Not to grow up properly is to retain our 'caterpillar'…
““Not to grow up properly is to retain our 'caterpillar' quality from childhood (where it is a virtue) into adulthood (where it becomes a vice). In childhood our credulity serves us well. It helps us to pack, with extraordinary rapidity, our skulls full of the wisdom of our parents and our ancestors. But if we don't grow out of it in the fullness of time, our caterpillar nature makes us a sitting target for astrologers, mediums, gurus, evangelists and quacks. The genius of the human child, mental caterpillar extraordinary, is for soaking up information and ideas, not for criticizing them. If critical faculties later grow it will be in spite of, not because of, the inclinations of childhood. The blotting paper of the child's brain is the unpromising seedbed, the base upon which later the sceptical attitude, like a struggling mustard plant, may possibly grow. We need to replace the automatic credulity of childhood with the constructive scepticism of adult science.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Childhood credulity is useful for rapid learning, but adults must replace it with skeptical, scientific thinking to avoid being deceived.
In simple terms: Kids believe easily; adults should question.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate critical thinking as you mature.
Themes
learning
skepticism
growth
science
vulnerability
Mood
reflective
cautious
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
advice
cautionary
When to use this quote
- education
- media consumption
- personal development
- health decisions
- political discourse
Key Concepts
cognitive development
information processing
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance openness to new ideas with healthy doubt?
- When does questioning become cynicism?
A Different Perspective
Skepticism can be socially uncomfortable and may alienate those who value tradition.