When Dishonesty Is Better

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Clarissa

June 9, 2012

A famous Russian poet once asked literary critic D., “Do you really like A.’s novel? Why did you write such a glowing review for such a horrible piece of writing?”

“No, I don’t really like it,” critic D. responded. “A friend asked me to do this as a favor to him.”

“Oh, thank God!” the poet exclaimed. “It’s such a relief to know that this was simply an act of dishonesty and corruption! I was afraid you actually liked the novel.”

I now think that Bloomberg’s crusade against extra-large soda receptacles is nothing but a ploy he used to get himself talked about everywhere. And the ploy succeeded.

This is actually a relief. I’d rather people did such things for self-promotional purposes. There is nothing scarier than an earnest do-gooder who thinks it is up to him to improve people even though they never asked to be improved.

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2 responses to “When Dishonesty Is Better”

Wirbelwind

June 9, 2012

Only we can improve ourselves.
Other people can help you, but you must be eager to follow their advice.
Teacher can only open the door, the student must go through it.
That’s why I am always surprised when teachers are blamed for students’ LAZINESS.

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the twisted spinster

June 9, 2012

Ha ha no. Bloomie is the mayor of frickin’ New York City. For what does he need even more self-promotion? Also, bad publicity is bad publicity; he’s in the public imagination as Nanny Bloomberg now, and while Americans will follow a “cool” guy who promises them all sorts of things, they won’t put up with being mommied. (We prefer to be “Daddied,” hence our tendency to elect charismatic promise-makers who say they’ll raise our allowance and protect us from the bad boys. Mommies nag us to eat our vegetables and go to bed early.)

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