Out of the last year with one theory, into the new year with my next theory.

Each group of people has an equal number of arseholes (3-5% seems reasonable). So each nation will have a roughly equal number of arseholes. I have no idea if arseholes are more common in men than women. It’s definitely more noticeable in men because they use more force. Women I think have less desire for hierarchy, which by my definition makes them less likely to be arseholes, but since we can’t make a decent guess less just assume equal. I’m a good believer in equality.

Arseholes want power over others. They’ll do this small scale when they beat their wife, or manipulate others for their benefit. Arseholes want hierarchy. Hierarchy, in almost all but the most basic forms, is the problem. Arseholes want to be king of the world – eh, Boris?.

The question is where does your system put the arseholes? Does it give them money or influence? Who do you trust less – billionaires or politicians? (see Elon Musk’s Twitter poll).

• Capitalism – gives the arseholes power over money (which in turn gives them power over people).
• Socialism – gives the arseholes power over people (which in turn gives them power over money).
• Anarchy – gives them neither, but then they are free to create chaos in the system. Slowly create worse hierarchies in the system.

Capitalism and socialism are probably the best you’ll get if you want stable hierarchies. Capitalism works when there is no extra profit to be made, when there are lots of small companies competing. Anarchy is an ideal, but a dangerous ideal that can be easily corrupted.

Borders are only there because arseholes in power claimed the land and then fought over it. Its the tragedy of the commons on a global scale. If we could eliminate hierarchies to all but the most basic, we could eliminate borders.

Only when the desire of love can overcome the desire of being an arsehole can we keep the arseholes under control.