New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth. The more truth we have to work with, the richer we become.
Interpretation
Knowledge is invaluable, and access to truth enhances our understanding and value.
In this quote, Kurt Vonnegut emphasizes the importance of knowledge and truth as essential elements that enrich our lives. He suggests that the more accurate information and understanding we possess, the more capable we become in navigating the world, ultimately leading to a more rewarding existence. The metaphor of knowledge as a 'commodity' illustrates its significant worth in terms of personal and societal development.
In practice
During a motivational speech about lifelong learning.
But by accident, not by cunning calculation, books, because of their weight and texture, and because of their sweetly token resistance to manipulation, involve our hands and eyes, and then our minds and souls, in a spiritual adventure I would be very sorry for my grandchildren not to know about.
I was not an anthropology student prior to the war. I took it up as part of a personal readjustment following some bewildering experiences as an infantryman and later as a prisoner of war in Dresden, Germany. The science of the Study of Man has been extremely satisfactory from that personal standpoint.
How subservient to Jesus, or to a humane God Almighty, were the leaders of this country back in the 1840's, when Marx said such a supposedly evil thing about religion? They had made it perfectly legal to own human slaves, and weren't going to led women vote or hold public office, God forbid, for another eighty year.
All these people talk so eloquently about getting back to good old-fashioned values. Well, as an old poop I can remember back to when we had those old-fashioned values, and I say let's get back to the good old-fashioned First Amendment of the good old-fashioned Constitution of the United States - and to hell with the censors! Give me knowledge or give me death!
Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies - "God damn it, you've got to be kind."
If what Billy Pilgrim learned from the Tralfamadorians is true, that we will all live forever, no matter how dead we may sometimes seem to be, I am not overjoyed. Still--if I am going to spend eternity visiting this moment and that, I'm grateful that so many of those moments are nice.
My system is to be considered a system leading up, in a general way, to education. It can be followed not only in the education of little children from three to six years of age, but can be extended to children up to ten years of age.
The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.
We know from hard research that educated populations have lower growth rates, are more peaceful, and add to the global economy.
Let's teach kids, at the kindergarten level, what the contributions of people of color were to building the United States of America.
We are working essentially to build a leadership force of folks who will, during their first two years of teaching, actually put their kids on a different trajectory - not just survive as a new teacher, but actually help close the achievement gap for their kids.
My goal is to get peace and my goal is to see education of every child.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.