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cetateanul necunoscut aprilie 1, 2008

Posted by cetatean in necunoscutii.
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The Unknown Citizen  
by W. H. Auden
(To JS/07 M 378
This Marble Monument
Is Erected by the State)

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be 

One against whom there was no official complaint, 

And all the reports on his conduct agree 

That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a 

   saint, 

For in everything he did he served the Greater Community. 

Except for the War till the day he retired 

He worked in a factory and never got fired, 

But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc. 

Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views, 

For his Union reports that he paid his dues, 

(Our report on his Union shows it was sound) 

And our Social Psychology workers found 

That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink. 

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day 

And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way. 

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured, 

And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured. 

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare 

He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan 

And had everything necessary to the Modern Man, 

A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire. 

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content 

That he held the proper opinions for the time of year; 

When there was peace, he was for peace:  when there was war, he went. 

He was married and added five children to the population, 

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his 

   generation. 

And our teachers report that he never interfered with their 

   education. 

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: 

Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

Asta sunt eu. Cetateanul impotriva caruia nu s-a spus niciodata nimic si care nu a spus niciodata nimic. A acceptat tot, nu a intervenit cu nimic sa schimbe cursul, nu s-a revoltat impotriva cursului, perfectul functionar, vesnic la servici la ora exacta. Si vin dintr-o tara unde toti sunt prin definitie cetatenii necunoscuti ai lui W H Auden. Nu este un repros, nu atata timp cat eu fac parte dintr-o burghezie a gandirii, dintr-o functionarime comportamentala… Suntem toti cetatenii necunoscuti, neinsemnati, cetatenii NE-

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