Quote of the Day!

Dale Alquist, an internationally known scholar on G.K. Chesterton, had some interesting Chestertonian-style words (indeed, he drew his idea from the writtings of Chesterton) about jounalism and the application of words to things and concepts.

"We live in a world of journalese. The very language that we are forced to use attacks our traditions, our morals, our faith. Things that are degenerate and sinful are called 'progressive' and 'liberating'. Good words that were once pure and noble, like 'choice' and 'gay', now have reprehensible meanings. Everything done inside a house is called 'drudgery', while anything done inside an office is called 'enterprise'. Modern doubt, which has engulfed us in the fog of agnosticism, is called bold and broad. Traditional religion, which has given light to millions across the world and across the centuries, is called dull and narrow."

And if you're unaware, Chesterton was himself a journalist! Neither Alquist nor Chesterton think journalism to be bad - they both just think words ought to be used to express both high and mighty ideas as well as practical truths about our everyday world. Chesteron loved to point out the things we've seen a thousand times but never really noticed.

And even tough he was a journalist, Chesterton wouldn't hide from criticizing the problems in his own field. He said: "The higher critics are wholly dificient in the highest form of criticism, which is self-criticism." Someone once told Chesterton that he acted as if he knew everything. His response: "I know nothing, Madam. I am a journalist."