saponem arca archa

In following with my previous post, I've decided to share another mind-blossom with you. That's right, some people have mind palaces, I have mind-blossoms...
Besides, it's nice to give flowers to people.

A couple weeks ago, I was going to classes (imagine that!) and in several of them, the teacher got somewhat distracted at some point in the lesson and diverged to some other topic that wasn't going to be on the next test.

This isn't an unusual occasion, especially for some of my classes, but it was unusual in the quality of the diversions.  Instead of talking about a time that a colleague said something funny, or being coerced into doing a solo polka demonstration (true story.  According to my physics professor, "the polka is the only dance that makes any sense," which is why you might make a polka analogy when explaining circuit analysis...) These diversions were more...well, I don't really have a word for them right now.

In choir, we stopped rehearsal (any performer knows that you do this at great cost) to hear and hopefully understand something about the 60's and 70's. How young people were being forced to fight in a war they didn't start, they didn't believe in, and they couldn't support.  But their country and their parents and anything else they had put their trust in was suddenly betraying them, so they reacted in the only way a rising generation can: cultural revolution.

In graphics, we basically bagged the lesson and the quiz and listened to a lecture about the wonders of technology and engineering.  We looked at picture after picture of cool ideas and models and projects, like this chair:

 

In physics, we stopped drawing diagrams on the board and forgot about all the theories and equations to hear stories about young scientists like Michael Faraday who had little education but eager, brilliant minds and the right opportunities to make discoveries that changed the world.

It seemed like I was experiencing a soap box day, where instructor after instructor decided it was a good day to forget about books and tests and just get on the soap box for a bit (or...the majority of the class) and teach us things about life and the world they've lived in and the experiences they've had.

And I found myself learning like never before. I was engaged and interested.  Sleep didn't even tug at my eyelids.  I didn't consider pulling out a book to read or a note to pass (see how well I normally pay attention?)  I went to school and received so much more than I usually got.

Here's the thing.  I can learn physics on my own.  I can read the book and look up experiments and diagrams.  I can even learn skills on my own.  I can teach myself music or how to use computer software.  It's not always as easy, but I can do it on my own.

What I can't get on my own is this life-wisdom that other people have accumulated. I can't understand what it's like to live in a time when people weren't regarded (for the most part) equally.  I can't imagine living in a time of war and having that affect the lives of my friends and family.  I can't create my own inspiration.  I can't learn the value of respect without having someone show it to me.  I can't learn to love without anyone to give it meaning.

People seem to regard the activity of getting on one's soap box as a bad thing.  I think it's one of the most worthwhile endeavors you can make.

Have more soap box days.