--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine my surprise when it turned out…" description: "\"Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that I was qualified for was to get another degree and teach Political Science to other people, w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/richard-jeni-12490_amway_imagine-my-surprise-when-it-turned-out-t_740685.png" --- # Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that… ![“Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that I was qualified for was to get another degree and teach Political Science to other people, who would, in turn, teach it to other people! This wasn't higher education, this was Amway with a football team!” quote by Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/richard-jeni-12490_amway_imagine-my-surprise-when-it-turned-out-t_740685.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/richard-jeni-12490_amway_imagine-my-surprise-when-it-turned-out-t_740685.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b9/richard-jeni-12490_amway_imagine-my-surprise-when-it-turned-out-t_740685.png) > “Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that I was qualified for was to get another degree and teach Political Science to other people, who would, in turn, teach it to other people! This wasn't higher education, this was Amway with a football team!” [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker discovers that their qualifications lead to a repetitive teaching cycle, likening it to a dubious sales scheme. **In simple terms:** Teaching became a repetitive, profit‑driven loop. Key Takeaway Beware of roles that feel like endless resale. Themes career education repetition exploitation irony Mood cynical humorous critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - academic hiring - corporate training - mentor programs - self‑employment Key Concepts knowledge transfer systemic redundancy commercialization Questions to Reflect On - Do you see yourself in a similar loop? - How can you break the cycle? A Different Perspective The quote may exaggerate for humor, overlooking genuine educational value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-team/) [Higher Ed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-ed/) [Higher education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-education/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-science/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) ## Related quotes > [I have always argued that newspapers should not have any civic purpose beyond telling readers what is happening... A reporter who doesn't quickly tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/i-have-always-argued-that-newspapers-should-not-have-any-civic/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) > [I don't have a sort of Amway-esque chart up on my refrigerator or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-have-a-sort-of-amway-esque-chart-up-on-my-refrigerator-or/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [All of which is mostly bullshit. The reality is that it's just like any other Ponzi scheme: the guys at the top are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-goldberg/all-of-which-is-mostly-bullshit-the-reality-is-that-it-s-just-like/) [Tod Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-goldberg/) > [The company calls it 'downsizing' or 'rightsizing.' My own informal "Name the Layoff" contest produced some other euphemisms: Retroactive Hiring Freeze, Resume Revision Days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-dauten/the-company-calls-it-downsizing-or-rightsizing-my-own-informal-name/) [Dale Dauten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-dauten/) > [Amway gets people into a new life of excitement, promise, profit, and hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-van-andel/amway-gets-people-into-a-new-life-of-excitement-promise-profit-and/) Jay Van Andel > [“...poor countries are poor because those who have power make choices that create poverty. They get it wrong not by mistake or ignorance but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/poor-countries-are-poor-because-those-who-have-power-make-choices/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Or the Japanese may go in an entirely different direction—an interesting possibility, given that the West itself has now begun to question whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-smith/or-the-japanese-may-go-in-an-entirely-different-direction-an/) Patrick Smith > [“The decline of geography in academia is easy to understand: we live in an age of ever-increasing specialization, and geography is a generalist's discipline.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/the-decline-of-geography-in-academia-is-easy-to-understand-we-live-in/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“It is your duty,' he said, 'to recover your country not by gold but by the sword. You will be fighting with all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/it-is-your-duty-he-said-to-recover-your-country-not-by-gold-but-by/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“In ancient Greece more than one royal house was guilty of crime which became the stuff of tragedy: now Rome was to follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-ancient-greece-more-than-one-royal-house-was-guilty-of-crime-which/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Unfortunately, Climate Science has become Political Science. It is tragic that some perhaps well-meaning but politically motivated scientists who should know better have whipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-austin/unfortunately-climate-science-has-become-political-science-it-is/) Robert H Austin > [“A dead martyr can be manipulated by his heirs; a living one is apt to drag his colleagues to the extremes dictated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-peter-nettl/a-dead-martyr-can-be-manipulated-by-his-heirs-a-living-one-is-apt-to/) [John Peter Nettl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-peter-nettl/) > [I spend time in the classroom. I think more of them aren't political science than are political science. I particularly like talking to journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-edgar/i-spend-time-in-the-classroom-i-think-more-of-them-aren-t-political/) [Jim Edgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-edgar/) > [“Equality of condition and equality of opportunity must provide the foundation of an interdependent nation with building blocks found in dignity and respect given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-banks-lewis/equality-of-condition-and-equality-of-opportunity-must-provide-the/) Julie Banks Lewis ## More by Richard Jeni > [It is a sad fact that 50 percent of marriages in this country end in divorce. But hey, the other half end in death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/it-is-a-sad-fact-that-50-percent-of-marriages-in-this-country-end-in/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [There is no romance without some lying. That's what romance is - a little bit of Vaseline on the camera lens of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/there-is-no-romance-without-some-lying-that-s-what-romance-is-a/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [I think that's how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, 'Gee, I'm enjoying the crime and the poverty, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/i-think-that-s-how-chicago-got-started-a-bunch-of-people-in-new-york/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [I met a girl, we ate, we drank, had sex, got married, had affairs, broke up - God, what a night that was!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/i-met-a-girl-we-ate-we-drank-had-sex-got-married-had-affairs-broke-up/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Ridiculous that some people feel superior to the gay minority. They're the only couples you'll ever find poking around for ceramics and candle holders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/ridiculous-that-some-people-feel-superior-to-the-gay-minority-they-re/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Success is made up of courage, brains, and luck. Since the first two are a function of the third, it's pretty much all luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/success-is-made-up-of-courage-brains-and-luck-since-the-first-two-are/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Easiest job you could ever have... whoever gets to put Michael Jackson in a witness chair and create reasonable doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/easiest-job-you-could-ever-have-whoever-gets-to-put-michael-jackson/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [A bunch of money-grubbin', greenhouse-gasing, seal-clubbing, oil-drilling, Bible-thumping, missile-firing, right-to-life-ing, lethal-injecting hypocrites. People whose idea of a good time is strapping a dead panda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/a-bunch-of-money-grubbin-greenhouse-gasing-seal-clubbing-oil-drilling/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Say whatever you want. But the United States has a kickass military and really good bullshit marketing people. If this country was a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/say-whatever-you-want-but-the-united-states-has-a-kickass-military/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [It's always the guy who gets the diarrhea on the commercial at an inconvenient moment. As if you've ever been in a situation: 'You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/it-s-always-the-guy-who-gets-the-diarrhea-on-the-commercial-at-an/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Lobsters one of the only animals that have to put up with being alive in the restaurant. If you go to a steakhouse, folks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/lobsters-one-of-the-only-animals-that-have-to-put-up-with-being-alive/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [The way I see life, it's like we're all flying on the Hindenburg, why fight over the window seats?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/the-way-i-see-life-it-s-like-we-re-all-flying-on-the-hindenburg-why/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Religious war at its simplest is killing each other over who has the best imaginary friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/religious-war-at-its-simplest-is-killing-each-other-over-who-has-the/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [You know what the average person is? Average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/you-know-what-the-average-person-is-average/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Live each day as if it were the last day of your life because, so far, it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/live-each-day-as-if-it-were-the-last-day-of-your-life-because-so-far/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) [Explore all 54 Richard Jeni quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) ## More Amway quotes > [Amway gets people into a new life of excitement, promise, profit, and hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-van-andel/amway-gets-people-into-a-new-life-of-excitement-promise-profit-and/) Jay Van Andel > [The company calls it 'downsizing' or 'rightsizing.' My own informal "Name the Layoff" contest produced some other euphemisms: Retroactive Hiring Freeze, Resume Revision Days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-dauten/the-company-calls-it-downsizing-or-rightsizing-my-own-informal-name/) [Dale Dauten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-dauten/) > [All of which is mostly bullshit. The reality is that it's just like any other Ponzi scheme: the guys at the top are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-goldberg/all-of-which-is-mostly-bullshit-the-reality-is-that-it-s-just-like/) [Tod Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-goldberg/) > [I don't have a sort of Amway-esque chart up on my refrigerator or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-have-a-sort-of-amway-esque-chart-up-on-my-refrigerator-or/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) Browse all 5 Amway quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that I was qualified for was to get another degree and teach Political Science to other people, who would, in turn, teach it to other people! 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