It has often been said that a desire for power should automatically preclude anyone having such a desire from achieving it.

Thus the problem is that you would exclude anyone who said they were prepared to stand, on the basis that that preparedness indicates at least some desire for power.

This leaves a pool of people who are not interested, and hence would probably not do a particularly good job.

Also, if we had true democracy, we might well have the death penalty, sinking of migrant boats mid channel, and a completely unbalanced budget, with no taxes and enormously increased public spending.

Interesting read ...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/sep/29/my-past-was-chaos-iain-lee-on-abuse-cocaine-comedy-his-on-air-breakdown-and-his-sex-addict-father

That is such a read!

Interesting article in The Atlantic today, from one of my fave commentators/podcasters, Helen Lewis ... I Watched Stand-Up in Saudi Arabia - What the surreal Riyadh Comedy Festival foretold about the kingdom’s future

Direct gift article below (or archived here).

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/fear-laughing-riyadh-comedy-louis-ck/684527/?gift=SKtFP-7gCBnFn1bNJdqPMlgiSREa6JMQmjicy2fV_OM

Saudi Arabia has always seemed to me to be a frightening dystopia.

It now seems that it's a schizophrenic dystopia.

https://observer.co.uk/culture/interviews/article/what-shorts-should-i-wear-the-shorts-that-go-down-and-arrive-at-your-shoe

That's a fun read, but for some reason I have an irrational dislike for Bill Nighy, and inwardly groan whenever he appears onscreen.

Maybe he tries to hard, as I can sortof see his acting.