Art Quote by Ilya Ilf
““Fifteen of his clubs, dedicated to politics, music, and the performing arts, had all been developing strategic plans for the past two years. And the local branches of various societies--whose goals were to advance aviation, knowledge of chemistry, automotive transportation, equestrian sports, highway construction, as well as the prompt eradication of ethnic chauvinism--existed only in the sick imagination of the local union committee. As for the school of continuing education, of which Sardinevich was especially proud, it was constantly reorganizing itself, which, as anybody knows, means it wasn't undertaking any useful activity whatsoever. If Sardinevich were an honest man, he would probably have admitted that all these activities were essentially a mirage. But the local union committee used this mirage to concoct its reports, so at the next level up nobody doubted the existence of all those musico-political clubs. At that level, the school of continuing education was imagined as a large stone building filled with desks, where perky teachers draw graphs that show the rise of unemployment in the United States on their chalkboards, while mustachioed students develop political consciousness right in front of your eyes.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Twelve Chairs by Ilf and Petrov, 1928
A satire of bureaucratic pretensions where superficial projects mask lack of real work, highlighting how institutions can create elaborate fictions to appear productive.
In simple terms: People create impressive‑looking plans that achieve nothing.
Focus on genuine results, not empty appearances.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- government reporting
- academic program design
- community club formation
- policy making
- public relations
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What real value can be extracted from seemingly pointless initiatives?
- How do we differentiate between constructive planning and mere illusion?
The quote may exaggerate for comedic effect, overlooking genuine efforts within such groups.