Thursday, February 15, 2007

Philosopher Death Match: Aristotle vs Mae West

Mae West's philosophy reflects a working-class sensibility, wittily attuned to prevalent male attitudes and realities toward women, work, sexuality and life. West sees wisdom residing in regular folks who must live through the harshness of everyday life. West trashes the notion that it is the elite who know what is real, hence ethical and hence good, in life. West recognizes that emotion is more powerful and satisfying than reason, and reason, on its own, is ridiculously lacking in answers. In all realms, emotion has a claim to parity with, and authority over, reason.

Surviving fragments of the West Philosophy:

I am all woman.



It's not what you get that counts, but what you give.





I never loved another person the way I loved myself.

Sex is emotion in motion.


Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.


I expect it'll
(going to prison) be the making of me.

The time I spent in jail was about the most profitable days of my life.

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.




It is better to be looked over than overlooked.

A hard man is good to find.



A man's kiss is his signature.

An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.

Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.



He who hesitates is a damned fool.

He who hesitates is last.




I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it.

I like restraint, if it doesn't go too far.



I only like two kinds of men, domestic and imported.

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.

It's hard to be funny when you have to be clean.


Keep a diary, and someday it'll keep you.



We don't think about marriage as something going on and on, with children from generation to generation. It's often just a passing whim.

I'm single because I was born that way.







To err is human, but it feels divine.

Too much of a good thing can be taxing.

I feel like a million tonight, but one at a time.

When women go wrong, men go right after them.

It's (sexual relationships) just this physical thing.

I like the kinda comedy that imitates me.

Anytime you take religion for a joke, the laugh's on you.

I"m going to drown, down in those troubled waters (religion), they're creeping around my soul.

It takes two to get one in trouble.

These girls (prostitutes) are willing to work, but how can they when the law is always ready to pounce on them and send them back to the Workhouse?

Find'em, fool'em and forget'em.

I'm no angel, but I've spread my wings a bit.

A man in the house is worth two in the street.









The score never interested me, only the game.

Men are my hobby, if I ever got married I'd have to give it up.





There are no withholding taxes on the wages of sin.


Let men see what's coming to them, and women will get what's coming to them.

The curve is more powerful than the sword.

I didn't discover curves; I only uncovered them.






Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache.


Women want certain things in marriage--the right to a title and a front seat in the lap of luxury.

Men are easy to get but hard to keep.

It's easy to get married, but hard to stay that way.


A girl in the convertible is worth five in the phone book.



I take it out in the open and laugh at it.

The best way to hold a man is in your arms.


Look your best--who said love is blind?




If you put your foot in it, be sure it's your best foot.


The best way to behave is to misbehave.

Don't ever make the same mistake twice, unless it pays.

A man has more character in his face at forty than at twenty--he has suffered longer.

Don't come crawlin' to a man for love--he likes to get a run for his money.




Some of the wildest men make the best pets.

Let the crooks look out for themselves.

I've got to do it (speak out) as a citizen. i've got to do it for society. They (gangsters) threaten us under penalty of having acid thrown in our faces, and they don't stop at threats either.

I'm the first personality since Chaplin that's got the masses. I've got all classes and all ages.


Did they expect a sermon? Why weren't they in church if they were so religious?

Goodness had nothing to do with it.

Yeah, honey, but you can't prove a thing.

No comments: