What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
I am oppressed with a dread of living forever. That is the only disadvantage of vegetarianism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a concern about eternal life in the context of a vegetarian lifestyle, highlighting a fear of its implications.
George Bernard Shaw's quote encapsulates a philosophical viewpoint regarding the nature of life and the burdens that come with existence. While he appreciates vegetarianism, he expresses a profound dread of the endless cycle of living, suggesting that the notion of immortality can be daunting. It hints at the complexity of life choices and the deeper existential questions they can raise, notably the desire for a meaningful life versus the fear of an unending one.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about lifestyle choices at a health seminar, this quote can illustrate the complexities of living forever.
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.
Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!
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?
Treat a friend as a person who may someday become your enemy; an enemy as a person who may someday become your friend.
The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
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No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself.
The wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He is in front of it.