His extraordinary blend of suavity and savagery

Pat Condell is a widely followed comedian and polemicist in the UK. Richard Dawkins describes him:

Pat Condell is unique. Nobody can match his extraordinary blend of suavity and savagery. With his articulate intelligence he runs rings around the religious wingnuts that are the targets of his merciless humour. Thank goodness he is on our side.

In this video, Brexit Morons, he takes on the British establishment.

While his focus is on Brexit, his description of the British establishment disparagement and disregard for the electorate at large captures the dynamic we are seeing all across the developed world. Self-regarding establishment swamp creatures, securely cocooned from any of the consequences of their policies, despising the people who actually pay their salaries, protect the nation, work hard for the nation's economic well-being.


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This is the heart of our dilemma. Condell observes about our establishments:

They've lost not only our trust, but our respect.

There is a feel of Sir Edward Grey's remark on August 3, 1914.

The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.

But I think it is more like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington's Rising Sun Armchair. George Washington used this chair for nearly three months of the Federal Convention's continuous sessions.

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The sun is on the crest of the back.

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James Madison reported Benjamin Franklin as saying

I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun.

Similarly with Brexit and Trump and the electoral defeats of establishments all across the developed world. Yes, these are risky and uncertain times, but I see them as a harbinger of free people demanding their rights and freedoms be respected by those for whom it was expedient to turn a blind eye on our core principals - consent of the governed, equality before the law, rule of law, sovereignty of the individual, etc..

The livelihoods and power of those in the establishment are being threatened. They will not reform themselves or choose to respect the polity. It will not be easy. But this resurrection of freedom and and rule of law, this demand that our representatives respect the electorate, is a sign of health and renewal.