Editorial note: If you have not yet read our mission statement above, please do so in order that you can put our blogs in context. 

12 December 2012

PER ASPERA AD ASTRA

“Everyone believes in virtue, but who is virtuous?….If I set myself to obtain wealth or power, does it not mean that I must make up my mind to lie and fawn and cringe and swagger and flatter and dissemble? To consent to be the servant of others who have likewise fawned and lied and flattered? Must I cringe to them before I can hope to be their accomplice? Well then, I decline.”

Musings of the protagonist Eugène de Rastignac, who has gone up to Paris from the provinces in search of fame and fortune, in the novel Le Père Goriot, published in serial form during 1834 and 1835, by French novelist Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), whose prolific output provides a withering critique of the society of his times.

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 You might perhaps care to view some of our earlier posts.  For instance:

1. Why? or How? That is the question (3 Jan 2012)

2. Partitocracy v. Democracy (20 July 2012)

3. The shoddiest possible goods at the highest possible prices (2 Feb 2012)

4. Capitalism in practice  (4 July 2012) 

5.Ladder  (21 June 2012)

 6. A tale of two cities (1)  (6 June 2012)

 7. A tale of two cities (2)  (7 June 2012)

 8. Where’s the beef? Ontology and tinned meat (31 Jan 2012)

Every so often we shall change this sample of previously published posts.

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