So many times I've heard the phrase, "I wish I was smarter." being uttered by someone. At first it may make you feel bad for the person saying it or it may not. With the advent of the internet and all the scientific breakthroughs happening everyday it is getting harder and harder to feel sorry for someone who says this. Its not about being uncaring, its about not being ignorant to the fact that knowledge is everywhere. The world is filled with so much that you can never absorb everything in a single lifetime. But you should still try. A truer phrase is, "Knowledge is power." People with the knowledge will rise and people without will fall. Its all out there for the taking if you are dedicated enough to go after it. Increasing your knowledge base can change your life in ways you cant even imagine.
For people that want to be smarter and learn more, there are a lot of options out there for you. Options that are easy to find and some are free. Many scholars and academics will publish and distribute their work for free just so people can learn what they have learned. Putting a little effort behind this will yield great results if you stick with it and especially if you find a topic you enjoy. Having the knowledge in you and not having to look it up can make a big difference. With that said here are some ways and means to increase your overall knowledge.
The Internet
The Internet is the most obvious avenue of finding information quickly. Its literally all the world's knowledge right at your fingertips, all you have to do is search. Unfortunately, therein lays the problem. You have to know what you are searching for first. You have to think of a topic or a piece of information and search specifically for that piece. The internet is perfect for finding specific information very quickly and that's what it is best used for. One of the other great things about the internet is that you can pick a topic and you can read as much as you want, which will lead you to other topics. You will end up "going down a rabbit hole" and going deep as you want into something. So, what if you cant think of anything interesting to search for?
Protopage
Popurls
Reddit (NSFW)
Gentlemint
ESPN
Magazines
Many magazines being published these days are meant strictly to entertain and pass time. Popular magazines such as Maxim or People have very little substance to them. They are fine if you are just taking a break and don't want any heavy reading. The magazines that you should be trying to read more of are any trade magazine, hobby magazine, topic specific or general interest magazines. Reader's Digest is an example of an general interest magazine. They have a collection random topics and or anecdotes that cover a wide range of interests, some short, some long but they are always great for relaying an experience to the reader and as everyone knows, you cant teach experience. Every magazine being published is almost guaranteed to have a piece of information in it that you didn't know about, even a free magazine from your local pets store.
Of course for people who don't like paper magazines, you can always go onto the internet and find the magazine homepage. It may not have all the articles as it paperback version but it will be close. Some people however find reading on the internet distracting and prefer a physical copy.
Reader's Digest
Popular Mechanics
Discover Magazine
National Geographic
The Walrus Magazine
Gentleman's Quarterly
The Family Handyman
Books
It may be an obvious answer but books have fallen by the wayside in favour of the internet. Digital books are a great option if you own an e-reader or tablet but getting a physical copy still has some advantages. First, sitting down and reading can free you from other distractions. Second, you don't need additional hardware or software to read a book.
Taking a trip to your local library should be something everyone should be doing regularly. Sticking to the non-fiction, biographies or history section definitely pay off with something you will be interested in. The main problem associated with the internet does not exist in a library as you can browse the books to see exactly what they have. Don't forget the classics as well.
Conversation
No man knows everything there is to know. Every man you meet will know something that don't know. Most men also like to tell others or teach others something that they know. It is because of this fact that the more people you know the more you can increase your knowledge base. Sadly, most men believe that they are smarter than the person beside them, which may be true but remember, there is always at least one thing you can learn from someone.
A single conversation with a wise man during the eating of a meal, is better than ten years' mere study of books. ~Chinese Proverb
_________________________________________________________________________________
Join a Club
If you have an interest in something or would like to know more about it then joining a local club devoted to the topic is a great idea. There are local clubs devoted to a wide range of subjects, from card games to bird watching to cars. The area you live in may not have everything you are looking for but that is a good time to take a chance and do something you may not think about doing otherwise. The other added bonus is that you will also meet new people which you can then learn other things from.
Finding a local club takes a bit of work but there are places you can look to see if clubs are advertising. Check your local newspaper in the back "want ads" or look out for short articles advertising a meeting. Local clubs will always want new people to join so they wont be shy about advertising. Another avenue is your city or town's website. Your town website should have some clubs profiled or have a scheduled meeting on its calender of local events.
Part Time Course/Seminar
Local colleges and trade schools have a large selection of night school classes that cover a wide range of topics. Don't be afraid of the potential cost because they are relatively cheap when you consider how many hours of class time you are getting. Night school classes are able to teach a lot of information in a short period of time. It can be surprising just how much you can take away at the end of three months.
Of course this is the most expensive option for wanting to learn more but is the most effective. Decide how much you are able to afford and when you can actually spend it. After that you can decide on the course you want. If it is not offered right away then save your money and take it when its available. It is important to study something you enjoy so its worth it to be picky at this point.
Final Words
The bottom line when it comes to learning and becoming smarter is all about exposing yourself to things you don't normally get exposed to. Many people limit themselves to subjects that they are familiar with and because of this will never learn as much as someone who "dabbles" in multiple areas. Some people out there will purposely do things that they are unfamiliar with or even uncomfortable with.
When presented with an opportunity to experience or learn something you are unfamiliar with, take it and enjoy the experience of learning.
No comments:
Post a Comment