I'm a middle-class intellectual. I'd never call myself any such a damn silly thing, but since you Reds coined it, I'll have to accept it. That's my class, and that's what I'm interested in. The proletarians are probably noble fellows, but I certainly do not think that the interests of the middle-class intellectuals and the proletarians are the same. They want bread. We want-well, all right, say it, we want cake!
The quote reflects the author's perspective on social class distinctions, emphasizing a divide between middle-class intellectuals and the working class. While acknowledging a shared humanity, the speaker differentiates their desires and interests from those of the proletariat. The intellectual expresses a certain disdain for overly simplistic labels but ultimately embraces the notion of being a middle-class intellectual, recognizing its implications in society.
This contrast highlights the tension between the needs of the working class, seeking basic sustenance like bread, and the aspirations of the intellectual class, symbolized by the metaphorical desire for 'cake.' The speaker's candid admission to wanting more than mere survival underlines a critique of class consciousness and suggests that motivations and priorities vary significantly between these groups in society.
