What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
The art of government is the organisation of idolatry.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Government often revolves around central figures or ideals that are overly revered.
In this quote, George Bernard Shaw suggests that successful governance is akin to creating a system where certain figures or ideas are idolized, often leading to a distortion of reality. It implies that leaders and institutions can become objects of worship, which may cloud judgment and hinder genuine progress, reflecting a critical view of political authority and its influence on society.
Themes
GovernmentIdolatryPoliticsAuthorityLeadership
In practice
Example use cases
Discussing the role of charisma in political campaigns.
More from George Bernard Shaw
All quotes βMarriage is good enough for the lower classes: they have facilities for desertion that are denied to us.
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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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