“It is very nearly impossible to become an educated person in a country so distrustful of the independent mind”
— James Baldwin
Simplified Meaning:
When people in a country don’t trust others who think for themselves, it becomes very hard for anyone to learn and grow well. Imagine you have an idea that is different from what most people believe, and every time you share it, people ignore you or laugh at you. This makes you scared to express yourself and stops you from learning new things. In history, there have been places where new ideas, like those from Galileo about the planets, were not accepted because they were different from popular beliefs. To become truly educated, it’s important to be able to think freely and explore ideas without fear of being judged. People should try to be open-minded and encourage others to share their thoughts, so everyone can learn more and get better at understanding the world.
