The Legend of Iggy Stardust

Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of intellectuals:

During his four years as director of the Carr Center, his classes overflowed. His first class was in session even as one and then, two passenger jets plowed into the World Trade Center on 9/11, killing thousands and marking a deadly course for the 21st century. The grace with which he dealt with 300 students in varying degrees of shock after the terrorist attacks sketched the first outlines of what would become a larger-than-life persona.

[...]

Who is this superstar university colleagues describe with awe? Would Canadians even recognize him in the beleaguered politician who tumbled into the maw of Canadian politics just over five years ago? Even the wins were messy. Too timid. Too many advisers, missteps, focus groups and polls; too little humour, confidence or independence of thought.

What happened to that Harvard guy? 

Politics and its vampire ways. I'm not saying there isn't a real human being called Michael Ignatieff. I'm just saying that such a human being lies well beneath the public persona of a pompous, out of touch intellectual Canadians have grown to suspect. Is it fair? There is no fair in politics. An intellectual walking into the vacuum of Canadian politics cannot expect to survive with his brain intact.

Comments

[Farmer Joe]

The money quote for me is,

“I was teaching people from 80 countries to go into public service. The Kennedy School’s mission is to train people for public service,” he began, in an interview from his Liberal campaign bus, somewhere between Ottawa and Montreal.

Bureaucrats, the man was training bureaucrats. The productivity draining, modern day life sucking vampire parasites that make the world a worse place every day. The world needs less of these foul creatures and Iggy was training more.

[Candace]

"An intellectual walking into the vacuum of Canadian politics cannot expect to survive with his brain intact."

Best.Line.Ever.

I have missed you!