Rubenerd

Towards the end of his article in the Australian Financial Review:

In so many areas, the left is being forced to deal with the byproducts of its own success – achievements within the capitalist system that have generated knock-on problems.

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, there were two great socialist goals: widespread economic ownership and universal education. The first has produced a highly materialistic society (undermining traditional left-wing values of compassion and collectivism), while the second has, perversely enough, encouraged anti-enlightenment on climate change.

He argues with greater education, we've become dabblers in many fields without becoming experts, which predisposes us to be sceptical of traditional sources of authority, such as the scientific community. Interesting idea.