Cecil Adams: One of the "Top Public Intellectuals"?

[RTFirefly]

That’s what Kevin Drum, the Washington Monthly’s in-house blogger (formerly CalPundit, for those who follow the blogsphere), thinks:

@Kevin Drum

TOP INTELLECTUALS…Foreign Policy has teamed up with the British magazine Prospect to produce a list of contenders for the title of world’s top public intellectual, which is defined (approximately) as someone who has both considerable achievement in their field and considerable influence outside it. The initial list contains 100 names and you get to vote for five. The full list of 100 is here along with voting instructions.

<snip>

I’m also supposed to come up with somebody who didn’t make the list of 100 but should have. Hmmm. I think my choice is Cecil Adams.

As one of the first commenters said, “Hell yeah. Uncle Cecil has done a lot more influence on me than Pope Benedict ever will.” My sentiments exactly.

[Cervaise]

I’m not saying I disagree, but does the dude need to have his ego pumped up any more?

[Weirddave]

Maybe you have to be a real person to qualify for the list?

[NurseCarmen]

He could stand to be a bit more public. On this board at least.

[guizot]

Cecil doesn’t have any particular field, which is, of course, part of his greatness and utility: you can ask him about anything, from the profound to the mundane. He’s like a broker of intelligence.

[Kythereia]

@Weirddave

Maybe you have to be a real person to qualify for the list?

Blasphemy! Heresy! Feed him to the squcks! :eek: :mad:

Real or not, I’d still put him in the list of Top Public Intellectuals. Come on, everybody, vote!