Abolition Quote by Anonymous
“In a word, we may reasonably hope for the virtual abolition of education when I'm as good as you has fully had its way. All incentives to learn and all penalties for not learning will vanish.The few who might want to learn will be prevented; who are they to overtop their fellows? And anyway the teachers-or should I say, nurses?-will be far too busy reassuring the dunces and patting them on the back to waste any time on real teaching. We shall no longer have to plan and toil to spread imperturable conceit and incurable ignorance among men. The little vermin themselves will do it for us.”
About This Quote
Source Online Forum Post, Anonymous, 2021
Education may become obsolete when incentives and penalties disappear, leaving only the unmotivated to dominate learning.
In simple terms: If incentives vanish, education collapses.
Key Takeaway
Preserve meaningful motivation.
Themes
education
incentives
motivation
learning
future
technology
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
skeptical
Type
philosophical
critical
reflective
When to use this quote
- school reform
- online learning platforms
- policy design
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
intrinsic motivation
automation
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivates you to learn without rewards?
- How can education stay valuable in a tech‑driven world?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on external rewards can backfire.
![“You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. Of my dispos[i]tion to maintain peace until its condition shall be made less tolerable than that of war itself, the world has had proofs, and more, perhaps, than it has approved. I hope it is…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/77f/thomas-jefferson-43_abolition_you-have-not-been-mistaken-in-supposing_184816.jpg)
