Body Quote by George Boas
“A college should feel alarmed rather than pleased if it graduates nothing but good citizens. For when the body politic is composed of nothing but submissive individuals, half of its health and all of its vigor have disappeared.”
About This Quote
A college should not measure success by producing compliant citizens, because a society of submissive individuals loses its health and vigor if nobody questions or challenges.
In simple terms: Colleges should produce independent thinkers, not obedient citizens.
Key Takeaway
Encourage critical thinking and healthy dissent, not compliance.
Themes
education
critical thinking
citizenship
conformity
civic health
Mood
provocative
concerned
Type
argumentative
philosophical
When to use this quote
- designing curricula
- civic education
- workplace training
- community leadership
Key Concepts
body politic
independent thought
social vigor
Questions to Reflect On
- Does your learning environment reward questioning or compliance?
- What makes a citizen healthy for democracy?
A Different Perspective
Unrestrained criticism without cooperation can fragment communities, so balance dissent with shared responsibility.
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
