--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The examined life has always been pretty…" description: "\"The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class.\" — Edgar Friedenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png" --- # The examined life has always been pretty well confined to… ![“The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class.” quote by Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png) > “The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class.” [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote observes that reflective philosophy has traditionally been accessible mainly to affluent, privileged individuals. **In simple terms:** Philosophy is often limited to the wealthy. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive access to philosophical education. Themes education philosophy class inequality access Mood thoughtful concerned Type educational social When to use this quote - academic curricula - public lectures - online courses - community forums - scholarship programs Key Concepts elitism intellectual tradition social stratification Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent broader participation in philosophy? - How can we democratize philosophical discourse? A Different Perspective Privilege can restrict diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Examined life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examined-life/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think a good education should be confined to a privileged few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/i-don-t-think-a-good-education-should-be-confined-to-a-privileged-few/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Democracy means the organization of society for the benefit and at the expense of everybody indiscriminately and not for the benefit of a privileged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/democracy-means-the-organization-of-society-for-the-benefit-and-at/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Freedom of the press, freedom of association, the inviolability of domicile, and all the rest of the rights of man are respected so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/freedom-of-the-press-freedom-of-association-the-inviolability-of/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [I wanted to look at the upper-middle-class scene since the war, and in particular my generation's part in it. We had spent our early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-raven/i-wanted-to-look-at-the-upper-middle-class-scene-since-the-war-and-in/) [Simon Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-raven/) > [“Yes, one of the prettiest sights in this pretty world is the sight of the privileged class enjoying its privileges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/high-society/yes-one-of-the-prettiest-sights-in-this-pretty-world-is-the-sight-of/) High Society > [“But after all, to kind of like people, doc, puts you in a pretty privileged class for a start--so few citizens can afford to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/but-after-all-to-kind-of-like-people-doc-puts-you-in-a-pretty/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The pathos of it all is that the America which is to be protected by a huge military force is not the America of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-pathos-of-it-all-is-that-the-america-which-is-to-be-protected-by/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“There is only one class of men, the privileged class.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/there-is-only-one-class-of-men-the-privileged-class/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [It is one of history's ironies that Communism, advertised as a classless society, tended to breed a privileged class of feudal proportions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-one-of-history-s-ironies-that-communism-advertised-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Food culture in the United States has long been cast as the property of a privileged class. It is nothing of the kind. Culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/food-culture-in-the-united-states-has-long-been-cast-as-the-property/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-goal-before-then-reading-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [“Taking a lot of selfies doesn’t mean you live an examined life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/taking-a-lot-of-selfies-doesn-t-mean-you-live-an-examined-life/) [Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/) > [“If truth is what you seek, then the examined life will only take you on a long ride to the limits of solitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/if-truth-is-what-you-seek-then-the-examined-life-will-only-take-you/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-for-a-human-being/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Courage is the enabling virtue for any philosopher - for any human being, I think, in the end. Courage to think, courage to love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/courage-is-the-enabling-virtue-for-any-philosopher-for-any-human/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More by Edgar Friedenberg > [Adolescents tend to be passionate people, and passion is no less real because it is directed toward a hot-rod, a commercialized popular singer, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/adolescents-tend-to-be-passionate-people-and-passion-is-no-less-real/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Every major industrial society believes that it has a serious youth problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/every-major-industrial-society-believes-that-it-has-a-serious-youth/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Not only do most people accept violence if it is perpetuated by legitimate authority, they also regard violence against certain kinds of people as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/not-only-do-most-people-accept-violence-if-it-is-perpetuated-by/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Romance, like alcohol, should be enjoyed but must not be allowed to become necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/romance-like-alcohol-should-be-enjoyed-but-must-not-be-allowed-to/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Every major industrial society believes it has a serious youth problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/every-major-industrial-society-believes-it-has-a-serious-youth-problem/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without the services of highly skilled cosmeticians. Part of the American dream, after all, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/no-american-is-prepared-to-attend-his-own-funeral-without-the/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [All weakness tends to corrupt, and impotence corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/all-weakness-tends-to-corrupt-and-impotence-corrupts-absolutely/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how valuable we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/what-we-must-decide-is-how-we-are-valuable-rather-than-how-valuable/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [ The atmosphere \[in the school lunchroom\] is not quite that of a prison, because the students are permitted to talk quietly, under the frowning… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-atmosphere-in-the-school-lunchroom-is-not-quite-that-of-a-prison/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Most Americans would say that they disapproved of violence. But what they really mean is that they believe it should be the monopoly of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/most-americans-would-say-that-they-disapproved-of-violence-but-what/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Canadians are more polite when they are being rude than Americans are when they are being friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/canadians-are-more-polite-when-they-are-being-rude-than-americans-are/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [In a world as empirical as ours, a youngster who does not know what he is good at will not be sure what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/in-a-world-as-empirical-as-ours-a-youngster-who-does-not-know-what-he/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Only science can hope to keep technology in some sort of moral order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/only-science-can-hope-to-keep-technology-in-some-sort-of-moral-order/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [What is learned in high school, or for that matter anywhere at all, depends far less on what is taught than on what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/what-is-learned-in-high-school-or-for-that-matter-anywhere-at-all/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [It is idle to talk of civil liberties to adults who were systematically taught in adolescence that they had none; and it is sheer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/it-is-idle-to-talk-of-civil-liberties-to-adults-who-were/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) [Explore all 23 Edgar Friedenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edgar Friedenberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty-well-confined-to-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty-well-confined-to-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/edgar-friedenberg-25150_class_the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty_2449507.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class.” — Edgar Friedenberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edgar Friedenberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The examined life has always been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty-well-confined-to-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-examined-life-has-always-been-pretty-well-confined-to-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```