--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I suppose people who graduate from very…" description: "\"“I suppose people who graduate from very selective and expensive colleges, and receive immense reinforcement from colleagues who preceded them there, d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/james-kunstler-195852_human-nature_i-suppose-people-who-graduate-from-very_1152783.jpg" --- # I suppose people who graduate from very selective and… ![“I suppose people who graduate from very selective and expensive colleges, and receive immense reinforcement from colleagues who preceded them there, develop an inflated sense of their ability to effectively manage things, especially complex things. Many of these young, bright people cannot believe…” quote by James Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/james-kunstler-195852_human-nature_i-suppose-people-who-graduate-from-very_1152783.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/james-kunstler-195852_human-nature_i-suppose-people-who-graduate-from-very_1152783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/james-kunstler-195852_human-nature_i-suppose-people-who-graduate-from-very_1152783.jpg) > ““I suppose people who graduate from very selective and expensive colleges, and receive immense reinforcement from colleagues who preceded them there, develop an inflated sense of their ability to effectively manage things, especially complex things. Many of these young, bright people cannot believe that our creaking and foundering systems won't yield to their managerial tinkering, and the net effect must be to turn them into very cynical careerists with nothing left but personal ladder-climbing and wealth accumulation... The political left in America makes up in cynical cowardly avarice for all the mendacious stupidity on the political right, so we end up at this moment in history with a perfect blend of every bad impulse in human nature and none of the virtues.”” [James Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kunstler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elite education breeds overconfidence, leading to cynical careerism amidst systemic decay and political polarity. **In simple terms:** Privilege fuels arrogance, causing cynicism and system neglect. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of expertise. Themes education elitism politics career cynicism Mood critical skeptical Type Cynical:1 Human nature:1 Stupidity Political:0 Cynical Careerists:1 Makes Cynical:0 Turn Cynical:0 When to use this quote - corporate leadership - political analysis - personal career planning Key Concepts sociology psychology systems theory Questions to Reflect On - How does elite education affect humility? - What safeguards prevent cynical careerism? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind leaders to systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Cynical Careerists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-careerists-3266591/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Makes Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-cynical-3266592/) [Stupidity Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity-political-1536112/) [Turn Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-cynical-3266593/) ## Related quotes > [False hope really makes you cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/false-hope-really-makes-you-cynical/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If there's one thing that makes me cynical, it's optimists. They are just far too cynical about cynicism. If only they could see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/if-there-s-one-thing-that-makes-me-cynical-it-s-optimists-they-are/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I am a student of stupidity. I am a political reporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-am-a-student-of-stupidity-i-am-a-political-reporter/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I read at least one periodical every month by a political group I dislike - to keep some sense of balance. The overwhelming stupidity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-read-at-least-one-periodical-every-month-by-a-political-group-i/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [“People's capacity for turning dogmatic stupidity into political movements never ceased to amaze me. We've knocked off 99.9% of the human race and somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-e-taylor/people-s-capacity-for-turning-dogmatic-stupidity-into-political/) [Dennis E. 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McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) [Andre Siegfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-siegfried/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) ## More Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. 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McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I suppose people who graduate from very selective and expensive colleges, and receive immense reinforcement from colleagues who preceded them there, develop an inflated sense of their ability to effectively manage things, especially complex things. 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