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. 

4 January 2014

я сижу на шее у человека , задавил его и требую , чтобы он вез меня, и, не слезая с него, уверяю себя и других, что я очен жалею и хочу облегчить его положение всеми возможными средствами, но только не тем, чтобы слезть с него.

“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.”

From chapter 16 of the social treatise “What Then Must We Do?” (1886) by Russian writer and moralist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910).  English translation by Aylmer Maude.

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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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