Harvard takes perfectly good plums as students, and turns them into prunes

Harvard takes perfectly good plums as students, and turns them into prunes

Frank Lloyd Wright, the renowned American architect, was known for his disdain towards formal education and traditional institutions. He famously quipped, “Harvard takes perfectly good plums as students, and turns them into prunes.” This statement reflects Wright’s belief that institutions like Harvard University, with their rigid academic structures and emphasis on conformity, stifle creativity and individuality.

Wright himself did not attend college, opting instead to pursue his passion for architecture through hands-on experience and self-directed study. This unconventional approach allowed him to develop a unique design philosophy that revolutionized the field of architecture. Wright’s iconic buildings, such as Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum, are testaments to his innovative vision and disregard for conventional norms.

In contrast, Harvard University, as one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States, is often associated with academic excellence and intellectual rigor. However, Wright’s criticism suggests that Harvard’s emphasis on academic achievement and conformity may come at the expense of individual creativity and innovation.

Wright’s disdain for formal education can be traced back to his own experiences with traditional institutions. He once described his time at the University of Wisconsin as “four wasted years” and lamented the lack of practical skills he acquired during his formal education. This frustration likely fueled his skepticism towards institutions like Harvard, which he believed stifled the creative potential of its students.

Despite his criticisms, Wright’s work continues to be studied and admired by architects and scholars around the world. His legacy serves as a reminder that creativity and innovation can flourish outside the confines of traditional education, and that true genius often defies conventional norms and expectations.