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.
Similar quotes
Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Laughter is the greatest music in the world and audiences come to my shows to escape the cares of life. They don't want to be embarrassed or insulted. They want to laugh and so do I - which is probably why it works.
You know why dogs have no money? No pockets. 'Cause they see change on the street all the time and it's driving them crazy. When you're walking them, he is always looking up at you. "There's a quarter...."
Why can't they have gay people in the army? Personally, I think they are just afraid of a thousand guys with M16s going, "Who'd you call a faggot?"
A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about.
When you make a TV show, they always say you're a guest in someone's home. Online, you're a guest in someone's face. So that's why I try to make it sound and look and feel very inviting and attractive, because I know that I'm in your face.