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Learning will be cast into the mire and trodden down under the hoofs of a swinish multitude.
Edmund Burke
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that knowledge and learning can be disregarded and harmed by the uneducated masses.

Edmund Burke's quote reflects the idea that, when a large group of people prioritize ignorance or base desires over education, the value of learning can be diminished and oppressed. It serves as a warning against the dangers of populism and the potential disregard for intellectual pursuits in favor of immediate gratification or lesser values.

Themes

LearningEducationIgnoranceKnowledgePopulism

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of education, one might say, 'As Edmund Burke warned, learning will be cast into the mire by the uneducated masses.'

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Quote by Edmund Burke | QuoteProject