Victor Serge Archives - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Le Rétif (Victor Serge), “To Be and to Appear” (1909)

July 17, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

We do not live for ourselves—we live for others. We suffer, we struggle and we die for the gallery, to astonish others, to wrest from them a cry of admiration or praise. To appear is the great, the unique concern for the men of this century.

For the vain glory of appearing, they renounce really living. And this is true in all the domains of their activity.

[…]

Victor Serge, Sports

May 15, 2012 Shawn P. Wilbur

SPORTS By “Le Retif” From “Le Rèvoltè” # 18, September 1908 Sports are booming an obsession. The kiosks are inundated with sports journals” “L’ Auto”, “Le Velo”, “Le Sportsman”, “Paris Sport”. Sports-Elevage”. “Tous Les Sports” etc., etc. Each day a new journal is born – and the old ones don’t die! Sports literature is almost becoming . . . a sport! And not only literature. I defy you to take a walk in the street without encountering a young man in helmet, white tunic, the cyclist’s uniform – or of a worker or gentleman caught up in reading a sports […]