Quote: "My first reaction was a smile; it is very creative. My second reaction is that we have to stop this." Bert Kuiper, mayor of the Dutch town of Skarsterlan, in the New York Times.
Figure of Speech: reluctant conclusion, a tactic to prove disinterest.
Hotels.nl, a Dutch travel website, is putting its logo on blankets and the blankets on sheep throughout the Netherlands. The campaign has earned the company a thousand-euro daily fine for violating a town ban on advertising along the highway.
The mayor explains his decision with a reluctant conclusion: claiming that he once held the opposing position but was overwhelmed by the logic on the other side. It’s a great way to prove your disinterest.
People often confuse "disinterest" with "uninterest," but they’re two very different words. A disinterested person isn’t bored; he has no personal stake in the matter. An audience will find you more trustworthy if it thinks you have nothing to gain.
Like those poor hot sheep.
Snappy Answer: "Your third reaction might be to buy stock in the company. The website’s sales are up 15 percent."