Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
isolated from each other as in the proverbial sack of potatoes
English answer:
they live together without relationship and isolated from one another.
Added to glossary by
Patricia Townshend (X)
Dec 18, 2007 06:07
16 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Poland
Changing the world one word at a time
Native in: Polish 
Works in: English to Polish, Spanish to Polish, Polish, and 6 more.
proverbial sack of potatoes
English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
The text is a review of the book on Marxism by a Polish philosopher. The following is one of the four questions and answers about some aspects of Stalin's regime:
"Second, why was there no real resistance? The answer is that the individuals, like the French peasantry in Marx's analysis, were isolated from each other as in the proverbial sack of potatoes."
I must say I cannot get what the author really means but perhaps my understanding of this phrase about potatoes is wrong. If we take out the metaphorical meaning I know of feeling weak or unable to take an action I am left with a "sack of potatoes" that is rather an extreme case of togetherness than isolation. Your ideas will be more than appreciated.
"Second, why was there no real resistance? The answer is that the individuals, like the French peasantry in Marx's analysis, were isolated from each other as in the proverbial sack of potatoes."
I must say I cannot get what the author really means but perhaps my understanding of this phrase about potatoes is wrong. If we take out the metaphorical meaning I know of feeling weak or unable to take an action I am left with a "sack of potatoes" that is rather an extreme case of togetherness than isolation. Your ideas will be more than appreciated.
Responses
| 2 +9 | they live together without relationship and isolated from one another. |
Patricia Townshend (X)
|
Change log
Dec 20, 2007 16:02: Patricia Townshend (X) Created KOG entry
Responses
+9
51 mins
Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Related KudoZ points
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4
Selected
they live together without relationship and isolated from one another.
Marx wrote: "The small-holding peasants form a vast mass, the members of which live in similar conditions but without entering into manifold relations with one another. Their mode of production isolates them from one another instead of bringing them into mutual intercourse…. In this way, the great mass of the French nation is formed by the simple addition of homologous magnitudes, much as potatoes in a sack form a sack of potatoes.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "OK. Thanks. Now I see just a tiny bit of logic in it, especially after Paula's beautiful comparison with flour - my mind must not be ready to accept this kind of reasoning but I guess it is not the right place to start a discussion on marxiism"
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