Bottom line Quote by William Deresiewicz
““Life is more than a job; jobs are more than a paycheck; and a country is more than its wealth. Education is more than the acquisition of marketable skills, and you are more than your ability to contribute to your employer’s bottom line or the nation’s GDP, no matter what the rhetoric of politicians or executives would have you think. To ask what college is for is to ask what life is for, what society is for—what people are for. Do students ever hear this? What they hear is a constant drumbeat, in the public discourse, that seeks to march them in the opposite direction. When policy makers talk about higher education, from the president all the way down, they talk exclusively in terms of math and science. Journalists and pundits—some of whom were humanities majors and none of whom are nurses or engineers—never tire of lecturing the young about the necessity of thinking prudently when choosing a course of study, the naïveté of wanting to learn things just because you’re curious about them.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Death of the Artist, William Deresiewicz, 2020
The quote argues that education and life should be valued beyond economic utility, emphasizing personal growth, curiosity, and societal purpose over market-driven metrics.
In simple terms: Education is about more than jobs and money; it’s about personal and societal meaning.
Prioritize learning for curiosity and purpose, not just career gain.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- college decision making
- career counseling
- public policy debates
- parental guidance
- student self‑reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What would education look like if it prioritized curiosity over profit?
- How can individuals resist market‑driven narratives about learning?
Economic focus can limit appreciation of non‑market values in education.