“So there is nothing inherently subversive about pleasure. On the contrary, as Karl Marx recognized, it is a thoroughly aristocratic creed. The traditional English gentleman was so averse to unpleasurable labour that he could not even be bothered to articulate properly. Hence the patrician slur and drawl, Aristotle believed that being human was something you had to get good at through constant practice, like learning Catalan or playing the bagpipes; whereas if the English gentleman was virtuous, as he occasionally deigned to be, his goodness was purely spontaneous. Moral effort was for merchants and clerks”
Quote by Terry Eagleton
Author
Terry Eagleton
Terry Eagleton is a renowned British literary critic, known for his research on Marxist literary theory. His work spans a wide range of literary and theoretical topics, influencing cultural studies and political commentary as well. more
You May Also Like
Source: Saint Odd
“...up to no good—and pleased about it.”
Source: Odd Apocalypse
“Stolen pleasures are always more thrilling than those come by honestly.”
Source: The Good House
“What is the best thing about people doubting your potential? The pleasure of proving them wrong.”
Source: Gothic Tales of the Marquis de Sade
“Pain, or pleasure. I could not tell where one ended and the other began.”
Source: Dancer from the Dance
Source: The Transit of Venus