"Those who do not know how to live must make a merit of dying"

This quote by George Bernard Shaw speaks to the idea that life is a precious present and needs to be lived to the fullest. He recommends that those who do not make the most of the opportunities life presents them, or do not understand how to live, should make a benefit of passing away. This suggests that those who do not make the most of their lives will not be kept in mind or commemorated in death. Shaw is suggesting that life ought to be dealt with function and intent, which death must not be seen as a method to make up for a life not fully lived. He is encouraging us to take advantage of our lives and to not take them for approved. He is also suggesting that death needs to not be viewed as a way to offset a life not completely lived. Shaw's quote is a reminder to us to maximize our lives and to not take them for granted.