Joe Orton Quotes
Civilizations have been founded and maintained on theories which refused to obey facts.
Orton, Joe. What the Butler Saw. Methuen, 1969.
This was not only the case in 1852, but also true 150 years later. The only difference is that there is much more proof of Evolution, and there is a much smaller proportion of the population that questions Evolution as the fundamental mechanism by which all species have developed.
This is a useful quotation which although originally intended to apply to the sciences, political theories and ideology are often also impervious to modification even in the face of facts of failed policies or programs. Economic theories are particularly susceptible to still being believed in the face of contradicting facts.
If someone repeats a lie, you can show them the logic and facts of the situation and persuade them often. But if they are ideologically wedded to an idea, it is difficult if not impossible to change their mind, as their belief is an ideology, not a conclusion.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910
John Kingsley Orton, known under the pen name of Joe Orton, was an English playwright, author and diarist. His public career—from 1964 until his death in 1967—was short but highly influential. During this brief period he shocked, outraged, and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies. The adjective Ortonesque refers to work characterised by a similarly dark yet farcical cynicism.
