Knowing your onions (or someone else's)

Today someone who is an acknowledged expert on one subject seems almost to have to become a guru on many other subjects just to retain credibility, or at least retain their position as a public figure.

Did the likes of Beethoven get asked his views on global, or even local economics?

Was Mozart pestered for his opinion on the pros and cons of the green issues of the day?

Have I ever been asked to discourse on the politics of southeast Asia?

The answer is probably 'No' to them all (it's certainly true for the last one).

I suppose it is all a consequence of the wish for 'fame at any price'. Becoming a member of the A list (or a list even further down the alphabet), means you're almost public property. As such, you are expected to know something about everything - particularly the other members of your list.

And all us bloggers are doing the same thing in reverse, to some extent. Unless you keep your blog strictly to 'what I did today', at some point you are tempted to make some pronouncement about the state of something, be it politics, global warming or the condition of the roads in your local area. At which point, I suppose, you (and I) are pushing your view - without the option of being asked!

Now I am really beginning to wonder why I started this.....