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While sitting at home Monday evening minding my own business and watching an episode of the HBO series Deadwood (great show by the way - you can get the DVD's from the library or Blockbuster), when the phone rings. I let the kids answer it because the phone is never for me (in the age of cell phones it doesn't ring all that often anyway). This time it was for me - a young reporter from the WSJ doing a story on local gadflies.
For Monona they have chosen to write about Jim-Dan Guilfoil and Marianne Lichtfield and did I want to comment!
Webster's Online Dictionary defines "gadfly" as : "a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism".
Based on those definitions the State Journal made some good selections. I initially declined to comment, bu finally did offer what I hope is a rather restrained, but accurate comment about each of them.
Look for the story in a paper near you.
The term 'gadfly' comes from the naming of Socrates by Plato for his constant asking of questions. One's conscience is a gadfly, bothering us to justify what we choose.
ReplyDeleteAs you might remember Socrates criticised the state of Athens for it's use of laws to justify what was unethical and immoral.
Plato wrote that Athens was to be remembered for using justice to put the 'wise' man to death.
Thus, the gadfly.fynher
I believe 'helloooo Monona' to be a form of boosterism. That would seem to be the opposite of being a gadfly. If the purpose is to irritate or draw attention to oneself then any pest image will do. The gadfly has as its target the social animal, the behemoth of the state which has become comfortable with its power.
ReplyDeleteThe gadfly afflicts the comfortable and speaks truth to power.
'helloooo Monona' does none of these.
Are you jealous of 'hellooo's' staus? Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteThe State Journal chose the subjects and the 'gadfly' moniker not me.
The problem here is that you bought the "moniker" hook line and sinker.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, it revealed more about you and your attitudes than it did the "gadflys"
shrug.
And the nature of the revelation would be what?
ReplyDelete