The aphorism attributed to Mark Twain about travel being anathema to “prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness” could not be less true. Having visited various cities in the past year, I find I hunger for home the furthest from it I go—no matter how mismanaged my rainy little archipelago is at the moment. Despite politicians pronouncing themselves democrats, our bureaucratic systems obfuscate accountability. But looking to places like the United States or Japan provides a sobering reminder that everything in politics is a choice. Staying aware of this fact allows us to resist resignation to civilisational decline and allocate blame accordingly.
