While we have freedom to demonstrate, Iran hangs protestors

We have technology and democracy and travel and work and learning opportunities like no group of people have ever had.

Yet we are scathing about our own societal failures and castigate ourselves for past racism and other sins.

In a way this is a reflection of what civilised people we have become, being able to view ourselves critically.

But this self criticism can tip into self hatred.

The Twitter banishment of the ex US president Donald Trump (recently reversed) might not have seemed so absurd if leaders of brutal countries had not been allowed to continue to issue messages from that social media platform.

Mr Trump's wrongdoings are of nothing compared to the leaders of the non democracies. And yet many people in Europe and America are far less critical of revolting regimes abroad than they are of tyrannies abroad.

The hardline Islamic state Iran executed a second person yesterday for his role in national protests against the repressive theocracy there. Majidreza Rahnavard was hanged by a crane for supposedly killing security force members but this death penalty, and others planned, seem motivated above all by a determination to stamp out protest.

China has recently had anti lockdown protests, the first big demonstrations since the 1989 government massacre of students at Tiananmen Square. They have not dared to protest since.

Russia kills political opponents.

None of these societies have free news or real freedom of assembly.

We should always be aware of failures in our own societies more, but also be grateful for their huge strengths, particularly when we consider some of the grisly alternatives dotted around the world.