You make a valid observation there OwnedByCats. About Alex not having a mind of his own!!
To be nasty I could follow up by saying he had not got his mummy and dady there to tell him what to think. But I won't be that nasty.
Alex has a very confused mind and he knows it. To be fair he is a unique personality or should I say a split personality. The first Alex is the weak minded one submitting to the influence of someone that will do the thinking for him. The other Alex is a sophisticated intellectual with an over sense of self importance.