Accepting the simple explanation for complex things was never attractive to me. Instead I wanted to know WHY, and HOW, and WHEN, even if I did not fully understand the answers.
A mind that is always wondering is a mind that is always improving. However a mind that has been tranquilized with soothing mythological explanations is a mind that is being denied its true destiny.
I have called myself the "doubting Thomasina" for a very long time. I longer doubt as I have become a Realist over the course of decades. Yet I still marvel at the wonders of the Universe, from the micro to the macro and each day I learn! May my body give up before my curiosity gives out!
ReplyDeleteGood Night my Friends and pleasant dreams...:)
There used to be a series of science books sold at my local grocery store. The deal we had with my mom was, if we saved enough money to buy one, she would buy the second. We learned about animals, birds, machines...all kinds of cool subjects we never had time for in school. PLUS we were reading, a lifelong joy for all of us.
ReplyDeleteIt's my opinion that authoritarian-types like to know what, but authoritative-types like to know where, why and how.
ReplyDeleteThis quote and your commentary brought back a lot of fond memories for me. I practically grew up in the Public Library and raised my kids with the same passion to fuel their natural curiosity and to expand their horizons by pursuing knowledge.
ReplyDeleteWe'd take day trips to museums, expose them to arts and sciences, and we learned a lot along the way.
If we were asked something that we weren't sure about, we'd tell them we didn't know but we'd research with them to answer their questions.
I loved your story and wish more people would tell their stories about their educational backgrounds. Imagine how our conversations might further inform the penny-pinching education world of today.
ReplyDeleteI did science projects throughout primary school and loved my accelerated gifted and talented science classes in the 7th and 8th grades, which led to much deep reading and appreciation of the learning it afforded me.
I still have my first microscope (4th grade!) and have given it a place of honor in my home gallery.
I accompanied my daughter on weekend visits to the Smithsonian and Natural History museums in DC when she was growing up and made up games to help in the memorization that we did of the star positions and constellations while using our much-prized backyard telescope.
Again, thanks for a lovely remembrance of things past.
Well this is a start to a good day:
ReplyDelete"Michele Bachmann: I'm quitting my House seat in 2014"
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/29/.UaXQljYdGLg.twitter
I knew I had a connection to animals a a very young age, by 14 I was planning my career as a biologist. With no money and no one to show me how, it took me many years to get to collage and a grad degree at middle age. Through all the setbacks and self doubt, the one source of motivation that never let me down was the constant need find answers .
ReplyDeleteBachmann is retiring!
ReplyDeleteDog this is soooooo true.
ReplyDeleteI've commented here ad infinitum how my mother told me my intellect was "of the devil".
Luckily I didn't believe her and in later years basically told her to fuck off!
I have two elementary-school-aged daughters and they are, indeed, natural scientists. They are also naturally accepting of differences among people and nonchalant about things like race and same-sex parents. That's how kids start out and that's how ours will stay.
ReplyDelete