Richard Feynman became so exasperated [at the National Academy of Sciences] that he resigned his membership, saying that he saw no point in belonging to an organization that spent most of its time deciding who to let in.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Feynman resigned from the Academy because he felt it focused too much on exclusion rather than substance.
- In plain terms
- He left an organization that only cared about membership.
- What can you take from it?
- Focus on value rather than institutional status.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes an organization valuable?
- When should you leave?
Another view
Institutions often serve necessary functions beyond mere status.
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