You don't tell people who disagree with you they'd be better off somewhere else. And you don't reduce them to stereotypes; you address them as fully formed people worthy of respect. You try to persuade them.
Peggy NoonanRead
You can get so well educated in America that your thoughts become detached from common sense. You can get so complicated in your thinking that the obvious isn't real to you anymore.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Education can sometimes lead to a disconnect from practical, common sense.
In this quote, Peggy Noonan highlights a paradox of education, particularly in America, where individuals may acquire extensive knowledge yet lose sight of simplicity and practicality in their thinking. This detachment from common sense can lead to complexities in thought processes that obscure the obvious truths in everyday life.
Themes
EducationCommon SenseThinkingComplexityKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a seminar about the importance of practical knowledge in education.
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We must try again to be alive to what the people of our country really long for in our national life: forgiveness and grace, maturity and wisdom. ...Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities begin to show up in the polls.
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When everyone in America knows you're in a dreadful position, admit you're in a dreadful position. Don't lie about it and make them roll their eyes, tell the truth and make them blink.
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