What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
I have not wasted my life trifling with literary fools in taverns, as Johnson did, when he should have been shaking England with the thunder of his spirit
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of meaningful engagement and using one's talents effectively.
In this quote, George Bernard Shaw is critiquing those who squander their lives in trivial pursuits instead of making a significant impact on the world. He contrasts the life of Samuel Johnson, who he feels wasted time in leisurely debates, with the idea that one should strive to invoke powerful change and inspire others, using their gifts to challenge the status quo.
Themes
LifeMeaningImpactWisdomPursuits
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech discussing the importance of purpose.
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.
George Bernard ShawRead
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