Ein AusLANDER

A really interesting read. I struggle to believe that Cummings is genuinely as delusional as they’d suggest. But the lack of empathy or comprehension of the perspectives of the other ‘players’ seems rather pervasive.

I urge people to think critically for themselves about why the leave campaign might have wanted to do this.

The real fear campaign was demonising immigrants, with the absurd alleged duality of both claiming benefits and stealing your jobs at the same time. The fear campaign was about how the NHS was some how poorer due to EU membership (when EU migrants contribute more in taxes than they take in benefits and are generally of a younger age with few health issues). The fear campaign was suggesting that Turkey was about to join.

What did they think would happen with the referendum if they instead told the truth about such issues? Why are they so especially against the idea of asking a more informed public the same question?

Make up your own minds.

I think that this is deeply deeply true. With the analogy of faith it is about often believing without clear evidence. Or even to have the resolve to believe regardless of the best evidence telling us otherwisee.

Because Brexit is such a deeply emotional thing for people. They care about Brexit way more than they care about any of the negative consequences. Brexit at any cost! So I think Dawkins has nailed the point.

For balance. I believe that many of us whom are pro remain also are in a similar situation. Although my bias is that the case for remain is much more strongly supported in empircal evidence.

Statistically the younger voted overwhelmingly for remain. Counting upwards the first age range to have voted majority for leave were aged 50-64. Those 65 or older were even more likely to vote leave.

Jumping a few steps ahead from this I think it’s inevitable that we will end up with a population that are majority remain. Meaning that our now leaving and then rejoining the EU. On both accounts is close to inevitable.

25 ex-embassadors write to the PM explaining how a no deal brexit will reduce the UK’s global unfluence.

We will be withdrawing from the tables where major decisions are made. We will have less influence at other tables because we have a smaller population by ourselves, so less political leverage.

It is not that Brexit voters do not understand this - it is more that they do not care as much about our global image. As anecdotally, they tend to travel significantly less.

I would imagine that Brexit voters are much less likely to even have a passport. I suspect this, but do not know for sure.

This is despite the UK now being a lot cheaper for EU tourists. This is not an insignificant decrease and a big loss to the economy considering what they would have spent.

In my opinion this is a side effect of us dramatically weakening our image abroad.

If there is a silver lining at all let’s hope that this situation is somehow finally making life just a bit more bearable for passionate brexit voters.

This is without mentioning the catastrophic human cost of Brexit such as the impending loss of rights and privileges.

Even in this ‘post truth’ world of alternative facts being used to secure Brexit. It is not possible to deny the reality of what is happening to the pound as the markets see through the vaneer.

Anecdotally, as someone who travels I’ve known this firsthand for quite some time. The Brexit vote feels quite embarrassing and our international friends generally view it with bemusement and tend to find it quite pathetic.

It’s interesting to see that those in more professional positions in terms of politics seem to be receiving the same vibe.