Seeing clearly within himself and always able to dodge around the ends of any position, including his own, Shaw assumed from the start the dual role of prophet and gadfly. To his contemporaries it appeared frivolous and contradictory to perform as both superman and socialist, sceptic and believer, legalist and heretic, high-brow and mob-orator. But feeling the duty to teach as well as to mirror mankind, Shaw did not accept himself as a contradictory being.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Shaw embraced conflicting roles to teach and reflect humanity, refusing to see himself as contradictory.
- In plain terms
- He accepted being both a critic and a prophet without feeling torn apart by it.
- What can you take from it?
- Embrace complex roles to serve a higher duty.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you handle conflicting aspects of your identity?
Another view
Taking on too many roles can lead to confusion.
More from Jacques Barzun
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Permalink to quote #26 Shaw does not merely decorate a proposition, but makes his way from point to point through new and difficult territory. This explains why Shaw must either be t…
Permalink to quote #23
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