What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody can read.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Censorship leads to a paradox where only unreadable content is permitted, highlighting the futility of restricting knowledge.
George Bernard Shaw's quote suggests that censorship ultimately leads to an absurd state where the only literature allowed is that which is inaccessible or without value. This statement emphasizes the irony of suppressing ideas to the point that only content that cannot be comprehended remains available, thus warning against the dangers of censorship in undermining intellectual freedom and critical thinking.
Themes
CensorshipKnowledgeFreedomParadoxTruth
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on the importance of free expression, you might quote Shaw to illustrate the absurdity of limiting access to literature.
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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