Devrimciye Aforizmalar

by George Bernard Shaw, Özgür Ateş (Hazırlayan), Selin Saraçoğlu (Editor)

"Shaw, Swift'ten bu yana gelen hiciv yazarları içinde kalemi en keskin, İngilizce yazan müzik eleştirmenleri arasında ise en okunabilir olanı; neslinin en iyi tiyatro eleştirmeni, siyasi, ekonomik ve sosyolojik alanlarda harika bir konuşmacı ve deneme yazarı, ayrıca edebiyatın en verimli mektup yazarlarından biri."
-Stanley Weintraub-


Bernard Shaw, tarihin en önemli oyun yazarlarından biri olmakla birlikte çok önemli bir düşünce adamıdır. Sosyal eşitlik ve insan hakları konularının ateşli bir savunucusu olan yazar, yaşadığı dönem boyunca 60'tan fazla oyuna imza atmış ve bu oyunların her birinde sosyal sorunlara parmak basmıştır.

Elinizdeki bu kitap Bernard Shaw'un özgürlük, eşitlik, din, evlilik, erdem, yönetim biçimleri, eğitim, onur, ahlak gibi konulardaki fikirlerini bir araya getiriyor. Shaw, bu kitapta her zamanki bilgeliği ve sivri diliyle devrime ve devrimin olası sonuçlarına pratik bir bakış açısı sunuyor.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Politics, Classics, Essays

95 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

George Bernard Shaw stands as one of the most prolific and influential intellectuals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a man whose literary output was matched only by his fervent commitment to social reform. Rising from a modest background in Dublin to become a global icon of letters, Shaw redefined the purpose of the stage, transforming it from a place of mere entertainment into a forum for rigorous intellectual debate and moral inquiry. His unique "Shavian" style—characterized by sharp-witted dialogue, paradoxical reasoning, and a relentless assault on Victorian hypocrisy—ensured that his voice resonated far beyond the footlights. As a playwright, critic, and philosopher, he remains a singular figure in history, being one of only two individuals to have been honored with both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award. This rare crossover of high-art recognition and mainstream cinematic success speaks to his versatility and the enduring relevance of his narratives. His dramatic work, which includes over sixty plays, often tackled the most pressing issues of his day, from the rigid structures of the British class system to the complexities of gender roles and the ethical dilemmas of capitalism. In masterpieces like Pygmalion, he used the science of phonetics to demonstrate the artificiality of class distinctions, a theme that would later reach millions through the musical adaptation My Fair Lady. In Man and Superman, he delved into the philosophical concepts of the "Life Force" and the evolution of the human spirit, while Major Barbara forced audiences to confront the uncomfortable relationship between religious idealism and the industrial military complex. Beyond his theatrical achievements, Shaw was a foundational force in political thought, serving as a leading light of the Fabian Society. His advocacy for gradual socialist reform, rather than violent revolution, helped shape the trajectory of modern British politics and social welfare. He was instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics, an institution that continues to influence global policy and economic theory. Shaw was also a formidable critic, whose reviews of music and drama set new standards for the profession, characterized by an uncompromising honesty and a deep knowledge of the arts. His personal lifestyle was as distinctive as his writing; a committed vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker, he lived with a disciplined focus that allowed him to remain productive well into his ninth decade. He was a man of contradictions, often engaging in provocative public discourse that challenged the status quo, even when his views sparked intense controversy. His fascination with the "Superman" archetype and his occasional support for authoritarian figures reflected a complex, often elitist worldview that sought the betterment of humanity through radical intellectual evolution. Despite these complexities, his core mission was always rooted in a profound humanitarianism and a desire to expose the delusions that prevented society from progressing. He believed that the power of the written word could strip away the masks of respectability that hid social injustice, and his plays continue to be staged worldwide because the human foibles he satirized remain as prevalent today as they were during his lifetime. By blending humor with gravity and intellect with accessibility, Shaw created a body of work that serves as both a mirror and a compass for modern civilization. His legacy is not just in the scripts he left behind, but in the very way we think about the intersection of art, politics, and the individual’s responsibility to the collective good. He remains the quintessential public intellectual, a man who never feared to speak his mind or to demand that the world become a more rational and equitable place.

Reviews

[Alok Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another madman encountered.

A very short book barely 20 pages.
contains very short maxims.
But every maxim should be meditated upon until you soak them in. Even if it takes hours of your time.
here are a few

Acquired notions of propriety are stronger than instincts. It is easier
to recruit for monasteries and convents than to induce an Arab woman to
uncover her mouth in public.

It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid.

If you injure your neighbor, better not do it by halves.

If you strike a child, take care that you strike it in anger, even at the risk of
maiming it for life. A blow in cold blood neither can nor should be
forgiven.

Assassination on the scaffold is the worst form of assassination, because
there it is invested with the approval of society

Sentimentality is the error of supposing that quarter can be given or taken in
moral conflicts.

[Priyank Kumawat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in less than 30 min. But the book is simply amazing. It reveals things which one would never have thought. Will read once again. Highly recommended.

