Worldly People

G.K. Chesteron says in chapter 2 of Orthodoxy, written in 1908.

Thoroughly worldly people never understand even the world; they rely altogether
on a few cynical maxims which are not true. Once I remember walking
with a preosperous publisher; who made a remark which I had often heard before;
it is, indeed, almost a motto of the modern world. Yet I had heard it once
too often, and I saw suddenly that there was nothing in it. The publisher
said of somebody, "That man will get on; he believes in himself." And I
remember that as I lifted my head to listen, my eye caught an omnibus on which
was written, "Hamwell" [a psychiatric hospital, I believe, DS]. I
said to him, "Shall I tell you where the men are who believe most in
themselves? For I can tell you. I know of men who believe in
themselves more colossally than Napolean or Caesar. I know where flames
the fixed star of certainty and success. I can guide you to the thrones of
the Supermen. The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic
asylums.".... "Complete self-confidence is not merely a sin; compelte
self-confidence is a weakness. Believing utterly in one's self is a
hysterical and superstitious belief...."

I begin to think about the millions of high school and college graduations that were occuring this month. I think about all the messages of self-reliance and believing in yourself: the Henry David Thoreau quotes, Emerson quotes, Dr. Seuss quotes. They all mind-numbingly say the same things about boring self-confidence. For once, I'd love to go up and read Chesterton here. That'd shake them up.