It's tempting, but wrong, to regard the current situation as somehow unusual. All over the world we're seeing how democracy enables mindless populism which in turn ensures that only babbling incompetents rise to power. As ordinary people know nothing and understand even less, it is crazy that they should be allowed in any way to influence the governance of a nation. And as politicians generally are rather stupid and often unpleasant people, it is equally crazy that they are permitted near the levers of power merely because they can garner votes by telling simple-minded lies wrapped up in easy-to-chant soundbites. We need a total rethink of how best to govern in a complex inter-connected world in which rapid change seems to be the only constant. Clearly democracy is unfit for purpose precisely because it results in follies like Brexit, MAGA, AfD, PiS, Orban, Putin, Erdogan, Modi, and so many other atrociously harmful outcomes.