"If you look at the United Kingdom, I think the policy of prioritizing debating and thinking has failed them"

The headline is taken from here. It reminds me of Tyler Durden's question about being clever: "How's that working out for you?"

Is the headline true? Well, I'd like to debate it and think about it of course.

I hope it's not true, but as Isaiah Berlin posited (and how did the policy of prioritizing debate and thinking work out for him?), maybe all the good things in life don't necessarily fit together neatly. You can have liberty or equality, thinking or good policy.

You might say this: "if you look at 5th century BC Athens, I think the policy of prioritizing debating and thinking failed them". Does that change your view of 5th century BC Athens?