"Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education"
- Bertrand Russell
About this Quote
This quote by Bertrand Russell speaks to the concept that individuals are born with the capability to find out and grow, however that this capability can be prevented by the education they receive. Russell suggests that education can cause a sort of "stupidity" in which individuals are taught to accept certain ideas without questioning them. He suggests that education should be utilized to promote critical thinking and open-mindedness, rather than to merely impart understanding. This quote speaks to the importance of providing trainees with an education that motivates them to believe on their own and to challenge the status quo. It also recommends that education must be used to help individuals become more informed and familiar with the world around them, rather than to merely teach them truths and figures. Ultimately, this quote motivates us to believe critically about the education we provide and to guarantee that it is helping to promote a more informed and unbiased society.
"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"
