is the underground man admirable?

[germ15]

a former professor once asked me if i thought that the u.m. is admirable.  i thought this was quite interesting.  if anyone has an opinion backed by some lightly formed argument, id like to read about them.

[Scoundrel]

The past forum posts are a great resource

http://www.fyodordostoevsky.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=561

http://www.fyodordostoevsky.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=70

[Worm]

Whether the underground man is admirable or not depends on how you look at it.  
Judging from his behaviour at work (arguing over that sword or that bell) he wasn't, and judging how he was with his school-friends, he wasn't either... but on the other hand, he had strongly developed ideas and views... and which could lead to things, only those things can bring, and the school-friend wouldn't.  If i would meet him, i would probably like him, though, despite his "diseased liver".
I find it important to note that his ideas can be developed by anybody, even by those people in that bar.  

i disagree with his point that man needs to assert himself everywhere, by trampling on everything, and stating that this trampling is the most important thing.

i also disagree with his separative attitude.

[Floor]

Yes and no, because he is a complex character, and, like all human beings, he has good and bad qualities.

I think his dedication to his worldview is quite admirable in itself, as is his ability to live a solitary life (at least to me), but his methods are all wrong. Take his encounter with the prostitute. He totally destroyed her, "ripped her a new one" if you prefer, only to have his views heard by someone.

But what a great scene- I know it's meant as parody, but it goes so far beyond that. My favorite part of the whole book.