five answers

I was asked to give five reasons why I opposed Brexit. I replied knowing that what I said would be read by holders of all opinions on brexit.

I’ve never come across a reasoned argument for brexit, only, at best, emotions covered in self–delusion trying to sound reasonable. Mind you, I haven’t looked too hard for the arguments—I can’t read Russian, and the English language sources of the Brexiteer despondency are things I associate with social illness (Daily Mail, Daily Express, etc.). Given the absence of reasoned brexiteer arguments, given that some brexiteers might read what I say, and given it’s important to pitch your argument to the level of the audience, I decided I’d better slip in some little pieces of insanity to give something familiar for brexiteers to read.

image: the bacterium self-deludus insanitatis, which damages sanity and weakens the ability to reason, is believed by some to cause the maladies brexititis and trumpitis, and is possibly the root cause of much populism across the world.

So far as I am concerned, I am being divorced by a country that is undergoing a nervous breakdown. It fills me with irritation (can you tell?), sadness, and regret that so many brexiteers are too irresponsible to refer themselves to the funny farm for a cure (I only know of three who have done so, two were cured and one was unfortunately sectioned). If the majority of the country has fallen for the lies of a bunch of ignorant arrogant far–right proto–criminals, then I will continue to try and talk sense into them, but ultimately I will reject the nationality rather than follow them into their pointless self–deluded suicide. UK, if you eff off from reason, then, ultimately, that’s your own fecking ignorant stupidity, and you can bear the consequences without me. It doesn’t take much to see through the lies of populists, so why, brexiteers, do you squeeze your eyes shut and chant for more poison?

I like having human rights, and the right of freedom of movement, and don’t want them stolen from me.

I believe peace is a good idea—here, actions speak louder than words; the brexiteers words say no restarting The Troubles, but march full pelt towards them.

My father fought in the second world war, risking his life, as the UK risked its existence, fighting a monstrous populist fascism that had taken control of much of Europe. Now, I see the enemy’s ideology has taken control of the UK. I must fight this small–minded evil, not just in memory of my father, not just in memory of all those who lost their lives fighting the same ideas in WW2, but to help wrest back control of the UK, for the sake of the future, for the sake of the young, for the sake of everyone, even for the sake of those fooled by the populist brexiteer ideology.

Criminals, not law–abiders, fear the overview of the courts.

I really cannot work out how people who are suffering from the abuse of the selfish powerful can decide to cut themselves away from those having a small success in defending them, at the behest of those out to make their lives far worse.

I have heard that there are intelligent people who believe in brexit, but have never come across an argument that makes sense to the organ between my ears, only those that make sense to the organ between my legs, if they make any sense at all. That’s why I realised there are no soundly reasoned arguments for brexit, just emotions disguised as reason by people who can’t do any better, set up by those using them—so, as you may have noticed, I’m joining in their style.