Oslo Syndrome

A psychological condition in which one thinks he is the Trustee of a more fun foundation. Sometimes called “genius envy.”

BHO won a MacArthur Foundation award on Friday. That’s the one that goes to very promising people in the hopes that they will someday win a Nobel Prize. The prize was awarded by the Nobel Committee, but that’s a detail. Clearly, it’s more fun to look for people with great potential than to provide the anticlimactic icing for cakes already baked. So the Nobel Prize Committee has decided to reward aspirations. Hey, it’s their money, right? (No point in consulting Mr. Nobel’s will, which has pretty much been ignored for so long that its provisions don’t matter.)

Now all we need is a prize for major achievements. There are lots of almost-dead billionaires. Someone will step up. Not to worry.