Review by pat - The End of Certainty: Scott Morrison and Pandemic Politics (Quarterly Essay, #79)

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

Various reflections from reading through this…

I really do enjoy the long-form essay approach of Quarterly Essays, and have been neglecting reading them, even though I have a subscription. I'm glad I've halted that neglect for at least a moment.
One aspect of this essay is rumination on how Australia and the world has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic - which, look, we don't lack for, but it's thoughtful and thought-provoking.
The other aspect is an analysis of Scott Morrison as both a Prime Minister and a person. I do not agree with a lot of his politics, and that remains the case, but I guess I'm open to the fact that he's at least somewhat trying to lead well.
And with all the politics and character analysis, it had me thinking: if I was in power, what would I do differently? How would I manage people's expectations and hope? How would I structure policy, seek consensus, communicate and bring people together? I still entertain a faint idea of going into politics, and part of me would love to take all these thoughts and turn them into something practical. I remain impatient with the system though, which is a big part of why I've not walked down this path yet.

All in all, I found this essay a great overview of the past ten months of Australia - both politically and broadly.