George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw

by Gilbert K. Chesterton

Chesterton and Shaw were famous friends and enjoyed their arguments and discussions. Although rarely in agreement, they both maintained good-will towards and respect for each other. However, in his writing, Chesterton expressed himself very plainly on where they differed and why. In Heretics he writes of Shaw: “After belabouring a great many people for a great many years for being unprogressive, Mr. Shaw has discovered, with characteristic sense, that it is very doubtful whether any existing human being with two legs can be progressive at all. Having come to doubt whether humanity can be combined with progress, most people, easily pleased, would have elected to abandon progress and remain with humanity. Mr. Shaw, not being easily pleased, decides to throw over humanity with all its limitations and go in for progress for its own sake. If man, as we know him, is incapable of the philosophy of progress, Mr. Shaw asks, not for a new kind of philosophy, but for a new kind of man. It is rather as if a nurse had tried a rather bitter food for some years on a baby, and on discovering that it was not suitable, should not throw away the food and ask for a new food, but throw the baby out of window, and ask for a new baby.” Shaw represented the new school of thought, humanism, which was rising at the time. Chesterton's views, on the other hand, became increasingly more focused towards the church. In Orthodoxy he writes: “The worship of will is the negation of will. . . If Mr. Bernard Shaw comes up to me and says, "Will something," that is tantamount to saying, "I do not mind what you will," and that is tantamount to saying, "I have no will in the matter." You cannot admire will in general, because the essence of will is that it is particular. (Summary from Wikipedia)

Authors

Gilbert K. Chesterton image

Chesterton wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays (mostly newspaper columns), and several plays. He was a literary and social critic, historian, playwright,...

Books by Gilbert K. Chesterton

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

Sonnets from Hafez and Other Verses Cover image

Sonnets from Hafez and Other Verses by Hafez

This book, 'Sonnets from Hafez and Other Verses by Hafez,' presents a unique blend of translated and original poetry, exploring themes of love, mystic...

Little Pilgrimages Among the Women Who Have Written Famous Books Cover image

Little Pilgrimages Among the Women Who Have Written Famous Books by Edward Francis Harkins

This book provides biographical and critical sketches of some of the most popular and promising women writers of the early 20th century. The author ai...

Spiritual Antidote against Sinful Contagion in Dying Times Cover image

Spiritual Antidote against Sinful Contagion in Dying Times by Thomas Doolittle

This work by Thomas Doolittle, written in the midst of a plague epidemic, serves as a spiritual guide and exhortation. It offers solace and encouragem...

Stones of Venice, Volume 1 Cover image

Stones of Venice, Volume 1 by John Ruskin

The Stones of Venice is a three-volume work by John Ruskin, renowned for its intricate analysis of Venetian architecture and its social and cultural s...

Yang Chu's Garden of Pleasure Cover image

Yang Chu's Garden of Pleasure by Liezi

At the Court of Liang at the period of Yang Chu, about 300 B.C., the philosophers were treated as guests of the reigning king, who reserved for them l...

Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum Cover image

Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum by Aemilia Lanyer

This book by Aemilia Lanyer is more than just a retelling of the Passion of Christ. It is a spirited defense of Eve and all women, with elegant praise...

Ιστορίαι (Histories) Βιβλίον 6 (Book 6) Cover image

Ιστορίαι (Histories) Βιβλίον 6 (Book 6) by Thucydides

Thucydides' Histories is a seminal work of historical scholarship and a cornerstone of Western literature. Written in the 5th century B.C., it chronic...

The Meaning of Life and Other Essays Cover image

The Meaning of Life and Other Essays by Alban Goodier, S.J.

Even with the best intentions, we can often get caught up in the affairs of this world and forget about God. To stay on the path to Heaven we must mak...

Handbüchlein der stoischen Moral Cover image

Handbüchlein der stoischen Moral by Epictetus

Encheiridion, stoische Regeln für ein zufriedenes Leben. Knapp und ausgezeichnet. Geschrieben von Epiktet (ca. 50-138). Übersetzung durch Carl Conz vo...

Bible (KJV) 21: Ecclesiastes Cover image

Bible (KJV) 21: Ecclesiastes by King James Version

Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom literature in the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attributed to King Solomon. The book explores the themes of the meaning...

Reviews for George Bernard Shaw

No reviews posted or approved, yet...