--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of these students are so conditioned…" description: "\"Most of these students are so conditioned to success that they become afraid to take risks. They have been taught from a young age by zealous parents, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/chris-hedges-2131_age_most-of-these-students-are-so-conditione_2403194.jpg" --- # Most of these students are so conditioned to success that… ![“Most of these students are so conditioned to success that they become afraid to take risks. They have been taught from a young age by zealous parents, schools, and institutional authorities what constitutes failure and success. They are socialized to obey. They obsess over grades and seek to…” quote by Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/chris-hedges-2131_age_most-of-these-students-are-so-conditione_2403194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/chris-hedges-2131_age_most-of-these-students-are-so-conditione_2403194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/chris-hedges-2131_age_most-of-these-students-are-so-conditione_2403194.jpg) > “Most of these students are so conditioned to success that they become afraid to take risks. They have been taught from a young age by zealous parents, schools, and institutional authorities what constitutes failure and success. They are socialized to obey. They obsess over grades and seek to please professors, even if what professors teach is fatuous. The point is to get ahead, and getting ahead means deference to authority. Challenging authority is never a career advancer.” [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Students conditioned for success fear risk, obey authority, and chase grades, limiting critical thinking and innovation. **In simple terms:** Fear of failure stifles growth. Key Takeaway Encourage risk‑taking and critical inquiry. Themes education risk authority conformity innovation Mood critical concerned Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - college classrooms - career planning - parental guidance - policy reform Key Concepts social conditioning institutional pressure critical pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - How can we redesign education to value failure? - What supports help students challenge authority constructively? A Different Perspective Risk‑taking may lead to failure and instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Deference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deference/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure And Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-and-success-2/) [Getting ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-ahead/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success and failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-and-failure/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Young age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-age/) ## Related quotes > [“Are you questioning the power vested in me by His Excellency?" demanded Treble. "Are you challenging the authority of the Grand Steward himself?" Maxim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/are-you-questioning-the-power-vested-in-me-by-his-excellency-demanded/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [There was a good moment in Islam when people were actually challenging authority at every level. Very different from the world we live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/there-was-a-good-moment-in-islam-when-people-were-actually/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [Black girls are punished, many times violently so, for questioning and challenging authority, which is something that is often celebrated and encouraged as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/black-girls-are-punished-many-times-violently-so-for-questioning-and/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Science is very vibrant. There are always new observations to be found. And it's all in the interest in challenging the authority that came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/science-is-very-vibrant-there-are-always-new-observations-to-be-found/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [“This is the paradox of the power of literature: it seems that only when it is persecuted does it show its true powers, challenging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/this-is-the-paradox-of-the-power-of-literature-it-seems-that-only/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [Most people are sort of against authority. Here's Beetle always challenging authority. I think people relate to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-walker/most-people-are-sort-of-against-authority-here-s-beetle-always/) [Mort Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-walker/) > [I don't know if I had success or not. But I am afraid of myself. Why am I afraid of myself? I always feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-don-t-know-if-i-had-success-or-not-but-i-am-afraid-of-myself-why-am/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [People think I should be a success, but I'm afraid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-reagan/people-think-i-should-be-a-success-but-i-m-afraid-of-it/) [Michael Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-reagan/) > [The object is to try to get the (movie) system to work for you, instead of against you. And the only way you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-object-is-to-try-to-get-the-movie-system-to-work-for-you-instead/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [You're always afraid of losing what you have. Regardless of success or anything, you're always afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-faison/you-re-always-afraid-of-losing-what-you-have-regardless-of-success-or/) [Donald Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-faison/) > [Sometimes, because of my success, I am afraid that I was not a good father. With the first two I was too strong, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-cavalli/sometimes-because-of-my-success-i-am-afraid-that-i-was-not-a-good/) [Roberto Cavalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-cavalli/) > [I've had more failures than I've had success, but I'm not afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/i-ve-had-more-failures-than-i-ve-had-success-but-i-m-not-afraid-to/) [Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/) > [The operation was a success, but I'm afraid the doctor is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-operation-was-a-success-but-i-m-afraid-the-doctor-is-dead/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I always tell friends you can't judge your success by someone else's. You can't be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patina-miller/i-always-tell-friends-you-can-t-judge-your-success-by-someone-else-s/) [Patina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patina-miller/) > [Most people think small because most people are afraid of success, afraid of making decisions, afraid of winning. And that gives people like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/most-people-think-small-because-most-people-are-afraid-of-success/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Chris Hedges > [“the property that grounded the self in Romanticism was sincerity, and in modernism was authenticity, then in postmod ernism it is visibility.10”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-property-that-grounded-the-self-in-romanticism-was-sincerity-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“Revolutionists who took part in uprisings in one part of the globe would often migrate to take part in uprisings in another. Francisco de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/revolutionists-who-took-part-in-uprisings-in-one-part-of-the-globe/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“Those captivated by the cult of celebrity do not examine voting records or compare verbal claims with written and published facts and reports. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/those-captivated-by-the-cult-of-celebrity-do-not-examine-voting/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Positive psychology is to the corporate state what eugenics was to the Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/positive-psychology-is-to-the-corporate-state-what-eugenics-was-to/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“Hope has a cost. Hope is not comfortable or easy. Hope requires personal risk. It is not about the right attitude. 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Our refusal to face the truth about empire, our refusal to defy the multitudinous crimes and atrocities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/human-beings-can-be-redeemed-empires-cannot-our-refusal-to-face-the/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [I have seen children shot in El Salvador, Algeria, Guatemala, Sarajevo, but I have never before watched soldiers entice children like mice into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/i-have-seen-children-shot-in-el-salvador-algeria-guatemala-sarajevo/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [A democracy survives when its citizens have access to trustworthy and impartial sources of information, when it can discern lies from truth. Take this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/a-democracy-survives-when-its-citizens-have-access-to-trustworthy-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [It is the cult of self that is killing the United States. This cult has within it the classic traits of psychopaths: superficial charm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/it-is-the-cult-of-self-that-is-killing-the-united-states-this-cult/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“Our march toward self-annihilation has already obliterated ninety percent of the large fish in the oceans and wiped out half of the mature tropical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/our-march-toward-self-annihilation-has-already-obliterated-ninety/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [No real journalist makes $5 million a year... Those in power fear and dislike real journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/no-real-journalist-makes-5-million-a-year-those-in-power-fear-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“Just remember,' a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel told me as he strapped his pistol belt under his arm before we crossed into Kuwait, 'that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/just-remember-a-marine-corps-lieutenant-colonel-told-me-as-he/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Most of these who are thrust into combat soon find it impossible to maintain the mythic perception of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/most-of-these-who-are-thrust-into-combat-soon-find-it-impossible-to/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [The imperial projects will continue, Wall Street will be unimpeded in its malfeasance and criminal activity, social programs will continue to be cut, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-imperial-projects-will-continue-wall-street-will-be-unimpeded-in/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) [Explore all 183 Chris Hedges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." 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But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most of these students are so conditioned to success that they become afraid to take risks. They have been taught from a young age by zealous parents, schools, and institutional authorities what constitutes failure and success. They are socialized to obey. They obsess over grades and seek to please professors, even if what professors teach is fatuous. The point is to get ahead, and getting ahead means deference to authority. 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