Baskets Quote by Mark Twain
“All schools, all colleges, have two great functions: to confer, and to conceal, valuable knowledge. The theological knowledge which they conceal cannot justly be regarded as less valuable than that which they reveal. That is, when a man is buying a basket of strawberries it can profit him to know that the bottom half of it is rotten.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gilded Age, 1873
Institutions hide valuable knowledge while presenting others, like rotten strawberries.
In simple terms: Schools conceal as much as they reveal.
Key Takeaway
Question what knowledge is hidden.
Themes
education
truth
critical thinking
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- political discourse
Key Concepts
academic curricula
information access
Questions to Reflect On
- What knowledge might be concealed in your field?
- How can you uncover hidden truths?
A Different Perspective
Hidden bias can mislead learners.
