What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
I'm only a beer teetotaler, not a champagne teetotaler; I don't like beer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote humorously suggests that the speaker avoids beer but doesn't mind other alcoholic beverages like champagne.
George Bernard Shaw's quote reflects a playful attitude towards drinking by distinguishing between different types of alcohol. He humorously identifies himself as someone who abstains from beer, but not from champagne, subtly implying that while he may have preferences, his teetotalism isn't extreme, and he allows for some indulgence. This reflects a lighthearted approach to personal choices and societal norms regarding alcohol consumption.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a toast at a friend's wedding, this quote can lighten the mood while discussing personal preferences.
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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Comedy is learning to be funny, and you learn to be funny in small rooms with young audiences.
Molly Shannon and I used to always talk about that we really felt strongly that we were comedic actors, that we weren't comedians. You just played things real and the comedy came out of the context.
There's a difference between being a comic and a comedian. A comic is a guy who says funny things, and a comedian is a guy who says things funny, and he has a style and point of view that will last much longer.