--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today, there are two worlds that use the…" description: "\"“Today, there are two worlds that use the word education with opposite meanings: One world consists of the schools and colleges (and even graduate scho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png" --- # Today, there are two worlds that use the word education… ![“Today, there are two worlds that use the word education with opposite meanings: One world consists of the schools and colleges (and even graduate schools) of our education complex, in which standardization prevails. In that world, an industrial training megastructure strives to turn out identical…” quote by Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png) > ““Today, there are two worlds that use the word education with opposite meanings: One world consists of the schools and colleges (and even graduate schools) of our education complex, in which standardization prevails. In that world, an industrial training megastructure strives to turn out identical replicas of a product called “people educated for the twenty-first century.” The second is the world of information, knowledge, and wisdom, in which the real population of the world resides when not incarcerated in schools. In that world, learning takes place like it always did, and teaching consists of imparting one’s wisdom, among other things, to voluntary listeners.”” [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ackoff contrasts two educational models: one standardized and industrial, the other focused on wisdom and voluntary learning. **In simple terms:** Two types of education: standardized schooling vs. wisdom sharing. Key Takeaway Promote learning that values wisdom over mere standardization. Themes education standardization wisdom learning culture Mood critical inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - school reform - community workshops - online platforms - self‑directed study Key Concepts Industrial model informal knowledge transfer Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance standardized curricula with wisdom‑based learning? - What practices foster voluntary, wisdom‑focused education? A Different Perspective Standardization can stifle creativity and critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge and wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [It doesnt matter wether your black or white all that matter is the world learning a language called love and beautiful colours show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-luvuka/it-doesnt-matter-wether-your-black-or-white-all-that-matter-is-the/) Vincent Luvuka > [In today's world, learning has become the key to economic prosperity, social cohesion and personal fulfillment. We can no longer afford to educate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/in-today-s-world-learning-has-become-the-key-to-economic-prosperity/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/four-things-support-the-world-the-learning-of-the-wise-the-justice-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world of learning is so broad, and the human soul is so limited in power! We reach forth and strain every nerve, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/the-world-of-learning-is-so-broad-and-the-human-soul-is-so-limited-in/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [The world of learning is so broad, and the human soul is so limited in power!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/the-world-of-learning-is-so-broad-and-the-human-soul-is-so-limited-in-2/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [We have outstanding schools, world-class teaching and inspirational leadership across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/we-have-outstanding-schools-world-class-teaching-and-inspirational/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [Around the world we have girls in primary school at about the same rate now as boys, but keeping them in quality secondary schools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/around-the-world-we-have-girls-in-primary-school-at-about-the-same/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [...through schools of the world we shall disseminate a new conception of government - one that will embrace all of the collective activities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rugg/through-schools-of-the-world-we-shall-disseminate-a-new-conception-of/) Harold Rugg > [Private schools cannot be the answer to nation's needs. Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway are leading examples where government schools are world acclaimed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-wangchuk/private-schools-cannot-be-the-answer-to-nation-s-needs-denmark-sweden/) [Sonam Wangchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-wangchuk/) > [I didn't design schools for poor kids. I'm designing schools to be world-class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-moskowitz/i-didn-t-design-schools-for-poor-kids-i-m-designing-schools-to-be/) [Eva Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-moskowitz/) > [ In a nutshell, this United Nations non-profit organization \[World Food Programme\] feeds millions of starving children at schools in third world countries as an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/in-a-nutshell-this-united-nations-non-profit-organization-world-food/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [When I've stopped doing workouts and YouTube videos, I want this content that I've created to be used in schools all around the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wicks/when-i-ve-stopped-doing-workouts-and-youtube-videos-i-want-this/) [Joe Wicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wicks/) > [We want to end poverty and protect our environment. But we think the most efficient way of achieving that is to change the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kielburger/we-want-to-end-poverty-and-protect-our-environment-but-we-think-the/) [Craig Kielburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kielburger/) > [“Books educate people and educated people ask awkward questions of those who govern them. The educated, in short, are considered ungovernable. Better to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-economist/books-educate-people-and-educated-people-ask-awkward-questions-of/) [The Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-economist/) > [Just in general, any government throughout history hasn't really wanted its people to be educated, because then they couldn't control them as easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/just-in-general-any-government-throughout-history-hasn-t-really/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) ## More by Russell L. Ackoff > [Creativity is the ability to identify self-imposed constraints, remove them, and explore the consequences of their removal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/creativity-is-the-ability-to-identify-self-imposed-constraints-remove/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [Managers who don't know how to measure what they want settle for wanting what they can measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/managers-who-don-t-know-how-to-measure-what-they-want-settle-for/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [A bureaucrat is one who has the power to say "no" but none to say "yes."