So so true - what’s the point of education if we can’t apply it in a meaningful way which at minimum tries to improve or better understand the world beyond the university
Isn't this the strongest point of reading fiction? If you read non-fiction for education as a young person, the implications and lessons will probably fly over your head, because you lack the frame of reference from life experience to hang them on to. In a work of fiction, the narrative structure and the characters aid you in providing this very frame of reference - you gather life experience by proxy, even if it's not the same as experiencing the thing yourself.
Of course, examples in fiction can also fail to connect and fiction often takes on a whole new meaning if you re-read it with more life experience under your belt. But I believe it has a better chance of educating a young person than a work of non-fiction.
I am of the opinion that while bookish learning is not an alternative to the life lessons that are learned through experience, they play a key role in providing a vocabulary that helps in understanding and identifying problems. I cannot think of love, unless I possess vocabulary and the theory that can identify and classify that indescribable fuzzy feeling into an idea that can I comprehend and work with.
Reading this reminded me of Mary's room back in college. Just because we studied something extensively does not mean we know what we're looking at until we've experienced it. To me, it's like my first time with snow- I know it's white and can be very cold, but I was not aware of how cold and how white it could be until I experienced my first snowfall.
Thank you for putting these insights in such a concise article. I feel like I will be thinking about this a lot in my future learning.
I'm not too young, but I bet I can catch myself trying to rationalise something that should be understood on a deeper level. Like you said, it's about experience, which can also mean exposure rather than age.
So so true - what’s the point of education if we can’t apply it in a meaningful way which at minimum tries to improve or better understand the world beyond the university
Isn't this the strongest point of reading fiction? If you read non-fiction for education as a young person, the implications and lessons will probably fly over your head, because you lack the frame of reference from life experience to hang them on to. In a work of fiction, the narrative structure and the characters aid you in providing this very frame of reference - you gather life experience by proxy, even if it's not the same as experiencing the thing yourself.
Of course, examples in fiction can also fail to connect and fiction often takes on a whole new meaning if you re-read it with more life experience under your belt. But I believe it has a better chance of educating a young person than a work of non-fiction.
Beautifully put. :)
I am of the opinion that while bookish learning is not an alternative to the life lessons that are learned through experience, they play a key role in providing a vocabulary that helps in understanding and identifying problems. I cannot think of love, unless I possess vocabulary and the theory that can identify and classify that indescribable fuzzy feeling into an idea that can I comprehend and work with.
Reading this reminded me of Mary's room back in college. Just because we studied something extensively does not mean we know what we're looking at until we've experienced it. To me, it's like my first time with snow- I know it's white and can be very cold, but I was not aware of how cold and how white it could be until I experienced my first snowfall.
I cannot help but agree to whole of it!
Thank you for putting these insights in such a concise article. I feel like I will be thinking about this a lot in my future learning.
I'm not too young, but I bet I can catch myself trying to rationalise something that should be understood on a deeper level. Like you said, it's about experience, which can also mean exposure rather than age.