--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social…" description: "\"“Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social critic and hence an accomplished complainer. When he died, an acquaintance said: \"Poor Matt, he's going to Heav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/george-will-1177_arnold_matthew-arnold-was-a-fastidious-social-c_807671.png" --- # Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social critic and hence an… ![“Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social critic and hence an accomplished complainer. When he died, an acquaintance said: "Poor Matt, he's going to Heaven, no doubt – but he won't like God.” quote by George will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/george-will-1177_arnold_matthew-arnold-was-a-fastidious-social-c_807671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/george-will-1177_arnold_matthew-arnold-was-a-fastidious-social-c_807671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/george-will-1177_arnold_matthew-arnold-was-a-fastidious-social-c_807671.png) > ““Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social critic and hence an accomplished complainer. When he died, an acquaintance said: "Poor Matt, he's going to Heaven, no doubt – but he won't like God.”” [George will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Arnold’s meticulous criticism made him a chronic complainer; his afterlife judgment is humorously paradoxical. **In simple terms:** Arnold was a picky critic, now humorously judged. Key Takeaway Recognize the irony in how we judge others. Themes criticism humor paradox Mood witty ironic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - academic debates - personal judgments - satirical commentary Key Concepts literary criticism philosophy of afterlife Questions to Reflect On - Do we often use humor to soften criticism? - What does this say about our view of legacy? A Different Perspective Humor may trivialize serious critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arnold/) [Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Heaven Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-doubt-3118913/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matthew-arnold-987146/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Poor Matt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-matt-6162415/) [Social Critic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-critic-3544309/) ## Related quotes > [“We are in a battle this side of heaven, there's no doubt about it. But in the midst of that battl the church has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-merrick/we-are-in-a-battle-this-side-of-heaven-there-s-no-doubt-about-it-but/) [Britt Merrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-merrick/) > [When Abraham Lincoln was murdered The one thing that interested Matthew Arnold Was that the assassin shouted in Latin As he lept on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/when-abraham-lincoln-was-murdered-the-one-thing-that-interested/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [The reason why Matthew Arnold, to my feeling, fails entirely as a poet (though no doubt his ideas were good - at least, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-sitwell/the-reason-why-matthew-arnold-to-my-feeling-fails-entirely-as-a-poet/) [Edith Sitwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-sitwell/) > [The Michelle Obama that her old friends remember, that people knew in Chicago, she was a really incisive social critic. She knew how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-kantor/the-michelle-obama-that-her-old-friends-remember-that-people-knew-in/) [Jodi Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-kantor/) > [The responsibility of the writer is to be a sort of demonic social critic -- to present the world and people in it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/the-responsibility-of-the-writer-is-to-be-a-sort-of-demonic-social/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [“In the later part of his creative life Nietzsche suffered acutely from loneliness. 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I'm not an ideologue, I don't join a party.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-roiphe/i-really-consider-myself-a-writer-and-a-writer-who-is-sometimes-a/) [Anne Roiphe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-roiphe/) > [The words of the social critic Eric Hoffer were ringing true: "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and turns into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/the-words-of-the-social-critic-eric-hoffer-were-ringing-true-every/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger blew away dozens of cops as the Terminator. 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Well, there isn't much I could do that is worse than what Arnold Schwarzenegger has done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/how-would-elvira-run-the-state-of-california-well-there-isn-t-much-i/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/) [Uncle Arnie Mamath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-arnie-mamath/) ## More by George will > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Pettiness is the tendency of people without large purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/pettiness-is-the-tendency-of-people-without-large-purposes/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [A politician's words reveal less about what he thinks about his subject than what he thinks about his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/a-politician-s-words-reveal-less-about-what-he-thinks-about-his/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [As has been said, standards are always out of date - that is why we call them standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/as-has-been-said-standards-are-always-out-of-date-that-is-why-we-call/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. 