I Can't Go On. I'll Go On.

November 29, 2010 3:17 PM

A person recently mentioned, as an aside, a Samuel Beckett essay (or play, or story) featuring the "Trade Union", which was described as the thing that conspires against ordinary individuals in the quotidian (i.e. when you forget to take your umbrella and it rains, that's the fault of the "Trade Union"; or when you can't find your car keys, that's down to the "Trade Union".)

Does this ring any bells with anyone? I have wracked my frangible memory of college-era Beckett, and Googled 'til my fingers bleed, to no apparent avail.

Of course, there is every chance that:

1. the phrase is not precisely "Trade Union" (because the conversation was not in English, though the person said "Trade Union" in English when referring to it.)
2. the work is not Beckett's (I have no reason to believe the person knows any more about literature than a lump of cheese, though they were very specific in mentioning Samuel Beckett).

Any ideas?

posted by chavenet to Society & Culture (3 answers total)

No idea, but I saw your question getting lonely and thought you might like to know that where Beckett (maybe) saw the Trade Union, my grandmother saw anti-Semites.
posted by bluejayway at 7:05 PM on November 29, 2010

This answer involves neither the Trade Union nor Beckett, but your description did remind me of Resistentialism. Resistentialism was Paul Jenning's parody of existentialism which had as its motto "Les choses sont contre nous" or "Things are Against Us."

I hope someone comes through with a real answer though because otherwise this person is either really confused or a magnificent bullshitter.
posted by radiomayonnaise at 8:22 PM on November 29, 2010

Response by poster: Despite the lack of a "best answer" yet, I have to say that I am very happy to learn about Resistentialism, so thank you, radiomayonnaise.
posted by chavenet at 5:08 AM on November 30, 2010