What can we ask of our self?
A surveyor carries with her a tripod upon which to view the landscape for the purpose of plotting its topography. She mounts on this tripod the instruments with which to measure reality. I wish to use this analogy as a means to clarify my comprehension of the relationship between reality and me.
The three legged tripod represent the three intellectual phases of a person’s life. One leg represents the early years of institutional education. The second leg represents the twenty years between the early years and those intellectually productive years represented by the third leg.
Institutionalized education prepares us to become workers capable of supporting our self and our family. After schooling is finished we have many responsibilities focused primarily around job and family. But this period is one where our natural curiosity is still alive and wherein it is necessary to begin the process of learning those matters that were not part of institutional education.
This twenty year period does not generally leave a great deal of time for self-actualizing learning but it is necessary to keep curiosity alive and to build a foundation of basic intellectual needs and to discover our intellectual talents. I think that this period is vital, for without careful utilization of this period we will have little curiosity or caring for intellectual matters later in life when we could be productively engaged in self-actualization through self-learning.
I suspect that if the young person does not take careful advantage of these years immediately following the completion of schooling they will have seriously threatened any significant intellectual growth following mid life because curiosity and caring will have atrophied.
Is it too much to ask of our self that we engage intellectually in our world by turning to self-learning to a significant level? I think we should do this.
What can we ask of our self?
What can we ask of our self?
I suspect that if the young person does not take careful advantage of these years immediately following the completion of schooling they will have seriously threatened any significant intellectual growth following mid life because curiosity and caring will have atrophied.
Is it too much to ask of our self that we engage intellectually in our world by turning to self-learning to a significant level? I think we should do this.
That is very interesting. I believe a lot of self learning for people comes at all different times and for all different reasons and is a result of all different circumstances. I don't think it can be forced (I strongly believe in the term education is wasted on the young). Think of teens in school and how much most of them dislike it. As we age we seem more likely to embrace learning. Maybe it is out of necessity or maturity.
Is it too much to ask of our self that we engage intellectually in our world by turning to self-learning to a significant level? I think we should do this.
That is very interesting. I believe a lot of self learning for people comes at all different times and for all different reasons and is a result of all different circumstances. I don't think it can be forced (I strongly believe in the term education is wasted on the young). Think of teens in school and how much most of them dislike it. As we age we seem more likely to embrace learning. Maybe it is out of necessity or maturity.
�You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.�
• Mae West
• Mae West
What can we ask of our self?
I think it is sad if a student believes that they have nothing more to learn once they have left school. Everyday life needs to be a learning experience in order for us to reach our full potential.
Just observing life around us can be an enlightening experience. There is book learning and there is life learning. Book learning may end, but life learning needs to continue.
Just observing life around us can be an enlightening experience. There is book learning and there is life learning. Book learning may end, but life learning needs to continue.
What can we ask of our self?
Marie5656 wrote: I think it is sad if a student believes that they have nothing more to learn once they have left school.
But then that's teenagers for you!
They think they know it all! :wah:
Which means there's precious little left for them to know.....and what there is is probably dull and boring and they don't want to know it!
I think Minks is probably right.
minks wrote: As we age we seem more likely to embrace learning.
As we age we start to realise we DONT know it all - in fact, far from it. And then we embrace learning because we want to and not because we're forced to! (Except for people who are so blinkered and narrow-minded they still feel they know it all and need learn nothing more!)
Coberst - what if my tripod has a broken leg? :-2
But then that's teenagers for you!
They think they know it all! :wah:
Which means there's precious little left for them to know.....and what there is is probably dull and boring and they don't want to know it!
I think Minks is probably right.
minks wrote: As we age we seem more likely to embrace learning.
As we age we start to realise we DONT know it all - in fact, far from it. And then we embrace learning because we want to and not because we're forced to! (Except for people who are so blinkered and narrow-minded they still feel they know it all and need learn nothing more!)
Coberst - what if my tripod has a broken leg? :-2
What can we ask of our self?
Rapunzel asks--"Coberst - what if my tripod has a broken leg?"
Look around you at the mess our world is in and you will see that almost all are walking around with a broken leg. In fact, if this upcoming generation does not wise up they very well may be one of the last that can yet prevent the disaster.
Look around you at the mess our world is in and you will see that almost all are walking around with a broken leg. In fact, if this upcoming generation does not wise up they very well may be one of the last that can yet prevent the disaster.
What can we ask of our self?
Hi All
Speaking from experience and someone who reflects greatly on their life, I came out of school (which was a den of madness, whereby the teachers didnt want to teach and most of the students didnt want to learn, I often wondered how I would get this education everyone was talking about!) being told that I was too dim to learn (I subsequently went on many years later to gain a degree with honours and a rewarding professional career).
I wanted to read Sartre and Descartes but the one sided education system that I was subjected to taught me nothing of any use, except one golden lesson, find yourself, be who you want to be dont neccessarily conform to any set principles or groups. Define who you are by means that are within your grasp, and if they are not set out a strategy of reach them.
I think at the end of the day we can only ask of ourselves what we choose to dream, the sayings like think big, aim high, etc can be very useful but only really have substance if we can dream big. If we choose to take part in life and live every day to explore our world then rewards will be forthcoming.
Bye for now Kasparov
Speaking from experience and someone who reflects greatly on their life, I came out of school (which was a den of madness, whereby the teachers didnt want to teach and most of the students didnt want to learn, I often wondered how I would get this education everyone was talking about!) being told that I was too dim to learn (I subsequently went on many years later to gain a degree with honours and a rewarding professional career).
I wanted to read Sartre and Descartes but the one sided education system that I was subjected to taught me nothing of any use, except one golden lesson, find yourself, be who you want to be dont neccessarily conform to any set principles or groups. Define who you are by means that are within your grasp, and if they are not set out a strategy of reach them.
I think at the end of the day we can only ask of ourselves what we choose to dream, the sayings like think big, aim high, etc can be very useful but only really have substance if we can dream big. If we choose to take part in life and live every day to explore our world then rewards will be forthcoming.
Bye for now Kasparov