[İlhanCa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demokrasi, yozlaşmış azınlık tarafından atanmanın, bece­riksiz çoğunluk tarafından seçilmeyle yer değiştirmesidir.

Bernard Shaw'dan çeşitli konularda verilen tavsiyeler..

[Vaishali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short collection of Shaw's proverbs from his work "Man and Superman." Some really good (and famous) ones:

Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.

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

He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.

You cannot believe in honor until you have achieved it. Better keep yourself clean and bright: you are the window through which you must see the world.

Beware of the man whose god is in the skies.

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

He who gives money he has not earned is generous with other people's labor.

Beware of the man who does not return your blow: he neither forgives you nor allows you to forgive yourself.

[Natasha Holme · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a socialist, I so wanted to love George Bernard Shaw. I was expecting egalitarian wisdom. Instead I got gender-biased language (I don't care how long ago it was written. That's always unacceptable) and the idea that it's better to beat children in anger than in cold blood, even if it maims them. I was left with the impression that this man was an idiot.

[Cody James Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really more of a pamphlet than a book, but excellent nevertheless. A few of the sayings that I have grown up with were in this book, so I have finally found their author. "Hell is paved with good intentions, not bad ones."

[ehk2]

I don't understand. Isn't there a note in English publications that these aphorisms are actually an appendix to Shaw's play "Man and Superman"? So you're reading the thoughts of one of his characters, the odd Nietzschean revolutionary Mr. John Tanner. I see that in the Turkish translation there is not such an acknowledgement. But surely there must be in English editions!!!

The thoughts in these aphorisms supposedly belong to main character of the play; not directly to G.B. Shaw...

Bir de Türkçe yazalım bari. Buradaki düşünceler, oyuna ek olarak kitabın ardına konmuş ve başroldeki devrimcinin yazdığı söylenen sözler. Oyunu okuyan veya izleyenlerin bileceği gibi, karakterin dünya görüşüne paralel şeyler yazılı. Zaten Shaw'un oyun için yazdığı hayli uzun bir önsöz var, uzun uzadıya tartışıyor meseleleri. Shaw'un muzipliği, Türkçe kitap yayıncılarının kurnazlığı ile birleşince (gerçi başka dillerde de ayrı olarak basmışlar, ama herhalde onlarda açıklayıcı bir not düşme zahmetinde bulunmuşlardır) ortaya Shaw'dan devrimci aforizmalar çıkmış. Buradaki düşüncelerin direkt Shaw'u bağladığını düşünüyorsanız, o zaman hem Shaw'un sosyalizmi hem de Fabiancılık ve diğer rakip ideolojiler hakkında (ayrıca edebiyat tarihi hakkında) epey bir bilgi sahibi olduğunuzu varsaymam gerekecek. O durumda boynum kıldan ince.

[kelly]

yes, i am a sad enough human being that i read this book after it was featured in a university challenge question set.

some very good insights scattered in here though (and occasionally some very poor ones):
"Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men."

"It is the deed that teaches, not the name we give it. Murder and capital punishment are not opposites that cancel one another, but similars that breed their kind."

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

"Hell is paved with good intentions, not with bad ones."

" He who gives money he has not earned is generous with other people’s labor."

[Akshunya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a nice quick read!

There are some really smart maxims in it like this one on crime and punishment:
"Criminals do not die by the hands of the law, they die by the hands of other men"
Or this one on philosophy:
"The difference between the shallowest routineer and the deepest thinker appears, to the latter, trifling; to the former, infinite."

I liked the way the book is organized, and I feel like everyone should keep a personal diary in this format.
It will be a good start to writing as I do feel that when in a contemplative mood, reflecting back on our life experiences, we always think in Maxims in order to summarize and get an understanding of what we have gone through.

[Anurag Sabbarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Collection of Golddusted Mindbytes

A great read, contains Shaw's innate brilliance & classic humour in beautiful one liners, love the fact that it offers his critique and observations over any & every possible essential topic

[belisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

hoş fikirler, kitap tamamen ticari bir kaygıyla yapılmış...

[Dayanidhi Nandan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a mind-blowing and so small in size. If I say it in Hindi it is truly gagar me sagar

[Johnny Collette · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is what twitter would have looked like in 1903

[Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neither bad nor great. The style is similar to Oscar Wilde, but not as funny or clever.

[Connor S · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few worthwhile points but disagreed on the whole

[Joshua Guest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some wit, some cynicism, some depth. But too short to be great or even a book.

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Maxims for Revolutionists" is a good introduction to Shaw's thought. It is simply a set of aphorisms, arranged in clusters by topic. I suspect Shaw may have been influenced by Nietzsche's aphoristic style. It is a quick read, and provocative in the best way (unlike some of Shaw's more asinine rants).

[MFatih55 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In an ugly and unhappy world the richest man can purchase nothing but ugliness and unhappiness."

As a lover of maxims, proverbs etc. this 20 pages or so very short book, i can easily say, provides with many great ones.

[Rohan Shedage · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All men mean well" ~G B Shaw

[Bettie]

Can I find this on Gutenberg?