THE KINDLING OF A FLAME
“Education
is the kindling of a flame,
not
the filling of a vessel.”
Socrates
Well,
let’s accept the fact, that none of us here, on this planet, knows everything.
And, none of us is fully prepared for the onslaught of change. But, learning
has, always, been the outcome of our childlike curiosity, our sense of wonder
and our ability to take risks by walking the less-trodden path. This was so
since the beginning of time… It’s the quest that has been driving man to learn
more and more and more.
Therefore, the
time we now live in – time of Information Technology – is not the end of Time…
It’s just one more passage of time. You and I are simply happened to be here through
this passage…
Yes, let’s
accept the fact, that, today, the information and knowledge are available ready
on the platter for each one of us… They are right there at our fingertips. If
any of us is still complaining, he/she being plain lazy… It’s an excuse. We all
can make the best use of the information and knowledge available for us.
Germany Kent says, “If you are on social media, and you are not learning,
not laughing, not being inspired or not networking, then you are using it
wrong.”
I think, that’s
so true!
If we do not
have the quest, we won’t find the answers. The quest, as I said, has been man’s
strongest drive. Even Albert Einstein had admitted when he said this: “It is
not that I’m so smart. But, I stay with the questions much longer.”
I love that last
part of Great Einstein’s confession: “I stay with the questions much longer.”
It’s a fact,
that, today, the information and knowledge are available at our finger tips.
But, it’s not just appeared there through magic… Some, who stayed with the
questions much longer – yes, it’s they who have made it available for all of us
at our fingertips. But, it’s just not possible for them to stay with the
questions that longer without a childlike curiosity, sense of wonder, and,
above all, the willingness to take risks by walking the less-trodden path. And,
let me tell you this: Even to access this pool of information and knowledge with
our fingertips, we need to have the same childlike curiosity, the sense of
wonder and the willingness to walk the less-trodden path…
Like
many around me, I, too, love to listen to good music. But, music is not my core
domain. Still, every time I am impressed and inspired by a great musician, a
curiosity gets developed in my heart to know more about this musician… “How did
he become so great in his core field?” This quest drives my curiosity… I am awe-struck.
So, I go about finding more and more information about this musician. And, as I
do it, I am surprised to see the connection… What I find out helps me grow in
my own core field. Yes, I find it useful and connected.
Yesterday, my
curiosity to learn and grow led me to know more about John Bonham, the legendary
drummer of the rock band ‘Led Zeppelin'. John, who has been hailed as the greatest drummer of all time, was a
self-taught drummer. He started drumming as a kid, and, by the time he died at
32, he had become a legend. While I was searching more information about John,
I found these two videos…
Now, look at
this. These guys are music teachers, and they are teaching here the art of playing
drums using a piece of information which is already available on YouTube. The
drumming lessons, which these two teachers have put together, have become a new
piece of information to so many, including me. Well, though I may not use it
become a great drummer, I will certainly use it to enhance my skills in my own
core domain…
That’s how it
is, I think. Yes, everything we need to learn and grow is there right at our
fingertips. But, what about that childlike curiosity, the sense of wonder and
the willingness to take risks by walking the less-trodden path?
And, what about
our willingness to stay with the questions much longer?
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: abcnews.go.com
Videos: 1. Led Zeppelin/Kaushal Bajracharya 2. Drumset Artistry
3. Polyphonic
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