--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As illusions go, this one is pretty…" description: "\"“As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re obsessed with efficiency and productivity, it’s difficult to see the real value of education..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/rutger-bregman-2463_education_as-illusions-go-this-one-is-pretty-stubb_950295.jpg" --- # As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re… ![“As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re obsessed with efficiency and productivity, it’s difficult to see the real value of education and care. Which is why so many politicians and taxpayers alike see only costs. They don’t realize that the richer a country becomes the more it…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/rutger-bregman-2463_education_as-illusions-go-this-one-is-pretty-stubb_950295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/rutger-bregman-2463_education_as-illusions-go-this-one-is-pretty-stubb_950295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d52/rutger-bregman-2463_education_as-illusions-go-this-one-is-pretty-stubb_950295.jpg) > ““As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re obsessed with efficiency and productivity, it’s difficult to see the real value of education and care. Which is why so many politicians and taxpayers alike see only costs. They don’t realize that the richer a country becomes the more it should be spending on teachers and doctors. Instead of regarding these increases as a blessing, they’re viewed as a disease. Yet unless we prefer to run our schools and hospitals as if they were factories, we can be certain that, in the race against the machine, the costs of healthcare and education will only go up. At the same time, products like refrigerators and cars have become too cheap. To look solely at the price of a product is to ignore a large share of the costs. In fact, a British think tank estimated that for every pound earned by advertising executives, they destroy an equivalent of £7 in the form of stress, overconsumption, pollution, and debt; conversely, each pound paid to a trash collector creates an equivalent of £12 in terms of health and sustainability.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often undervalues education and healthcare, treating necessary spending as a burden rather than an investment, especially as efficiency becomes a cultural obsession. **In simple terms:** Education and health are seen as costs, not investments. Key Takeaway Invest more in teachers and doctors as wealth grows. Themes education healthcare economics policy inequality Mood concerned reflective Type analytical policy‑oriented When to use this quote - government budgeting - public health planning - school administration - urban development - environmental policy Key Concepts public goods externalities social welfare Questions to Reflect On - How can we reframe public spending as an investment? - What policies can reveal hidden costs of cheap goods? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on short‑term efficiency can ignore long‑term societal benefits and hidden costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Real value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-value/) [Value of education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-of-education/) ## Related quotes > [I probably didn't put forth the effort I should have put forth, didn't realize the value of education until I went to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-moyer/i-probably-didn-t-put-forth-the-effort-i-should-have-put-forth-didn-t/) [Jamie Moyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-moyer/) > [“This is not a con game in the criminal sense, in which con artists deliberately dupe the suckers. Instead it's a form of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-labaree/this-is-not-a-con-game-in-the-criminal-sense-in-which-con-artists/) David F. Labaree > [We should not value education as a means to prosperity, but prosperity as a means to education. Only then will our priorities be right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/we-should-not-value-education-as-a-means-to-prosperity-but-prosperity/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Yes, many immigrants cherish the value of choice and opportunity and the value of education more than 7th or 8th generation Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/yes-many-immigrants-cherish-the-value-of-choice-and-opportunity-and/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [“these fond parents were not blind to the value of education it was that they realized only its external value. That is to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-goncharov/these-fond-parents-were-not-blind-to-the-value-of-education-it-was/) [Ivan Goncharov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-goncharov/) > [Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personality, increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/herein-lies-the-real-value-of-education-advanced-education-may-or-may-3/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [I came to understand the value of education, not just to enable me to make a good living, but to enable me to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/i-came-to-understand-the-value-of-education-not-just-to-enable-me-to/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/regard-man-as-a-mine-rich-in-gems-of-inestimable-value-education-can/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [“To sustain the value of education, students should be respected as much as the teachers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-sustain-the-value-of-education-students-should-be-respected-as/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personality, increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/herein-lies-the-real-value-of-education-advanced-education-may-or-may-2/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [There is no such thing as education. The thing is merely a loose phrase for the passing on to others of whatever truth or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-education-the-thing-is-merely-a-loose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a high school dropout, I understand the value of education: A second chance at obtaining my high school diploma through the G.I. Bill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/as-a-high-school-dropout-i-understand-the-value-of-education-a-second/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [Herein lies the real value of education. Advanced education may or may not make men and women more efficient; but it enriches personality, increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/herein-lies-the-real-value-of-education-advanced-education-may-or-may/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [I was blessed to have a mother and father that recognized the value of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-was-blessed-to-have-a-mother-and-father-that-recognized-the-value/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [“...the value of education is among the greatest of all human values...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-value-of-education-is-among-the-greatest-of-all-human-values/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## 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. 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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. 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(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": "“As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re obsessed with efficiency and productivity, it’s difficult to see the real value of education and care. Which is why so many politicians and taxpayers alike see only costs. They don’t realize that the richer a country becomes the more it should be spending on teachers and doctors. Instead of regarding these increases as a blessing, they’re viewed as a disease. Yet unless we prefer to run our schools and hospitals as if they were factories, we can be certain that, in the race against the machine, the costs of healthcare and education will only go up. At the same time, products like refrigerators and cars have become too cheap. To look solely at the price of a product is to ignore a large share of the costs. 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