"Which city is that street corner in?" James B
James,
What came immediately to mind when I pulled this thread up was not a Mapquest grid, but a picture of two circles, arrogance and ignorance, which sometimes intersect or overlap, but not necessarily so. Neither represent virtous qualities, but are tolerable when mutually exclusive. However, where they do intersect (the shaded area of a Venn diagram), the stuff starts hitting the fan. Add a third circle for power or authority to compel, and where these three come together is where "the root of all evil" finds its sustenance.
I believe it was Donald Trump who once said something to the effect "show me a man with no ego and I'll show you a loser". Everyone has an ego, and, hopefully, we all take pride in what we do well. I agree entirely with Lloyd Cole, but would extend his comments well beyond creative activities. Without pride and self-confidence, little of value would get accomplished.
Mr. Trump is often portrayed as the epitome of arrogance and self-promotion. He is also anything but ignorant. I can learn from boastfull, self-absorbed people who have substance, and even enjoy their company on a limited basis. The man clearly creates value and, I suspect, is a major contributor to worthwhile charitable causes.
For me at least, the real obnoxious guy is the one "who knows not and knows not that he knows not". As the proverb say, he should be shunned or avoided. With the internet, this chap now has an open forum and no shortage of company.