Noah Smith’s piece on the UK as a cautionary tale for the US is worth your time. He’s ex-Bloomberg, now freelance, and he knows exactly what he’s walking into - an American criticising Britain is guaranteed to get the “shut up, Yank” treatment.

He addresses it head on: “If you bring up the UK’s flaws on social media, you’re going to get an earful about how America elected Trump, Americans have no health care, American kids are constantly dodging bullets… Any criticism from an American is seen as giving free ammunition to the local enemy.” He’s right that it’s unhelpful, and he’s also right that it’s inevitable.

I don’t agree with everything he argues. It’s a stimulating read nonetheless.

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You have seen the move a thousand times. Someone lays out clear, well-researched evidence and the reply comes back: “that’s just your opinion.” Vaccine safety, climate data, the economics of a trade decision - the subject barely matters. The move puts a measured finding and a gut feeling on the same shelf, equally weighted, free to be picked up or put down depending on which one feels better that morning.

It looks like a debating trick. It is actually a worldview. And Brexit is the cleanest proof we have of what that worldview costs, because unlike most arguments about science and reason, this one came with a bill you can add up.

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