![]() ![]() If we never find ourselves in spaces of unconstrained openness, we might not even know what we really think, hiding truths even from ourselves. But the more we do that, the more constrained we are from saying what we really think the less able we are to look unflinchingly at the state of things and describe what we see, no matter what we find. ![]() There are times, of course-often there are times-when we must be pragmatic in our modes of communication, and shape the expression of our ideas in ways that are psychologically digestible, compassionate, or even crafted to be at- tractive to an intended audience. This article is a reproduction of the first chapter of This Civilisation is Finished: Conversations on the End of Empire - and What Lies Beyond (2019). Let us engage each other in conversation, not primarily as scholars wanting to defend a theory, or as politicians seeking to win votes or advance a public policy agenda, or even as activists fighting for a cause, but instead, just as human beings trying to understand, as clearly as possible, our situation and condition at this turbulent moment in history. When I look at the world today, I see the vast majority of academics, scientists, activists, and politicians ‘self-censoring’ their own work and ideas, in order to share views that are socially, politically, or even personally palatable. ![]() Samuel Alexander: Rupert, I would like to invite you into a space of uncompromised honesty. ![]()
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