Parents are usually more careful to bestow knowledge on their children rather than virtue, the art of speaking well rather than doing well; but their manners should be of the greatest concern.
The true business of people should be to go back to school and think about whatever it was they were thinking about before somebody came along and told them they had to earn a living.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People should prioritize their personal thoughts and passions over societal expectations of earning a living.
This quote by R. Buckminster Fuller emphasizes the importance of education as a means to explore and cultivate one’s own thoughts and interests. It suggests that too often, individuals are sidetracked by the necessity to earn a living, which can detract from their intellectual growth and personal fulfillment. Going back to school, in this context, symbolizes a return to creativity and self-discovery, allowing individuals to engage deeply with their true interests without the constraints imposed by societal norms.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech to inspire students to pursue their passions.
More from R. Buckminster Fuller
All quotes →There is no such thing as genius, some children are just less damaged than others.
Only the free-wheeling artist-explorer, non-academic, scientist-philosopher, mechanic, economist-poet who has never waited for patron-starting and accrediting of his co-ordinate capabilities holds the prime initiative today.
The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true
The earth is like a spaceship that didn't come with an operating manual.
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Our children are our only hope for the future, but we are their only hope for their present and their future.
There is nothing of any consequence in education, in the economy, in city planning, in social policy that does not concern black people.