Improving Your Life by Improving Your Mind 633.5
Our abilities to think, reason, and learn are among the most powerful tools we have to make our lives safer, more comfortable, and more fulfilling. Yet many of us don’t develop our mental capacities.
Although we can learn important information in school, the wise person in pursuit of self-improvement realizes that education is a lifelong process of expanding our minds through conversations, reading, listening, watching, and doing.
Thus, in selecting who we converse with and what we read, listen to, or watch, we should avoid whatever lacks intellectual nutrition.
No matter your age, the quality of your life can be improved if you seek opportunities to increase your knowledge, deepen your understanding, and sharpen your problem-solving skills. Think how much better your decisions would be if you learned how to better distinguish between facts, opinions, assumptions, and accusations. Or if you could identify and overcome personal prejudices and self-interest.
Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” And Robert Frost added, “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”
To do that, try to develop your ability to receive and, with an open mind, consider unsettling, unpleasant, or offensive information and points of view.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
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Comments
Wonderful to hear you talk about such a touchy subject. How true, that the pillars of character are entwined and weaved so crucially in this issue, and even better to teach our kids. So many outside influences, peers, advertising, movies, music, games, etc...if we don't teach and model what we want our kids to learn, someone or something else will certainly fill the gap.
Posted by: Diane Harmon | August 28, 2009 7:14 AM
Most of the people live in this world giving importance to that which is outside of them rather than that which is inside. It is like polishing one's car almost every day, not sending it to a garage as the mechanic's hand will make the outside greasy! Thus so much of frustration all around. The life line and reality is not paid heed to, but frivolous things that are outside get more importance. We want all that is outside of us to be very spotless and pure, however we do not mind polluting our thoughts - our mind!
Posted by: Ajit Kaikini | August 28, 2009 8:34 PM
Thanking you for all your inspiring commentaries. Reading and recommending your site is a daily pleasure. May God bless you and us with many more years of your work.
Posted by: Dave Roth | August 29, 2009 2:12 AM
The phrase "intellectual nutrition" intrigues me. As humans, we are physical, social, moral, spiritual, cognitive beings. Indeed, each of these components needs nourishment. The sad reality is that we may unwittingly become a giant in one of these while remaining a dwarf in another. The result is a monstrosity, hardly fulfilling the capacity given us as persons made in God's image. Thanks for your
excellent commentary on this.
Posted by: Charles Longenecker | September 1, 2009 7:00 AM
Very good points except that “we should avoid whatever lacks intellectual nutrition.” How is one to define “intellectual nutrition?” Does talking to a baby provide it? Hardly, yet I think it would be difficult to find anyone who thinks cooing to a baby shows poor character. There is much value to many things which lack “intellectual nutrition.” What is wrong with a cartoon on TV, listening to a football game, reading the Sunday funnies page, and yes, gibbering to a newborn baby – all of which generally lack intellect? Life is not always about learning, it is also about knowing how to recharge the mind, body and spirit. And many times a mindless few minutes or a hearty laugh is just what the doctor ordered. Is there any wonder why so many kids these days are diagnosed with stress?
Furthermore, many activities labeled as a waste of time have led to incredible advances. Who would have ever thought that a mindless show like Star Trek would lead to personal computers, voice-activated software, touch screens, flash drives, cell phones, Bluetooth devices, GPS, PDAs, flat screen TVs, and a host of other products? Dick Tracy cartoons originated caller ID. Wonder Woman comics conceived the polygraph. The ankle bracelet monitor came from a Spiderman comic. Intelligence does not always arise from deep-thinking. In fact, many times the constraints imparted by scholars thwart intellectual absorption – or have we all forgotten the professor who droned on about algorithms or the Pleistocene Period? We should always be open-minded about what can be nourishing and not reject something just because others deem it lacking “intellectual nutrition.” Who knows, the next great invention could be the result of SpongeBob SquarePants!
Posted by: Mr T | September 9, 2009 12:44 PM