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/a-bureaucrat-is-one-who-has-the-power-to-say-no-but-none-to-say-yes/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [A problem never exists in isolation; it is surrounded by other problems in space and time. The more of the context of a problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/a-problem-never-exists-in-isolation-it-is-surrounded-by-other/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“Contrary to the impression that the educational system promulgates, there are no absolute answers to questions; the correct answer to a question depends on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/contrary-to-the-impression-that-the-educational-system-promulgates/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [Most corporate mission statements are worthless. They consist largely of pious platitudes such as: "We will hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/most-corporate-mission-statements-are-worthless-they-consist-largely/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“Reality consists of sets of interacting problems, systems of problems we call “messes.” As previously noted, problems are abstractions extracted from reality by analysis.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/reality-consists-of-sets-of-interacting-problems-systems-of-problems/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“Those involved in the redesign process must know what they would do if they could do whatever they wanted. Such knowledge is essential if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/those-involved-in-the-redesign-process-must-know-what-they-would-do/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [ “Cizek came to Vienna \[from Leitmeritz, a small town in Bohemia, then Austrian\] when he was twenty \[in 1885\], and entered the Academy of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/cizek-came-to-vienna-from-leitmeritz-a-small-town-in-bohemia-then/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [The future is better dealt with using assumptions than forecasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/the-future-is-better-dealt-with-using-assumptions-than-forecasts/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“One might wonder how on earth learning came to be seen primarily a result of teaching. Until quite recently, the world’s great teachers were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/one-might-wonder-how-on-earth-learning-came-to-be-seen-primarily-a/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [The more efficient you are at doing the wrong thing, the wronger you become. It is much better to do the right thing wronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/the-more-efficient-you-are-at-doing-the-wrong-thing-the-wronger-you/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [“The educational environment of children should encourage them to continue to explore the open-ended connections between their experiences, and to be receptive to new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/the-educational-environment-of-children-should-encourage-them-to/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [The lower the rank of managers, the more they know about fewer things. The higher the rank of managers, the less they know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/the-lower-the-rank-of-managers-the-more-they-know-about-fewer-things/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [It is the satisfaction we derive from 'going there' in contrast to the satisfaction derived from 'getting there.' Recreation provides 'the pause that refreshes.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/it-is-the-satisfaction-we-derive-from-going-there-in-contrast-to-the/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) [Explore all 49 Russell L. Ackoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Today, there are two worlds that use the word education with opposite meanings: One world consists of the schools and colleges (and even graduate schools) of our education complex, in which standardization prevails. In that world, an industrial training megastructure strives to turn out identical replicas of a product called “people educated for the twenty-first century.” The second is the world of information, knowledge, and wisdom, in which the real population of the world resides when not incarcerated in schools. In that world, learning takes place like it always did, and teaching consists of imparting one’s wisdom, among other things, to voluntary listeners.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Russell L. Ackoff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the-word-education-with-opposite/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the-word-education-with-opposite/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/russell-l-ackoff-12928_education_today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the_1090139.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Today, there are two worlds that use the word education with opposite meanings: One world consists of the…” — Russell L. Ackoff", "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": "Russell L. Ackoff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Today, there are two worlds that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the-word-education-with-opposite/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/today-there-are-two-worlds-that-use-the-word-education-with-opposite/#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 } } ] } ```