Comments on: Bad hair day http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:58:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tad Brennan http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-139015 Tad Brennan Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:23:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-139015 Right. Thanks for the explanation. From what I knew of Grayling in the mid-90's when we were colleagues in London philosophy, the charge of vanity does not strike me as especially apt. Vanity about appearance is not among the leading vices of the profession, so far as I can tell (though other vanities, and other vices, there certainly are). On punctiliousness in dress, most philosophers seem to share Johnson's view: Concerning this unfortunate poet, Christopher Smart, who was confined in a mad-house, he [said]... "I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him; and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as any one else. Another charge was, that he did not love clean linen; and I have no passion for it." Right. Thanks for the explanation. From what I knew of Grayling in the mid-90’s when we were colleagues in London philosophy, the charge of vanity does not strike me as especially apt.

Vanity about appearance is not among the leading vices of the profession, so far as I can tell (though other vanities, and other vices, there certainly are). On punctiliousness in dress, most philosophers seem to share Johnson’s view:

Concerning this unfortunate poet, Christopher Smart, who was confined in a mad-house, he [said]… “I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him; and I’d as lief pray with Kit Smart as any one else. Another charge was, that he did not love clean linen; and I have no passion for it.”

]]> By: Chris Bertram http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-139005 Chris Bertram Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:24:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-139005 Sorry, Tad, there's history here (a bit of an in-joke). See http://tinyurl.com/den2n Sorry, Tad, there’s history here (a bit of an in-joke). See

http://tinyurl.com/den2n

]]> By: Tad Brennan http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-139003 Tad Brennan Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:18:30 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-139003 I don't get this post. Are you taking pot-shots at Levy? Or Grayling? Or both? The structural emphasis falls on Grayling, but I can't see why. I don’t get this post. Are you taking pot-shots at Levy? Or Grayling? Or both? The structural emphasis falls on Grayling, but I can’t see why.

]]> By: Chris Bertram http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138999 Chris Bertram Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:09:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138999 My god! He's Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. My god! He’s Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.

]]> By: snuh http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138831 snuh Mon, 16 Jan 2006 07:28:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138831 http://www.nybooks.com/gallery/1931 http://www.nybooks.com/gallery/1931

]]> By: Catherine Liu http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138684 Catherine Liu Sun, 15 Jan 2006 23:31:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138684 In US academia, we try not to be good looking as it would be a form of sexual harassment with regard to both colleagues and students. In US academia, we try not to be good looking as it would be a form of sexual harassment with regard to both colleagues and students.

]]> By: otto http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138680 otto Sun, 15 Jan 2006 22:35:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138680 "neither country (how different from the US) can tolerate anyone who is simultaneously too clever, too successful and too good-looking" Are there any serious candidates for all three of these criteria even in the US? (Present company excepted, of course). “neither country (how different from the US) can tolerate anyone who is simultaneously too clever, too successful and too good-looking”

Are there any serious candidates for all three of these criteria even in the US?
(Present company excepted, of course).

]]> By: novakant http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138639 novakant Sun, 15 Jan 2006 14:28:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138639 hmm, he's ugly (try Damasio instead) hmm, he’s ugly (try Damasio instead)

]]> By: SqueakyRat http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138631 SqueakyRat Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:50:30 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138631 I have to admit that that headline is one of the funniest things I have ever read. I have to admit that that headline is one of the funniest things I have ever read.

]]> By: Adam Kotsko http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138454 Adam Kotsko Sun, 15 Jan 2006 03:12:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138454 His recent attempt to redo de Tocqueville in <i>Atlantic Monthly</i> struck me as fairly uninteresting and uninsightful. Perhaps if I'd known he has impeccable hair, I would have enjoyed the articles more. His recent attempt to redo de Tocqueville in Atlantic Monthly struck me as fairly uninteresting and uninsightful. Perhaps if I’d known he has impeccable hair, I would have enjoyed the articles more.

]]> By: yabonn http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138315 yabonn Sat, 14 Jan 2006 16:39:33 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138315 But Grayling has at least some courage to even use touch the subject of hair. I don't really understand how BHL has ever been taken seriously. Neither his obnoxious pintade (babelfish gives me "guinea fowl" for this one, i hope the meaning follows). Think "Johnny Hallyday", people. Good point is that he's specially good at receiving cream pies in the face. Gloup gloup! But Grayling has at least some courage to even use touch the subject of hair.

I don’t really understand how BHL has ever been taken seriously. Neither his obnoxious pintade (babelfish gives me “guinea fowl” for this one, i hope the meaning follows). Think “Johnny Hallyday”, people.

Good point is that he’s specially good at receiving cream pies in the face. Gloup gloup!

]]> By: dave heasman http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/comment-page-1/#comment-138306 dave heasman Sat, 14 Jan 2006 16:32:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/14/bad-hair-day/#comment-138306 "too clever, too successful and too good-looking" You mean like that nice Mr Trump? “too clever, too successful and too good-looking”

You mean like that nice Mr Trump?

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