We all take such pains to over-educate ourselves. In the wild struggle for existence, we want to have something that endures, and so we fill our minds with rubbish and facts, in the silly hope of keeping our place. The thoroughly well-informed man - that is the modern ideal. And the mind of the thoroughly well-informed man is a dreadful thing. It is like a bric-a-brac shop, all monsters and dust, with everything priced above its proper value.

Summary

This quote criticizes the rampant obsession with acquiring knowledge without discernment or purpose. The speaker suggests that in our eagerness to appear well-educated and secure our social standing, we fill our minds with useless information and trivial facts. According to the quote, the "thoroughly well-informed man" is not ideal, but rather possesses a mind cluttered with irrelevant knowledge, leading to a distorted perception of value and meaning. The quote highlights the need for a more thoughtful, discerning approach to education and emphasizes the importance of meaningful, valuable knowledge over empty accumulation.

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