The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right questions.
Claude Levi-StraussRead
Our students wanted to know everything: but only the newest theory seemed to them worth bothering with. Knowing nothing of the intellectual achievements of the past, they kept fresh and intact their enthusiasm for 'the latest thing'. Fashion dominated their interest: they valued ideas not for themselves but for the prestige that they could wring from them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques students' obsession with contemporary ideas while ignoring historical intellectual contributions.
Claude Levi-Strauss highlights a concern regarding students who focus exclusively on modern theories and trends, neglecting the rich intellectual heritage that has shaped current thoughts. This fixation on the 'latest thing' suggests a superficial engagement with knowledge, where prestige and novelty take precedence over genuine understanding and appreciation of ideas.
Themes
EducationModernityPrestigeKnowledgeIdeas
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the importance of historical context in education, this quote could emphasize the need for a balanced view of knowledge.
More from Claude Levi-Strauss
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Civilization has ceased to be that delicate flower which was preserved and painstakingly cultivated in one or two sheltered areas of a soil rich in wild species ... Mankind has opted for monoculture; it is in the process of creating a mass civilization, as beetroot is grown in the mass. Henceforth, man's daily bill of fare will consist only of this one item.
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The world began without man, and it will complete itself without him.
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Nor must we forget that in science there are no final truths.
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The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he is one who asks the right questions.
Claude Levi-StraussRead
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