Any man will go considerably out of his way to pick up a…
“Any man will go considerably out of his way to pick up a silver dollar; but here are golden words, which the wisest men of antiquity have uttered, and whose worth the wise of every succeeding age have assured us of; and yet we learn to read only as far as Easy Reading, the primers and classbooks, and when we leave school, the Little Reading, and story books, which are for boys and beginners; and our reading, our conversation and thinking, are all on a very low level, worthy only of pygmies and manikins.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Society often settles for superficial reading and low‑level discourse, neglecting deep, critical thinking and rich literature.
In simple terms: Shallow education limits growth.
Key Takeaway
Seek deeper, challenging material.
Themes
education
literacy
critical thinking
culture
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Academic curricula
- personal reading habits
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Intellectual development
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What books have expanded your thinking?
- How can you promote deeper literacy?
A Different Perspective
Access to deep works can be limited.