Albert Einstein once attributed the creativity of a famous scientist to the fact that he “never went to school, and therefore preserved the rare gift of thinking freely.” There is undoubtedly truth in Einstein’s observation; many artists and geniuses seem to view their schooling as a disadvantage. But this is not a criticism of schools. The purpose of schools is to civilize, not to train explorers. The explorer is always a lonely individual whether his or her pioneering is in art, music, science, or technology. Schools teach perceptual patterns; they tend to destroy creativity and genius. But if schools could somehow exist solely to cultivate genius, then society would break down. For the social order demands unity and widespread agreement, both traits that are destructive to creativity. There will always be conflict between the demands of society and the impulses of creativity and genius.
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Albert Einstein once attributed the creativity of a famous scientist to the fact that he…
Albert Einstein once attributed the creativity of a famous scientist to the fact that he "never went to school, and therefore preserved the rare gift of thinking freely." There is...
