City Quote by Alexis Ohanian
“I went to high school in Ellicott City, Maryland, and I felt pretty ambivalent about the whole thing. It just took time away from my doing things on the Internet - like creating clans in Quake II or starting a Web design nonprofit. In school, I was just a kid. Online, I had authority.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast "How I Built This", 2015
Balancing school and online pursuits caused ambivalence; online gave authority not school did not.
In simple terms: School felt limiting compared to online freedom.
Key Takeaway
Find balance between offline responsibilities and online passions.
Themes
ambivalence
online culture
authority
Mood
nostalgic
thoughtful
Type
personal
reflective
When to use this quote
- high school experience
- online gaming
- nonprofit startup
- personal growth
Key Concepts
digital identity
time management
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of online life fulfill you more than school?
- How can you integrate online skills into offline contexts?
A Different Perspective
Online authority may not translate to real‑world influence.
