What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Americans adore me and will go on adoring me until I say something nice about them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote humorously suggests that people often have a self-serving admiration that hinges on flattery.
George Bernard Shaw's quote highlights the often ironic nature of public admiration, suggesting that the adoration people have for public figures can be conditional based on the acknowledgment or praise from those figures. It implies that admiration may not be genuine or deep-rooted; instead, it may be a reflection of one's willingness to stroke the egos of the admirers.
Themes
AdmirationFlatteryHumorPublic OpinionSelf-Serving
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about celebrity culture, one could reference this quote to illustrate the fickleness of public admiration.
More from George Bernard Shaw
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Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!
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Those who talk most about the blessings of marriage and the constancy of its vows are the very people who declare that if the chain were broken and the prisoners left free to choose, the whole social fabric would fly asunder. You cannot have the argument both ways. If the prisoner is happy, why lock him in? If he is not, why pretend that he is?
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Treat a friend as a person who may someday become your enemy; an enemy as a person who may someday become your friend.
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The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
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