An interest in learning usually starts on a predictable path.
We get drawn into the popular thoughts of our time. The bestsellers lists and popular podcasts give us a taste of what it’s like to think critically about the world around us and to seek a better understanding.
This, by itself, is a useful process. It’s more effort than most people make and it’s good enough to make a noticeable difference in the way we think.
But then there’s a deeper level.
Once we’re willing to explore beyond the typical list of famous authors and popular interviewees, we realize how many other places there are to look for great information. The world is full of passionate people exploring obscure topics, and all of that information is at our fingertips – if we’re willing to look.
This process is similar to the way in which higher education goes. We have the chance to go deep in one particular field, or to learn obscure facts from various disciplines if we’d prefer.
Lately, I’ve found that this still isn’t the stopping point though.
Beyond the bestsellers lists, and even the obscure thinkers of our time, is a source of even richer knowledge – the classics.
As we dig even deeper into the foundational thought patterns and the ideas that are shared across multiple disciplines, we can see that most modern thinkers draw from the same sources.
There are a select few texts that law the foundation for philosophical and spiritual thinking – almost all of which are hundreds, or even thousands of years old. Similarly, the current thoughts on strategy, commerce, business, design, and so much more are still almost all based on the same foundations.
Nature, either physical or our own, hasn’t changed much over time.
The people we hear who appear so brilliant in a given field are rarely like that because of their own stroke of genius. They often spin and reiterate the same core thoughts that have been floating around for centuries (whether they know it or not).
It’s fine if we want to stop at the “pop science” level, or stick to any of the other watered down content that tends to make it’s way to the public eye, but it’s worthwhile to at least dabble in the classics. If they’ve survived for hundreds of years, it’s pretty safe to bet that they’ll be around for hundreds more.
If nothing else, consider reading one of the “Great books” on this list.
-Brandon