He quotes Nietzsche with the most basic of grammatical errors, tries and ultimately fails to make proper sense of George Orwell - for this we can offer a sympathetic hand, not everyone is cut out to make heads or tails of the world's most famous philosophers. What we cannot forgive is the common thuggery of Joseph Barton.
Yesterday Barton added to a long list of common assaults, in fact if we are to look at it from a black and white point of view, he added to his unfortunate list three times. First he elbowed Carlos Tevez (worse things could have happened), but following this discrepancy he proceeded to knee an unaware Sergio Aguero in the leg and then attempt to head-butt Manchester City's talisman, Vincent Kompany.
Each incident in itself could have led to a prison sentence if it had happened on a street - what a guy.
To mention just a couple of Barton's long line of misdemeanours, he stubbed out a cigar in the eye of City youth team player, Jamie Tandy. As if this wasn't enough a couple of months later he proceeded to leave Ousmane Dabo needing a good degree of dental surgery. Why oh why is Joey Barton still allowed anywhere near a football pitch? He is, in short, a bully.
Mr Barton's wife recently gave birth to a daughter, most say that the birth of a child leads them to making differences to their life; they make sacrifices and ultimately try to avoid their bad habits of old.
Apparently this isn't for Joey - when his daughter is old enough to understand the nature of his thuggery and asks "Daddy, why did you do that?" what will he answer? Surely he will be so embarrassed that his daughter is, in her own childlike manner, questioning his morality.
Joey Barton should not be allowed another chance to grace a football pitch. There is no place for behaviour like his on a football pitch, or indeed off a football pitch. He is a common thug that deserves another stint behind bars - maybe he will be able to make proper sense of his favourite philosophers then.