19 December 2021: We have removed a letter published in our issue of 10 December which contained an inaccurate reference to the 1933 Haavara agreement. We apologise for the error and the offence it caused.
The blame game
What a shame that Jerome Roos introduced capitalism into his excellent essay (“How the weather shapes history”, 26 November). Throughout history, regimes have burned fossil fuels irrespective of ideology. The difference today is that we have never been more capable of mitigating climate change. By implying that capitalism is the bogeyman behind rising global temperatures, Roos encourages, however passively, the extremist views that hinder action.
Sir Andrew Cook, Castagnola, Switzerland
Mindless mutations
I am not totally against anthropomorphic descriptions, but your headline “The virus strikes back” goes too far. Mutations are random and it is not helpful to see the virus as a sentient being with evil intent.
Mary Davies, Lymington, Hampshire
Dietary advice
A question for Phil Whitaker, on the interview with Jordan Peterson (Encounter, 3 December). Shouldn’t an all-meat diet lead to scurvy? When wouldn’t it?
Dave McElroy, Reading, Berkshire
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This article appears in the 09 Dec 2021 issue of the New Statesman, Christmas Special