What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Avoid engaging in futile arguments with people who enjoy conflict.
This quote by George Bernard Shaw emphasizes the futility of engaging in disputes with individuals who revel in chaos and conflict, likening such interactions to wrestling with a pig, which only results in dirtiness and frustration for the one who does not enjoy the struggle. It serves as a reminder to choose one's battles wisely and to avoid getting entangled in unnecessary disputes that offer no constructive outcome.
Themes
ArgumentsConflictWisdomDisputesStruggle
In practice
Example use cases
You could use this quote during a meeting to advise colleagues against engaging in pointless discussions.
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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