Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.
Interpretation
Universities are vital institutions that should not be judged solely based on their practical benefits.
David Lodge's quote emphasizes the importance of universities as centers of knowledge and culture, akin to the cathedrals of the past. He argues that these institutions should not be forced to justify their value based on utilitarian metrics, such as job preparation or economic output, but rather be appreciated for their role in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and the pursuit of knowledge.
In practice
This quote can be used in a speech at a graduation ceremony to highlight the importance of education.
to read is to surrender oneself to an endless displacement of curiosity and desire from one sentence to another, from one action to another, from one level of a text to another. The text unveils itself before us, but never allows itself to be possessed; and instead of trying to possess it we should take pleasure in its teasing
Each time I visit such a classroom, where the teacher is more interested in creating a democratic community than in maintaining her position of authority, I’m convinced all over again that moving away from consequences and rewards isn’t just realistic - it’s the best way to help kids grow into good learners and good people.
Every woman needs to know when she's being discriminated against and what the reasons are why she isn't getting equal pay so we can close that pay gap.
....Man's struggle to be rational about himself, about his relationship to his own society and to other peoples and nations involves a constant search for understanding among all peoples and all cultures-a search that can only be effective when learning is pursued on a worldwide basis.
Perhaps we have been misguided into taking too much responsibility from our children, leaving them too little room for discovery
If I can get a story about a player, I would give you a ship load of numbers, batting averages and all just for that one precious story. That's the kind of thing that I love to do.
With languages, you can move from one social situation to another. With languages, you are at home anywhere.
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