What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Besides, do any of us understand what we are doing? If we did, would we ever do it?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote questions the depth of human understanding in our actions and decisions.
George Bernard Shaw's quote reflects on the complexity of human behavior and the often subconscious motivations behind our actions. It suggests that if people truly understood their choices and the implications of their decisions, they might hesitate or choose differently, highlighting the paradox of knowledge and action in human experience.
Themes
UnderstandingActionKnowledgeHuman BehaviorDecisions
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the motivations behind our daily choices.
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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