I guess I'm bothered by the fact that he implied that he was more than casually educated on the subject he was talking about...
As an American, where most of our politicians eagerly jostle for the title of Stupidest Human, the fact that the PM was trying to appear smart raises him up several notches. He considers intelligence to be something worthy. That's refreshing and admirable.
He is likely intelligent but he is very ignorant of the subject he speaks, which is where my concern lies.
As an American I would be far more concerned about a leader who knows little and makes airs of knowing more than an intelligent leader who dumbs themself down... The latter has an outside shot at being wise; the former has an outside shot at being dangerous.
Thank you for eloquently expressing what I was trying to say. I am unsure why fakery, even if said fakery is "good", is encouraged.
"Fake it 'til you make it" is an individual endeavor, not a mantra that the leaders of a populace should embrace, I assume.
the leaders of a populace have arguably already "made it"
As an American I'll remind you that we have relatively recent experience with the latter type, and it mostly did not go well.