The world is in a prolonged senior moment. The next generation will blow it up

Old names are established brand names, and I would argue that the “appeal” of elderly leaders is an expression of fear even more than power imbalances. The familiarity of old names offers a shortcut around the challenge of thinking and a buffer against the threat of the new. National cultures driven by fear seek the devils they know. We are a fast-ageing world that is magnetised toward ageing things.

Who’s afraid of original thought? You and me, it would seem. Every one of the 10 most…