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Quote by William Deresiewicz

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A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter

This book is a reflective analysis of six of Jane Austen's classic novels, discussing how they have influenced the author's perspectives on love, friendship, and the true values in life. more

Author

William Deresiewicz
William Deresiewicz

William Deresiewicz, born in 1964, is a renowned American author. His works span across various fields including literary criticism, social commentary, and philosophical thought, known for their profound insights and unique style. more

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“Hence the vogue for double majors. It isn’t enough anymore to take a bunch of electives in addition to your primary focus, to roam freely across the academic fields, making serendipitous connections and discoveries, the way that American higher education was designed (uniquely, among the world’s systems) to allow you to do.”

“People’s stories are the most personal thing they have, and paying attention to those stories is just about the most important thing you can do for them.”

“Don't play it safe. Resist the seductions of the cowardly values our society has come to prize so highly: comfort, convenience, security, predictability, control. These, too, are nets. Above all, resist the fear of failure. Yes, you will make mistakes. But they will be your mistakes, not someone else's. And you will survive them, and you will know yourself better for having made them, and you will be a fuller and a stronger person.”

“If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a classroom. If you wanted to create a business environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a cubicle. And if you wanted to change things, you might have to tear down both and start over.”

“The problem in today’s economy is that people are typically starting a family at the very time they are also supposed to be doing their best work. They are trying to be productive at some of the most stressful times of their lives. What if companies took this unhappy collision of life events seriously? They could offer Gottman’s intervention as a benefit for every newly married, or newly pregnant, employee.”