Deploring change is the unchangeable habit of all…
“Deploring change is the unchangeable habit of all Englishmen. If you find any important figures who really like change, such as Bernard Shaw, Keir Hardie, Lloyd George, Selfridge or Disraeli, you will find that they are not really English at all, but Irish, Scotch, Welsh, American or Jewish. Englishmen make changes, sometimes great changes. But, secretly or openly, they always deplore them.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Englishmen habitually resist change, even though they often initiate it, reflecting a paradox in cultural attitudes.
In simple terms: English resist change despite creating it.
Key Takeaway
Question resistance to change.
Themes
cultural paradox
change
habit
English identity
paradox
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
bernard shaw:1
change:1
disraeli:1
englishmen:1
figures:1
great change:1
habit:1
habits:1
ifs:1
important:1
making changes:1
scotch:1
sometimes:1
unchangeable:1
welsh:1
deploring change:1
habit englishmen:1
englishmen important:1
When to use this quote
- political reform
- social movements
- personal growth
Key Concepts
sociology
history
national character
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people resist what they create?
- Can change be embraced without loss?
A Different Perspective
Resistance may stem from fear of losing tradition.