A child's instinct is almost perfect in the matter of…
““A child's instinct is almost perfect in the matter of fighting; a child always stands for the good militarism as against the bad. The child's hero is always the man or boy who defends himself suddenly and splendidly against aggression. The child's hero is never the man or boy who attempts by his mere personal force to extend his mere personal influence. In all boys' books, in all boys' conversation, the hero is one person and the bully the other. That combination of the hero and bully in one, which people now call the Strong Man or the Superman, would be simply unintelligible to any schoolboy… But really to talk of this small human creature, who never picks up an umbrella without trying to use it as a sword, who will hardly read a book in which there is no fighting, who out of the Bible itself generally remembers the "bluggy" [bloody] parts, who never walks down the garden without imagining himself to be stuck all over with swords and daggers--to take this human creature and talk about the wickedness of teaching him to be military, seems rather a wild piece of humour. He has already not only the tradition of fighting, but a far manlier and more genial tradition of fighting than our own. No; I am not in favour of the child being taught militarism. I am in favour of the child teaching it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Chesterton argues that children naturally oppose aggression and admire self‑defense, rejecting the idea of a powerful, militaristic hero; he favors children learning from their own instincts rather than being taught militarism.
In simple terms: Children naturally resist aggression and favor self‑defense over militarism.
Key Takeaway
Let children learn from their innate sense of right and wrong.
Themes
childhood
innocence
militarism
heroism
education
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- parenting
- school curricula
- children’s literature
- peace education programs
Key Concepts
Moral development
socialization
non‑violence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we nurture children’s natural sense of justice?
- What role should education play in shaping attitudes toward violence?
A Different Perspective
Risk of romanticizing conflict and ignoring the need for structured moral guidance.