Education, not variety, is the spice of life

The following two quotes are attributed to the late science fiction writer Isaac Asimov:

"Education isn't something you can finish."

"Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is."

The prolific Asimov, who wrote or edited over 500 books and penned roughly 90,000 postcards and letters in his lifetime, was absolutely correct on both counts.

It's a shame that in this age of rapid technological advancement, students leave education in the rear-view mirror, maintaining that their learning days are surely over.

But who says that we have to dump our books in crates as soon as we snag our diploma?

Why not continue delving into Shakespeare, Newton, or Lincoln even after we've left the Ivory Tower?

What many people fail to realize is that schools, colleges, and universities merely scratch the surface of the course offerings they make available to students.

You can't possibly expect more than a cursory look, for example, into such complex subjects as physics, psychology, and political science.

That's why I implore others to follow Asimov's advice and continue learning for learning's sake.

Because he died in 1992, he didn't live to witness the extraordinary impact that the internet has had in our daily lives.

You can rest assured that he would have been a key proponent of utilizing the internet to further one's knowledge in everything from business to history.

He'd be turning in his grave right now if he knew that people weren't available themselves of the tools we have available now, including YouTube and MOOCs like Coursera, to stimulate our minds in subjects of our choosing.

While technology has been a boon to society in myriad ways, it is not without clear downsides. Most people would probably rather watch The Kardashians or sift through memes on Facebook than watch an absorbing documentary or immerse themselves in a great page turner of a book.

Not that there's anything wrong with binge watching a show or distracting oneself through social media every now and then, but we must aim for balance.

At the end of the day, knowledge is power. Not a single person or thing (save for mental diseases like Alzheimer's) can take your smarts from you.

And if anyone makes you out to be a "nerd" for devouring books and hitting up museums, don't apologize for it -- wear that badge proudly.

Comments

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