We were trained in the army for ten weeks and in this time…
““We were trained in the army for ten weeks and in this time more profoundly influenced than by ten years at school. We learned that a bright button is weightier than four volumes of Schopenhauer. At first astonished, then embittered, and finally indifferent, we recognised that what matters is not the mind but the boot brush, not intelligence but the system, not freedom but drill. We became soldiers with eagerness and enthusiasm, but they have done everything to knock that out of us. After three weeks it was no longer incomprehensible to us that a braided postman should have more authority over us than had formerly our parents, our teachers, and the whole gamut of culture from Plato to Goethe.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage critiques military training, claiming it reshapes values, making discipline and obedience outweigh intellectual pursuits.
In simple terms: Military training reshapes values.
Key Takeaway
Question authority and institutional influence.
Themes
military
authority
education
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- military service
- education reform
- personal development
Key Concepts
discipline versus intellect
cultural conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- How does discipline affect your thinking?
- Can you balance obedience and critical thought?
A Different Perspective
It may overgeneralize military experiences.