--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Something went greatly wrong in our…" description: "\"“Something went greatly wrong in our collective history and the starting point of it was the industrial revolution. Our school systems are focussed on ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/martinus-hendrikus-benders-182_creativity_something-went-greatly-wrong-in-our-coll_351124.jpg" --- # Something went greatly wrong in our collective history and… ![“Something went greatly wrong in our collective history and the starting point of it was the industrial revolution. Our school systems are focussed on a single objective: to produce model citizens for society in order to feed this machine and prevent its breakdown. That’s why our school systems…” quote by Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/martinus-hendrikus-benders-182_creativity_something-went-greatly-wrong-in-our-coll_351124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/martinus-hendrikus-benders-182_creativity_something-went-greatly-wrong-in-our-coll_351124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df2/martinus-hendrikus-benders-182_creativity_something-went-greatly-wrong-in-our-coll_351124.jpg) > ““Something went greatly wrong in our collective history and the starting point of it was the industrial revolution. Our school systems are focussed on a single objective: to produce model citizens for society in order to feed this machine and prevent its breakdown. That’s why our school systems have no interest in developing models that actually require and stimulate useful values in people, such as courage or imagination or inventiveness. None of these are taught in our schools, on the contrary the system focuses on memorizing. Memorizing is a way of overloading the mind with mental baggage it doesn’t really need. Besides being horribly dull and stiffening the effect of 20 years of abundant memorization training is modern man: an unimaginative creature stuffed with useless knowledge and unable to clean his mind of this information dirt: our school systems are purposely constructed to deliver mental automatons that are unable to think creatively.”” [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The industrial revolution created a system that values conformity and memorization over creativity, producing citizens who are overloaded with useless knowledge and lack imagination. **In simple terms:** Schools prioritize memorization, stifling creativity and essential values. Key Takeaway Rethink education to foster imagination and critical thinking. Themes education creativity industrialization conformity memory Mood critical reflective concerned Type analysis opinion commentary When to use this quote - curriculum reform - teacher training - student projects - community learning - policy advocacy Key Concepts critical thinking imagination courage inventiveness mental health Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance essential knowledge with creative development? - What incentives would encourage imaginative teaching? A Different Perspective Memorization can be useful for foundational knowledge; not all learning is detrimental. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Industrial revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industrial-revolution/) [Memorization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorization/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [School system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-system/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Useless knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [It's amazing to me that they're cutting physical education programs in the school systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/it-s-amazing-to-me-that-they-re-cutting-physical-education-programs/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [It has already been proven that school systems get better results on less money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-robinson/it-has-already-been-proven-that-school-systems-get-better-results-on/) [Mark Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-robinson/) > [The school systems at my childhood had enough money or enough parent involvement that they felt like learning music and songs, and exploring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/the-school-systems-at-my-childhood-had-enough-money-or-enough-parent/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [Through song you learn, and I think school systems need to learn that. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-dixon/new-york-has-one-of-the-largest-school-systems-in-the-country-but-it/) Sheila Dixon > [“Many Southern communities developed two school systems: an underfunded public system mostly attended by black students, and private schools set up for white children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-green/many-southern-communities-developed-two-school-systems-an-underfunded/) [Kristen Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-green/) > [The system that had grown up in most states is that wealthy districts with an affluent population can afford to spend a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/the-system-that-had-grown-up-in-most-states-is-that-wealthy-districts/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [It is a commonplace by now to say that the urban school systems of America contain a higher percentage of Negro children each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/it-is-a-commonplace-by-now-to-say-that-the-urban-school-systems-of/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“Public schools were not only created in the interests of industrialism—they were created in the image of industrialism. In many ways, they reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/public-schools-were-not-only-created-in-the-interests-of/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [I was home-schooled. My mom wasn't a fan of public school systems. She was scared of letting me go. So, she home-schooled my siblings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-robertson/i-was-home-schooled-my-mom-wasn-t-a-fan-of-public-school-systems-she/) [Britt Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-robertson/) > [Our school systems have to realize that everybody doesn't learn the same way, and no one learns without some emotional support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/our-school-systems-have-to-realize-that-everybody-doesn-t-learn-the/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) ## More by Martinus Hendrikus Benders > [“Not to mention the fact that the belief in conspiracy theories is already a form of conspiracy theory in itself. It's to me not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/not-to-mention-the-fact-that-the-belief-in-conspiracy-theories-is/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Last week I wrote that the reason Hollywood films are so bad last 10 years is that all the better scriptwriters were hired by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/last-week-i-wrote-that-the-reason-hollywood-films-are-so-bad-last-10/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Thinking outside the box' is ridiculous nonsense, since whatever you can do in a 'box' or closed environment is not 'thinking'. If I 'think'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/thinking-outside-the-box-is-ridiculous-nonsense-since-whatever-you/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Mr Rutger cornet de Groot. Never read any American poetry or any other foreign poetry, which is why he always mentions 2 poets as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/mr-rutger-cornet-de-groot-never-read-any-american-poetry-or-any-other/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“What is the role of intellectuals in Europe? There's this debate in which all speakers do not appear to me to even be intellectuals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/what-is-the-role-of-intellectuals-in-europe-there-s-this-debate-in/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“I think i am too chaotic to ever get depressed. Depression somehow requires an ordered mind where the depression can get hold. Depressions just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/i-think-i-am-too-chaotic-to-ever-get-depressed-depression-somehow/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“If you ask me, I think Jerry Springer destroyed the public image of the USA. I mean up to early in the nineties I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/if-you-ask-me-i-think-jerry-springer-destroyed-the-public-image-of/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“My Latin girlfriend sees me read, snigger, read on intensily and said "you look like someone who is attacked by a butterfly "" mails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/my-latin-girlfriend-sees-me-read-snigger-read-on-intensily-and-said/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Talent is 98% hard work - even Brel said so. The best signal for lack of talent is therefore quite simply low production. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/talent-is-98-hard-work-even-brel-said-so-the-best-signal-for-lack-of/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Remember this: a simple pen is much more swift and much more precise than a camera. That's my advice to both beginning and experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/remember-this-a-simple-pen-is-much-more-swift-and-much-more-precise/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“I have female friends that get mails from publishers that read 'Hey. I heard you write about sex. This is a very popular topic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/i-have-female-friends-that-get-mails-from-publishers-that-read-hey-i/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“I have always said that whomever has limited preferences cannot be a critic, for the same reason some guy who only likes blondes cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/i-have-always-said-that-whomever-has-limited-preferences-cannot-be-a/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Movements in literature were not caricatures - in the sense that they actually functioned as an ideology in politics does. As now a monopolistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/movements-in-literature-were-not-caricatures-in-the-sense-that-they/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“Every writer on this planet THINKS he is a great writer (why waste your entire life writing when you believe you are mediocre?) but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/every-writer-on-this-planet-thinks-he-is-a-great-writer-why-waste/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) > [“In 2009 i was nominated for the 'best dutch poetry debute' called 'the buddingh award'. It's supposed to be the most important debut price.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/in-2009-i-was-nominated-for-the-best-dutch-poetry-debute-called-the/) [Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) [Explore all 35 Martinus Hendrikus Benders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) Andrei Amalrik > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. 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As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Something went greatly wrong in our collective history and the starting point of it was the industrial revolution. Our school systems are focussed on a single objective: to produce model citizens for society in order to feed this machine and prevent its breakdown. 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