The Parallel Action. The Man Without Qualities I tells how in 1913 the Viennese beau monde comes together to make preparations for the seventieth anniversary of Franz-Josef's reign in 1918. Much against his will, Ulrich becomes the secretary of this organization, which brings him into contact with the representatives of a society in a downward spiral. This provides plenty of scope for Musil's harsh, satirical side. He portrays a panorama of characters whom he describes with varying degrees of mockery: the omnipresent Diotima, the patriotic and conservative senator Count Leinsdorf, the arrogant German industrialist Paul Arnheim, the comical general Stumm von Bordwehr, etc. An important topic of discussion, apart from the preparations, is the murderer and sexual deviant Moosbrugger. By means of this colourful parade of characters Musil describes a society living on a volcano, as yet unaware of its imminent eruption.