--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main aim of education should be to…" description: "\"“The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in their heads so that, while seated on the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg" --- # The main aim of education should be to send children out… ![“The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in their heads so that, while seated on the lavatory, waiting in doctor's surgeries, on stationary trains or watching interviews with politicians, they have something interesting to think about.” quote by John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg) > ““The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in their heads so that, while seated on the lavatory, waiting in doctor's surgeries, on stationary trains or watching interviews with politicians, they have something interesting to think about.”” [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education should equip people with a broad base of knowledge to draw upon in everyday moments. **In simple terms:** Teach broad knowledge for everyday conversation. Key Takeaway Cultivate a wide, mental anthology. Themes education knowledge conversation curiosity Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - waiting rooms - travel - political interviews - casual chats Key Concepts humanities generalist thinking cultural literacy Questions to Reflect On - What topics would you include in your mental anthology? - How can you balance depth and breadth? A Different Perspective May overload with irrelevant facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Surgery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surgery/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My main aim is to finish as high up the top of the Premier League as possible. I have the ability to help teams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/my-main-aim-is-to-finish-as-high-up-the-top-of-the-premier-league-as/) [Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/) > [My main aim is poverty reduction in the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-patnaik/my-main-aim-is-poverty-reduction-in-the-state/) [Naveen Patnaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-patnaik/) > [Modern man has transformed himself into a commodity; he experiences his life energy as an investment with which he should make the highest profit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-has-transformed-himself-into-a-commodity-he-experiences/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Even when we first got put together we always said we wanted to do music to inspire people, that was our main aim. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-anne-pinnock/even-when-we-first-got-put-together-we-always-said-we-wanted-to-do/) [Leigh-Anne Pinnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-anne-pinnock/) > [The main aim is to up my game at every possible turn without compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-romero/the-main-aim-is-to-up-my-game-at-every-possible-turn-without/) [Nicky Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-romero/) > [One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most important motive for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/one-should-guard-against-preaching-to-young-people-success-in-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [That's always the main aim: to get the clean sheet, then the team can get the win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/that-s-always-the-main-aim-to-get-the-clean-sheet-then-the-team-can/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [ The main aim of the \[political\] dialogue should be to resolve the problems of the nation, not to find who is the winner and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/the-main-aim-of-the-political-dialogue-should-be-to-resolve-the/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [The aim of all education is, or should be, to teach people to educate themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-j-toynbee/the-aim-of-all-education-is-or-should-be-to-teach-people-to-educate/) [Arnold J. Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-j-toynbee/) > [I will suggest that the great aim of our education is to bring out of the child who comes into our hands every faculty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/i-will-suggest-that-the-great-aim-of-our-education-is-to-bring-out-of/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [The end and aim of all education is the development of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-wayland-parker/the-end-and-aim-of-all-education-is-the-development-of-character/) Francis Wayland Parker > [The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-great-aim-of-education-is-not-knowledge-but-action/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [The aim of education is to enable individuals to continue their education — or that the object and reward of learning is continued capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-aim-of-education-is-to-enable-individuals-to-continue-their/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“The aim of education should be to teach us how to think, rather than what to think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-beattie/the-aim-of-education-should-be-to-teach-us-how-to-think-rather-than/) [James Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-beattie/) > [Our aim in education is to give a full life. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests. Life should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mason/our-aim-in-education-is-to-give-a-full-life-we-owe-it-to-them-to/) [Charlotte Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mason/) ## More by John Mortimer > [“Take sex, for instance.' 'What do you want me to do with it?' 'Try to be serious for a moment. Take the sex life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/take-sex-for-instance-what-do-you-want-me-to-do-with-it-try-to-be/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [I knew nothing about farce until I read Puce a l'Oreille, and had no idea what a deadly serious business it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-knew-nothing-about-farce-until-i-read-puce-a-l-oreille-and-had-no/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Do we want blanks, asterisks and exclamation marks which people can fill in with their own imaginations, or are we prepared and strong enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/do-we-want-blanks-asterisks-and-exclamation-marks-which-people-can/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Voting Liberal is a non-thing. Historically, it might be a good idea to have a Conservative government, because change is a good thing. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/voting-liberal-is-a-non-thing-historically-it-might-be-a-good-idea-to/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [“I sent out words like soldiers to battle and they never returned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-sent-out-words-like-soldiers-to-battle-and-they-never-returned/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Dying is a matter of slapstick and pratfalls. The ageing process is not gradual or gentle. 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I think after you've read Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and Huckleberry Finn, you're ready for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/i-don-t-believe-in-children-s-books-i-think-after-you-ve-read/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [On the three pigs he and his wife own: "We acquired the pigs last year. My wife was born on a pig farm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/on-the-three-pigs-he-and-his-wife-own-we-acquired-the-pigs-last-year/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [“On the cover of this publication a bikini-clad young woman disported herself with a medicine ball, both articles looking as though they had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/on-the-cover-of-this-publication-a-bikini-clad-young-woman-disported/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) [Explore all 92 John Mortimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in their heads so that, while seated on the lavatory, waiting in doctor's surgeries, on stationary trains or watching interviews with politicians, they have something interesting to think about.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Mortimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-send-children-out-into-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-send-children-out-into-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/john-mortimer-7362_aim_the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-s_407272.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The main aim of education should be to send children out into the world with a reasonably sized anthology in…” — John Mortimer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Mortimer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The main aim of education should...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-send-children-out-into-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/the-main-aim-of-education-should-be-to-send-children-out-into-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```