Howls of derisive laughter, Eric

[dreamer_easy]

More from George Orwell, who can feel one of his moods coming on:

"In addition to this there is the horrible - the really disquieting - prevalence of cranks wherever Socialists are gathered together. One sometimes gets the impression that the mere words 'Socialism' and 'Communism' draw towards them with magnetic force every fruit-juice drinker, nudist, sandal-wearer, sex-maniac, Quaker, 'Nature Cure' quack, pacifist and feminist in England."

[on vegetarianism] "... the food-crank is by definition a person willing to cut himself off from human society in hopes of adding five years onto the life of his carcase; that is, a person out of touch with common humanity."

These are from The Road to Wigan Pier. My gods, what would he have made of me!

Orwell doesn't explain what he finds objectionable about feminism (or sandals, for that matter), although I have seen him go into detail elsewhere about his issues with pacifism. I'd be quite interested to know if it was simply prejudice, or had some basis in the real world. I'm also curious about what the vegetarian movement was like at the time. I personally gave up meat for ethical reasons, and it was many years before I found out this was also good for my health.

Comments

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

The thing he says about cutting yourself off from the rest of humanity is interesting. I've had that experience, only in reverse - when I wasn't able to eat dairy at all, and was therefore effectively vegan whether I liked it or not, a large number of restaurant menus indicated that I simply didn't exist.

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

I have the same issue with wheat and trying to eat out. (This one place near my evening classes, the only thing I could eat was the french fries, since all the salads were pre-croutoned... and it turns out I can't even eat the fries, because the seasoning isn't gluten-free.) It is a being-cut-off in a sense, literally not being able to break bread with other people.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Celiac. The reason I ought not to have complained about asking for pizza without cheese and getting cheese. "Could I please have a pizza without the pizza?" Argh!

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

On the plus side, it would have made us a very efficient team. You could get the crust, and I could get the cheese.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]