Attention Quote by Edsger Dijkstra
“In passing I draw attention to another English expression which often occurs in Dutch texts: "the real world". In Dutch - and I am afraid not in Dutch alone - its usage is almost always a symptom of a violent anti-intellectualism.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Language and Thought, 1975
The phrase “the real world” is often used to dismiss intellectual pursuits, reflecting anti‑intellectual sentiment.
In simple terms: Calling something “the real world” can undermine scholarly work
Key Takeaway
Question the use of “real world” as a dismissive term
Themes
critical thinking
language
philosophy
culture
anti‑intellectualism
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- public discourse
- education
- media analysis
Key Concepts
semantic drift
ideology
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we label certain knowledge as “real”?
- How does this affect public trust in expertise?
A Different Perspective
People may still cling to the phrase for rhetorical effect
![“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others are making a religion out of it, as if the conceptual problems of programming could be solved by a single trick, by a simple form of coding discipline!” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.jpg)
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
