When friendship disappears then there is a space left open to that awful loneliness of the outside world which is like the cold space between the planets. It is an air in which men perish utterly.
Hilaire BellocRead
It has been discovered that with a dull urban population, all formed under a mechanical system of State education, a suggestion or command, however senseless and unreasoned, will be obeyed if it be sufficiently repeated.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the idea that people, when subjected to a mechanical education system, are likely to accept and obey commands without questioning them if these commands are repeated often enough.
Hilaire Belloc highlights a concerning aspect of a dull and uncritical urban population that emerges from a rigid and mechanical educational system. In such a society, individuals become susceptible to blindly following suggestions or commands, regardless of their rationality, simply because they are repeated frequently. This underscores the importance of critical thinking and questioning within education to cultivate independent and thoughtful citizens.
Themes
EducationObedienceCritical ThinkingAuthoritySociety
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on the importance of critical thinking, one might reference this quote to illustrate the dangers of unreflective obedience.
More from Hilaire Belloc
All quotes →From quiet homes and first beginning, out to the undiscovered ends, there's nothing worth the wear of winning, but laughter and the love of friends.
Hilaire BellocRead
Write as the wind blows and command all words like an army!
Hilaire BellocRead
An institute run with such knavish imbecility that if it were not the work of God it would not last a fortnight.
Hilaire BellocRead
When I am dead, I hope it may be said: His sins were scarlet, but his books were read.
Hilaire BellocRead
Every major question in history is a religious question. It has more effect in molding life than nationalism or a common language.
Hilaire BellocRead
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