The substance is lacking because I am not motivated enough to think harder about the man's writing. Something switched in my head and one day I realized he was the antithesis of the hacker-ethic he preaches. "Real Hackers", much like the real Scotsmen, work silently, are under-appreciated, and often unknown.
Having said that, it takes one to know one; given an audience the size of his, I am 100% certain I would go on a similar journey of self-worship and rampant "blow-hardery".
Ahhh! what wouldn't I do for unearned public recognition and a permanent podium.
We now know that you hate ESR's self promoting behaviors, but where is the substance?