“One should never forget, that society would rather be amused than instructed.”

Vor allen Dingen soll man nie vergessen, daß die Gesellschaft lieber unterhalten, als unterrichtet sein will.
Variant translation: Above all, we should never forget that society would prefer to be entertained, than taught.
Über den Umgang mit Menschen (1788)

Original

Vor allen Dingen soll man nie vergessen, daß die Gesellschaft lieber unterhalten, als unterrichtet sein will […].

Erstes Buch, 1. Kapitel, Allgemeine Bemerkungen. hg. von Karl Goedeke. 16. Ausgabe. Hannover: Hahn, 1878. Seite 26 http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:%C3%9Cber_den_Umgang_mit_Menschen.djvu&page=42
Über den Umgang mit Menschen
Variant: Vor allen Dingen soll man nie vergessen, daß die Gesellschaft lieber unterhalten, als unterrichtet sein will.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Jan. 26, 2022. History

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Adolph Freiherr Knigge 20
German writer and Freemason 1752–1796

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