What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Patriotism can often lead to conflict and disruption in the world.
In this quote, George Bernard Shaw suggests that true peace and a quiet world cannot be achieved as long as strong nationalistic feelings, or patriotism, prevail among people. He posits that these feelings can incite divisions, conflicts, and hostilities, indicating that a shift in human values may be necessary for a more harmonious existence.
Themes
PatriotismPeaceHumanityConflictNationalism
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for global unity, one could quote Shaw to emphasize the need for overcoming nationalism.
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.
George Bernard ShawRead
The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
George Bernard ShawRead
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It is true we have won all our wars, but we have paid for them. We don't want victories anymore.
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