July 17, 2009


Victor Hugo on trickle-down

“We live in a somber society. How to get ahead, succeed–that is the lesson that trickles down, drop by drop, from the overriding corruption on high.”

“Succeed: That’s the whole idea. Prosperity presupposes Capability. Win the lottery and you are a clever man. The winner is revered. Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth, that’s all that counts. Be lucky and the rest will fall into place. Be fortunate, and you’ll be thought great.”

“They mistake the constellations of the cosmic void for the stars made by ducks’ feet in the soft mud of the bog.”

(p. 45: Les Miserables, trans. by Julie Rose, 2008)

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posted by Cooper Renner in aphorisms, books, ethics, fiction, literature 

comments

3 Responses to “Victor Hugo on trickle-down”

  1. Lucy Foley on July 18th, 2009 at 4:28 am

    Well that’s immensely satisfying.

  2. Sheila Ryan on July 18th, 2009 at 9:32 am

    Stars made by ducks’ feet in the soft mud of the bog is a corker. I’ve got to go see how that reads en français.

  3. Coop on July 18th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Let us know, Sheila.

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