[bardan]

"Ah, but what about Spain? Orwell put his life fighting for POUM in the Spanish Civil War. He got himself shot in the neck-pretty high risks for a phony socialist. How do I explain that one?

Actually, it’s simple. Orwell went to Spain to fight for his most deeply held belief, yes. Unfortunately, that belief wasn’t socialism but the nastiest, most puerile of the tribal hatreds English babies learn in the cradle: anti-Catholicism."

I just couldn't keep reading after that. I like John Dolan's analyses in the War Nerd podcast but this essay seems unhinged. Did he write this at the time the Exiled staff were smashing each other in the face with horse semen pies? Seems like a lot of edginess and projection.

[nortonham]

> Did he write this at the time the Exiled staff were smashing each other in the face with horse semen pies? Seems like a lot of edginess and projection.

Chronologically I think this comes after the horse semen pies.

It's not a stretch to think a middle class Englishmen from the early 20th century hates catholics, and that this bigotry (along with his other pet hates) pop up in his writing.

As far as Orwell being a socialist....don't forget he ratted out British socialist to British intelligence.