November 29, 2005
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Topic: Dansjournal evolves!!!
Welcome all! So, on the train this morning, while my eyes fell shut, this alliteration popped into my head, “Love what you learn, learn what you’d like.” It was inspired by several recent events and ideas that have been rolling around in my head. The first part, “love what you learn,” should be universal to everyone, teachers, parents, administrators, and yes, even politicians. The second part, while more controversial, is the philosophy I now feel strongest about.
“Learn what you’d like.” This idea became a bit more clear to me last night, as I was participating in a 1hr. book club, reading and having books read to me by 5-8yr. olds in a subsidized apartment in New York City. This one child wasn’t the least interested in the books that were lying around, but he had this deep curiosity about why the book had two prices listed on the back cover, one for US currency, and one for Canadian. It immediately dawned on me that this 7 3/4 yr. old was ready for a lesson in economics. Not that I was ready to give that lesson (although I do carry currencies from several countries in my wallet that I’ve collected, which ammused the kid although he was disappointed when I told him, “no, you cannot keep it,”) but the more important point was that if I had been this child’s full-time teacher, or parent, I would be in a position to help that child look into the question of why Americans pay $5 for a book that Canadians pay $7 for. The potential for this 7 3/4 yr. old to know more about economics than many college grads was possible, if only he were supported in “learning what he liked.”
What I hope to begin to use this blog for, is to develop a way for me to learn what I like. Not much will be different than in the past, but I will be more deliberate and focussed in using this blog as a method for gaining information, and resources to information, from other human beings who happen to have found their way to this site. In this respect, you all will be contributing to my learning through the comments you leave.
This is not any type of experiment or research. This is simply harnessing the technology available to me through something that is now used by millions, a simple blog. There is no deeper motive of revolution, of convincing people of what is right or wrong, of creating argument and tension except where it involves us as a community loving what we’re learning, and learning whatever we like.
I should also note, I hope to use this site not simply for my benefit, but for the interest of all who contribute. While I am essentially the moderator (this is my site…and I will still use it to write about things personal and unrelated to learning), I hope to address broad topics that I believe will have relevance and interest to all, and that all can contribute. From you comments, I will then draw out quotes, ideas, and themes, and use them in my posts to create further questions and ideas for us to tackle.
So…let me go right ahead and introduce the first two topics I wish to address:
1) Money
2) Happiness
Although I bring up two topics that you’re used to seeing together, my original intention is to introduce them as two separate topics. The issue of money, I want to cast as wide a net as possible on. When I say the word money, I want to move beyond our initial impressions of the word (although that’s also worth discussing), and allow the conversation to cover wages and labor, economics and politics, buying, selling, trading, consuming, and advertising…
Let me narrow this down and ask this question:
“Does advertising drive consumption, or does consumption drive advertising?”
“To what extent is our society affected by our consumption?”
“To what extent is our society affected by our advertising?”
“To what extent does our answer to the first question, the chicken and egg question between consumption and advertising, affect our answers to how these two entities affect our society?”
The topic of happiness dawned on me because I’ve recently been feeling quite happy, but I’m quick to temper that happiness because oftentimes consciousness of my happiness makes me sad. Why is that? What does that mean? What is the relationship between happiness and sadness? What is the relationship between being conscious of our emotional states, and simply being in those states? Can one be in an emotional state w/out being also conscious of it? (ie. Can you be relaxed without “feeling” or “having awareness” of being relaxed?) This topics is heavy in psychology, philosophy, and science, topics that I know others reading this should have much to contribute.
Let me narrow this down and ask this question:
What is the relationship between our logical thinking and emotions, vs. our biochemistry and our emotions (ie. The NY football Giants kicker missed 3 game winning field goals, therefore hurting their chances of winning, therefore having an affect on their standings, and affecting their odds of winning the Super Bowl…(all things that require consciousness and knowledge which have an end result in me FEELing a bit of anger, sadness, and angst) vs. certain chemicals in my brain are now releasing as a result of my thinking which are making me FEEL something, anger, sadness, angst, etc)?
