Life is a near-death experience.
Here’s a bumper sticker I’d like to see: “We are the proud parents of a child who’s self-esteem is sufficient that he doesn’t need us promoting his minor scholastic achievements on the back of our car."
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the overemphasis on promoting minor achievements of children by parents.
George Carlin's quote humorously suggests that true self-esteem in a child comes from their ability to recognize their own achievements without needing external validation from their parents. It calls out the tendency of some parents to boast about their children's minor accomplishments, implying that authentic confidence doesn't require constant promotion from others, particularly for trivial matters like scholastic achievements.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about parenting styles, one might say, 'As George Carlin pointed out, we should encourage self-esteem in our kids without boasting about every little thing they do.'
More from George Carlin
All quotes →If you've got a cat and a leg, you've got a happy cat. If you've got a cat and two legs, you've got a party.
This is a lttle prayer dedicated to the separation of church and state. I guess if they are going to force those kids to pray in schools they might as well have a nice prayer like this: Our Father who art in heaven, and to the republic for which it stands, thy kingdom come, one nation indivisible as in heaven, give us this day as we forgive those who so proudly we hail. Crown thy good into temptation but deliver us from the twilight's last gleaming. Amen and Awomen.
Some people try to get out of jury duty by lying. You don't have to lie. Tell the judge the truth. Tell him you'd make a terrific juror because you can spot guilty people.
Intelligence tests are biased toward the literate.
Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.
Similar quotes
Books, not which afford us a cowering enjoyment, but in which each thought is of unusual daring; such as an idle man cannot read, and a timid one would not be entertained by, which even make us dangerous to existing institution - such call I good books.
I think British journalists do well in America because the newspaper culture there is so strong - telling stories and presenting them readably is in their DNA. British newspapers get a terrible rap, but they are brilliant in their presentation, most of them, so full of vitality and literary wit.
How can any one paint who cannot grade colors? How can any one write poetry who has not learnt to hear and see?
If you intend to study the mind, you must have systematic training; you must practice to bring the mind under your control.
I did not clip the wings of my daughter to fly.
My law school class in the late 1950s numbered over 500. That class included less than 10 women.