--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is desperately needed... is the…" description: "\"What is desperately needed... is the skepticism and the sense of history that a liberal arts education provides.\" — Felix Rohatyn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/felix-rohatyn-31493_art_what-is-desperately-needed-is-the-skepti_556969.png" --- # What is desperately needed... is the skepticism and the… ![“What is desperately needed... is the skepticism and the sense of history that a liberal arts education provides.” quote by Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/felix-rohatyn-31493_art_what-is-desperately-needed-is-the-skepti_556969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/felix-rohatyn-31493_art_what-is-desperately-needed-is-the-skepti_556969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/felix-rohatyn-31493_art_what-is-desperately-needed-is-the-skepti_556969.png) > “What is desperately needed... is the skepticism and the sense of history that a liberal arts education provides.” [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A liberal arts education cultivates critical thinking, historical perspective, and healthy skepticism, which are essential in modern society. **In simple terms:** Liberal arts teach critical thinking and historical context. Key Takeaway Value and protect liberal arts curricula. Themes education critical thinking history skepticism liberal arts Mood thoughtful inspirational Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - journalism - business strategy - public debate Key Concepts humanities civic engagement intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - How does historical perspective shape current decisions? - What role does skepticism play in innovation? A Different Perspective May overlook practical skills needed for specific jobs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-education/) [Arts education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arts-education/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-liberal-914476/) [Liberal arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-arts/) [Liberal arts education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-arts-education/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-skepticism-4624890/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Skepticism Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism-sense-2811781/) ## Related quotes > [For some students, especially in the sciences, the knowledge gained in college may be directly relevant to graduate study. For almost all students, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/for-some-students-especially-in-the-sciences-the-knowledge-gained-in/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [The purpose of a liberal arts education is to learn that a person can like both cats and dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/the-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-education-is-to-learn-that-a-person-can/) [Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/) > [My personal advice is to go to school first and get a liberal arts education, and then if you want to pursue acting, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-bach/my-personal-advice-is-to-go-to-school-first-and-get-a-liberal-arts/) [Jillian Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-bach/) > [I do think that a general liberal arts education is very important, particularly in an uncertain changing world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/i-do-think-that-a-general-liberal-arts-education-is-very-important/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-m-white/the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-education-is-to-liberate-the/) [Barbara M. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-m-white/) > [Contrary to what some folks would have us believe, it is not tragic, even if undesirable, for a person to leave a liberal arts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/contrary-to-what-some-folks-would-have-us-believe-it-is-not-tragic/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I got a liberal arts education just because I felt like I should to keep my parents happy, but it was for them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-hahn/i-got-a-liberal-arts-education-just-because-i-felt-like-i-should-to/) [Kathryn Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-hahn/) > [When I finished high school, I was 16, and in Argentina you have to choose a career right after high school. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-pelli/when-i-finished-high-school-i-was-16-and-in-argentina-you-have-to/) [Cesar Pelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-pelli/) > [This is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/this-is-what-the-real-no-bullshit-value-of-your-liberal-arts/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [When faced with the inevitable, you always have a choice… As I learned during my liberal arts education, any symbol can have, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-faced-with-the-inevitable-you-always-have-a-choice-as-i-learned/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I wasnt using college as a stepping stone to law school or some other career. I just wanted a liberal-arts education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-wasnt-using-college-as-a-stepping-stone-to-law-school-or-some-other/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I think the more you have a generalist perspective, I think sometimes the more you can kind of see through the forest and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/i-think-the-more-you-have-a-generalist-perspective-i-think-sometimes/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [Unless you took courses in architecture, engineering, or pre-med, the rest of your liberal arts education hardly prepares you for life as the business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/unless-you-took-courses-in-architecture-engineering-or-pre-med-the/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I do regret that when I went to college, I didn't have a liberal arts education. I got a BFA in musical theater, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-dubrow/i-do-regret-that-when-i-went-to-college-i-didn-t-have-a-liberal-arts/) [Heather Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-dubrow/) > [“They were and are children of privilege... the privilege taught, learned, and imbibed, in a "liberal arts education" is the privilege to indict. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/they-were-and-are-children-of-privilege-the-privilege-taught-learned/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) ## More by Felix Rohatyn > [I think there are two areas where new ideas are terribly dangerous: economics and sex. By and large, it's all been tried, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/i-think-there-are-two-areas-where-new-ideas-are-terribly-dangerous/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [Hillary Brown understands that?for our grandchildren's sake?we must rebuild America and, in doing so, re-imagine our interconnected infrastructure systems to make them more efficient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/hillary-brown-understands-that-for-our-grandchildren-s-sake-we-must/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [I am a capitalist and I believe in making a profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/i-am-a-capitalist-and-i-believe-in-making-a-profit/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [Investment banking is not a business; it is a personal service where bankers work hand in hand with their clients. 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It was scary, because any child knew that death was sort of lurking around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/the-early-years-of-my-life-were-very-very-traumatic-it-was-scary/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [In the 1970s, New York City avoided bankruptcy because wise political leaders like Gov. Hugh L. Carey believed both in strong labor unions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/in-the-1970s-new-york-city-avoided-bankruptcy-because-wise-political/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [The whole market mechanism and its evolution is something that, I'm kind of of the Buffett School. You know, if I see a derivative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/the-whole-market-mechanism-and-its-evolution-is-something-that-i-m/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [Saving New York City from bankruptcy is like making love to a gorilla. 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