I am not a well educated man except that I have educated myself, and,because I have educated myself, what I say will not stand up, for lack of recognized authority. This in turn leaves me free to say what I will, in the hope that, like those small forces that do not threaten empires and are thus not fully pursued, the things in which I believe can survive in some high and forgotten place until the power of empire subsides
Mark Helprin reflects on the nature of self-education versus formal education in his quote. He acknowledges that he may not have the traditional credentials that confer authority, but through self-directed learning, he possesses a unique perspective. This lack of institutional recognition allows him the freedom to express his thoughts without the constraints of established norms or expectations.
He suggests that his ideas, much like small forces that do not challenge great powers, have the potential to endure in obscurity until the dominance of mainstream thought diminishes. Helprin's belief in the survival of these independent thoughts highlights the importance of carving out one's own intellectual path regardless of societal validation.
