Learning on your own? its importance

[Abu-Salman]

 

Having taught largely myself abstrat algebra, linear algebra etc around a decade ago from the distance learning Uni course of my elder brother, it came as a surprise to me that even the hardest subjects on the surface can be more efficiently learnt through self-study if one wants to. I then continued with perfectioning my English in fun ways with the help of Tv programs and software called "tell me more" by Auralog and getting sent issues of Times magazine (tip used in one of my sibling elite school).

It was so exciting at beginning that I went through revising the basics, the pronunciation etc within 2 months roughly before switching from the CD while reading a lot, notably websites. Passionate about history, health sciences etc, the sudden ease of access to reading and information in the West was thrilling at that time.

 

By serendipity, I discovered not long ago that Spanish, as a latin langage and even Italian, were readily understandable and their grammar came naturally since I already spoke French; I did not go much further that way though since it did not have the same urgency of English (intellectual or academic English is also very similar to French).

 

It's also the case that sometimes a seemingly unrelated subject can ease greatly others; my hated French grammar classes (hardly learned much of it directly) such as the subjunctive etc assists even in English authored Arabic grammar (the terms, concepts etc) let alone other latin langages where much is the same (I curiosly went through an Italian page without any translation, grasping it fully; likewise one could say spanish grammar mirrors it pretty much).

 

Of course, I improved a lot in my arabic & Islamic studies too, tried basic programming, delved deeper into other scientific subjects that caught my attention such as epigenetics (it was so fascinating that what we knew was so oversimplified and that genes expression is influenced by the environment such as stress, diet etc rather than genes determining things as assumed). You basically realise we know almost nothing even in the hard sciences such as physics, which is the most fundamental, where the Newtonian model gave way to quantum explanation at the microscopic scale etc (or that basically matter is just energy, so solids such a human body are full of "holes, just energy waves or the current definition of atoms).

 

Meanwhile, I kept reading on economics (not a science but appears serious on the surface for beginners) as I was already familliar with it through dad mini library who taught it long ago before realising that such subject hardly tells anything meaningful but hide its ideology driven theory as similar to science (only the accounting side such as GDP and "common sense" observation such as printing too much currency causes inflation if not matched by a rise in output etc makes sense).

 

Still, works on development, particular countries technological and output growth etc may be interesting when stripped of ever revised flimsy theoritical frameworks such as the assumption of humans as rational optimiser in micro-economics etc (again, one should not take the overuse of maths as a sign of rigor in what is basically ideology driven, simplistic and grossly inaccurate theory of human behavior).

 

Those counter-intuitive, fascinating aspects of physics, biology or even history are mind opening for everyone and a basic overview may suffices for most people.

 

The question is do you guys enjoy learning for its own sake and endeavor to be well-rounded in the most crucial subjects and at the general level at least (roughly undergradute)?

Do you view reading as important in itself and an overriding hobby?

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Wonderful read, really enjoyed your journey in general knowledge knowing about, and reading for finding out about things. How i wish that every Somali child would do the same because that would put them on par with their peers who might have better resources.

 

Learning is a lifelong journey, long may you continue.

[Holac]

Abu Salman, you did great for yourself. I congratulate you. I am a life long learner myself. I am currently enrolled in few different self-study subjects to feed my brain.

[Tallaabo]

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@Dhagax-Tuur

said:</cite>

Wonderful read, really enjoyed your journey in general knowledge knowing about, and reading for finding out about things. How i wish that every Somali child would do the same because that would put them on par with their peers who might have better resources.

 

Learning is a lifelong journey, long may you continue.

You can encourage our children and the adults too to take interest in reading and learn about the world around them. Here is a really interesting quote from Confucius:

"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people."