What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
I do not want to make my stomach a graveyard of dead animals.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the idea of choosing a vegetarian lifestyle and valuing life over the consumption of animal products.
George Bernard Shaw's quote emphasizes the ethical considerations of consuming meat and suggests a compassionate approach to eating. By referring to his stomach as a 'graveyard of dead animals,' Shaw critiques the practice of eating meat, advocating for a diet that respects and values all forms of life. This perspective encourages thoughtful examination of food choices and promotes a more humane lifestyle.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on dietary choices at a seminar, you might use this quote to illustrate the ethical implications of meat consumption.
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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Weapons are ominous tools. They are abhorred by all creatures. Anyone who follows the Way shuns them.
The New Testament is of full authority and open to the understanding of simple men as to the points most needful to salvation.