Learning to read Quote by William S Burroughs
““They are all stupid peasants, and the worst of all peasants are the so-called educated. These people should not only be prevented from learning to read, but from learning to talk as well. No need to prevent them from thinking; nature has done that.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Naked Lunch, 1959
Educated peasants are seen as dangerous; control speech, not thought.
In simple terms: Education can be feared for its influence.
Key Takeaway
Question authority over knowledge.
Themes
education
power
control
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- schools
- media
- political discourse
Key Concepts
censorship
class struggle
Questions to Reflect On
- Why fear educated voices?
- How does speech shape power?
A Different Perspective
Suppressing speech may stifle critical thinking.
![“Neither were you [born yesterday], unless of course I am wrong, in which case welcome to the world, little baby, and congratulations on learning to read so early in life.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/43d/anonymous-1_baby_neither-were-you-born-yesterday-unless-o_273361.jpg)
