George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw was no ordinary man. He remains the only person ever to win both the Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award (Oscar) — a thinker whose words still echo with striking relevance.

When he received the Nobel Prize, he wryly described it as “a gesture of appreciation for not publishing anything that year.” That’s classic Shaw — merging biting humour with brutal honesty.

Here are just a few of his thought-provoking gems:

"My way of joking is to tell the truth. That’s the funniest joke in the world."

"The secret of success is to offend as many people as possible."

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."

"You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'"

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples, each of us still has one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange them, each of us now has two ideas."

Shaw was not just a playwright — he was a mirror to society, a critic of conformity, and a craftsman of bold, unapologetic thought.

His message? Don’t just live — create, question, laugh, disrupt, and most importantly, think.

Some thought-provoking stuff there. I found that post on FB, hope nobody nails me for copyright, but I don't think so. I am not so much into most of what old Georgy was quoted on, but one did ring a bell with me - the apples and ideas quote. It's another way of showing the importance of constantly learning. I am in my 50's now, and almost at the apex of my career I think (not that I am at the top, but I am about as far as I want to go). I am not interested in religion, spirituality, learning a new trade, any of that. I am only so interested in ancient history these days, and find reading books not as easy as it used to be. But I don't want my mind to stagnate, especially as I am trying to adapt myself towards retirement. The mind needs to be exercised, kept busy, and for me, kept productive. That's when I feel the best, when I feel like I am making good use of my time. Otherwise, I tend towards self-destructive behaviours a little too much. I am ok with a bit, but not as a default situation. I am hoping this blog will be part of that - giving me purpose, and helping me record my story for my kids.