What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Audacious ribald: your laughter will finish in hideous boredom before morning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that excessive boldness and crude humor can lead to boredom over time.
George Bernard Shaw's quote highlights the idea that while audacity and ribald humor may be entertaining in the short term, they can quickly become tiresome and uninteresting. The reference to laughter ending in 'hideous boredom' implies that what may initially seem exciting or daring can lose its charm and become mundane when overindulged.
Themes
AudacityHumorBoredomLaughterEntertainment
In practice
Example use cases
In a comedy club, to remind performers to balance their material to keep the audience engaged.
More from George Bernard Shaw
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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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