If our emotions are controlled by our biochemistry, are we in a sense prisoners of science and genetics?
If our emotions are controlled by our knowledge, are we in a sense prisoners of to what we know? Is it better to be ignorant if it means not knowing things that will produce sadness?
If our emotions are controlled by some arrangement of ideas and knowledge in our minds, are we in a sense in complete control of our emotions? Does a high quantity of knowledge of both the world and the workings of the mind also allow for a person to in a sense, manage their emotions?
To what extent can we / should we be altering our circumstances, our perceptions of our circumstances, or our biochemistry (through drugs, alcohol, or genetic modifcation) in order to live “pleasant” lives?
Your turn…
Comments (7)
Who’d have thought that currency conversion could inspire such an epic?
money unfortunately makes the world go round
My latest Tarot passion is studying its Kabbalistic associations. I know the Kabbalah is Hebrew, but is it also Jewish? Are the two the same thing? Maybe you can dispell some of my ignorance.
Part of me wishes I could get so passionate about posting on Xanga again. Most of my passion has found other outlets, and very little of it ends up here anymore. (And much of it has just plain died, sadly.)
I love the work you’re doing with children, as well as your attitude toward teaching and learning. The human being is naturally curious. What fun learning is when we have the freedom to follow where our curiosity leads. We learn more than we (as a society) know that way.
There are some excellent and amusing books on economics by Richard Mayberry, would highly recommend those. As far as happiness… I’d say emotions are influenced by biochemistry, knowledge, etc., but also have a lot to do with what we *choose* to feel or focus on.
Sorry for such a late feedback on your question.
I’m a photography student. And I guess I answered below the right post, because I finally am learning what I’d like, and loving what I learn.
Slippery subject, happiness. “Happiness” is a nebulous term. Not that you’ll be able to hone the definition to anything more distinct…happiness means different things to different people, and always will. I think people often use (or mis-use) the term “happiness” when comparing two people’s state of existence. You know, “Barry is happier than Neil because Neil is a janitor and Barry is a respected neurosurgeon.” Unlike intelligence or sobriety, happiness is not easily quantifiable.
Now money…you’re right about no direct correlation existing between wealth and happiness. However there is an undeniable link between money and comfort. If your roof is leaking and you have fat stacks of cash, you’ll buy a new roof (or a new house), and stay dry. If your roof is leaking and you are wallowing in the throes of poverty, you’ll most likely just move an empty pot under the drip zone. But neither situation guarantees a state of mind. You can be happy in a hovel or miserable in a mansion…the surroundings are only a backdrop.
Additionally, I’m having some difficulty tracking keppiezbt’s statement about money. Not the part about “money makes the world go round” (although point of fact, gravity makes the world go round), but rather what is so unfortunate about that situation. Without money, humans are left with two options for acquiring the items they need to remain alive and comfortable: 1) carry large amounts of barter-able goods to the nearest trading post, or 2) make everything needed for survival by hand. Ever tried to trade beaver pelts for electricity? Or make insulin in your kitchen? I think I’ll stick with cash (and it’s many plastic, paper, and electronic equivalents). Lay off the pipe, hippy.
love what you learn, learn what you like…just so long as you don’t starve to death or sit around on your dead ass contributing nothing to society other than a dent and a stain on your couch.
Hmm…turns out that writing long-winded comments and being a slight asshole make me happy. Now if only it could make me rich…
Considering Kregg’s comment above, I don’t think it’s a problem that money makes the world go ’round, but I do think it’s a problem when a desire for more and more money and more and more “stuff” makes the world go ’round. Making enough money to support yourself and live comfortably isn’t the problem, it’s when you have all that but you continue to want more and you’re willing to get it at the expense of other people. Materialism should not supplant compassion towards those less fortunate.
As far as happiness, it’s an elusive thing. I think that if at the end of the day you have a purpose and you have focus and you have your priorities straight, you’ll experience a more profound happiness-not just a smile on your face, but meaning in your life.
~Bethany