JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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David made an interesting comment yesterday (not that he doesn’t on other days)
“If you ever wondered why Australians vote the way they do (vote for Lib/Lab/Teal/Green), an alarming number are functionally illiterate.
The dumbing-down of Australia by Leftist infiltration of the education system is almost complete.
Surely this is an argument against compulsory voting?
Grok AI gives the following analysis using ABS data among others.
Around 44% of Australian adults are considered functionally illiterate.”
I take it to mean that is as regards the written word and all that implies. I guess many Western nations will have similar figures. However more worrying is that I suspect a higher proportion than that are numerically illiterate. This matters a great deal of course as regards managing their finances, especially banking. Over here we are being pushed online for all things banking related and many people seem to want to do complex transactions using the tiny screens of their smartphones. That will surely backfire when they have no proper grasp of figures and a friendly banker isn’t sitting in front of them.
Even worse of course when it relates to politicians dealing with huge budgets. We have a Chancellor of the Exchequer who lives at 11 Downing Street, and is responsible for setting budgets, allocating finance, setting taxes etc. Most have no financial background whatsoever and the way in which they freely spend our money makes me suspect they are numerically illiterate and dont know the difference between millions and billions.
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Spending money on good causes makes politicians feel good.
There are only 2 objections; one is that the good causes might change (especially if you have a P.M. with little knowledge but relying on the latest public poll).
The money has to be repaid (but that is OK because there is a never-ending stream from the taxpayers and the Chancellor will be gone away by then).)
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The link title says it all regarding digital data. The EU seem to be following along similar lines following a proposal rammed through the EU parliament when most MEP’s had left for the summer break, so could not veto it in sufficient numbers.
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/germany-plans-secret-home-raids-and-teenage-informants/
I wonder if AI could read Orwell’s 1984 and come up with a version for modern times”2028″?
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FWIW
“The problem is the state”
“Brivael Le Pogram explains that acceptance of mediocrity is key to the decline of most western societies … meek acceptance that we are lesser people living in the ruins of a just-passed but rapidly receding Golden Age:”
“I’m on a “air-conditioned” train where it’s 26 degrees. The WiFi doesn’t work. No one says a word.
And that’s what fascinates me the most: not the breakdown, but the collective acceptance.
The socialist state has pulled off a psychological feat. It’s made us internalize that a mediocre service, paid for at exorbitant cost, is normal. That it’s even what “public service” means.
The same service in a free market would cost a fraction of the price. And if the AC broke down, you’d be refunded within the hour, because a competitor is waiting right next door for you to switch shops.
Make a list of everything the state touches:”
More at
https://quotulatiousness.ca/blog/2026/07/14/the-problem-is-the-state/
Via https://instapundit.com/810203/#disqus_thread
Concludes
“That’s why the bureaucrat is the worst possible steward of your taxes: he spends other people’s money, on other people. No incentive to save, no incentive to serve well. Milton Friedman summed it up in one sentence: it’s the worst of the four ways to spend money.
The problem isn’t this minister, that government, this reform. The problem is structural. A monopoly without competition, without prices, without skin in the game, will ALWAYS produce mediocrity. No matter who’s running it. No matter the budget.
If you’ve grasped that, you’ve grasped 90% of political economy.
So do one simple thing: explain it to your loved ones. Next delayed train, next emergency room wait, ask the question: “Who loses money when this service sucks?” Answer: no one. That’s the problem.
The information will eventually spread. And one day, collectively, we’ll stop swallowing it.
The problem is the state. Always.”
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America continues to reindustrislise under TRUMP with proper energy supply (no renewables) and freed-up markets.
Meanwhile Australia continues to regress to Third World status with policies of de-energisation (blowing up power stations) and subsequent deindustrialisation.
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Javier Milei vs Kier Starmer which would most English prefer? HINT England lost in the recent semi-final.
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All woke Western countries could do with some Milei-style leadership.
He also gives confidence that even a highly dysfunctional country, destroyed by decades of socialism and associated graft, has some hope of being fixed. A lesson for Australia.
Milei is also considering exiting the Paris Accords but is being threatened by trade sanctions if he does so.
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2025/02/28/risk-of-financial-fallout-may-deter-argentina-from-leaving-paris-agreement/
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Watch that match and you soon realise why Messi is a class above – even in world class company. Messi is the Trump of football – greatest ever.
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(Copied from an email as the link to the substack article requires a subscription.)
Another fine institution destroyed by the Left. The Left destroy everything that is good.
I’m glad I visited nearly all of their museums before they went woke.
See official White House report at https://substack.com/redirect/ae8dfdbb-b734-4b45-bad4-6eabcd6c216b
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Trust the elites; they know what is best for us.
https://sonar21.com/iran-no-longer-bound-by-mou-adjusts-tactics/#comment-410428
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I was invited to participate in this Liberal Party survey – only because I am on their mailing list. This is the link to the discussion paper. The link to the survey is at the end of the discussion paper.
So anyone who has an interest in non-socialist/communist policy can take part.
My main point was that I do not know what “Liberal values” actually are. Then pointed out that I will not vote for a party that is fully on board with the United Nations global socialist agenda.
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