Building your first brain
"Daily study is necessary for all people." - Leo Tolstoy
Our mind is what sets us apart from other animals. We as humans have created a world to our liking. Humans play God submitting the laws of nature to our will. We travel space and split atoms, do politics and established culture. All of this has happened because of the power of our mind. At birth the mind is a blank slate holding nothing except basic animalistic instincts. As we mature we fill our memory with data increasing our ability to comprehend the world each time. Until we are able to build a rocket, paint the Mona Lisa or write this blog.
It is the reason why some people become rich, successful, famous or an important historical figure. They know things others didn´t. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos became rich because of their knowledge about business. And they will always be able to build back if they lose all material possessions. Ceasar became dictator of ancient Rome because he was a brilliant strategist and a competent politician. Napoleon too was an unparalleled strategist conquering almost all of Europe until someone smarter beat him. Napoleons mind, his strategic, thinking set him apart from other generals in history allowing him to achieve what he has. Name any ancient Greek philosopher. Almost all of them echo through history with their words holding value even in 21st century. They were brilliant scholars, philosophers and statesmen. And ancient stoic philosophy seems as popular as ever. Their minds have made these scholars immortal. They were diligent students learning day in and day out their whole life.
Today education is easier and cheaper to access than ever before. There is more free knowledge on the internet than any human could ever learn in their entire life time.
“When student is ready, the teacher appears.”
Books are cheaper than ever costing sometimes less than a euro. There are libraries in ever major city where you can lend books. In my home town there are even public spaces where you can find free books people gave away. There is no more excuse for poor education and it should be our most joyful task to educate ourselves.
The mind is at the forefront of everything we do. Whether it is a career, relationships, sports. An agile mind will make it easier to deal with life and education will help keep the mind in shape. You will perform better if you learn and educate yourself. Furthermore, reality is just the projection of our mind. Expanding our minds horizon sets us up to understand a broader and deeper reality.
We are in the luxurious position that we have access to the works of nearly every great person in history. We have biographies or diaries. And we can study them and the works of the greatest humans. Getting insight into how they thought and what they learned over their lifetime.
Books especially almost always hold knowledge and wisdom the author gained over years, decades or his whole life and we get it processed and diluted in form of a book.
"Knowledge is long, life is short, and he who knows nothing does not live." - Baltasar Gracián
The power of knowledge lies in the fact that it isn´t real in the literal sense of the word. Knowledge is no object nothing you can grab or hold onto. It is only in your mind but it is real at the same time because it describes reality. Once you have gained knowledge it can´t be taken away from you, it can´t be taxed or sanctioned and you can´t not lose it. Knowledge makes humans independent. It is the reason why dictators burn books, use propaganda and control education.
“Knowledge is power.” – Sir Francis Bacon
It is therefore needed to train your mind and expand it´s horizon as far as you are capable.
So be thankful that you possess the ability to read for it is the gateway to knowledge.
This Blog is part one of two. Next week will come the sequel about knowledge and learning. The title may give you a hint about the topic, stay tuned.
Remember, life rewards
