When I was fifteen a wise mentor, who was himself a very good but largely unpublished writer, told me if I wanted to change things I had to write because nothing achieved change like a well written argument does.
You know, achieving a well written argument? Even, possibly, a consistent one? Even logical?
And Richie’s are nothing like well written arguments.
Perhaps he should chosen a better and wiser mentor, one who had been successful might be a good start.
Verily, I say unto you, the Murphatollah is almost beyond parody.
As for:
“…nothing achieved change like a well written argument does.”
I doubt this is true. Certainly, well written arguments can help; but most people can’t recognise a well written argument when it’s staring them in the face.
Apparently he’s written a huge chunk of his new book in the caff at Gatwick, waiting for a ‘plane.
I’m worried he’s rushed it and it won’t come up to even his usual standards.
Perhaps, but a good well organised cavalry charge can work wonders in far less time, say for example the 4th Hussars?
“…nothing achieved change like a well written argument does.”
Bollocks.
“…nothing achieved change like a well written appeal to emotion” would be more accurate.
A nauseating confluence of evil in the comments section as the odious Carol Wilcox reveals her ‘joy’ at getting the man himself to sign a copy of ‘The Joy of Tax’….
In fairness to him (no – that is not a typo) he is proof that if your output is prolific enough then there will inevitably be people that will think you have some insight – even though they may only be fringe lunatics….
Nothing helps you persuade people like having an audience that is as thick as two short planks…
@Richard
Are you sure he wasn’t in the Business Class lounge with the free food and drink?
Matt,
I was thinking the same. He’d never admit it but he’s said the World Bank has paid for his hotel, I bet he got them to stump for an Upper Class seat as well.
“a wise mentor, who was himself a very good but largely unpublished writer”: come now. Moslems and the battier sorts of Christians think that God has published rather a lot.
Was it Yoda?
” if I wanted to change things I had to write because nothing achieved change like a well written argument does.”
Why is it so much more believable that Ritchie was actually told ‘if you want to write, you need to change things’?
Well, I dunno.
Strikes me, these days, most folk (particularly the politicians and luvvies who can actually get things changed), are much more easily swayed by well-written (i.e.emotional) arguments than by well-reasoned, logical (i.e.factual) arguments.
So actually, he’s probably right.
The worrying thing is that is fact-free, emotionally charged bilge probably has more influence on contemprary political discourse than our host’s wise, reasoned, informed and amusingly written contributions.
Welcome to the post democratic age.
Bloke in Italy
But of course you forget – Murphy is a self-proclaimed democrat (unless of course it involves voting for neoliberalism or policies with which he disagrees). He is also ‘a friend of the truth’ (and he doesn’t do ‘irony’ in the least)
He doesn’t like airports apparently. It’s “the process of being processed”.
And such processes.
And the carbon involved in flying annoys him every time; just not enough to stop him flying.
I doubt Murphy would recognise a coherent argument if you wrote it in poker-work on a baseball bat and used it to club him senseless. To be on the safe side, though, I feel we should put this proposition to the test.
@ BiCR
He won’t recognise anything if you actually club him senseless – a better test would be to write it on a cricket bat, where he could read it, and threaten to beat him senseless.
Although I must point out that he did actually pay heed to a coherent argument once – I threatened to sue him for libel unless he retracted a particularly vile lie about myself so he eventually did so (this was some years after Ashcroft had sued him – even so he first blustered that it wasn’t libel because nobody knew who I was, so I pointed out that some people including Tim and at least one other on this blog did; he then promised to delete but didn’t so I had to chase him up) after I pointed out that I didn’t to pay for a lawyer because the case was so open and shut I could win it without one even if he paid a £m for a top libel lawyer.
So I conclude that Murphy *can* recognise a coherent argument *if he is forced to do so”.
Ironman
I can picture Murphy, hatchet faced, sitting in a ZIL lane signing warrants to send ‘neoliberals’ for interrogation at the Lubyanka – it’s a tough job but someone has to do it…
BICR
You are of course quite correct but best keep quiet about it – you never know what stool pigeons are lurking here and the man already has a persecution complex bordering on paranoid schizophrenia….
VP: If Murphy and his ilk ever get in power, were I to set foot in the UK I’d fully expect to be the victim of dekulakisation . In the meantime, the silly fat bugger can get knotted.
When I was young, “like” as a conjunction was considered incorrect and a vulgarism.
If the World Bank want to listen to a moron, why should they get any funding? What function do they serve? The best and most useful use of Murph would be to recycle him into bio-degradeable waste bags. HBis students would benefit too. Every hour listening to Murph must represent 20 years off their life-span.
If they are going to waste money like this, I am going to sell all my shares in the World Bank.
Oh wait – I can’t, can I?
Ritchie about to go on at the World Bank:
https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy/status/735132332865257473
Here’s the room just before:
https://twitter.com/FrayedWorld/status/735133861093507073
The ad hominem attack on Teather over on TRUK re Oxfam’s blatant tax avoidance is really rather sickening. One wonders whether Murphy has received funding from Oxfam in the past. The cunt.
Noely
Taking a break from checking satellite images for any breach of out-building regulations? I guess it’s late at night if your in Honk Honk, the bins will have been emptied by now.
Again, Lizardking, this blog is packed full of nauseous attacks on individuals, yet you don’t comment on it.
is it because it’s different when worstall says it, because he’s so funny
Arnald, do yourself a favour and read what Andrew Jackson has to say over on TRUK.