this free-for-all. They don't want to be (nor ever could be) entrepreneurs or billionaires etc.

A GREAT book: Head, Hand, Heart by David Goodhart. Do read that if you're unfamiliar.

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Nigel Bowen's avatar

Indeed! I'm currently trying to finish Matt Goodwin's book, but he mentions Goodhart frequently and I've been meaning to read his tome as well, even though I think I got the gist of it after seeing him interviewed on a number of podcasts.

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Christopher Gage's avatar

Ha! I often tweet those two to start a party. I'd vote for them. So would 65% of the country!

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New Australian Bulletin's avatar

Your advice to Abbott was to let the left nudge him away from the right? That's "squishing". That's what differentiates Liz Cheney from Donald Trump.

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