Man is a creature who lives not upon bread alone, but principally by catchwords; and the little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Humans rely on slogans to define identity, and gender roles are reinforced by teaching different phrases to boys and girls.
- In plain terms
- People live by catchwords, and gender roles widen when boys and girls are taught different ones.
- What can you take from it?
- Be aware of how slogans and phrases shape identity and gender roles.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What catchwords define your identity?
- How does language shape gender roles?
Another view
Catchwords can sometimes help unify groups rather than divide them.
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