Emil Thomas

“In the United States, France, and most other countries, talk about the virtues of the national meritocratic model is seldom based on close examination of the facts. Often the purpose is to justify existing inequalities while ignoring the sometimes patent failures of the current system. In 1872, Emile Boutmy created Sciences Po with a clear mission in mind: “obliged to submit to the rule of the majority, the classes that call themselves the upper classes can preserve their political hegemony only by invoking the rights of the most capable. As traditional upper-class prerogatives crumble, the wave of democracy will encounter a second rampart, built on eminently useful talents, superiority that commands prestige, and abilities of which society cannot sanely deprive itself.””

“Nothing more abominable than the critic and, a fortiori, the philosopher in each of us: if I were a poet, I should behave like Dylan Thomas, who, when people would discuss his poems in his presence, would drop to the floor in a fit of convulsions.””

“Rev. Gatlin, to a bunch of anarchist during the labor strife of the 1880's, initiated by the gold rush:"You've heard the suggestion that there are no innocent bourgeoisis. One of those French Anarchists, some say Emile Henry as he was going to the guillotine, others say Vaillant when they tried bombing him for the bombing of the Chamber of Deputies. Answer the question, how can anyone set off a bomb that will take innocent lives?""Long fuse," somebody hollered helpfully. "Easier with a timer!""Think about it," when the remarks had faded come, "like Original Sin, only with exceptions. Being born into this don't automatically make you innocent. But when you reach a point in your life when you understand who is fucking who--beg pardon, Lord--who's taking it and who's not, that's when you're obliged to choose how much you'll go along with. If you are not devoting every breath of every day waking and sleeping to destroying those who slaughter innocent as easy as signing a check, then how innocent are you willing to call yourself? It must be negotiated with the day in those absolute terms””