George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw, (1856-1950) Irish comic dramatist

Famous George Bernard Shaw Quote

“Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.”

George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw
~ George Bernard Shaw

Maxims for Revolutionists, 1912

Ratings and Comments


Mike, Norwalk

Here, not shooting the messenger, the quote on its face gets 5 stars. Though Shaw's perception of liberty and responsibility were most often at odds with natural law, justice, prosperity, inalienable rights of man, and sovereignty of the noble individual, he did have his sound bites.

J Carlton, Calgary

Liberty and Responsibility, you can't have one without the other...unless you are a Congressman.

Anon
  • Reply
Anon    4/20/10

Once a man loses his fear of responsibility then he will notice what freedom is and from that moment on life becomes living the life of a different man and the past becomes the past, the future is not here yet, so all that remains is the moment, and a different man to live it with no fear to guide him but only wisdom.

Waffler, Smith

Yes unfofortunately some think freedom means doing whatever without considering consequences. We are hemmed in on every side with consequences. Freedom is the opportunity to run our own affairs both individually, and communally as we see fit. Of course as many attest on this site the balancing act between the two sectors individual and community is where the argument generally lies.

RBESRQ
  • Reply
RBESRQ    4/20/10

He had a lot more than sounds bites all of which we can only envy. He was a socialist and agnostic - and to receive such honors on this blog for this quote proves you are all fair-minded and honest.

Anon
  • Reply
    Anon    4/20/10

    It is the very thing that consequences occur that gives an individual his freedom in that if not for consequences a man could not be free. What a relief it is to at times do nothing when the act of doing something can only create a bad consequence. There is no better a feeling of freedom when doing nothing is the right thing to do.

    John King, Dayton

    If you had been watching Glenn Beck TV program you would know G B Shaw was a piece of crap who wanted to exterminate "certain groups of people" albiet in a "civilized" way. as Hitler was doing and did.

    Mike, Norwalk

    Anonymous, what would be expected and, what does being a devout Mormon have to do with it? Because Harry Reid is a devout Mormon, would your subject matter of focus still be expected?

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