Classical education Quote by Dorothy L. Sayers
““Has it ever struck you as odd, or unfortunate, that today, when the proportion of literacy is higher than it has ever been, people should have become susceptible to the influence of advertisement and mass propaganda to an extent hitherto unheard of and unimagined?””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Rise of Propaganda, 1936
She notes that higher literacy paradoxically makes people more vulnerable to mass advertising and propaganda.
In simple terms: Higher literacy can increase susceptibility to propaganda.
Key Takeaway
Beware of persuasive media.
Themes
media literacy
propaganda
advertising
education
critical thinking
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- marketing analysis
- educational curricula
- public policy on media regulation
Key Concepts
mass media influence
psychology of persuasion
information overload
Questions to Reflect On
- What protects an educated populace from manipulation?
- How can critical thinking be taught effectively?
A Different Perspective
May overstate causality between literacy and gullibility.
![“See that the mind is honest, first; the rest may follow or not as God wills. [That] the fundamental treason to the mind ... is the one fundamental treason which the scholar's mind must not allow is the bond uniting all the Oxford people in the last resort.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c74/dorothy-l-sayers-738_academia_see-that-the-mind-is-honest-first-the-re_16293.jpg)
![“Perhaps [the critics are right and] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and entertaining to consider that at least once in the world's history those words might have been said with complete conviction, and that was on the eve of the Resurrection.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/467/dorothy-l-sayers-738_buried_perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-dr_43252.jpg)
