What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Hegel was right when he said that we learn from history that men never learn anything from history.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that despite historical lessons, humanity often fails to learn from past mistakes.
George Bernard Shaw reflects on Hegel's observation about the cyclical nature of human behavior. The quote implies that individuals and societies repeatedly make the same errors throughout history, failing to grasp the lessons that should be learned from previous events, and illustrating a fundamental flaw in human nature and understanding.
Themes
HistoryLearningHuman BehaviorMistakesLessons
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on leadership, to illustrate the importance of learning from past mistakes.
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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