Mary Beard V Boris Johnson

[sandyRoe]

I came across a debate between them on YouTube.  They talked about the relative merits of ancient Greece and imperial Rome.

The question came to me,  would the UK be a better place if Johnson had followed a career in academe, became an Oxbridge don, perhaps.

[Ellipsis]

This one, sandy?

[sandyRoe]

Yes, that's it.

[Peter Pedant]

oh he got a 2:1  and thought he was worth a first. ( Greats. )  ( has to be oxon, as Cge does a far inferior course - classics - 'just like A levels')

It is one of the courses where it shows - - - you are good at the course. and course exam. 

this one, you have to be good at 'gobbets'

https://www.danielxerri.com/uploads/4/5/3/0/4530212/writing_a_gobbet_essay.pdf

Woy Jenkins at the end ofthe war, did his degree and didnt attend third years lectures but practised essays all year. As the other intellectuals  said of him in the Wilson cabinet 1964-70 - at uni he was very good at  presenting information in the way the examiners wanted

oo-er Mrs

Cge maths - those at top - not firsts but Wranglers, dear - are good at answering the questions they set for Part II maff.

[sandyRoe]

A 2:1 would have qualified him for a place on a teacher training course.  He might have spent many productive years giving a hand up to children attending some inner-city school.

[Peter Pedant]

no one does Latin and Greek at skool now.

I started at eight ( mirabile pensu)

[naomi24]

Latin is still taught in some schools.

[Canary42]

///would the UK be a better place if Johnson had followed a career in academe, became an Oxbridge don, perhaps.///

 

Yes, undoubtedly.

[naomi24]

No, the UK would have been a better place if he hadn't been stabbed in the back by a bunch of lily-livered cowards.  No one in years has rallied people as he did.

[diddlydo]

Rallied right-minded people to loathe him would be more accurate.

[gulliver1]

No, the UK would have been a better place if Johnson had not been born.

[naomi24]

//Rallied right-minded people to loathe him would be more accurate.//

 

They didn't loathe him though, diddley.  They voted for him in their thousands.  I'm sure you know that.   ;o)

[Old_Geezer]

It isn't the right-minded people who loathe him, it's those who don't believe in democracy when it goes against their wishes. But whether they like it or not, this country claims to be democratic; now if only all politicians would support that instead of settling for democracy limited to the House.

[diddlydo]

Thousands of people with a brain voted against him back in 2019 and thousands more would vote against a Tory government if there was an election tomorrow. Obviously they can't vote against Johnson as he's no longer an MP.

[naomi24]

Diddley, attacking people on a personal level is a very poor endorsement for your brand of politics.  Is there really no intelligent argument to recommend it?

[Countrylover]

Agree with Naomi at 15.28.  He had his faults but his strengths were many.  

[diddlydo]

Naomi - no personal attack from me. I'm merely saying that those who voted the Tories into power hadn't really considered the consequences of their actions, many because they were/are Brexiteers who failed to realise what the dire consequences would be.

[Ellipsis]

> would the UK be a better place if Johnson had followed a career in academe, became an Oxbridge don, perhaps

The UK, yes - Oxbridge, no, not unless being a shambolic, lying philanderer is a great attribute for a don.

[naomi24]

Oh I think it was, diddley.  If the right minded agree with you, it follows that the wrong minded are ... well ... wrong.  

 

//I'm merely saying that those who voted the Tories into power hadn't really considered the consequences of their actions, many because they were/are Brexiteers who failed to realise what the dire consequences would be.//

 

I considered it - and I don't think the consequences are dire - or even close to dire.  The arrogance of remainers like you knows no bounds.

[Mozz71]

//no one does Latin and Greek at skool now.

I started at eight ( mirabile pensu)//

 

They saw how you turned out Pete, and immediately dropped it from the curriculum. 😉

[Mozz71]

If Boris had stayed in college, Brexit wpuld never have happened, and Cameron would've had at least one more term in office.