"Education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined"
- Alexander Pope
About this Quote
This quote by Alexander Pope is a suggestion of the power of education. It recommends that the way we are informed forms our minds and our outlook on life. It implies that if we are taught particular values and beliefs, we will be inclined to believe and act in a particular method. The metaphor of the branch and the tree is utilized to illustrate this point. The twig is bent, or shaped, by external forces, and the tree is inclined, or leans, in the very same direction. This suggests that our minds are shaped by our education, and that our beliefs and worths are identified by the environment in which we are raised. Education is an effective tool that can form our minds and our lives, and this quote functions as a suggestion of its importance.
"I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves - you can get a complete education for no money. At the end of 10 years, I had read every book in the library and I'd written a thousand stories"
