Thanks for this, and for the hug. I fear I will fail in my new
resolution to avoid irony, but I'll try.
Gene Coyle
On Aug 11, 2009, at 9:56 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
It's interesting how common the trope, that a man's life should be
better than that of a dog.
I don't know how universal that is, but I do remember the socialist
seed that was planted when I read bits from Hector Maillot's "Sans
Famille" (Without Family) as a child. It's the story of a brother
and a sister who are orphaned and who wander the streets of Paris
looking for the next crust of bread. One day they run across a
birthday party, given by a rich pet owners for their dog and the
dog's friends. As the dogs enjoy an elaborate and delightful meal,
the children watch gnawed by hunger from the other side of the park
grille.
Orwell captures this moment perfectly in his essay "Marrakesh," in
which, while feeding crusts of bread to a gazelle, he is approached
by a timid native who hazards to say quietly, "I am hungry too."
I think the trope is powerful because it combines two things at
different levels: one, a dog's life should not be miserable because
a dog is loyal and we should not repay loyalty with violence and
misery 2) that we should not treat one another like dogs because we
owe eachother sustenance and help. As a chat-friend recently put it:
"My larger point about competition, particularly economic
competition, is that it creates far more losers than winners, and
even the winners lose because they are isolated from the rest of
humanity."
You can't get any clearer than this.
I am currently in DC. It's 100 in the shade, and I am in the company
of a globe-trotting research scientist who is a good soul but
believes that the economy has seen the bottom and that in any case,
it is good for educated middle-class people to lose their jobs
because it stimulates their creativity and from that will come the
ideas and entrepreneurship that will create the next brave world. I
maintain a polite silence.
As the clouds gather and the storm breaks, it will be important to
cultivate the clarity and visceral force of writing like that of
Michael P's. But avoid irony and cynicism. Those are the tropes of
those who have the choice of joining the masters or the servants.
And most people do not have that choice.
Hugs to all,
Joanna
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