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Quote by George Bernard Shaw

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BBC Radio presents Man and superman

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George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw (July 26, 1856 - November 2, 1950) was an Irish-British playwright, critic, and socialist. He is renowned for his satirical and witty dramatic works. more

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“All European writers are ‘slaves of their baptism,’ if I may paraphrase Rimbaud; like it or not, their writing carries baggage from an immense and almost frightening tradition; they accept that tradition or they fight against it, it inhabits them, it is their familiar and their succubus. Why write, if everything has, in a way, already been said? Gide observed sardonically that since nobody listened, everything has to be said again, yet a suspicion of guilt and superfluity leads the European intellectual to the most extreme refinements of his trade and tools, the only way to avoid paths too much traveled. Thus the enthusiasm that greets novelties, the uproar when a writer has succeeded in giving substance to a new slice of the invisible; merely recall symbolism, surrealism, the ‘nouveau roman’: finally something truly new that neither Ronsard, nor Stendahl , nor Proust imagined. For a moment we can put aside our guilt; even the epigones begin too believe they are doing something new. Afterwards, slowly, they begin to feel European again and each writer still has his albatross around his neck.”

“I have often seen this about Life…that when a door closes on you, when people reject you, when what you desperately want does not come to you despite your best efforts and prayers…all this happens only because you are meant to be walking through a different door, you are meant to be meeting other people and only because it is ordained that you receive something else, which you have not even imagined…that which is truly meant for you. So, don’t grieve when you don’t get what you want; what you want is immaterial…What Life believes you need is what you eventually, always, get!”

“We are all a product of our experiences, of what happens to us, of what we go through. We make choices, we stumble, we fall, we endure pain, we go through intense strife, suffering and yet, eventually, we do awaken to what we believe is a greater understanding of Life. Each of us is a miracle in that sense – it is indeed a miracle that we have survived what we have been through! Clearly, I wouldn't be able to do what I am doing, or even say this with so much conviction, without going through what I have gone through. This is so true for you too. Isn't it a miracle that Life curates such unique experiences to help us be who we are, to do what we do, so people may learn and benefit from each of us, one way or the other?”

“The key to Happiness is dropping all your wants. Even "wanting to be happy" is an expectation that can cause you so much anxiety and unhappiness. Just being, embracing what is, chipping away at what you can do in a given context, and doing what you love doing, will suffice to live a full, meaningful, Life. Clearly Happiness cannot, and must not, be pursued; simply being, consistently just being, at some point in your journey, upon reflection, will reveal to you that it is a great quality to have lived/live Life by.”

“Life will always come up with three demands: 1. Asking for your time to be invested in what you love doing 2. Asking you to urgently focus on what you don't like doing (sometimes what you intensely dislike) but stuff which is unavoidable and important 3. Asking you to try and keep doing multiple stuff that definitely interest you, excite you, but are not your Bliss...they are likeable stuff, but not exactly loveable stuff. Often times, you end up constantly responding to Demands 2 & 3 - 2, because they are non-negotiable and 3, because they are enticing, seductive, also financially rewarding. Now, if you did not have an idea about what you love, what your Bliss is, what your Purpose in Life is, you can dabble in 2 & 3, until you have your "1 Zone" clearly defined. But if you have a clear idea of 1, stay with 1 & 2. Make Demand 1 your non-negotiable too. You will live happily ever after!!!”

“Do you find your Bliss or does your Bliss find you? When you step out of the earning-a-living or economic circle of your Life, when you are willing to allow Life to lead you, your Bliss will come calling. It will come back, again and again, whenever you step out of the earning-a-living circle…until you embrace it, until your make your Bliss your Life! This is an irrefutable truth, this is how Life works!”

“Do you find your Bliss or does your Bliss find you? When you step out of the earning-a-living or economic circle of your Life, when you are willing to allow Life to lead you, your Bliss will come calling. It will come back, again and again, whenever you step out of the earning-a-living circle…until you embrace it, until you make your Bliss your Life! This is an irrefutable truth, this is how Life works!”

“Conviction is an inside job. It is a very personal feeling. It is intuitive. You can’t explain it. Words will fail you. And it is your Bliss that fuels your conviction. Your Bliss will drive you to take decisions, make choices, convince people and it will draw you into its fold…into a beautiful, magical space where logic hardly matters or prevails!”