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Hi Andrew. I used to read your column in the NYT, but lost touch with it and didn't realise why until I read David Brooks' column. Brooks talked a bit about your philosophical background (you're a "Shoddie"? Interesting) and that you had moved to Substack. So that's the link. I live in Australia educated at postgrad level with my research interest in general healthcare - not just transition related care - for transgender people. There is considerable ignorance about this, including amongst health professionals. Yes I share your critique of Critical Theory. As a citizen of a long time ally of the US, with friends in US, I look with utter dismay at this election. In Australia we do have a very different system - a Westminster model - not a republic, with a written constitution. and a constitutional High Court. In my first undergrad degree I studied Government (political science), the second year of which was devoted in depth to the US and the then Russian communist systems, during a turbulent time (Khrushchev era). I also taught English -History at juniour high for a brief time. Obviously I have moved on. I am appalled at the spectre of foreign leaders openly laughing at your POTUS - and that he seem oblivious to this.

I am not sanguine at the possible landslide against Trump's Republicans. An interview aired on our national broadcaster ABC TV 2 days ago with a Chinese academic who admitted that they are hoping for a Trump victory: Because in their view, he will accelerate the US economic and political decline. This is almost but not quite verbatim.

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