Comments on: alain de botton strikes back!

By: David

David — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:28:49 +0000

Though apparently people did ask him for directions to the toilet a lot, so I suppose this does count as some kind of staff work.

By: David

David — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:24:34 +0000

I just did a search on Google News and the disappointing thing is that AdB didn’t actually do any check-in stuff or any other work to do with the operation of the airport. The stories say he was allowed to go anywhere he liked in the airport, then he would sit at a desk in the departure area and write about his observations. Though I did see this:

At one point, an irate passenger who had missed her flight accosted him and banged on his writing desk.

Just what I was hoping for.

http://www.fhr-net.co.uk/travel_news/2161/alain_de_botton_reveals_live_in_heathrow_experience/

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:12:02 +0000

This post, and its associated comments, have brightened my day greatly. Huzzah!

By: Giovanni

Giovanni — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:04:24 +0000

Yes, but are they it-getters?

By: infinite thought

infinite thought — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:12:19 +0000

I’ll only envy AdB if they let him go around on the carousel at Heathrow, pretending to be a piece of luggage. That would be great.

I’m glad that there is now a category of people called the ‘ITers’ now, though, they sound brilliant.

By: David R

David R — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:00:42 +0000

“faux concern for the working class”

I love it when the right (or the bourgeoisie) attack someone for faking concern. Besides being a ridiculous argument, the irony is that they themselves can’t begin to imagine why anyone would give a shit for the help — so they assume you must be faking.

By: Reynaldo

Reynaldo — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:12:22 +0000

Couldn’t agree more with Jane. The world would be a finer place if de Botton were to be strung up from the nearest lamp-post. We wouldn’t have to suffer more of his imbecilic books and even worse television programmes.

By: jane

jane — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:54:16 +0000

Listen, if resentment (or its french cousin) is a sufficient condition for violent class rage on the part of proletarianized middle-class bloggers, I am all for it. M. de Botton would need to be a far better writer to deserve some sort of noble enmity, and meanwhile, the aristocrat-to-lamppost ratio (A/L, as we say in political economy) needs some fiddling.

By: David

David — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:10:02 +0000

“I am sorry, madam, I am Alain de Botton of Londonium and the check-in for this flight closed fifteen seconds ago. The captain will not let you on. This is the end of the line for you I am afraid. Even philosophy will not save you now, but if you like I can take your name down for an advanced copy of the book I am writing.”

“Well that’s just not good enough is it! Get me on that plane! How much do they pay you to sit and speak that way to me?!”

“Please don’t hurt me. Help me, please, someone. She’s getting angry. Does she have a gun?”

By: Dr X

Dr X — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:35:05 +0000

@clare: Infinite Thought used the phrase ‘the help’ in the original post.