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Tuesday 23 September 2014

I sit on a man's back



I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.

Leo Tolstoy - What Is to be Done? (1886)

Yes I know it's only another quote, but it seems about right for the party conference season.

6 comments:

Sam Vega said...

All three of them would no doubt say that "back sitting" in its various forms is one of the main evils which plagues modern Britain, and that they all completely committed to putting an end to it.

But we've got to commit to being strong and stable to help them do it...

A K Haart said...

Sam - and comfortable.

Demetrius said...

Um, tell me, is the picture above necessarily contingent in relation to the picture below? Or more simply, are they related?

A K Haart said...

Demetrius - yes they are related. I almost used it in a political post but realised folk would probably make the connection anyway!

Anonymous said...

Yuk, I avoid newspapers and the telly at party conference time. I agree with the idea that parties lose elections rather than oppositions win them.

Anyway, a friend in retail tells me sales of 'rubbers' have gone through the roof last month - mainly to persons who look well old enough to know better. Of course it is 'off to uni' time and such are on the list one gets from uni - so I hear... So our gilded youth is amply provided for by assorted mums, dads and grandads - with a brave 'they're not for me you know'. Well, back when I were a lad, if you were not man enough to brave the counter at Boots you were not man enough to do the deed. But Oh tempora, Oh mores. People, much more interesting than politicos.

A K Haart said...

Roger - if I remember rightly there was a certain kudos in buying your own supplies. Don't they just order off the web these days?

You are right about politics/people. It's a pity politicians aren't more interesting.