Friday, October 06, 2006

A Theory of Human History

I believe what really happens in history is this: the old man is always wrong; and the young people are always wrong about what is wrong with him. The practical form it takes is this: that, while the old man may stand by some stupid custom, the young man always attacks it with some theory that turns out to be equally stupid.


G. K. Chesterton, in the Illustrated London News, June 3, 1922.