What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
Do not waste your time on Social Questions. What is the matter with the poor is Poverty; what is the matter with the rich is Uselessness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that societal issues stem from deeper problems related to poverty and the unfulfilling lives of the wealthy.
George Bernard Shaw emphasizes the futility of fixating on social issues without addressing their root causes. He argues that true social inquiry should focus on poverty as the primary concern for the poor while criticizing the empty existence of the rich, implying that both wealth and poverty have their own significant, yet distinct problems that require attention.
Themes
PovertyUselessnessSocial IssuesWealthExistentialismSocial Justice
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on social policy, one might use this quote to argue for a focus on poverty alleviation.
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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The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
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