"When you encounter a peculiar trait of wickedness or stupidity, […] do not let it anger or disturb you; see it as an addition to your knowledge, a new fact to consider in studying human character. Your attitude will be that of the mineralogist who stumbles upon a very peculiar mineral specimen."
~ Arthur Schopenhauer
As intense as it may sound to begin this week's piece, especially considering that this section aims to be more introspective—a sort of internal call to action—the intention is that, while reading the articles, you can develop a small personal retrospective aligned with the topic at hand.
This article does not stray from that objective. However, instead of presenting a protagonist's perspective, it will approach it more as an observer. As the saying goes, "A good listener needs few words," meaning understanding without the need to experience it firsthand. Still, what will be discussed here may resonate with how you currently act or think or with some fragment of your history.
Although it's not always explicitly stated, continuous learning is implied in everything related to Satoricha.com and my journal writings. A prime example of this can be found on the homepage, where the T.E.A. methodology is introduced, specifically the letter A, which defines:
"Awakening to eternal curiosity, learning is a journey of discovery and constant growth. Being an eternal learner enriches and nourishes our soul along the way."
At first glance, this may seem like a simple play on words, but "learning is a journey" is not accidental. It is a subtle detail that completely changes the focus of the message.
"Learning is" offers a philosophical and existential view of learning. It redefines learning as an attitude toward life: a constant openness to wonder, observation, and inner transformation. In other words, learning is not a means to something else but a way of being in the world.
This article, like everything shared from Satoricha.com, is about inviting you to acquire knowledge and tools and accompanying you in an exercise of consciousness. Because, deep down, learning is not merely a series of steps to follow...
Although it may sometimes feel like a reward and other times a punishment to hold a specific title or to have graduated from a particular institution, it often becomes a double-edged sword. At the end of the day, both the student and the teacher are judges and participants of their own destiny, based on guidelines and standards set by some academy, government, institution, etc. However, this does not guarantee that the teacher knows how to convey knowledge or that the student knows how to receive it.
It's like what we all experience at some point through evaluations based on scores. There are cases where students with low grades later become the ones who stand out in what they do, and conversely, there are those who seem to have left all their shine in their grades but don't excel as they once did in the classroom.
Of course, the above is not meant to generalize or suggest that the student who shines in grades won't succeed or that the one with bad grades will. Not at all. It is an example of how our need to "standardize" everything sometimes creates biases and causes us to lose direction.
And as they say, "The devil doesn't die; it reinvents itself." In the past, we had cases of charlatanism like that of Michael Schuppach, better known as the "Doctor of the Mountains," who sold magical powders and potions with names like "Heart Flowers." And sure, one might think, "Please, that was in the past; who would fall for something like that?" Well, it's not for nothing that there's a writing called "Kiddo, you got scammed!"
And let's face it, while it's true that there's some responsibility on the part of those deceived, there's more on the one who deceives. Today, we have many self-proclaimed "teachers," "gurus," "coaches," "sommeliers," and "experts,"... and to some extent, it's valid: if they have the title, they are what they say they are. But here we face the same issue with grades: does a title determine someone's "value"? (That's something each person must answer for themselves).
However, one thing I will state—whether or not I have the right to—is that the one who teaches must be humble enough to transmit knowledge and humility, and the one who learns must learn to be humble enough to recognize that they don't know everything.
You might ask, "Well, why should only the learner be humble and not the teacher?" Because the one who knows how to teach, in their vast knowledge, recognizes that they know nothing.
It's common to see people in different environments putting on a peacock display, trying to see who has the best feathers. One might expect the academic world to be different, or as some would say, "more elevated." However, many times, that's where humility is most lacking, and instead of teaching, people humiliate.
Knowledge isn't meant to be accumulated. If you have the opportunity to know something others don't, share it. If you don't consider yourself philanthropic, don't do it for others; do it for yourself. How boring would it be to be the only one who can play a game requiring more than one player?
We've been made to believe that learning must be formal, boring, tasteless, even intimidating, or that knowing about an "x" or "y" subject determines our level. When I think about this, I can only think about the interview with Ching Ching Wong, the tea shop owner, who was asked about her relationship with customers regarding tea at her shop as they prepare their own tea.
Wong & Eighty Degrees (2023) explains:
"I can see how this might be intimidating for those who feel they really don’t know much about preparing tea and are worried about ruining it.
We get questions like, 'How long should I steep it?' But honestly, I can't give you that answer. I can't tell you how you should like your tea. The older I get, the more I realize there’s no answer for everything. Everything is subjective. Especially with tea leaves: they're so alive and respond well to how you treat them. If you brew tea and get it wrong, if it's too bitter or too weak, you just drink it or throw it out and make another cup. If you're curious about tea, you'll discover it. It's like life: we constantly make mistakes and then learn from them, hopefully! That's it. Next time, you'll do better."
So, why is it expected that the one who doesn't know shouldn't err, and why doesn't the one who teaches first teach themselves humility? We are the product of generational knowledge. Just as there were successes, there were mistakes. If our ancestors made mistakes, so can we and our predecessors. Of course, every decision has a price that we must be willing to pay.
Both the student and the teacher must always keep in mind the words of William Arthur Ward:
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."
Satoricha ~
References
Wong, C. C., & Eighty Degrees. (2023). A Tea House Defying the odds (Vol. 9). Cat Kerr.