Find Your Valentine
Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, September 1, 2010
Books Two Famous Russian Aristocrats: One is Well-Bred, the Other Ill-Bred
Posted by Charles Mudede on Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 7:53 AM
The ill-bred aristocrat is, of course, the greatest novelist in the English langauge, Nabokov:
There is nothing in the world that I loathe more than group activity, that communal bath where the hairy and slippery mix in a multiplication of mediocrity.A better bred person would never hold such a terrible, childish, utterly backward opinion of precisely what makes us humans, cooperation.
The better man is, of course, Peter Kropotkin, who is socialism's answer to Malthus:
If we ... ask Nature: “who are the fittest: those who are continually at war with each other, or those who support one another?” we at once see that those animals which acquire habits of mutual aid are undoubtedly the fittest. They have more chances to survive, and they attain, in their respective classes, the highest development of intelligence and bodily organization.
Speaking of bodily organization:
The Nabokov under-bust corset offers waist reduction with beautiful hourglass sculpting at the waist and over the sculpted hips. This style is feminine and flirty, it can be worn with a dress or a top and skirt or pants. Wear this with your favorite bra to create the perfect curvy bombshell silhouette. It can be worn under or over clothing! Named for Vladimir Nabokov, you'll bring to mind one of his beautiful butterflies in this corset.Understandably, Kropotkin is not the sort of thinker who inspires the designs of corsets.
3
The aristocratic mindset, regardless of what they tell you directly, is the "pathos of distance." All true aristocrats loathe gatherings of people, especially those of smelly, unwashed plebs.
4
@2, you are not so clever. I have been sitting on that image for awhile, and I first saw it on the Vladmir Nabokov Forum.
http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv…
http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv…
5
I disagree with Kropotkin about mutual aid always being the for the fittest. I believe that it was and is constant conflict with each other that has developed our brains and eliminated the weak. War has always been a part of human existence and we have flourished. Although I will concede that cooperation also has it's place in survival, just not exclusively.
6
I like the idea that Mr. Mudede has a stockpile, a strategic reserve, if you will, of images of attractive women, and that he awaits fruitful moments to release them to us.
7
Why did they pair that beautiful corset with such a cheap, ill-fitting tank top? Kid of ruins the effect for me.
8
Vince @5, don't be a dumbass. How do you think wars are won? Through cooperation.
And you wrote "it's place in survival." Should be "its place in survival."
And don't say that I was misinterpreting you. Do a better job of stating your case the next time. Remember, the Slog comment threads are not for the feeble of mind. ;-)
And you wrote "it's place in survival." Should be "its place in survival."
And don't say that I was misinterpreting you. Do a better job of stating your case the next time. Remember, the Slog comment threads are not for the feeble of mind. ;-)
11
@8&9 Excuse me for not having your excellent intellect. We can't all be as perfect as yourself. But I enjoy shooting off my stupid mouth, so you'll just have to bear it.
12
Bacteria. Don't cooperate, don't organize. And yet, there are more of them than there ever will be of animals capable of "the highest development of intelligence and bodily organization". Some of them can even survive a hard vacuum for months on end! All hail our single celled, mindless overlords!
14
@6 Totally, came here to make the same comment. At the precise point where you might go glassy-eyed he hits you with a well-shaped babe. Brilliant work within the medium.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
SL Letter of the Day: Life Sentence by Dan Savage
-
SL Letter of the Day: Daddy Loves Who? by Dan Savage
-
Required Listening: Howard Stern on Ellen, JC Penney, Bullied Gay Kids, Rosie, Santorum, Bachmann, et al by Dan Savage
-
Crowdsourcing Uncut Police Video from the Dec. 12 Occupy Protest at the Port of Seattle by Eli Sanders
-
The AP Is Reporting That Whitney Houston Is Dead by Paul Constant
-
State Legislator Testifies That His Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage Came to Him from a Commercial for Jack in the Box by Christopher Frizzelle
-
Slog Bible Study: Deuteronomy 21:10-14 by Goldy
-
"Let me be the first one to say: My business will refuse to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony," by Republican Representative Matt Shea of the Spokane Valley by Eli Sanders
-
The Onion Is on a Roll: "Iran Worried U.S. Might Be Building 8,500th Nuclear Weapon" by Charles Mudede
-
"I don't know if I want to be here [if gay marriage passes]," by Republican State Senator Jay Rodne of North Bend by Eli Sanders
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (14) RSS