A closer look

Karl Marx spent a significant portion of his life writing aggressive letters to his friends complaining about his incredibly painful boils while simultaneously trying to draft the foundational texts of modern communism. The fiery philosopher was plagued by a severe skin condition that made it excruciating to sit down, leading him to famously declare that the bourgeoisie would one day pay dearly for his terribly afflicted backside. Historians and medical professionals now suspect his rampant carbuncles were caused by a disastrous combination of chain-smoking, heavy drinking, terrible hygiene, and staying awake for days on end screaming about capitalism. It is highly amusing to consider that some of the most influential and revolutionary political theory of the nineteenth century was written by a grumpy, unwashed man who was just really irritated that his butt hurt too much to sit in a chair