What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
If you go to Heaven without being naturally qualified for it you will not enjoy yourself there.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True enjoyment in life requires a natural alignment with one's environment or situation.
This quote by George Bernard Shaw suggests that merely reaching a desirable place or state, such as Heaven, is not sufficient for true happiness; one must possess the qualities or virtues that resonate with that place. Enjoyment stems from a genuine fit between the individual and their surroundings, implying that fulfillment is found not only through achievement but also through personal growth and alignment.
Themes
HeavenQualificationsEnjoymentHappinessPersonal Growth
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal fulfillment, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of inner qualities.
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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