The chill of a late November morning was unexpectedly warmed by an intellectual display on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, where host Amol Rajan turned an interview into a personal showcase of literary analysis. The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the place of intellectual showmanship in British society and whether demonstrating one's cleverness is ever a wise move.
The On-Air Performance That Started It All
On Thursday 27th November 2025, Amol Rajan was interviewing Oxford don Professor Robert Douglas-Fairhurst about rebuilding reading habits. The professor had brought William Carlos Williams' poem 'This Is Just To Say' to demonstrate reading's pleasures. What followed surprised listeners: despite having a poetry expert in the studio, Rajan insisted on delivering his own 'close reading' of the work.
The host proceeded to dazzle audiences with an impressively detailed critique, including a breathless analysis of sibilance in 'Paradise Lost Book 9'. Professor Douglas-Fairhurst responded with the affectionate academic endorsement, 'Give that man a first!' – a moment that seemed to visibly please Rajan across the airwaves.
The British Complication With Cleverness
This incident highlights Britain's complicated relationship with intellectualism. Unlike sporting achievements or other talents, displaying academic intelligence often meets with social discomfort. As one commentator noted, 'No one apologises for winning a football tournament', yet intellectual showboating can be viewed as socially unacceptable.
The phenomenon connects to deeper class structures in British society. Some use obscure references as 'snob-whistling' – a way to pull up the drawbridge to the ivory tower and exclude those without similar educational privileges. This behaviour suggests someone stopped being interested in learning around the time they finished their finals, using knowledge as a social weapon rather than a tool for understanding.
The Dangerous Consequences of Intellectual Charm
The debate takes on greater significance when considering recent political history. The article draws a direct line from displays of cleverness to national consequences, pointing to Boris Johnson's use of classical references and Latin to charm the country. This intellectual posturing ultimately proved disastrous when, during the pandemic, his government's incompetence became apparent.
The timing coincides with what appears to be a concerted swing against expertise since Brexit, highlighted by Michael Gove's infamous declaration that 'We've had enough of experts'. Last week's Covid inquiry report revealed the tragic outcome of a government ignoring scientific advice, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable deaths.
True intelligence, the argument concludes, involves knowing when to apply knowledge and having the empathy to see how it could best be used. The smartest position might be appreciating how much you still have to learn – a humility that sometimes gets lost in displays of cleverness. As the piece wryly notes, sometimes 'it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear a fool than open it and remove all doubt'.
