Logic of the Liberals

As noted earlier I am reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens.  There is a character in the book named Skimpole who reminds me of several modern day liberals.

He comments"It’s business, and I don’t know business. It is he who encourages me. He emerges from great feats of business, presents the brightest prospects before me as their result, and calls upon me to admire them. I do admire them — as bright prospects. But I know no more about them, and I tell him so< span>."  All of that but the italicized text sounds a lot like many liberals.  But later in the chapter he explains his philosophy of life

“My dears, it is true,” said Mr Skimpole, “is it not? So it is, and so it must be,because, like the dogs in the hymn, ‘it is our nature to.’ Now, here is Miss Summerson with a fine administrative capacity, and a knowledge of details perfectly surprising. It will sound very strange in Miss Summerson’s ears, I dare say, that we know nothing about chops in this house. But we don’t; not the least. We can’t cook anything whatever. A needle and thread we don’t know how to use. We admire the people who possess the practical wisdom we want; but we don’t quarrel with them. Then why should they quarrel with us? Live and let live, we say to them. Live upon your practical wisdom, and let us live upon you!”

Or "We have sympathy, my roses,” said Mr Skimpole, “sympathy for everything. Have we not?”

GB Shaw had that great aphorism where he said - "He knows nothing and thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career."  In this case Skimpole knows nothing but expects to live off the kindness of others.  It really does sound like the real thing. Perhaps this is not just liberals but surely Mr. Skimpole would be a member of the political class today.