--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Usually when you ask somebody in college…" description: "\"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, they are there to get the d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college_431838.png" --- # Usually when you ask somebody in college why they are… ![“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, they are there to get the degree so that they can get ahead in the rat race. Too many college radicals are two-timing punks. The only reason you should be in college is to…” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college_431838.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college_431838.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/abbie-hoffman-9684_college_usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college_431838.png) > “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, they are there to get the degree so that they can get ahead in the rat race. Too many college radicals are two-timing punks. 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. College is often seen as a path to education, but many view it as a means to obtain credentials for competitive advantage, and some argue it should be challenged or dismantled. **In simple terms:** College is used for degrees and career competition, not just learning. Key Takeaway Question the purpose of higher education. Themes education career competition rebellion Mood critical provocative Type political philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - student activism - policy debate - personal growth Key Concepts credentialism social critique Questions to Reflect On - What would a reimagined college look like? - How can education balance personal growth and market demands? A Different Perspective It may overlook the intrinsic value of learning and critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-destroy-3804334/) [College Radicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-radicals-3804331/) [Degree Ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree-ahead-3804335/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Rat race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rat-race/) [Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-college-3804333/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Somebody College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-college-3804332/) [Timing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timing/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [The only reason you should be in college is to destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-only-reason-you-should-be-in-college-is-to-destroy-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It's not about being a sex prostitute. It's about this power play in the war of the sexes. It's a rat race, like, "I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/it-s-not-about-being-a-sex-prostitute-it-s-about-this-power-play-in/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [I just don't want to participate in the rat race of streaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pokimane/i-just-don-t-want-to-participate-in-the-rat-race-of-streaming/) [Pokimane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pokimane/) > [I don't want to be in any rat race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/i-don-t-want-to-be-in-any-rat-race/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [I do not want to be a part of Hindi cinema's rat race. But yes, if I get offers and characters which I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/i-do-not-want-to-be-a-part-of-hindi-cinema-s-rat-race-but-yes-if-i/) [Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/) > [The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-really-important-kind-of-freedom-involves-attention-and-awareness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t just make statements. Just look. There are two million years of inheritance, thousands and thousands of experiences, impressions, conditions, knowledge. All that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/don-t-just-make-statements-just-look-there-are-two-million-years-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Our everyday cares, making a living, the crazy rat race of life, often make us forget the value of a good deed. Thus, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/our-everyday-cares-making-a-living-the-crazy-rat-race-of-life-often/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) > [Perfection is something we should all strive for. It's a duty and a joy to perfect one's nature... The most difficult thing is love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perfection-is-something-we-should-all-strive-for-it-s-a-duty-and-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If one compares himself with others, he will always find himself in the rat race and time will be always running ahead of him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-one-compares-himself-with-others-he-will-always-find-himself-in/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It may be that you will be happiest in the rat race; perhaps, like me, you are basically a rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-koch/it-may-be-that-you-will-be-happiest-in-the-rat-race-perhaps-like-me/) [Richard Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-koch/) > [I wouldn't mind the rat race - if the rats would lose once in a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wilson/i-wouldn-t-mind-the-rat-race-if-the-rats-would-lose-once-in-a-while/) [Tom Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wilson/) > [“Most psychotherapies are designed to patch up wounded people and then throw them back into the battle of oppositions. They guide people in how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/most-psychotherapies-are-designed-to-patch-up-wounded-people-and-then/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-p-johnson/how-many-years-has-it-taken-people-to-realize-that-we-are-all/) [Marsha P. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-p-johnson/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [A modern revolutionary group heads for the television station.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/a-modern-revolutionary-group-heads-for-the-television-station/) [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": "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, they are there to get the degree so that they can get ahead in the rat race. Too many college radicals are two-timing punks. 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