Original or Shallow?

Asked by The Hill to name an author she frequently references, congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) gave this curious and pretentious response: "I don’t. I’m an original thinker."

First, anyone who feels the need to pronounce himself or herself an "original thinker" is likely to possess more sizzle than substance. Second, the notion that original thoughts proceed out of empty heads is simply false. And the idea that original thinkers don't interact with or build on and reference and discuss the ideas of other trailblazers is erroneous, as well.