Bronte Quote by Jamaica Kincaid
“But you know, where did the Brontes go to college? Where did George Eliot go to college? Where did Thomas Paine or Thomas Jefferson or George Washington go? Did George Washington go to college? This idea which we now have that people ought to have these credentials is really ridiculous. Where did Homer go to college?”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, The New Yorker, 1995
The belief that formal education is required for credibility is absurd; many influential figures succeeded without college degrees.
In simple terms: College isn’t essential for impact.
Key Takeaway
Value experience over credentials.
Themes
education
credibility
achievement
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- public speaking
- leadership
- creative writing
Key Concepts
self‑taught expertise
historical precedent
social bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What skills have you gained outside school?
- How does society overvalue degrees?
A Different Perspective
Formal education can provide useful networks and structured learning.
![“The importance of these [college] years for an American cannot be overestimated. They are civilization's only chance to get to him.” quote by Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/97e/allan-bloom-4105_chance_the-importance-of-these-college-years-fo_1904721.jpg)
