Before any modern man talks with authority about loving men, I insist (I insist with violence) that he shall always be very much pleased when his barber tries to talk to him. His barber is humanity; let him love that. If he is not pleased at this, I will not accept any substitute in the way of interest in the Congo or in the future of Japan. If a man cannot love his barber whom he has seen, how shall he love the Japanese whom he has not seen?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The barber and humanity
In Chapter XXII of 'Tremendous Trifles' Chesterton gives one simple and practical test for people who talk about 'loving humanity':
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