---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children today are tyrants. They…"
description: "\"Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.\" — Socrates"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg"
---

#  Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents…

![“Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg)

> “Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.”

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Children’s rebelliousness reflects a societal shift, highlighting the need for guidance and respect for authority.

**In simple terms:** Children’s rebellion signals societal shift.

Key Takeaway

Guide youth with respect and authority.

Themes

education authority rebellion society growth

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- school policy
- community leadership

Key Concepts

Pedagogy social dynamics moral development

Questions to Reflect On

- How can authority be exercised respectfully?
- What role should youth play in society?

A Different Perspective

May generalize children’s behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-today-366011/) [Food Tyrannize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-tyrannize-1873207/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Tyrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-tyrants-1873206/) [Tyrannize Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrannize-teachers-1873205/) [Tyrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrants/)

## Related quotes

> [Why independence? If the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/why-independence-if-the-slaves-of-today-will-be-the-tyrants-of/)

[Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/)

> [You know, nothing is more important than education, because nowhere are our stakes higher; our future depends on the quality of education of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/you-know-nothing-is-more-important-than-education-because-nowhere-are/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [“If you want to better our world tomorrow...start empowering our children today!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/if-you-want-to-better-our-world-tomorrow-start-empowering-our/)

[Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/)

> [My mind boggles at the amount of violence inflicted upon children in today's society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/my-mind-boggles-at-the-amount-of-violence-inflicted-upon-children-in/)

[Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/)

> [Many things can wait. Children cannot. Today their bones are being formed, their blood is being made, their senses are being developed. To them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-mistral/many-things-can-wait-children-cannot-today-their-bones-are-being/)

[Gabriela Mistral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-mistral/)

> [The world we build tomorrow is born in the stories we tell our children today. Politics moves the pieces. Education changes the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-world-we-build-tomorrow-is-born-in-the-stories-we-tell-our/)

[Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/)

> [There are millions of children today who don't attend school. However, education is the only way to get ahead in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/there-are-millions-of-children-today-who-don-t-attend-school-however/)

[Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/)

> [“We no longer get work out of our children; today we get meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/we-no-longer-get-work-out-of-our-children-today-we-get-meaning/)

[Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/)

> [The children of today are the builders of a brave, new world - a world without want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-vaswani/the-children-of-today-are-the-builders-of-a-brave-new-world-a-world/)

[Dada Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-vaswani/)

> [The leisure time of children must be constructively directed to wholesome, positive pursuits. Too much time viewing television can be destructive...It is estimated that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-leisure-time-of-children-must-be-constructively-directed-to/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Children today know more about sex than I or my father did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/children-today-know-more-about-sex-than-i-or-my-father-did/)

[Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/)

> [You can make children believe whatever you want, and the children of today are the soldiers and mothers of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dudley-nichols/you-can-make-children-believe-whatever-you-want-and-the-children-of/)

[Dudley Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dudley-nichols/)

> [To the children of yesterday, who have grown up and become parents, and to the children of today, who perhaps shout 'Tottigol,' I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-totti/to-the-children-of-yesterday-who-have-grown-up-and-become-parents-and/)

[Francesco Totti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-totti/)

> [“if we use how we were taught yesterday to teach our children today, we are not preparing them well for tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/if-we-use-how-we-were-taught-yesterday-to-teach-our-children-today-we/)

[Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/)

> [“Ben Says: To all of the children of today...Work hard &amp; study well. You can be me...because I was once you! Education will always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/ben-says-to-all-of-the-children-of-today-work-hard-study-well-you-can/)

[Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/)

## More by Socrates

> [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

[Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Socrates"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradict-their-parents-gobble-their/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradict-their-parents-gobble-their/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55b/socrates-405_children_children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradi_2592625.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.” — Socrates",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Socrates",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Children today are tyrants. They contradict...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradict-their-parents-gobble-their/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/children-today-are-tyrants-they-contradict-their-parents-gobble-their/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
