I will go into the second statement as the first statement is self-evident. Since my graduation, I have been thinking, (not that I did not before, but more thinking for the sake of thinking than broader task-oriented thinking i.e. how do I finish this essay etc) in almost very direction a mind can go. However most of the thinking, for me now, is career based and what steps I need to take to further attain a better, more enriched life. I do not take this matter lightly, since any misstep can prove to be costly in the long run.
From my point of view, looking at the future at this time and space, I see two paths of career. One is pure academic and the second option is industry. Academic careers are more theory based, a lot of thinking and more towards a position of "distribution of knowledge" either it be in research based firms and division or general academic positions such as professors. The second part is industry. What I mean by industry is "taking the theory and putting it into practice" or atleast try to do the same. This is the path chosen by many; because it gives you something that the other path does not. Instant income. By choosing a path of finding a job; and hoping to make a career from that job; people assume they would get constant stream of income and hopefully, fulfill their desires through their continued progression in the society. Those in the academic side have similar purpose, however, their advancement in the fields of knowledge depend on their personal advancement of knowledge and learning. Both paths have their own pros and cons, of which I will not indulge into, purely because I don't know much about the pros and cons.
As with everything you think about, the particular time and space around you is of the upmost importance, since great ideas are purely unattaible dreams in an hostile environment.The difference between learning institutions in United States and India is the amount of importance theory places in the role. United States's learning institutions place a premium on practical nature of the theory, where as the countries like India, the importance is given to the theory part. Once again, the debate between which method of learning is important is wide and the views are varied.
Since I have learnt from both ends of the spectrum, I am torn inbetween them even more. Although the ideas of practical nature of knowledge attainment as in learn-as-you-work nature appeal to me in certain subjects like general business, subjects like economics and even basic computer science need a strong theorical basis before you can advance to higher stages of the field. I have been able to get a compromise between the two different ergs I routinely face by deciding to do both. My ideal career path would have a full time work and a part-time study period. Need not be 6 units of study, maybe 3. Maybe just going and learning some "creative arts" course. Ofcourse any course that would advance enrichment of my life would be welcome.
Ofcourse higher education like an masters or PhD can be full time study and part time work if need be. Frankly, all this thought process came into about because I miss the study atmosphere with class rooms and lectures etc. Maybe later in life, I might be comfortable working only, or my job would provide all the enrichment I am talking about, I don't know.
Taking a slightly bigger view of the situation, I am reminded of the dialog used in Good will Hunting, the movie where Robin Williams (Sean, a psychiatrist) talks to Matt Damon (Will Hunting, a genius student). From the time I heard it first till today, this conversation and the movie reminded me the limitations of books, knowledge and modern education.
Sean: Thought about what you said to me the other day, about my painting. Stayed up half the night thinking about it. Something occurred to me... fell into a deep peaceful sleep, and haven't thought about you since. Do you know what occurred to me?
Will: No.
Sean: You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about.
Will: Why thank you.
Sean: It's all right. You've never been out of Boston.
Will: Nope.
Sean: So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You're an orphan right?
[Will nods]
Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.
Will: No.
Sean: You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about.
Will: Why thank you.
Sean: It's all right. You've never been out of Boston.
Will: Nope.
Sean: So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You're an orphan right?
[Will nods]
Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.
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