Nick Clegg urges Britain to rediscover optimism and tells Silicon Valley to drop the self pity

"Clegg's fondness for Britain is undimmed, but his verdict on our current mood is stark. The UK, he argues, is "remarkably creative" for a "soggy, muddy island", yet something has curdled. "It's as if the country has fallen out of love with the future," he says, lamenting a pervasive habit of talking down people and ideas. By contrast, Americans "celebrate success" in a way many Britons find "a bit frothy" - but which, he insists, creates its own momentum."

"That cultural divergence is reinforced by economics and geography. When he was in Downing Street, Clegg notes, the GDP of Europe and the US was broadly comparable. Today, he observes, the American economy is perhaps 1.5 to 1.7 times larger - the product of faster rebounds after the financial crisis and the pandemic, stronger demographics, and the structural advantages of a continent‑sized market. Europe, for all its virtues, is a "trickier" neighbourhood."

"From Westminster's rough and tumble to California's wealth and influence, Clegg was struck by an unexpected phenomenon: thin skins in high places. "There's this odd culture of very rich, successful men who feel terribly sorry for themselves," he says of parts of the Valley. Many celebrate their role as disrupters, yet complain when disruption brings criticism. "Either be a disrupter - and take the flak - or don't," he shrugs,"

Experience in government and Big Tech provides multiple vantage points on power. Britain remains remarkably creative but has developed a pessimistic mood and a tendency to talk down people and ideas, suggesting it has fallen out of love with the future. American culture celebrates success and generates momentum. The US economy is now roughly 1.5–1.7 times larger than Europe's because of faster post-crisis rebounds, stronger demographics, and a continent‑sized market. Europe remains a trickier neighbourhood. Silicon Valley contains wealthy leaders who feel sorry for themselves, celebrating disruption while complaining about criticism. There is also a pragmatic perspective on managing artificial intelligence and free speech.

Read at Business Matters