In addition to this there is the horrible—the really disquieting—prevalence of cranks wherever Socialists are gathered together. One sometimes gets the impression that the mere words ‘Socialism’ and ‘Communism’ draw towards them with magnetic force every fruit-juice drinker, nudist, sandal-wearer, sex-maniac, Quaker, ‘Nature Cure’ quack, pacifist and feminist in England.
It’s interesting to see how this aged. 85 years later, sex-maniacs and quacks are still considered ‘cranks’; pacifism and nudists are not well tolerated by most societies, whereas sandal-wearing is more often respected; and vegetarianism and (1930s) feminism are completely mainstream.
Also, I was surprised to learn that Orwell thinks people typically become vegetarian to extend their lifespan, and not for ethical reasons. Was this true in 1930s England? Did Western vegetarianism use to be a fad diet on part with Orwell’s “fruit-drinkers”?
I guess that Orwell’s objection was something like “these people seem incapable to tone down their middle-class signalling”. They ostentatiously care about things that working-class people do not have capacity to care about. They utterly fail at empathy with the workers… and yet presume to speak in their name.
The worker is trying not to starve, and to have enough strength for daily 16-hour work at the factory. Vegetarianism is a luxury he can’t afford. Will healthier diet really make him live longer? His main risk factors are falling of the scaffolding, mutilation by an engine, suffocation in a mine, et cetera; how does eating a f-ing tofu protect against that?
For a working-class woman, the lack of right to vote is also not very high on her list of priorities, I suppose.
Therefore, talking about these topics too much is like saying that actual working-class people are not invited to the debate.
Also: if Orwell thought vegeterians expected to gain 5 years of life, that would be an immense effect well worth some social disruption. And boo Orwell for mocking them merely for being different and not for any substance of the way they were different. It’s not as if people eating different food intrudes on others (or even makes them notice, most of the time), unlike e.g. nudists, or social-reforming feminists.
It’s interesting to see how this aged. 85 years later, sex-maniacs and quacks are still considered ‘cranks’; pacifism and nudists are not well tolerated by most societies, whereas sandal-wearing is more often respected; and vegetarianism and (1930s) feminism are completely mainstream.
Also, I was surprised to learn that Orwell thinks people typically become vegetarian to extend their lifespan, and not for ethical reasons. Was this true in 1930s England? Did Western vegetarianism use to be a fad diet on part with Orwell’s “fruit-drinkers”?
I guess that Orwell’s objection was something like “these people seem incapable to tone down their middle-class signalling”. They ostentatiously care about things that working-class people do not have capacity to care about. They utterly fail at empathy with the workers… and yet presume to speak in their name.
The worker is trying not to starve, and to have enough strength for daily 16-hour work at the factory. Vegetarianism is a luxury he can’t afford. Will healthier diet really make him live longer? His main risk factors are falling of the scaffolding, mutilation by an engine, suffocation in a mine, et cetera; how does eating a f-ing tofu protect against that?
For a working-class woman, the lack of right to vote is also not very high on her list of priorities, I suppose.
Therefore, talking about these topics too much is like saying that actual working-class people are not invited to the debate.
GBS got a good lifespan out of his vegetarian diet.
Sorry, who is GBS?
Also: if Orwell thought vegeterians expected to gain 5 years of life, that would be an immense effect well worth some social disruption. And boo Orwell for mocking them merely for being different and not for any substance of the way they were different. It’s not as if people eating different food intrudes on others (or even makes them notice, most of the time), unlike e.g. nudists, or social-reforming feminists.
George Bernard Shaw. 1856-1950.