Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable throughout the rest of their lives of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished
Interpretation
The quote critiques education that suppresses individual thought and autonomy.
Johann Gottlieb Fichte's quote expresses a concern about educational practices that prioritize conformity and obedience over critical thinking and personal freedom. He argues that such an education aims to limit the students' ability to think independently, effectively shaping them to adhere to the desires of their teachers rather than fostering their own unique perspectives and talents.
In practice
During a discussion on educational reform, one might quote Fichte to emphasize the need for fostering independent thought.
By mere burial man arrives not at bliss; and in the future life, throughout its whole infinite range, they will seek for happiness as vainly as they sought it here, who seek it in aught else than that which so closely surrounds them here - the Infinite
Upon the progress of knowledge the whole progress of the human race is immediately dependent: he who retards that, hinders this also.
By philosophy the mind of man comes to itself, and from henceforth rests on itself without foreign aid, and is completely master of itself, as the dancer of his feet, or the boxer of his hands.
What sort of philosophy one chooses depends on what sort of person one is.
The schools must fashion the person, and fashion him in such a way that he simply cannot will otherwise than what you wish him to will.
He who is firm in will molds the world to himself.
Our Creator expects His children everywhere to educate themselves.
... bums on the outside, libraries inside.
Compulsory education... It is a painful, continual, and difficult work; to be done by kindness, by watching, by warning, by precept, and by praise, — but above all — by example.
They teach in academies far too many things, and far too much that is useless.
We mistake being able to get lots of information from everywhere very quickly with actually getting knowledge.
Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is an American audience so practiced in turning off its ears and minds. And none can say that the response is ill advised.
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