On Thomas Friedman's DNA

As anyone who visits Middle Earth Journal occasionally knows I have an intense dislike of the pompous drivel Thomas Friedman uses to fill white space in the New York Times. I will frequently read his columns so I can fill virtual white space here cutting him to ribbons. That was my intention the other morning as I sat down to read America's DNA but I simply could not bring myself to read the entire column.

Today I found this wonderful generic critique of Mr. Friedman from Bill Bonner, Imperial Conceits. Although I don't always agree with Mr. Bonner his analysis of Thomas Friedman is on the money. I suggest you go read the entire piece but I'll give you a few examples of some of my favorite lines.

....you might criticize the man by saying his work is without merit, but that would be flattery. His work has negative merit. Every column subtracts from the sum of human knowledge in the way a broken pipe drains the town's water tower.
[.....]
Friedman writes regularly and voluminously. But thinking must be painful to him; he shows no evidence of it. Instead, he just writes down whatever humbug appeals to him at the moment, as unquestioningly as a mule goes for water.
[.....]
But this is what is so jaw-drop stupefying about Friedman: even mules and teenagers have more complex worldviews.
[.....]
There is just no trace of modesty in his writing...no skepticism...no cynicism...no irony...no suspicion lurking in the corner of his brain that he may be a jackass.

So, that's it. I now feel secure in the fact that I don't ever have to read Thomas Friedman again. I can now devote all of my effort to talking about what an idiot David Brooks is and maybe even find some time for the new fool on The New York Times block, John Tierney.