On the tube this morning I saw a magnificent interview with Boris Johnson in Metro. More a personal than a political interview – but he certainly got across his enthusiasm for the job:
Q. What gets you up in the morning?
A. Sheer exuberance and joy at doing this job. I virtually erupt from bed like a rocketing pheasant. I then go for a run, because if you go for a run in the morning, nothing can get worse. You’ve got the bad bit out of the way.
His habit of painting cheese boxes had already been discovered by Iain Dale. But I think he enthusiasm for mudlarking may constitute Metro's scoop.
Here are a couple of other questions:
Q. Who do you admire the most?
A. Aristotle, Marilyn Monroe and Scarlett Johansson – in fact, I think she might have overtaken Marilyn Monroe – and my wife, of course. My wife is way ahead of Aristotle. She’s beaten him in the final furlong.
Q. Tell us about Aristotle.
A. Aristotle believes that everything is aimed at eudaimonia [happiness] but the way to get there is to apply phronesis, which is a kind of moral wisdom. He’s a brilliant moral philosopher. He also wrote very well on the sex life of cuttlefish and other important subjects. He was the first great Renaissance man – he was interested in everything but everything in moderation.
Read the whole thing here.