Ian White1/7/2011: George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60 plays. Nearly all his writings deal sternly with prevailing social problems, but have a vein of comedy to make their stark themes more palatable. Shaw examined education, marriage, religion, government, health care, and class privilege.
The 100% American is 99% idiot.
Better never than late.
I would like to take you seriously, but to do so would be an affront to your intelligence.
The trouble with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech.
Martyrdom: The only way a man can become famous without ability.
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn't!
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
A man never tells you anything until you contradict him.
A man of great common sense and good taste - meaning thereby a man without originality or moral courage. A man of great common sense and good taste - meaning thereby a man without originality or moral courage.
A veteran journalist has never had time to think twice before he writes.
All great truths begin as blasphemies.
Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.
An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable.
Baseball has the great advantage over cricket of being sooner ended.
Beauty is a short-lived tyranny.
Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force.
Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads. Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads.
Choose silence of all virtues, for by it you hear other men's imperfections, and conceal your own.
Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire.
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
