What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
When commenting on the turmoil and disorder of the world, If the other planets are inhabited, they must be using this earth as their insane asylum.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Shaw humorously suggests that Earth is so chaotic that it could be seen as a place for the mentally ill if other planets exist.
This quote by George Bernard Shaw reflects a critical view of humanity and the chaotic state of the world. It uses humor and irony to question the sanity of life on Earth, proposing that if extraterrestrial beings exist, they might perceive Earth as a form of asylum for those deemed insane due to the turmoil and disorder that characterize human society. By invoking the idea of other inhabited planets, Shaw invites readers to consider the absurdity of human existence in contrast to the vast universe.
Themes
ChaosHumanityInsanityWorldIrony
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on climate change, one might use this quote to illustrate the absurdity of human negligence.
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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