--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the whole system of education…" description: "\"I think the whole system of education would change if I were in charge and had the ability to make changes. I don't think I would keep Princeton exactl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/wallace-shawn-7437_ability_i-think-the-whole-system-of-education-wo_1056316.jpg" --- # I think the whole system of education would change if I… ![“I think the whole system of education would change if I were in charge and had the ability to make changes. I don't think I would keep Princeton exactly being Princeton.” quote by Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/wallace-shawn-7437_ability_i-think-the-whole-system-of-education-wo_1056316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/wallace-shawn-7437_ability_i-think-the-whole-system-of-education-wo_1056316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/940/wallace-shawn-7437_ability_i-think-the-whole-system-of-education-wo_1056316.jpg) > “I think the whole system of education would change if I were in charge and had the ability to make changes. I don't think I would keep Princeton exactly being Princeton.” [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If he could redesign education, he would overhaul elite institutions, suggesting radical change beyond tradition. **In simple terms:** He would radically change education, not keep elite schools as they are. Key Takeaway Question existing structures. Themes education innovation elitism Mood critical provocative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - school board meetings - policy drafting - curriculum redesign - public debates Key Concepts critical theory institutional reform Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of current education are most resistant to change? - How would you preserve valuable traditions while innovating? A Different Perspective Change may ignore practical constraints of existing systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [What did I think of Princeton? Well, the answer to that question requires a story. When I first arrived, I looked around me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/what-did-i-think-of-princeton-well-the-answer-to-that-question/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“I entered Princeton University as a graduate student in 1959, when the Department of Mathematics was housed in the old Fine Hall. This legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-a-griffiths/i-entered-princeton-university-as-a-graduate-student-in-1959-when-the/) Phillip A. Griffiths > [Education can change the scope of an entire family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitin-nohria/education-can-change-the-scope-of-an-entire-family/) Nitin Nohria > [What I see is democratizing education will change everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/what-i-see-is-democratizing-education-will-change-everything/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [“In education, change is the only constant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-vigil/in-education-change-is-the-only-constant/) Dale Vigil > [Information is education. Education can change lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/information-is-education-education-can-change-lives/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [Inner city education must change. Our responsibility is not merely to provide access to knowledge; we must produce educated people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-farmer-jr/inner-city-education-must-change-our-responsibility-is-not-merely-to/) [James L. Farmer, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-farmer-jr/) > [“The emotional transformation of engineering education isn’t magical thinking. Nor is it a vague abstraction or a series of touchy-feely practices. It is based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edward-goldberg/the-emotional-transformation-of-engineering-education-isn-t-magical/) [David Edward Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edward-goldberg/) > [I believe young people from working families should have access to debt-free education because I know from my own experience that a high-school degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-gomez/i-believe-young-people-from-working-families-should-have-access-to/) [Jimmy Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-gomez/) > [The essence of education is that it is a change effected in the organism to satisfy the operator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-essence-of-education-is-that-it-is-a-change-effected-in-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If we make consistent effort, based on proper education, we can change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-we-make-consistent-effort-based-on-proper-education-we-can-change/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Formal education must change. 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Businessmen, for example, don't take their clothes off or cry in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/the-actor-s-role-in-the-community-is-quite-unlike-anyone-else-s/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising that somebody thought of giving me a job as an actor. After I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/from-being-a-writer-of-plays-it-was-not-that-surprising-that-somebody/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I have more free time than a lot of individuals, so, instead of talking, I sometimes write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-have-more-free-time-than-a-lot-of-individuals-so-instead-of-talking/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [My personal life is lived as 'me,' but my professional life is lived as other people. In other words, when I go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/my-personal-life-is-lived-as-me-but-my-professional-life-is-lived-as/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [There's nothing regular about my life at all, really. I don't keep a regular schedule and every day is different. It's all rather chaotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/there-s-nothing-regular-about-my-life-at-all-really-i-don-t-keep-a/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I am recognized a lot for 'Clueless,' but I am recognized a great deal for 'The Princess Bride.' I don't know... maybe everybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-am-recognized-a-lot-for-clueless-but-i-am-recognized-a-great-deal/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [Sleep: a poor substitute for caffeine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/sleep-a-poor-substitute-for-caffeine/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I'm a very lucky man. It's a beautiful thing for a writer, to see people allowing your words to enter their own unconscious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-m-a-very-lucky-man-it-s-a-beautiful-thing-for-a-writer-to-see/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [And my singing, I don't think I could sing Wagner or opera, but I could probably carry a tune. I was in a musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/and-my-singing-i-don-t-think-i-could-sing-wagner-or-opera-but-i-could/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I think I'm trying to write truthfully about life, and naturalism, or the way people normally talk in movies, is a convention. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-think-i-m-trying-to-write-truthfully-about-life-and-naturalism-or/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I'm trying to write truthfully about life, and naturalism, or the way people normally talk in movies, is a convention. The way I write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-m-trying-to-write-truthfully-about-life-and-naturalism-or-the-way/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [When I was first starting to write plays, I quite literally had never heard of the idea of studying playwriting. I wouldn't have studied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/when-i-was-first-starting-to-write-plays-i-quite-literally-had-never/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [When I was a child, I did always feel that people were hiding things, and that they weren't expressing their true feelings. When adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/when-i-was-a-child-i-did-always-feel-that-people-were-hiding-things/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) [Explore all 91 Wallace Shawn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. 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I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the whole system of education would change if I were in charge and had the ability to make changes. 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