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Sport, they said, is morally serious because mankind's noblest aim is the loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/greek-philosophers-considered-sport-a-religious-and-civic-in-a-word/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The cultivation - even celebration - of victimhood by intellectuals, tort lawyers, politicians and the media is both cause and effect of today's culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-cultivation-even-celebration-of-victimhood-by-intellectuals-tort/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [When I'm in my car, I'm listening to books, audio books, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/when-i-m-in-my-car-i-m-listening-to-books-audio-books-always/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Just as the common law derives from ancient precedents - judges' decisions - rather than statutes, baseball's codes are the game's distilled mores. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/just-as-the-common-law-derives-from-ancient-precedents-judges/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Football combines two of the worst things in American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/football-combines-two-of-the-worst-things-in-american-life-it-is/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [I've lived in Washington now for 44 years, and that's a lot of folly to witness up close. Whatever confidence and optimism I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/i-ve-lived-in-washington-now-for-44-years-and-that-s-a-lot-of-folly/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The business of America is not business. Neither is it war. The business of america is justice and securing the blessings of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-business-of-america-is-not-business-neither-is-it-war-the/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Freedom is not only the absence of external restraints. It is also the absence of irresistible internal compulsions, unmanageable passion, and uncensorable highlights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/freedom-is-not-only-the-absence-of-external-restraints-it-is-also-the/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) [Explore all 279 George will quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) ## More Arnold quotes > [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/) [Uncle Arnie Mamath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-arnie-mamath/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [How would Elvira run the state of California? Well, there isn't much I could do that is worse than what Arnold Schwarzenegger has done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/how-would-elvira-run-the-state-of-california-well-there-isn-t-much-i/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [The steroids I did were on a very, very low dosage. I didn't want to take a lot of that. I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/the-steroids-i-did-were-on-a-very-very-low-dosage-i-didn-t-want-to/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [“Arnold went into treason as into a business, surveying the ground and estimating the possible profits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-doren-carl-c/arnold-went-into-treason-as-into-a-business-surveying-the-ground-and/) [Van Doren Carl C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-doren-carl-c/) > [I recently read that Arnold Schwarzenegger collects Hummers. Now we know why Maria's face is frozen in that puckered position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-wilkerson/i-recently-read-that-arnold-schwarzenegger-collects-hummers-now-we/) [Brad Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-wilkerson/) > [I'd like to talk to Arnold Schwarzenegger, 'cause I live in California and I just want to see that canned, chemical filled body in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-d-like-to-talk-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-cause-i-live-in-california/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he's running for governor. He's got a great slogan - 'Vote for me, or I'll make 'Kindergarten Cop II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/arnold-schwarzenegger-announced-he-s-running-for-governor-he-s-got-a/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [There's no one in the world close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a phenomenon. He's brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/there-s-no-one-in-the-world-close-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-he-is-a/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [If I would do another 'Terminator' movie I would have Terminator travel back in time and tell Arnold not to have a special election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/if-i-would-do-another-terminator-movie-i-would-have-terminator-travel/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger blew away dozens of cops as the Terminator. But I don't hear anybody complaining about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/arnold-schwarzenegger-blew-away-dozens-of-cops-as-the-terminator-but/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Remember Hey Arnold? Rugrats? CatDog? RocketPower? Kenan & Kel? The Amanda Show?.. God I miss those days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-hey-arnold-rugrats-catdog-rocketpower-kenan-kel-the-amanda/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Arnold Schwarzenegger made his tax returns public, \[and\] now there's a problem about him stretching the truth. Apparently under occupation he put down 'actor.' ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/arnold-schwarzenegger-made-his-tax-returns-public-and-now-there-s-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger is in trouble after tapes surfaced of him saying negative things about other Republicans. Actually the Schwarzenegger tapes surfaced last year, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/arnold-schwarzenegger-is-in-trouble-after-tapes-surfaced-of-him/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Everybody said you're never going to win this whole Classic. You're not strong enough. You're big, you're athletic, you're fast - but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafthor-bjornsson/everybody-said-you-re-never-going-to-win-this-whole-classic-you-re/) [Hafthor Bjornsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafthor-bjornsson/) [Browse all 128 Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arnold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Matthew Arnold was a fastidious social critic and hence an accomplished complainer. 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