Do you think leaders/politicians have 'charisma' or do they just say what people want to hear?

Well historically it did. The reason why the UK didn’t have a Jew problem is that they killed them all in the12th and 13th century

Right, but saying that anti-semitism now is better than it was in the 1930s is a very, very low bar to clear.

I think the problem today is worse than you’re crediting. I’m not saying we’re on the verge of another Holocaust, but antisemitism is still a very real, lived reality for too many people.

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This is phrased incredibly badly.

I understand that all I’m saying is that it’s much better, that a state sponsored attack on the Jewish people at the moment dies not look likely not that it’s not a problem.

We are talking about a very high bar hear. I agree.

Well I apologise for the phrasing then. The point is human history is incredibly brutal and it’s stupid to presume that brutality is just due to single individuals

I agree with that.

I mentioned in the podcast thread that I’ve been listening to Patrick Wyman’s The Fall of Rome series, and I’m reading Tom Holland’s Millennium about medieval Europe. Civilisations really do collapse (or at least, radically change).

Completely agree. This is my worry too. Particularly as the ability to create ‘other’ and dehumanise a group is still very much a thing. What is happening to asylum seekers is worrying

Yeah. If you think of the modern equivalent of the Pax Romana, what is that? Modern liberal democracy, laizzes-faire capitalism? So pretty much everywhere. It won’t be an individual nation that goes down. It will have to be wider.

hitler bad, vandals good

The real answer is Joe Biden

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shame he couldn’t run for president :disappointed:

I think Putin is enormously charismatic. He speaks a lot of sense in the media while being a manipulative fuck. Interesting character for sure.

I’d say he comes across as very smart but he’s not very likeable or anything so I don’t count him.

Don’t think charisma and likability (for want of a better word) are the same thing though. I’ve met some very charismatic dickheads.

You coming up for the next Fenino?

I don’t know how to respond to this.

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I sometimes think Tony Blair is (hear me out). He was brought back out for one of the recent general elections (perhaps the one featuring Brown), and I’m pretty sure in interviews with people who had heard speak or had spoken with him would say things like “he’s an awful man, but he’s so charming”.

Alright, I can take a hint.

To western scum maybe. But to the loving Russian people?

Ah well I assume he says what they want to hear? Sorry, your post seemed to be referencing how he speaks to the rest of the world.