Underwhelming

Yesterday I heard a senior scholar of my profession give one of the most grey and lackluster talks of my experience. Its topic was three of the most interesting personalities of the Revolutionary generation--that's the American Revolution, you darn kids--but you wouldn't have known it! There was little attempt at synthesis, and almost no attempt at insight.

Why do they do it? That is, why do senior scholars go around giving the same talk? Or, even worse, giving a talk they seem to have written on the plane? I begin to think that Eminent Historians, like Operatic Tenors, and Heavyweight Boxers, can't just say "no". Their egos are just too inflated...or maybe they just can't say no.

Anyway, it's tragic to listen to one of your professional idols, and then know in the quiet of the night that you could do better.