Literature Network » Ralph Waldo Emerson

The proliferation of pretension: Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "The mark of the man of the world is absence of pretension." Oh, if Emerson could only see us now. (Social Graces).

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From: Town & Country
Date: 20030701
Author:Queenan, Joe

Many years ago I fled New York City for its tony northern suburbs. Some friends actually believed that I relocated to Westchester County because I wanted to put down roots, but the truth is I left New York to get away from pretentious people. By the time the moving van arrived, I'd had it up to here with friends prattling on about Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Umberto Eco and the Kronos Quartet or rhapsodizing about the director's cut of Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali.

The thing I liked about the suburbs--other than the panoramic vistas and short lines at the post office--was that ...

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