--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason you should be in college…" description: "\"The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.\" — Abbie Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png" --- # The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it. ![“The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png) > “The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.” [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He provocatively claims college’s purpose is to dismantle the institution itself, urging radical critique of higher education. **In simple terms:** College should be challenged and transformed. Key Takeaway Question the role and impact of higher education. Themes education activism institutional critique radical thought Mood defiant critical revolutionary Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - student protests - curriculum reform - alternative education models Key Concepts counterculture social change critical theory Questions to Reflect On - How can students reform rather than destroy? - What responsibilities do institutions have to society? A Different Perspective His view may overlook benefits of education for personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-education/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Usually when you ask somebody in college why they are there, they'll tell you it's to get an education. The truth of it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college-why-they-are-there-they-ll/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The need for a college education is even more important now than it was before, but I think that the increased costs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-romer/the-need-for-a-college-education-is-even-more-important-now-than-it/) [Roy Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-romer/) > [Middle class families are struggling to send their sons and daughters to school. For many Americans, a college education is essential to future success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albio-sires/middle-class-families-are-struggling-to-send-their-sons-and-daughters/) [Albio Sires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albio-sires/) > [When it comes to college education, American families are paying more and getting less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/when-it-comes-to-college-education-american-families-are-paying-more/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [Community colleges are one of Americas great social inventions a gateway to the future for first time students looking for an affordable college education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/community-colleges-are-one-of-americas-great-social-inventions-a/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [Originally, I think, I wanted to be an actor. But I got into broadcasting by accident, if you will, because I needed money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/originally-i-think-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-but-i-got-into/) [Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/) > [Every man should have a college education in order to show him how little the thing is really worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/every-man-should-have-a-college-education-in-order-to-show-him-how/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Honestly what's the point of a college education? Why can't we just graduate high school and then get a bomb ass job?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-what-s-the-point-of-a-college-education-why-can-t-we-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people, I suspect, still have in their minds an image of America as the great land of college education, unique in the extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/most-people-i-suspect-still-have-in-their-minds-an-image-of-america/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/upon-the-subject-of-education-not-presuming-to-dictate-any-plan-or/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I think a college education is important no matter what you do in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mickelson/i-think-a-college-education-is-important-no-matter-what-you-do-in-life/) [Phil Mickelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mickelson/) > [“Universities are reluctant to update their syllabus as per industry requirement, not because their students will have to take the trouble to learn new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/universities-are-reluctant-to-update-their-syllabus-as-per-industry/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“What you read at Columbia is Plato's Republic and Homer's Iliad. What you learn at Columbia is that reading isn't education. Education is figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/what-you-read-at-columbia-is-plato-s-republic-and-homer-s-iliad-what/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [“I suppose I could have been nicer when I was at Columbia. I could have been polite, respectful, turned in my papers on time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/i-suppose-i-could-have-been-nicer-when-i-was-at-columbia-i-could-have/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [“Having a college degree does not make you educated. Always learning new things is what makes you educated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/having-a-college-degree-does-not-make-you-educated-always-learning/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) ## More by Abbie Hoffman > [The first duty of a revolutionist is to get away with it. The second duty is to eat breakfast. I ain't going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionist-is-to-get-away-with-it-the-second/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It's going to be a combination Scopes trial, revolution in the streets, Woodstock Festival and People's Park, all rolled into one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-going-to-be-a-combination-scopes-trial-revolution-in-the-streets/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Wouldn't you want to be indicted by the govenment for a high crime? It's a great thrill. It's an honor. It's a compliment. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/wouldn-t-you-want-to-be-indicted-by-the-govenment-for-a-high-crime-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The '60s are gone, dope will never be as cheap, sex never as free, and the rock and roll never as great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-60s-are-gone-dope-will-never-be-as-cheap-sex-never-as-free-and/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Smoking dope and hanging up Che's picture is no more a commitment than drinking milk and collecting postage stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/smoking-dope-and-hanging-up-che-s-picture-is-no-more-a-commitment/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionary-is-to-get-away-with-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [If you don't have sex and you don't do drugs, your rock 'n' roll better be awfully good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/if-you-don-t-have-sex-and-you-don-t-do-drugs-your-rock-n-roll-better/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/revolution-is-not-something-fixed-in-ideology-nor-is-it-something/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The majority of people were always sitting in the stands. When I find people who are willing to go against the grain, who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-majority-of-people-were-always-sitting-in-the-stands-when-i-find/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [“Lay off the needle drugs. The only dope worth shooting is Richard Nixon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/lay-off-the-needle-drugs-the-only-dope-worth-shooting-is-richard-nixon/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [When I appear in the Chicago courtroom, I want to be tried not because I support the NLF - which I do - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/when-i-appear-in-the-chicago-courtroom-i-want-to-be-tried-not-because/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Usually when you ask somebody in college why they are there, they'll tell you it's to get an education. The truth of it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college-why-they-are-there-they-ll/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [In this state, dig it, you get twenty years for sale of dope to a minor. You only get five to ten for manslaughter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/in-this-state-dig-it-you-get-twenty-years-for-sale-of-dope-to-a-minor/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It is always the young that make the change. You don't get these ideas when you're middle-aged. Young people have daring, creativity, imagination and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-is-always-the-young-that-make-the-change-you-don-t-get-these-ideas/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Once you get the right image the details aren't that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/once-you-get-the-right-image-the-details-aren-t-that-important/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) [Explore all 71 Abbie Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abbie Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college-is-to-destroy-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college-is-to-destroy-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college_1573002.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.” — Abbie Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abbie Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only reason you should be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college-is-to-destroy-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college-is-to-destroy-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```