The real problems of our planet are not economic or technical, they are philosophical. The philosophy of unbridled materialism is being challenged by events.
E. F. SchumacherRead
Our task - and the task of all education - is to understand the present world, the world in which we live and make our choices.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Education's primary goal is to help us comprehend the world we inhabit to make informed choices.
E. F. Schumacher emphasizes the vital role of education in recognizing and understanding our current environment. The quote suggests that the purpose of education extends beyond mere knowledge acquisition; it is fundamentally about preparing individuals to navigate and interpret the complexities of the world around them, thereby enabling them to make thoughtful and responsible decisions.
Themes
EducationUnderstandingWorldChoicesPresent
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a graduation ceremony might quote this to inspire students to use their education wisely.
More from E. F. Schumacher
All quotes βThe substance of man cannot be measured by Gross National Product.
E. F. SchumacherRead
The printing press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, sometimes one forgets which it is.
E. F. SchumacherRead
By means of trees, wildlife could be conserved, pollution decreased, and the beauty of our landscapes enhanced. This is the way, or at least one of the ways, to spiritual, moral, and cultural regeneration.
E. F. SchumacherRead
We still have to learn how to live peacefully, not only with our fellow men but also with nature and, above all, with those Higher Powers which have made nature and have made us; for, assuredly, we have not come about by accident and certainly have not made ourselves
E. F. SchumacherRead
The heart of the matter, as I see it, is the stark fact that world poverty is primarily a problem of two million villages, and thus a problem of two thousand million villagers.
E. F. SchumacherRead
Similar quotes
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When the primary people who have influence and power in our communities are not even really allowed to educate you on who to vote for and against, we're in trouble.
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Not everyone has equal abilities, but everyone should have equal opportunity for education.
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There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
Isaac AsimovRead