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Our present educational systems are all paramilitary…

“Our present educational systems are all paramilitary. Their aim is to produce servants or soldiers who obey without question and who accepts their training as the best possible training. Those who are most successful in the state are those who have the most interest in prolonging the state as it…” quote by John Fowles
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“Our present educational systems are all paramilitary. Their aim is to produce servants or soldiers who obey without question and who accepts their training as the best possible training. Those who are most successful in the state are those who have the most interest in prolonging the state as it is; they are also those who have the most say in the educational system, and in particular by ensuring that the educational product they want is the most highly rewarded.”

John Fowles

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The system trains people to obey and sustain the existing power structure, rewarding conformity over critical thought.

In simple terms: Schools teach obedience and preserve the status quo.

Key Takeaway

Question and reshape education.

Themes

education power conformity critical thinking

Mood

critical reflective

Type

analytical political

When to use this quote

  • policy reform
  • teacher training
  • student activism
  • curriculum redesign

Key Concepts

authoritarianism social control curriculum design

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does schooling shape your view of authority?
  • What changes could foster independent thinking?
A Different Perspective

It may overlook individual creativity and alternative pathways.

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