In pursuit of knowledge
It has taken me the better part of a lifetime, but I now know what I want to be when I grow up. A polymath.
The term has been around for centuries, and in layman’s terms, it means a “knowitall”. Not in the pejorative sense. Rather, the person you want on your “Trivial Pursuit” team. Actually, that might be the finest game ever published in my lifetime. I hated the boxes of cards. The little circular game pieces with the pieces of pie were fiddly, but the depth of arcane knowledge that would make you a consistent winner: deep.
For those that had a smlpler education, the world was more than “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic”. All necessary, I concur. However, to prosper in a world filled with facts, the Wikipedia is just a tool. As were the boxes of cards in TP. And I don’t want to trivialize the ability to draw conclusions based on wide explsure to the wide world. I’m still intent on filling my corners with tidbits. Of knowledge, not food.
So, how does one prepare for a life as a polymath? First of all, assume nothing. Because in our world economy, that is what you will have. Those tiny puzzle pieces have no barter value. Is education (as an educator) the direction to pursue? No way! You will amaze the children in class discussions, but they will forget you the moment the classroom door closes behind them. And don’t pigeonhole yourself: few people have ever seen a pigeonhole. There’s a reason.
I’m going to pause for now. Time to pick up some more factoids. I have no problems to solve, but there is tomorrow.
