Young Chess Player Is Next Fischer

Hikaru Nakamura has finally graduated from having chess journalists call him "the next Fischer" to having the mainstream press say the same of him. I'm certainly glad that everyone reflexively screams "Fischer!" at every young talent who puts up GM-level results, so that by now we're disappointed in a junior if he can only manage to achieve an IM title. "That cretin - Fischer was winning the U.S. championship at that age! Kids nowadays barely know their opening theory through move twenty-five!"

Shouldn't there be some embarrassment when these kids wash out at the highest levels? Like when Ted Danson said that the world would end in 2000 because of our environmental policy. I'd like to see some reputations crumble when sensationalism is proven to have had no substance. And for starters, we can stop gushing over Malthus.

I can only hope my gross, embarrassing failures are shown as evidence of my genius in 2150.