What is the meaning of the Jesuit maxim, 'give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man'?

Question

The British Up series is said to be based on this maxim, but I've got no idea what this means.

Answer 1

The first answer you got is exactly what I was going to say.

Answer 2

i'm just making an educated guess, but it seems to me that it means that the first seven years of a child's life is the defining factor of what kind of man he will be. in other words, everything that a child is taught up until the age of seven will shape what kind of man he will become.

i think that's right, anyway... =)

Answer 3

the second answer is exactly what I would've written if I had been the second person to answer this.