I think I'd love to have philosophers in charge of everything.

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I feel like they might find a path to world peace which could be useful considering nothing else is working.

Maybe we should train entire generations of philosophers to be politician whisperers, to work with the arrogant and the egotistical. Could they get their charges to settle down? Would they be able to avoid conflict?

Are we able to have serious conversations about the issues which matter without descending into insanity?

I ask this because of Dennis Richardson's remarks to the Lowy Institute on Tuesday night. Richardson, former head of ASIO, criticised both the media and public servants in the struggle to deal with anti-Semitism.

There's always been plenty of anti-Semitism in this country. That's not new. It just wasn't the sort that killed you as you were innocently celebrating a religious festival on a beach. It was *just* the sort that killed you on the inside as you realised a person you thought you knew thought it was AOK to use the word Jew as a slur.

There has been plenty more since the Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023. Does that mean we shouldn't criticise Israel because of its response to those attacks?

No. Because criticising Israel and its attacks on innocent Palestinians is not anti-Semitic (although, my goodness, there are some people who confuse Israel with all Jews).

Of public servants, Richardson said they often "hid behind their own cowardice" and engaged in self-censorship. We've seen that before. Public servants aren't who they used to be, as they try to please ministers.

Of the media's decision not to cover anti-Semitic preaching? "Well-intentioned", but were ultimately misguided.

Which is why one philosopher's advice is so crucial when it comes to the misery of world affairs (made more miserable since the second coming of Donald Trump) and the misery of trying to have serious, purposeful conversations about those........

© Canberra Times