One of the best opening movie quotes to one of my favorite movies. This quote stirs up reminders of people who were not products of their environment, but rose well above society's feeble expectations to achieve great things. There are countless examples in history, between Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, Ted Turner, and though his leadership as President was questionable; Jimmy Carter. Here we have four people whose ambition and determination superceded any obstacle that stood to hold them back. Samuel Clemens was born into a very poor family in Missippi and had very little formal education. How is it that he was able to become one of the most respected writers of all time and as Hemingway called him "the father of American literature"? How is it that his witticisms and observations were so profound, unique, and intelligent that there is a perennial humor award in his honor?
Twain, while obviously very intelligent, knew that in order to achieve his goals he had to work dilligently, specialize and focus. When he wanted to be a river boat captain (a profession that led him to his penname) he studied chart after chart on the Mississippi River so that he would know every shallow point, every threatening rock. This effort and focus ensured his success as a river boat pilot. It is unsettling to hear about people being unable to rise above their means or that society inherently holds people down. It is said that when Twain was young, all he wanted to do was be a river boat pilot. Unlike most, this dream never wavered and was ultimately achieved. As for Twain becoming a literary giant, his formula was simple, "Write what you know about." Funny, he never seemed to discuss croutons, probably for the best. In any case, Twain is the archetype of the self made man. Rather than look at the world as cruel and unsupportive of individual success, he used the tools that were available to learn and read and soak up as much as he possibly could. Twain spent countless hours pouring over volumes of every literary topic imaginable in the New York Public Library.
"You wasted one hundred and fifty grand on an education you could have got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library"
This Good Will Hunting quote embodies the path Twain took. He didn't have the means to go to a place like Oxford, Harvard, or Yale, and while he was eventually awarded honorary degrees from these institutions, he took advantage of the best asset available to him; public libraries. Public libraries are such powerful tools that it is alarming how few people actually take the time to go there and make use of it. Twain summed it perfectly, a sort of motto for autodidacts, "I've never let my schooling interfere with my education."
Many consider Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead to be one of the best, most profound books in the past century, and I would concur. However, while many see redeeming qualities in the tragic hero that is Roark, I think the most important paragraph is when Gail Wynand concludes that the main difference between succesful and unsuccessful people is "books". Successful people are well read. Unsuccessful people are not. While this formula does not apply to every situation or circumstance, there is much more to be gained from turning the the TV off, picking up a book than from watching re-runs of Scrubs. Something incredibly simple, but still an elusive process for most. As I said earlier, Jimmy Carter isn't exactly my favorite President. But Carter grew up on a farm in Georgia, and clearly had ambition to burn. His appetite for reading was unprecedented and he claims to have read every book in the public library in his hometown. He went from being the son of a farmer to a President, albeit a poor one, to a Nobel Peace Prize Winner. Not bad at all.
"It is another of the miraculous things about mankind that there is no pain or passion that does not radiate to the ends of the Earth. Let a man in a garret but burn enough intensity and he will set fire to the world."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Wind, Sand, and Stars
In other words, I have no sympathy for people who resign to their circumstances without giving an honest, hard-nosed try to break out. When you hear children speak about wanting to be movie stars, doctors, or astronauts, it's inspiring to see that much hope, though it is so often dismissed for naievete. But what happens that makes people suddenly drop those dreams or slowly learn to settle for something that is nowhere near what they had hoped to become? You can pour over Coelho's The Alchemist and get that inspiring chip back, but without serious effort, and an intense focus on exactly what you want, it just isn't going to happen. The inevitable argument is that most people do not have enough time to pursue what they really want because they are so busy working two jobs to support themselves. Perseverance and focus will not bend to the hurdles and obstructions such as work schedule. I've been told stories of people who took jobs in garages and still found time to study and graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, who lived in fear of oil drips that would ruin their books.
The bottom line is, no autonomous person will be a victim of the world until they choose to be swallowed by mediocrity. Whether you have to tackle a few shelves at the local library, audit some night courses, or simply shut off the blackberry for a while, it is easy to see that most limits and setbacks are self-imposed and can be surpassed.
Twain, while obviously very intelligent, knew that in order to achieve his goals he had to work dilligently, specialize and focus. When he wanted to be a river boat captain (a profession that led him to his penname) he studied chart after chart on the Mississippi River so that he would know every shallow point, every threatening rock. This effort and focus ensured his success as a river boat pilot. It is unsettling to hear about people being unable to rise above their means or that society inherently holds people down. It is said that when Twain was young, all he wanted to do was be a river boat pilot. Unlike most, this dream never wavered and was ultimately achieved. As for Twain becoming a literary giant, his formula was simple, "Write what you know about." Funny, he never seemed to discuss croutons, probably for the best. In any case, Twain is the archetype of the self made man. Rather than look at the world as cruel and unsupportive of individual success, he used the tools that were available to learn and read and soak up as much as he possibly could. Twain spent countless hours pouring over volumes of every literary topic imaginable in the New York Public Library.
"You wasted one hundred and fifty grand on an education you could have got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library"
This Good Will Hunting quote embodies the path Twain took. He didn't have the means to go to a place like Oxford, Harvard, or Yale, and while he was eventually awarded honorary degrees from these institutions, he took advantage of the best asset available to him; public libraries. Public libraries are such powerful tools that it is alarming how few people actually take the time to go there and make use of it. Twain summed it perfectly, a sort of motto for autodidacts, "I've never let my schooling interfere with my education."
Many consider Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead to be one of the best, most profound books in the past century, and I would concur. However, while many see redeeming qualities in the tragic hero that is Roark, I think the most important paragraph is when Gail Wynand concludes that the main difference between succesful and unsuccessful people is "books". Successful people are well read. Unsuccessful people are not. While this formula does not apply to every situation or circumstance, there is much more to be gained from turning the the TV off, picking up a book than from watching re-runs of Scrubs. Something incredibly simple, but still an elusive process for most. As I said earlier, Jimmy Carter isn't exactly my favorite President. But Carter grew up on a farm in Georgia, and clearly had ambition to burn. His appetite for reading was unprecedented and he claims to have read every book in the public library in his hometown. He went from being the son of a farmer to a President, albeit a poor one, to a Nobel Peace Prize Winner. Not bad at all.
"It is another of the miraculous things about mankind that there is no pain or passion that does not radiate to the ends of the Earth. Let a man in a garret but burn enough intensity and he will set fire to the world."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Wind, Sand, and Stars
In other words, I have no sympathy for people who resign to their circumstances without giving an honest, hard-nosed try to break out. When you hear children speak about wanting to be movie stars, doctors, or astronauts, it's inspiring to see that much hope, though it is so often dismissed for naievete. But what happens that makes people suddenly drop those dreams or slowly learn to settle for something that is nowhere near what they had hoped to become? You can pour over Coelho's The Alchemist and get that inspiring chip back, but without serious effort, and an intense focus on exactly what you want, it just isn't going to happen. The inevitable argument is that most people do not have enough time to pursue what they really want because they are so busy working two jobs to support themselves. Perseverance and focus will not bend to the hurdles and obstructions such as work schedule. I've been told stories of people who took jobs in garages and still found time to study and graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, who lived in fear of oil drips that would ruin their books.
The bottom line is, no autonomous person will be a victim of the world until they choose to be swallowed by mediocrity. Whether you have to tackle a few shelves at the local library, audit some night courses, or simply shut off the blackberry for a while, it is easy to see that most limits and setbacks are self-imposed and can be surpassed.
Further Reading:
2 comments:
You read? That is so gay.
one lick of the lollipop of mediocrity and you suck for life...
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