“The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running. Where it is lacking there are no real students, but only poor caricatures of apprentices who, at the end of their apprenticeship, will not even have a trade.”
– Simone Weil

I found this quote from this great YouTube video from Anna Howard: https://youtu.be/bq4BIvAIBrk?si=ymYRSz-1tYQNpLPB

There are a few other noteworthy moments in that video which I’ll be sharing soon.

This Simone Weil quote is a philosophical epigram on the nature of learning. She’s laying down a metaphysical law: joy is the animating force of true study, just as breath animates the runner. It taps into her broader metaphysical themes around necessity, attention, and grace. She’s implying that without joy, study becomes mechanical, even soul-crushing; it becomes a simulacrum of education. This is a mini-philosophy of both learning and being.

Weil is making a critique of educational systems and cultural assumptions—likely aimed at rote learning, credentialism, and utilitarian training models. The “poor caricatures of apprentices” line is withering. She’s calling out those who go through the motions without passion or integrity. 

This quote could serve as a launching pad for a critique of modern education, industrialized schooling, or performative intellect. All these are topics I plan to explore in depth within these pages.