FREE EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE!

By the power vested in me as a human being, I do hereby
proclaim that henceforth and forevermore:
      Education is and shall be FREE for all who seek it!
Actually, it has always been free, so I guess my
announcement won't make much difference, but it bears
repeating from time to time.
This week I read that protesters were pepper-sprayed by
police when they interrupted a board of trustee's meeting
by chanting, "No cuts, no fees, education should be free."
The irony struck me as over-whelming. Education has always
been free! As I've often written, we live in a remarkable
time when all the books ever written are available to
anyone who wants them.
Whether (or not) we read is of course, a very different
question. Whether (or not) we listen to audio programs, or
take the classes, or ask the questions and seek appropriate
mentors, is (as always) a deeply personal decision. But
education and skills, ideas, history, biography, and wisdom
are available to all who seek them. Obviously, diplomas are
expensive and degrees from elite universities are even more
expensive! But education is free or "cheaper than dirt."
Throughout my adult life, I've read about a book a week,
usually a bit more than that. I've read history and
business, biography and humor, even a few mysteries and
thrillers just for fun. I think it helps. And it's
certainly taught me a few things. So when I hear that most
adults rarely read a single book, or when folks complain
that learning is hard or expensive or "out of reach," I
tend to roll my eyes. Diplomas are expensive--and sometimes
they're worth it.
But education is free. And all of us are "self-taught." Do
yourself a favor. Learn something new this week.
I apologize for ranting. Perhaps I should get a book or go
online to learn something about impulse control or anger
management. But I do maintain that, "Those who do not read
are no better-off than those who cannot read." To me,
that's worth pondering.
Philip Humbert said,"As a guy who benefited from many years of formal
education, I strongly believe in school! I encourage you to
stay in school, go back to school, to hang out with
students and surround yourself with people who hunger and
thirst for knowledge! Get where it's good!
And, I freely admit I've had wonderful teachers and some of
the best were paid to teach. There was Wendell Whalen who
taught me philosophy and Bob Crandell who taught me to love
good literature. And I am profoundly indebted to "Miss
King," the saint we tormented mercilessly while she
patiently taught us to write (and think) in complete
sentences. She's surely dead now, but generations of rowdy
teenagers owe her more than we can ever repay.
But many of my best teachers were never paid, and probably
never knew they were teaching me anything at all. There was
Bob Ekegren who taught me about business. And Bob Martinez
who taught me the Zen of pistol shooting. And Thomas
Leonard who taught me the difference between coaching and
teaching.
My list could go on, but I want to encourage you to think
about your own teachers and mentors. Who has helped you
along the way? Who are the people who helped make your life
possible? And, most importantly, who are your current
teachers?
Who is mentoring you? Who is helping you find your way to
"the next level?" Who are you watching to find out, "how do
they do that?"
In the end, we are all self-taught. Learning is a never-
ending process and we either seek knowledge intentionally,
or we drift and pick things up haphazardly along the way.
And, unfortunately, not everything that happens to come our
way is helpful in reaching our goals or living the life we
intended.
Read more and read smart. Hunger for knowledge and seek
wisdom. Smart, disciplined people seem to be in remarkably
short supply. Why not be one of those who "know stuff" and
are willing to live their lives based on the best
information available?