What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our desires can cloud our judgment, making us selectively perceive information that supports our beliefs.
This quote by George Bernard Shaw highlights the cognitive bias known as confirmation bias, where individuals tend to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs and overlook contradictory evidence. It serves as a caution against allowing personal desires to distort our understanding and decision-making, encouraging a more objective and balanced approach to forming opinions.
Themes
BeliefCognitive BiasPerceptionJudgmentArguments
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about climate change, one might use this quote to illustrate how personal beliefs can affect one's views on scientific evidence.
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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