George Smiley quote

[_Tarski]

George Smiley is a character in "Tinker Tailor, Soldier, Spy", the movie version of which I watched last night. It’s a good movie but a little hard to follow. I can see that I should have read the book first.

Anyway, the character makes the following statement (various versions of which occur elsewhere outside the book).

"He's a fanatic. And the fanatic is always concealing a secret doubt."

I have often suspected such secret doubts in certain Mormon figures.
Fanatacism is a clue but so is obnoxiousness.

For example, Bruce R. McConkie and a few other blowhard GA's.
Closer to home is Droopy.

In these and many other cases, there is suspiciously just too much effort being exerted. Too much fastidious housekeeping of a worldview.

Also, I remember Paul O's one time certainties. But I have to admit, I didn't see what was coming in his case. Maybe he was never obnoxious enough. (luv ya Paul)