Living by catchwords

RL Stevenson 

"Man is a creature who lives not upon bread alone, but primarily by catchwords."

This line is a critical, slightly sarcastic observation about human behavior, especially in society and politics.

Meaning

The sentence means that humans are not motivated only by basic physical needs (like food), but even more by slogans, ideas, labels, and emotionally charged phrases—what the author calls “catchwords.”

These catchwords simplify complex ideas and can strongly influence how people think and act, sometimes more than reality itself.

So the quote suggests that people often live by words and ideas rather than by facts or substance.

Example

• A politician repeats words like “freedom,” “security,” “tradition,” or “change.”
  Many people support or oppose policies based on those words alone, without understanding the actual details.
• In everyday life:
  Someone buys an expensive product because it’s labeled “organic,” “premium,” or “limited edition,” even if it doesn’t truly offer better quality.

In both cases, people are guided less by real necessity (bread) and more by powerful, appealing words (catchwords).

If you want, I can also explain who said it, the historical context, or simplify it further for exams 📚