--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in high school and college, I…" description: "\"When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody could think in pictures. And my first inkling to my thinking was even different was when I w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/temple-grandin-1219_about_when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i_518398.png" --- # When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody… ![“When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody could think in pictures. And my first inkling to my thinking was even different was when I was in college and I read an article about, you know, some scientist said that the caveman could not have designed tools until they had language.” quote by Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/temple-grandin-1219_about_when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i_518398.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/temple-grandin-1219_about_when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i_518398.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/temple-grandin-1219_about_when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i_518398.png) > “When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody could think in pictures. And my first inkling to my thinking was even different was when I was in college and I read an article about, you know, some scientist said that the caveman could not have designed tools until they had language.” [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often assume visual thinking is universal, but language development shapes abstract tool design. **In simple terms:** Visual thinking isn’t universal; language matters for tool-making. Key Takeaway Recognize language’s role in abstract thought. Themes cognition language design education Mood thoughtful analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - STEM education - design thinking - cross‑cultural communication Key Concepts visual thinking language development tool innovation Questions to Reflect On - How does language influence your problem‑solving? - Can visual thinkers benefit from language training? A Different Perspective Assumes all cultures develop language similarly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [Everything I think is in pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/everything-i-think-is-in-pictures/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [How do you have a think in pictures? Well, you have to sort the pictures into categories. You know, for example, a dog knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/how-do-you-have-a-think-in-pictures-well-you-have-to-sort-the/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I thought everybody unanimously hated this man. I don't know anyone who was like, 'Go Trump.' I was surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-thought-everybody-unanimously-hated-this-man-i-don-t-know-anyone/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [I thought everybody would embrace and understand my reasons for becoming Muslim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/i-thought-everybody-would-embrace-and-understand-my-reasons-for/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [When I went to drama school, I thought that everybody would think I was only there because my dad was on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-roache/when-i-went-to-drama-school-i-thought-that-everybody-would-think-i/) [Linus Roache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-roache/) > [I always thought everybody else was better than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-thought-everybody-else-was-better-than-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“there seems to be no way out, I thought, everybody is always angry about the truth even though they claim to believe in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-seems-to-be-no-way-out-i-thought-everybody-is-always-angry/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I thought everybody could sing, because everybody in my family could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-thought-everybody-could-sing-because-everybody-in-my-family-could/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [I am alone, I thought, and they are everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-alone-i-thought-and-they-are-everybody/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought everybody got into rock 'n' roll because they didn't want to follow instructions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-thought-everybody-got-into-rock-n-roll-because-they-didn-t-want-to/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I thought everybody had to drink to be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-whitley/i-thought-everybody-had-to-drink-to-be-in-this-business/) [Keith Whitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-whitley/) > [Well, the thought that everybody might have a personal computer at their desk or their home was certainly not on the mainstream of anybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kilby/well-the-thought-that-everybody-might-have-a-personal-computer-at/) [Jack Kilby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kilby/) > [I thought everybody was in on the joke. But I was the joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/i-thought-everybody-was-in-on-the-joke-but-i-was-the-joke/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [I thought everybody else was doing much better than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/i-thought-everybody-else-was-doing-much-better-than-i-was/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/sometimes-i-think-all-my-pictures-are-just-pictures-of-me/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) ## More by Temple Grandin > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/language-just-gradually-came-in-one-or-two-stressed-words-a-time/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Animals do have emotion. But fear tends to be one of the most primal emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/animals-do-have-emotion-but-fear-tends-to-be-one-of-the-most-primal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. 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