Reading through this issue, there is a stark contrast between the beauty of the natural world of butterflies, oxeye daisies and barn owls and the damage that humans can do to the planet we share, whether through greed, neglect or war. In an article on page 34, former Naval Attaché and defence consultant David Fields discusses the need for dialogue with our enemies, not only to learn how to negotiate with them, but also to help us to understand them better. While David’s point is directed towards communication in a Ukrainian war context, in the current climate it can be difficult to know who our enemy is. To use a now well-worn phrase, ‘we live in a polarised society’ and understanding the forces that drive that polarisation would be helpful. A recent study, published by researchers in Amsterdam and Lausanne, highlighted politicians who exhibit ‘dark’ personality traits such as narcissism (excessive self-focus), psychopathy (emotional coldness and lack of empathy), and Machiavellianism (a tendency toward manipulation and deception) and concluded that these traits contribute to increasing polarisation among citizens. The research analysed the personalities of over 90 prominent global politicians and linked them to voter attitudes in 40 national elections. They found that politicians scoring high on ‘dark’ traits had followers who showed greater hostility towards political opponents. The study included leaders like Trump, Bolsonaro, Johnson, Berlusconi, Erdoğan and many others. While individual scores weren’t released, the study suggests that during political tension, voters often favour dominant, confrontational leaders, regardless of their ‘dark’ traits. It makes interesting reading for those who wonder how the world seems to be shifting from democratic to autocratic leadership, but even more so for those wondering who or what our enemy really is.
