--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It really bugs me that someone will tell…" description: "\"It really bugs me that someone will tell me, after I spent 20 years being educated, how I'm supposed to think.\" — Clarence Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/clarence-thomas-7661_bugs_it-really-bugs-me-that-someone-will-tell_2027010.jpg" --- # It really bugs me that someone will tell me, after I spent… ![“It really bugs me that someone will tell me, after I spent 20 years being educated, how I'm supposed to think.” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/clarence-thomas-7661_bugs_it-really-bugs-me-that-someone-will-tell_2027010.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/clarence-thomas-7661_bugs_it-really-bugs-me-that-someone-will-tell_2027010.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/clarence-thomas-7661_bugs_it-really-bugs-me-that-someone-will-tell_2027010.jpg) > “It really bugs me that someone will tell me, after I spent 20 years being educated, how I'm supposed to think.” [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education should foster independent thought, not dictate conclusions; imposing views undermines true learning. **In simple terms:** Think for yourself, not just follow taught opinions. Key Takeaway Cultivate critical thinking. Themes education individualism freedom of thought Mood reflective assertive inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - classroom discussions - self‑directed study - policy debates - mentoring students Key Concepts critical pedagogy intellectual autonomy political influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate when advice becomes indoctrination? - What steps help you develop personal judgment? A Different Perspective The speaker’s bias may color the claim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bugs/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I spent 20 years of my career primarily being a writer for hire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-darabont/i-spent-20-years-of-my-career-primarily-being-a-writer-for-hire/) [Frank Darabont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-darabont/) > [I spent 20 years of my life building up Queen, and now I'm spending years of my life trying to get away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/i-spent-20-years-of-my-life-building-up-queen-and-now-i-m-spending/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [It's fascinating that people, there's so many people now who will make judgments based on what you look like. I'm black. So I'm supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/it-s-fascinating-that-people-there-s-so-many-people-now-who-will-make/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The first 20 years had such a profound effect on me, I spent the next 20 dealing with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-first-20-years-had-such-a-profound-effect-on-me-i-spent-the-next/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [And I'd spent 20 years in bars and nightclubs, dealing with promoters and getting ripped off and just everything that comes with all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gutt/and-i-d-spent-20-years-in-bars-and-nightclubs-dealing-with-promoters/) [Jeff Gutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gutt/) > [I was not a very good mother. I was always running out to do a movie or something. If I had to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-was-not-a-very-good-mother-i-was-always-running-out-to-do-a-movie/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [In Sweden, you're not supposed to think you are someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-helin/in-sweden-you-re-not-supposed-to-think-you-are-someone/) [Sofia Helin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-helin/) > [Look a man in the eye and say what you really think, don't just smile at him and say what you're supposed to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/look-a-man-in-the-eye-and-say-what-you-really-think-don-t-just-smile/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [What am I supposed to do here? 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What am I supposed to think?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/and-i-wondered-with-mounting-anxiety-what-am-i-supposed-to-do-here/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [We're not all supposed to think alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-re-not-all-supposed-to-think-alike/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [“What am I supposed to think, when you imagine me pure as the driven snow? I am not a child. If you strip me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-milan/what-am-i-supposed-to-think-when-you-imagine-me-pure-as-the-driven/) [Courtney Milan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-milan/) > [we are all supposed to think of reasons to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/we-are-all-supposed-to-think-of-reasons-to-live/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“But that’s it. When I think of you, I think of future stuff. I think of this is it and I’m not supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/but-that-s-it-when-i-think-of-you-i-think-of-future-stuff-i-think-of/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) ## More by Clarence Thomas > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I disagree with the prevailing point of view of some black leaders that special treatment for blacks is acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-disagree-with-the-prevailing-point-of-view-of-some-black-leaders/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [My grandfather was a man, when he talked about freedom, his attitude was really interesting. His view was that you had obligations or you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/my-grandfather-was-a-man-when-he-talked-about-freedom-his-attitude/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Perhaps some are confused because they have stereotypes of how blacks should be and I respectfully decline, as I did in my youth, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/perhaps-some-are-confused-because-they-have-stereotypes-of-how-blacks/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [ The Constitution does not vest in Congress the authority to protect society from every bad act that might befall it…\[I\]f followed to its logical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-constitution-does-not-vest-in-congress-the-authority-to-protect/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The job of a judge is to figure out what the law says, not what he wants it to say. 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If I had been as sensitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/differences-in-race-differences-in-sex-somebody-doesn-t-look-at-you/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [ A theory deeply etched in our law \[is that\] a free society prefers to punish the few who abuse the rights of free speech… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/a-theory-deeply-etched-in-our-law-is-that-a-free-society-prefers-to/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I don't know one of my friends who is considered a conservative who has not had to go back and thoroughly think through everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-don-t-know-one-of-my-friends-who-is-considered-a-conservative-who/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I' been very partial to Malcolm X, particularly his self-help teachings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-been-very-partial-to-malcolm-x-particularly-his-self-help-teachings/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [When you look at where the real problems are among minorities in our society, particularly blacks, it's at the bottom. It's the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-you-look-at-where-the-real-problems-are-among-minorities-in-our/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The only people who have quick answers don't have the responsibility of making the decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-only-people-who-have-quick-answers-don-t-have-the-responsibility/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Today, now, it is time to move forward, a time to look for what is good in others, what is good in our country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/today-now-it-is-time-to-move-forward-a-time-to-look-for-what-is-good/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The Constitution contains no 'dignity' Clause, and even if it did, the government would be incapable of bestowing dignity. ... Slaves did not lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-constitution-contains-no-dignity-clause-and-even-if-it-did-the/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [There's a difference between someone who's 'harsh' and someone who is 'hard.' Life was hard. You lived in the South, as my grandparents did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/there-s-a-difference-between-someone-who-s-harsh-and-someone-who-is/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) [Explore all 89 Clarence Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) ## More Bugs quotes > [If you were to draw Bugs, the easiest way is to learn how to draw a carrot and then hook a rabbit onto it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/if-you-were-to-draw-bugs-the-easiest-way-is-to-learn-how-to-draw-a/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [I caught the acting bug from my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/i-caught-the-acting-bug-from-my-dad/) [Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/) > [I didnt write Snow White for any class, but I got bitten by the screenwriting bug and wrote a couple of scripts in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-daugherty/i-didnt-write-snow-white-for-any-class-but-i-got-bitten-by-the/) [Evan Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-daugherty/) > [Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? 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