I thought I might teach philosophy but the atmosphere of a college faculty repelled me; the few islands of greatness seemed to be washed by seas of pettiness and mediocrity.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Stone preferred teaching philosophy but avoided academia because he found the environment filled with petty and mediocre people despite rare brilliant individuals.
- In plain terms
- He did not want to work at a university because most professors were small-minded even if a few were great.
- What can you take from it?
- Environments can be corrupted by culture even when talented people exist there.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Would you work in a field where only a few people respect you?
- How does environment impact intellectual freedom?
Another view
The critique relies on subjective experience rather than broad data about faculty behavior.
More from I. F. Stone
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