How often do you actually put into practice what you learn from reading nonfiction books (if you read nonfiction, that is)?
I can't say that often happens, but I think it's more because of the type of non-fiction I read. Most of it falls into the category of history or biography, and it's because I'm interested in a time period or person, so the chances of putting something directly into practice doesn't generally translate. If I do read some other non-fiction book, it's probably because I have a specific task or project in mind, so then I would use the information I've learned. MizB made the point that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is not always the best of things, and I do agree with that. In that sense, I probably use the information I've read in my histories and biographies more than I think, if I stop to look at it. Not in any practical manner (I'm not planning to conquer any nations, gain a crown, or go live on a pioneer homestead anytime soon!), but I can cite events and the consequences of them in discussions or arguments, recognize the comforts we take for granted, become interested in crafts and occupations that are no longer considered "necessary" for daily life, and, seeing how human nature really doesn't change, maybe gain a bit more understanding about the world we live in today. Does that make me a better person? Maybe not. But if I take that awareness and understanding and use it to treat others better - and insist on being treated better in return - it serves a purpose. If I can make someone happy with a gift of a craft I've learned, that's a good use of my time. And, at the very least, I can hold up my end of a conversation. :)
Guess maybe I do use this information more than I'd originally thought.
"knowledge for the sake of knowledge is not always the best of things, and I do agree with that."
ReplyDeletewow...not to sound argumentative, but I could not disagree more. :-)
Interesting thoughts, Erin...I'm gathering that your point is that we absorb a lot more of what we read about than we think...and our awareness of events (gleaned from books) can make subtle changes in our attitudes...and maybe in our behavior.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I wrote:
http://meditationsbylaurelrain.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/musing-mondays-putting-ideas-into-practice/
Good point about historical/cultural knowledge not translating into real life application. I read a lot of that type of nonfiction too, and am still trying to work out how that can help me in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI think that you're right when you say that knowledge for the sake of knowledge isn't always the best thing, but often knowledge that we think we're gaining for no particular reason often ends up having a purpose we didn't anticipate... does that make sense?
Here's my answer: http://parchmentgirl.com/2010/08/30/musing-mondays-no-two/
caite - Maybe I wasn't completely clear; I was sort of puzzling things out as I wrote. What I meant was that to simply learn things without any intention of making use of them seems like a slight misuse of my time. Do I have "useless" information rattling around in my head? Of course. And I don't read everything with the intention of having to use it for a specific purpose, but I'm ready to call on it, should the need arise.
ReplyDeleteLaurel - That's a good way of putting it. I remember reading once that some think our ability to dream developed as a way of filtering all the information that came at us during the day. Our brains would "download" everything, catalog it, and cross-reference it so that we'd have the information to call on for survival. Most of us don't have to worry about something like "that yellow berry over there will make me sick", but I think the theory holds. We read, we absorb, it gets filtered, and then called upon to influence how we react to situations in either the macro- or microcosm.
Kate - I think some things about historical/cultural knowledge can translate, mainly in terms of human relations. We may change our languages, social forms, etc., but basic human nature remains constant, which works at any level of interaction.
And yes, your idea of knowledge having a purpose we don't always anticipate does make perfect sense (I sort of hijacked that train of thought up above. ;D).
Thanks for the comments, ladies. Always nice to hear different points of view.