Woke society replicates 1970s mice experiment

Human studies used to disprove findings from Universe 25 may have been 50 years too early. 

In the 1960s and 70s, the American ethologist and behavioural researcher John B. Calhoun conducted an experiment with mice to better understand the effects of population density on behaviour. The experiment, conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health, was known as Universe 25. It consisted of a predator-free, 9-foot square pen with nesting boxes and unlimited food, water, and nesting materials but limited space.

The results were surprising. Rather than physical density, the more limiting idea of ‘social density’ suggested a bleak future for humans living in urban environments. While Calhoun was controversial for ‘anthropomorphising’ his findings, it shocked me how Universe 25 mirrors what is happening in our increasingly Woke Western world.

Alexandra Marshall had this to say in the Unfiltered newsletter:

Giving politics a break for a moment, there is a great little article from Michael de Percy today in which a mouse experiment from the 60s/70s that might explain why our culture is going so horribly wrong. Its mice even started ‘going Woke’ (well, a mouse version of Woke). The major lesson, beyond the entertainment, is that models and expert consensus do not always correctly predict reality. Given the topic involved is ‘population growth’, this is certainly something that needs more thought.

My opinion piece in The Spectator Australia, Woke society replicates 1970s mice experiment.

MICHAEL DE PERCY: WHAT MICE 🐭🐭🐭 TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE BEHAVIOUR OF A WOKE CIVILISATION

In the 1960s and 70s, the American ethologist and behavioural researcher John B. Calhoun conducted an experiment with mice to better understand the effects of population density on… pic.twitter.com/FXusFgo76O

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) May 29, 2025

Labor’s energy crisis ends up on your bill

Our energy system is in a crisis created by Labor and we're paying for it.

Mr Bowen has proven that governments are the worst at picking winners when it comes to the best technologies for a job (like Rudd and Conroy before him). Bowen’s renewables policy, one that young people really, really want (apparently), is quickly becoming an economic nightmare.

It turns out that the ‘cheapest form of energy’, is actually more expensive than everything else.

Alexandra Marshall had this to say in the Unfiltered newsletter:

And now for the bad news. Despite Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese making wild promises about cheap energy bills, we found out today that all of our bills are going up. If you’re unfortunate enough to be in New South Wales, it’s really going up. The self-inflicted energy crisis is ending up on your bill and there’s not even a hint of apology or culpability from Bowen.

My opinion piece in The Spectator Australia, Labor’s energy crisis ends up on your bill.

Labor’s energy policy is a failure.

It has failed to reduce energy prices, it has failed to meet its emissions targets, it has failed to obtain a social licence, and it has failed to enable any possible alternative to their chosen technologies.https://t.co/uZH2MQ352v

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) May 26, 2025

Socialism dressed up in the politics of empathy

We're all just getting along, now, ain't we?

Labor’s ‘values-based capitalism’ and energy policy echo Klaus Schwab’s ‘stakeholder capitalism’ that asks big government and big business to implement Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks. ESG is on the nose and so is ‘nature positive’, but with the Uniparty’s other leader agreeing to whatever Labor says about environmental policy, we’ll get it, and we will love it.

Every new policy and political event push us closer to socialism. Like cancel culture, you cannot debate it because then you are toxic or unkind or some other wimpy label. When you get cancelled or sacked for disagreeing, it is all about ‘empathy’.

Terry Barnes had this to say in the Morning Double Shot newsletter:

Michael de Percy goes hard against the socialism that now penetrates every pore of our major parties’ policies and messaging. I quibble with his ‘socialism dressed up as empathy’ argument, however: in Australia, major party socialism is rampant and it’s naked, not dressed up as anything other than what it is. He could, however, have mentioned Alexander Dubcek’s ‘socialism with a human face’, so we could add that there’s no Australian political leader who comes within a bull’s roar of the courage shown by Czechoslovakia’s Dubcek in 1968.

My opinion piece in The Spectator Australia, Socialism dressed up in the politics of empathy.

MICHAEL DE PERCY | Socialism dressed in the politics of empathy is the most sinister thing the left have ever invented.

Yet Australians voted for it in the absence of a credible government-in-waiting. 😟https://t.co/gW1MRGw1Hc

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) May 24, 2025