The meaning of schools and education has changed over time.

We tend to think of education in a limited sense- go to an academic institution, acquire knowledge as if it were a commodity, develop certain skills that are demanded in the global marketplace, so you can get a job, work, pay your bills, buy stuff, and die.

But this is a relatively recent and myopic idea. School used to be something that wealthy people went to because they had too much free time. Education has often meant something much broader, and lately it’s something that I don’t think we think enough about.

I’ve been reading a book about Bushido, and it asks questions like- how did the Japanese people impart moral education to their youth without a religious education? And it talks about the embodiment (rather than the acquisition) of knowledge- of gradual cumulation and slow attainment of harmony. It talks about Rectitude, or Justice, Courage, Benevolence, Politeness,Veracity and Sincerity, Honour,  Loyalty,  Self-Control and Self-Renunciation. Great stuff.

Morality, virtue. These were the things Socrates and Plato were interested in, too- and so many others before and after them. The root question of Philosophy- the pursuit of wisdom- to me, is not so much about Knowledge as something that is hoarded and acquired as a commodity, but Knowledge as a path, as something that is sought and embodied.

How should live be lived?

I think that’s the most important question. That’s the fundamental thing about an education, to me. Learning how to live. And what is living? It’s about making choices, decisions. Effective decision-making. How to live your dreams, how to be happy and fulfilled, how to inspire and empower others, leaving the world a better place than you found it, living with (and for) tranquility, peace and joy.

So yes, that is what I want. That is what I seek. And I don’t think it’s something you find in any institution, in any individual. It’s a deeply personal, spiritual pursuit. You might find it in a church, you might find it in a playing music, you might find it in starting a family, or in art, or even in recreational drugs- but all of that is just convenient shorthand for saying you find it within yourself. Everything else is just means to that end. So that’s where the main focus should be. Self-discovery. Reflection. Analysis. Action. Creation. (Randy Pausch described this as a “head fake”- when you sign your kid up for football, you’re not actually hoping that he’ll learn how to be an awesome quarterback- you’re hoping he’ll learn how to be an awesome human being.)

The next question I have is- how do I craft a syllabus for such a lofty goal?

What’s the curriculum when we’re looking at learning how to live?

I suppose it’s necessary to utilize head-fakes. I was vehemently critical of University education some time ago, but I have since made my peace with it, just as I have made my peace with religion. It doesn’t matter whether you call yourself a Christian or an Atheist- what matters is that you treat people with love and compassion. It doesn’t matter whether you studied at Harvard or dropped out of primary school- what matters is that you Learn. And learning- just like love and compassion- is a choice, something we can always do.

I’m going to apply for University anyway- primarily to appease my family. They’re concerned for my future, and they don’t see the world the same way I do. But that’s fine. It’s a challenge. I may or may not get in. And if I do get in, I may or may not go. But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be Learning anyway, wherever I go. That’s the goal.

Erich Fromm describes a grand philosophical dichotomy that permeates all of human life- Having vs. Being. I love that, because it’s incredibly elegant, like a simple scientific formula that explains an extremely broad range of everyday phenomena. It even allows us to interpret things that haven’t happened yet. (That’s the mark of true wisdom, of true art, when we can get more out of something than what was put into it.)

How to make a living?

Anyway, I’ve been talking in terms of lofty philosophy all this while. That doesn’t put food on the table. (If only it did!) So let’s switch modes and get pragmatic. How am I going to make a living?

I’m going to start by studying and understanding wealth, and subsequently, creating it. I’m not a big fan of large bureaucratic organizations. I’m not a fan of government, and I’m not a fan of most existing business models. I think that they’re becoming outdated and obsolete, and we’re going to see a period of great transformation in the business world- in fact I think it’s already underway, just that it hasn’t quite seeped into popular culture yet.

But I’m sure you sense it too- the world isn’t quite the same any more. There’s a New Game Hypothesis in town. Job security isn’t quite the same any more. Piling on student debt and getting a job to pay it off strikes me as incredibly risky, especially in today’s (and tomorrow’s!) market. I don’t see any immediate career options that I consider to be interesting, challenging or fulfilling.

There is no job (as far as I know- please correct my ignorance!) that makes perfect use of my unique perspective and skill-sets. (Or yours.) So I feel that it would be necessary to create and design one. Or many. I have a few rough ideas floating about in the ether of my skull, and I’m going to have to catch them one by one, pin them down and put them to the reality test.  First I have to figure out the best way to do this. I already have a rough idea, so I’m only going to be refining it as I go along.