HORATIO       This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.

HAMLET         ’A did so, sir, with his dug before ’a sucked it. Thus has he, and many more of the same breed that I know the drossy age dotes on, only got the tune of the time and, out of an habit of encounter, a kind of yeasty collection, which carries them through and through the most profane and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial – the bubbles are out.        (5.2.165-173)

I doubt I’ve ever heard most of Horatio and Hamlet’s little exchange here in performance? But, having a go… Horatio, yes, suggesting of Osric that this lapwing runs away with the shell on his head, look, he’s got his ridiculous hat back on, off he goes, like a stupid chick, all full of himself and foolish. ’A did so, sir, with his dug before ’a sucked it: Hamlet’s response is opaque, mostly reinforcing Osric’s youth by suggesting that he’s only recently stopped being breastfed, relatively speaking—trying to run away with the breast? Odd. But the main burden of Hamlet’s response here is to comment on what a lightweight Osric is, how superficial and silly. Thus has he, and many more of the same breed that I know the drossy age dotes on—the stupid people that find favour in this idiotic, degenerate world—only got the tune of the time, I mean, it’s just a silly trend isn’t it, to act like that, and, out of an habit of encounter, because it gets reinforced in every social interaction, a kind of yeasty collection, puffed up with its own air, feeding on its own sense of self-importance and significance. Froth, that’s all it is, froth! And yet it carries them through and through the most profane and winnowed opinions; they just bluff and carry on, whether they’re talking to a discerning audience or people that haven’t a clue—and do but blow them to their trial—the bubbles are out. Pop! A bit of pressure, the slightest puff of air, and it all collapses.

Osric as influencer, doing it all for likes! Hats for clicks!