Nelson Galaxy

Number 6: Vissarion Belinskii

“Ere mate, oi mate, ere mate.”
Ignore the dirty scary tramp man Nelson, just ignore him.
“Oi mate, ere, oi, ere mate.”
“Look I’m sorry; I do not have any spare change, cigarettes, alcohol, food or biscuits.”
“Nah mate, I just wanted to tell you something.”
“I am in a dreadful hurry.”
“It’ll only take a second.”
“Go on then.”
“Mate, ever heard of Vissarion Belinskii, the nineteenth century father of the Russian radical intelligentsia?”
“Oh no please, I really do not have time. I have had my fill of Russian political philosophy for one week.”
“Ere mate, no wait. You have to admire his belief in the soaring power of revolution to liberate the spirit of man from the accumulated burdens of centuries.”
“Frankly sir, I do not give a damn. Anyway, he believed more in the bourgeoisie than socialism. But I do agree that art and literature should be used as weapons in the ideological struggle to change society.”
“I have a great quote for you about man, freedom and suffering. Wanna hear?”
“Whatever. If I listen to the quote will you leave me alone and hassle some other poor pedestrian with your early Marxist doctrines?”
“Yeah mate, I will. I see something in your eyes mate and I think this Belinskii quote is rather relevant.”
“I am all ears and erm . . . eyes, go on then.”
“Here we go: ‘I am beginning to love mankind. To make the smallest part of it happy, I think I would exterminate the rest with fire and sword. People are so stupid that you have to drag them to happiness. And, in any case, what is the blood of thousands in comparison with the humiliation and suffering of millions?’”
“Wow. You look like a trampy scumbag but that really touches me. People are stupid.”
“Yeah? Got any spare change, mate? How about a fag? I’ll give you a blow job for a tenner.”
“Oh, b*****ks!”

On the Nelson hi-fi today:
Short Circuit: Live at the Electric Circus