Tang and Napoleon

Dave Lebling · 30 Jun 2009, 23:09 · from 2009-June.txt.gz

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From: dlebling at hyraxes.com (Dave Lebling)
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:09:15 -0400
Subject: (urth) Tang and Napoleon
In-Reply-To: <d1bb7a150906291058j2534308frfc9bfe00e71e1b7 at mail.gmail.com>
References: <NGECKNKNFCCKJFJGAFLHMEIDDNAA.stephenhoy at yahoo.com>
	<d1bb7a150906291058j2534308frfc9bfe00e71e1b7 at mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <4A4A9B1B.1060400 at hyraxes.com>

I posted about Ludwig's book years ago when this came up. The theory 
that I like best is that the hand-in-coat pose was actually a common 
artistic convention in Napoleon's era, particularly in France. Today few 
have heard of it and so it seems strange and bizarre.

My take on Weer's story is that he was doing what many highly 
intelligent but socially awkward types do in conversation (at MIT we 
called it "nerdulating"), which is to claim more authoritative knowledge 
than he had.

-- Dave Lebling, aka vizcacha

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