"A politician is an arse upon which everyone has sat except a man"

E. E. Cummings, known for his unconventional style and biting social observations, delivers a striking critique of political figures with his declaration that "a politician is an arse upon which everyone has sat except a man". At first glance, the quote is laced with humor and irreverence, but beneath its wit lies a caustic view of the nature of politics and the integrity of those who participate in it.

The image of an "arse upon which everyone has sat" invokes a sense of degradation and wear, suggesting politicians serve as tools or platforms for the wants and ambitions of others. The metaphor implies that politicians are shaped, pressed, and molded by the multitude, they are constrained by the demands, expectations, and pressures of society, lobbyists, parties, and public opinion. Each person, cause, or interest group takes a seat, using the politician for their own purpose, further eroding individual authenticity and strength.

By concluding "except a man", Cummings intensifies his rebuke. The word "man" here stands not merely for the male gender but symbolizes the ideal of integrity, individuality, and autonomous moral agency. The politician, as portrayed, is distinguished from a "man" in the truest sense: someone who stands for personal conviction, resists manipulation, and maintains a core of unyielding humanity. The juxtaposition suggests that entering the political arena often demands the abdication of these very qualities, leading to conformity, compromise, and the sacrifice of genuine character.

Cummings’s aphorism leans into a broader skepticism about politics: that the system incentivizes pliability over principle, servility over sovereignty. The "arse" becomes a symbol for a loss of dignity and the absence of true leadership. Ultimately, the quote laments that in the world of politics, authenticity, being a "man", is rare, if not impossible, and that those who play the political game inevitably forfeit some essential part of themselves.