“The chief object of education is not to learn things but to unlearn things.”
The above quote is from G.K. Chesterton, a British author and thinker, about whom I know very little. In my never-ending quest to unlearn, however, I keep stumbling upon his writings.
After reading the following story, I am now even more determined to learn about him: Chesterton was once asked by a London newspaper to join other authors and thinkers to address the weighty and important question of "what's wrong with the world." His response:
Dear Sirs,
I am.
Sincerely yours,
G.K. Chesterton
It's not only a witty reply, it also reflects a great deal of humility and wisdom. In fact, I'd argue it is almost Zen-like in its simplicity and truthfulness. If all of us — including myself — would just stop trying to fix all the problems of the world and instead focus our efforts internally on improving ourselves, the world would be a better place.
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