What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to the country and to mankind is to bring up a family. But here again, because there is nothing to sell, there is a very general disposition to regard a married woman's work as no work at all, and to take it as a matter of course that she should not be paid for it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of raising a family as a vital contribution to society, yet highlights the lack of recognition for women's domestic work.
George Bernard Shaw's quote reflects on the immense value of bringing up a family as a contribution to society and humanity at large. He critiques the societal tendency to undervalue the work of married women in the home, pointing out that their labor is often unrecognized and unremunerated, despite its significance to the fabric of society. The quote challenges us to reconsider how we perceive and value contributions that do not come with a financial label, advocating for recognition of the hard work that goes into nurturing families.
Themes
FamilyWomenWorkRecognitionSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about gender roles, one can use this quote to highlight the value of women's labor at home.
More from George Bernard Shaw
All quotes →Marriage 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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