Quote of the day If there is hope it lies in the proles. George Orwell. I think this is probably the most misunderstood quote in literature. It is usually understood ENTIRELY as a statement of democratic workers control of production. You only understand what he fully means if you read the second half of The Road to Wigan Pier and his essays. Ill summarise but it wont do it justice. Orwell viewed the English working class as being unpuritanical as opposed to much of the leftwing intelligentsia that was (and still is/ they rarely see themselves as being that though.) He had a deep distrust of intellectuals that often have authoritarian tendencies. In my experience intellectuals of the left can suffer from two main faults: authoritarianism and utopianism. Comically, sometimes both traits exist in the same person - usually, unconsciously. I find it rather funny when the bearded men with glasses that Orwell criticises use this quote when it is actually aimed at them. And Ive seen it often.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:45:42 +0000