--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I look at our modern mania for…" description: "\"“I look at our modern mania for educational credentials as a kind of idol—a thing so burnished and glittery that sometimes the perfect candidate for a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/elizabeth-scalia-70516_credential_i-look-at-our-modern-mania-for-education_2412993.jpg" --- # I look at our modern mania for educational credentials as… ![“I look at our modern mania for educational credentials as a kind of idol—a thing so burnished and glittery that sometimes the perfect candidate for a position is never seen because the required credential is hovering between him and Human Resources; and the idol—the thing that reflects our…” quote by Elizabeth Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/elizabeth-scalia-70516_credential_i-look-at-our-modern-mania-for-education_2412993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/elizabeth-scalia-70516_credential_i-look-at-our-modern-mania-for-education_2412993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/elizabeth-scalia-70516_credential_i-look-at-our-modern-mania-for-education_2412993.jpg) > ““I look at our modern mania for educational credentials as a kind of idol—a thing so burnished and glittery that sometimes the perfect candidate for a position is never seen because the required credential is hovering between him and Human Resources; and the idol—the thing that reflects our self-imaginings back to us—must be served. If a company sees itself as a bastion of certified intellectuals, it will seek out credentials that validate that idea, even if it means missing out on acquiring an autodidact in the process.”” Elizabeth Scalia ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society overvalues formal education, treating degrees like idols that block talented self‑taught individuals from being hired. **In simple terms:** Degrees act as shiny idols that hide real talent. Key Takeaway Look beyond certificates when hiring. Themes education hiring merit bias Mood critical reflective Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - recruitment - entrepreneurship - mentorship - policy design Key Concepts credentialism human capital talent identification Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations value autodidacts? - What alternatives to degrees exist? A Different Perspective Credentials can be proxies but not guarantees of ability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Human resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-resources/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) ## Related quotes > [“A writer reports on the universe. When he presents his credentials, the gates of heaven and hell are equally opened to him. He can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/a-writer-reports-on-the-universe-when-he-presents-his-credentials-the/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Suffering is not a credential; it is an assignment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-casey/suffering-is-not-a-credential-it-is-an-assignment/) Caroline Casey > [If frequency with which you cite an education credential does not decrease over the course of your life, you’re not accomplishing very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-casnocha/if-frequency-with-which-you-cite-an-education-credential-does-not/) [Ben Casnocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-casnocha/) > [For whatever reason, the UFC wouldn't credential me during the first two years of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-helwani/for-whatever-reason-the-ufc-wouldn-t-credential-me-during-the-first/) [Ariel Helwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-helwani/) > [“The vacancy in your heart doesn't connotes that nobody is seeking for the job of servicing your feelings, but because the employee must first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-vacancy-in-your-heart-doesn-t-connotes-that-nobody-is-seeking-for/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Your name is your primary credential, let nobody discredit it and if so you must draw your sword and slay for the truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tare-munzara/your-name-is-your-primary-credential-let-nobody-discredit-it-and-if/) [Tare Munzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tare-munzara/) > [They established their patriotic credentials long ago, and are either supportive of the Bush agenda or know when to keep their traps shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/they-established-their-patriotic-credentials-long-ago-and-are-either/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [There's no question that increased formal credentials can give you an advantage. The question is, is it the best advantage you can buy with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ellsberg/there-s-no-question-that-increased-formal-credentials-can-give-you-an/) [Michael Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ellsberg/) > [...academic credentials are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for having your ideas taken seriously. If a famous professor repeatedly says stupid things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/academic-credentials-are-neither-a-necessary-nor-a-sufficient/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [It is not about where you are but in what direction you're moving. God is into character, not credentials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/it-is-not-about-where-you-are-but-in-what-direction-you-re-moving-god/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [Forgiveness is a stunning principle, your ticket out of hate and fear and chaos. ... I know what regret feels like; I've earned my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-johnson/forgiveness-is-a-stunning-principle-your-ticket-out-of-hate-and-fear/) [Barbara Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-johnson/) > [I was sent there by the Free Congress Committee, headed by Paul Weyrich. Fred Smith and I were sent down as observers, with reporters'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-lee-ray/i-was-sent-there-by-the-free-congress-committee-headed-by-paul/) [Dixie Lee Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-lee-ray/) > [I have no credentials. I have no money. I literally come from a poor place. I was a servant. I dropped out of college.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-have-no-credentials-i-have-no-money-i-literally-come-from-a-poor/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/others-may-question-your-credentials-your-papers-your-degrees-others/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Actors live dependent on being validated by other people's opinions. I don't understand what it is I do that people want. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/actors-live-dependent-on-being-validated-by-other-people-s-opinions-i/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) ## More by Elizabeth Scalia > [“...it shames me to admit that I can bring all of my self-reflective idols with me into Mass, line them up like trophies before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scalia/it-shames-me-to-admit-that-i-can-bring-all-of-my-self-reflective/) Elizabeth Scalia > [“We are in a place of deep cynicism, but that is rarely acknowledged, because so many of us residing within this disordered idol's shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scalia/we-are-in-a-place-of-deep-cynicism-but-that-is-rarely-acknowledged/) Elizabeth Scalia > [“God is most high. To choose God, his light, his way his truth (all Christ), means everything flows from the highest point. To choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scalia/god-is-most-high-to-choose-god-his-light-his-way-his-truth-all-christ/) Elizabeth Scalia Explore all 4 Elizabeth Scalia quotes ## More Credential quotes > [“Your name is your primary credential, let nobody discredit it and if so you must draw your sword and slay for the truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tare-munzara/your-name-is-your-primary-credential-let-nobody-discredit-it-and-if/) [Tare Munzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tare-munzara/) > [“The vacancy in your heart doesn't connotes that nobody is seeking for the job of servicing your feelings, but because the employee must first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-vacancy-in-your-heart-doesn-t-connotes-that-nobody-is-seeking-for/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [For whatever reason, the UFC wouldn't credential me during the first two years of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-helwani/for-whatever-reason-the-ufc-wouldn-t-credential-me-during-the-first/) [Ariel Helwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-helwani/) > [“A writer reports on the universe. When he presents his credentials, the gates of heaven and hell are equally opened to him. He can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/a-writer-reports-on-the-universe-when-he-presents-his-credentials-the/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If frequency with which you cite an education credential does not decrease over the course of your life, you’re not accomplishing very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-casnocha/if-frequency-with-which-you-cite-an-education-credential-does-not/) [Ben Casnocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-casnocha/) > [“Suffering is not a credential; it is an assignment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-casey/suffering-is-not-a-credential-it-is-an-assignment/) Caroline Casey Browse all 7 Credential quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I look at our modern mania for educational credentials as a kind of idol—a thing so burnished and glittery that sometimes the perfect candidate for a position is never seen because the required credential is hovering between him and Human Resources; and the idol—the thing that reflects our self-imaginings back to us—must be served. 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