--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Educationalists who think they can…" description: "\"“Educationalists who think they can understand the young are enthusiasts. Youth does not want to be understood; it wants only to be let alone. It prese..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/erich-maria-remarque-568_children_educationalists-who-think-they-can-under_2166717.jpg" --- # Educationalists who think they can understand the young… ![“Educationalists who think they can understand the young are enthusiasts. Youth does not want to be understood; it wants only to be let alone. It preserves itself immune against the insidious bacillus of being understood. The grown-up who would approach it too importunately is as ridiculous in its…” quote by Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/erich-maria-remarque-568_children_educationalists-who-think-they-can-under_2166717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/erich-maria-remarque-568_children_educationalists-who-think-they-can-under_2166717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/erich-maria-remarque-568_children_educationalists-who-think-they-can-under_2166717.jpg) > ““Educationalists who think they can understand the young are enthusiasts. Youth does not want to be understood; it wants only to be let alone. It preserves itself immune against the insidious bacillus of being understood. The grown-up who would approach it too importunately is as ridiculous in its eyes as if he had put on children's clothes. We may feel with our youth, but youth does not feel with us. That is its salvation.”” [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youth resists being understood; it seeks freedom from adult attempts to define it, preserving its own identity. **In simple terms:** Youth wants independence, not adult analysis. Key Takeaway Respect youth autonomy. Themes youth independence misunderstanding generational gap identity Mood thoughtful protective critical Type philosophical cautionary When to use this quote - education - parenting - mentoring - policy making Key Concepts psychology social dynamics autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to “let youth be”? - How can adults support without imposing? A Different Perspective Adults may misinterpret youth needs, leading to overreach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Educationalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educationalists-1232890/) [Educationalists Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educationalists-think-4621741/) [Enthusiasts Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasts-youth-4621742/) [Feel Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-youth-4621743/) [Understand Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-young-3144322/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Hitherto the plans of the educationalists have achieved very little of what they attempted, and indeed we may well thank the beneficent obstinacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/hitherto-the-plans-of-the-educationalists-have-achieved-very-little/) [C. S. 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