THREAD: Before any conservative tries to invoke George Orwell, let me tell you an interesting story about his first book.

Orwell was a policeman in Burma while it was still under British rule. In his early 20s, he quit to pursue writing. He decided he wanted to write about

the poorest in society, the homeless and the destitute. So, he went undercover as a tramp in both Paris and London. He lived in filthy dives, working as a dishwasher, and at one point having to sell his clothing to get lodging for the night in London. He described how different

he felt when he put on the ragged clothing and said, “Dirt is a great respecter of persons; it lets you alone when you are well dressed but as soon as your collar is gone it flies toward you from all directions.” Orwell was obsessed with the plight of the poor and

with the inequity in our systems that pushed people to the margins. “I shall never again,” he said, “That all tramps are drunken scoundrels, nor expect a beggar to be grateful when I give him a penny, nor be surprised if men out of work lack energy.”

Another quote from the book: “It is curious how people take it for granted that they have a right to preach at you and pray over you as soon as your income falls below a certain level.”

When he finished the book, he struggled to find a publisher. T.S. Eliot was an