I’ve been reflecting on education and learning recently–and all the many purposes for it. A friend runs an education company, and shared with me a few overviews the different ways education is changing and shifting, which started me thinking about it.
There are companies to help you learn at home, or to support you learning at school. You can focus on specific topics–or have companies propose topics for you. There are classes, lectures, assignments, games, content, and travel–all to help us learn.
At work, I run a program to help people learn to connect them to one another and to build agency–to help them help us change our organization for the better.
We pay for education to improve our career prospects, or to learn more skills. To open doors for our jobs or our futures. Or simply for fun. This weekend my wife and I took a class on wheel pottery as a way to pass the time, connect with friends, and enjoy each other’s company.
I recently came upon this quote, which seemed to sum it up, from “The Once and Future King” by T.H. White.
“The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”
Have a great day!
Calm & Work 