I've noticed a fascinating phenomenon in my thirty years…
““I've noticed a fascinating phenomenon in my thirty years of teaching: schools and schooling are increasingly irrelevant to the great enterprises of the planet. No one believes anymore that scientists are trained in science classes or politicians in civics classes or poets in English classes. The truth is that schools don't really teach anything except how to obey orders. This is a great mystery to me because thousands of humane, caring people work in schools as teachers and aides and administrators, but the abstract logic of the institution overwhelms their individual contributions. Although teachers to care and do work very, very hard, the institution is psychopathic -- it has no conscience. It rings a bell and the young man in the middle of writing a poem must close his notebook and move to a different cell where he must memorize that humans and monkeys derive from a common ancestor.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author critiques modern schooling as a conformity machine that stifles true learning and critical thinking.
In simple terms: Schools teach obedience, not knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Seek learning beyond institutions.
Themes
education
conformity
critical thinking
institutional critique
psychopathy
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
essay
critical.
When to use this quote
- self‑directed study
- alternative education
- community mentorship
- curriculum reform
Key Concepts
pedagogy
institutional inertia
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals cultivate genuine learning?
- What role should schools play in society?
A Different Perspective
Schools can still foster curiosity if reformed.