Unedifying spectacle

Guess who?

An over 40 smoker who loves correcting spelling mistakes. A propagandist who can’t bring himself to criticise conservative leaders lest they stop sending him Christmas cards. A Court Reporter whose contribution to the journalistic canon can be summarised in one word: negligible. Any ideas yet?

Let me continue.

A man whose mates like comparing critics to Jewish concentration camp guards. (What are his kind saying about inciting hatred in the wake of the London attacks?) A meek individual whose output consists of little more than columns, criticism and bile. A writer afraid to actually report from the real world nor travel to places without an official guide.

Give up?

Yep, got it in one. Welcome to Australia’s favourite son. He rather reminds me of Robert Manne’s description of Herald Sun “journalist” Andrew Bolt. Reading him is like “being trapped in a small room with an angry, indignant, simple-minded man who believes the best way of convincing you that he is right, yet again, is to ridicule and shout.”

For those who believe in a black and white world – so reassuring, isn’t it followers? – bigotry, racism and ridiculing mental illness becomes part of the intoxicating mix.

Contribution to the world?

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