--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think about my education sometimes. I…" description: "\"I think about my education sometimes. I went to the University of Chicago for awhile after the Second World War. I was a student in the Department of A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/kurt-vonnegut-41_anthropology_i-think-about-my-education-sometimes-i-w_813783.jpg" --- # I think about my education sometimes. I went to the… ![“I think about my education sometimes. I went to the University of Chicago for awhile after the Second World War. I was a student in the Department of Anthropology. At that time they were teaching that there was absolutely no difference between anybody. They may be teaching that still. Another…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/kurt-vonnegut-41_anthropology_i-think-about-my-education-sometimes-i-w_813783.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/kurt-vonnegut-41_anthropology_i-think-about-my-education-sometimes-i-w_813783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/kurt-vonnegut-41_anthropology_i-think-about-my-education-sometimes-i-w_813783.jpg) > “I think about my education sometimes. I went to the University of Chicago for awhile after the Second World War. I was a student in the Department of Anthropology. At that time they were teaching that there was absolutely no difference between anybody. They may be teaching that still. Another thing they taught was that no one was ridiculous or bad or disgusting. Shortly before my father died, he said to me, ‘You know – you never wrote a story with a villain in it.’ I told him that was one of the things I learned in college after the war.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on post‑war academic teachings of universal equality and the absence of villains, linking it to personal loss and storytelling. **In simple terms:** He learned that education taught equality and no villains, influencing his view of stories. Key Takeaway Recognize that stories can explore moral complexity. Themes equality education storytelling war personal loss Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - writing - teaching - family conversations - historical reflection Key Concepts anthropology humanism ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does removing villains change a story’s impact? - What can we learn from treating all characters as equally human? A Different Perspective Some may argue that villains are essential for narrative tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthropology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthropology/) [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-died/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [My father died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-father-died/) [Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculous/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Second world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-world-war/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Thing Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-taught-285780/) [Things learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-learned/) [Think Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-education/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Told Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-things/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [Went University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-university/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-i/) ## Related quotes > [“After the war, I went to the University of Chicago, where I was pleased to study anthropology, a science that was mostly poetry, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/after-the-war-i-went-to-the-university-of-chicago-where-i-was-pleased/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up. We teach our children to look alive there, to join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as-we-were-taught-to-wake-up-we-2/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [There's one thing my old man taught me and it's the best thing he taught me. It wasn't education at college or university –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-wareing/there-s-one-thing-my-old-man-taught-me-and-it-s-the-best-thing-he/) [Marcus Wareing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-wareing/) > [I studied with the Maharishi for many years, and really didn't learn that much. But one thing that he taught me, I'll never forget:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-studied-with-the-maharishi-for-many-years-and-really-didn-t-learn/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [It is true that I have known Straussians almost all my life. And the one thing I was taught about them from the earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kagan/it-is-true-that-i-have-known-straussians-almost-all-my-life-and-the/) [Robert Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kagan/) > [One thing I was taught growing up is it's only pressure when you're not prepared. And you're just not working hard. Those are two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-brunson/one-thing-i-was-taught-growing-up-is-it-s-only-pressure-when-you-re/) [Jalen Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-brunson/) > [There is one thing I have never taught my body how to do and that is to figure out at 6 A.M. what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/there-is-one-thing-i-have-never-taught-my-body-how-to-do-and-that-is/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The most important thing anyone taught me in this business was not to take anything personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lock/the-most-important-thing-anyone-taught-me-in-this-business-was-not-to/) [Sean Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lock/) > [We are taught to want a thing. We are taught that having that thing will make us happy. We are taught that having it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gillies/we-are-taught-to-want-a-thing-we-are-taught-that-having-that-thing/) [Daniel Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gillies/) > [At this moment, then, the Negroes must begin to do the very thing which they have been taught that they cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/at-this-moment-then-the-negroes-must-begin-to-do-the-very-thing-which/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“If there's one thing you taught me, it's to never trust an answer that's actually another question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/if-there-s-one-thing-you-taught-me-it-s-to-never-trust-an-answer-that/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [One of the most important things one can do in life is to brutally question every single thing you are taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/one-of-the-most-important-things-one-can-do-in-life-is-to-brutally/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [The MFA program did one great thing for me: It taught me how to be a better reader and critic. Nothing I wrote during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/the-mfa-program-did-one-great-thing-for-me-it-taught-me-how-to-be-a/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [The one thing nobody was taught was how to deal with success, and I think that happens to everyone who makes it at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/the-one-thing-nobody-was-taught-was-how-to-deal-with-success-and-i/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [“We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up. We teach our children to look alive there, to join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as-we-were-taught-to-wake-up-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Anthropology quotes > [“Marriage," "mating," and "love" are socially constructed phenomena that have little or no transferable meaning outside any given culture. The examples we've noted of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/marriage-mating-and-love-are-socially-constructed-phenomena-that-have/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [ Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… \[The anthropologist\] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-an-intense-fascinated/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“A geneticist is a geek who claims to have proven through regression analyses that a Neanderthal had sex with your great-grandmother 50,000 years ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-geneticist-is-a-geek-who-claims-to-have-proven-through-regression/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Michael Jackson is an extremely productive ethnographer, a serious reader of phenomenological and existential philosophy, and a remarkable writer at a level that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kleinman/michael-jackson-is-an-extremely-productive-ethnographer-a-serious/) [Arthur Kleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kleinman/) > [Archaeology is the anthropology of the past, and science fiction is the anthropology of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-vinge/archaeology-is-the-anthropology-of-the-past-and-science-fiction-is/) [Joan D. 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There's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-geertz/it-s-always-amusing-to-look-at-how-something-early-in-the-20th/) [Clifford Geertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-geertz/) [Browse all 286 Anthropology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthropology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think about my education sometimes. I went to the University of Chicago for awhile after the Second World War. I was a student in the Department of Anthropology. At that time they were teaching that there was absolutely no difference between anybody. They may be teaching that still. Another thing they taught was that no one was ridiculous or bad or disgusting. 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