After the Results
I've been an aficionado of Atlantean educational programmes for a while; that is to say, I have an affection for them that is born of close and lengthy acquaintance, and that familiarity which does not necessarily lead to contempt. Today, the results of one of those programmes were released, as is usual, on the 12th day of Christmas at 12 noon.
There is nothing unexpected here. The excellence follows the trend outlined in my thesis; effective strategies, efficient consolidation of strengths, clever compensation for weaknesses, no long-term vision apart from that which can be pragmatically handled without the use of philosophy. There is much to be learnt here about the effective use of resources; one point that stands out is the fact that if you have a large excess of certain resources, the market will forgive inefficiencies.
To me, however, the crucial point is this: such an event is a terminus and not an ending. It is at this point, if they haven't already done so, that students should launch an incisive appraisal of all their possibilities and try to make good choices about 'all their after life', as the great and dauntless hero once said.
Yes, they should ask their seniors. But more important, they should synthesize and reconcile the views of as many people as possible. The world out there is incredibly complex and subject to lunatic vagaries. They should get the opinions of freshmen and sophomores, graduate students and postdocs, industry players and employers, professionals and managers. Be curious. Be bold. Be inquisitive where mere curiosity does not suffice.
It will save a lot of uncertainty, even if it doesn't entirely remove it. It will be a Good Thing.
There is nothing unexpected here. The excellence follows the trend outlined in my thesis; effective strategies, efficient consolidation of strengths, clever compensation for weaknesses, no long-term vision apart from that which can be pragmatically handled without the use of philosophy. There is much to be learnt here about the effective use of resources; one point that stands out is the fact that if you have a large excess of certain resources, the market will forgive inefficiencies.
To me, however, the crucial point is this: such an event is a terminus and not an ending. It is at this point, if they haven't already done so, that students should launch an incisive appraisal of all their possibilities and try to make good choices about 'all their after life', as the great and dauntless hero once said.
Yes, they should ask their seniors. But more important, they should synthesize and reconcile the views of as many people as possible. The world out there is incredibly complex and subject to lunatic vagaries. They should get the opinions of freshmen and sophomores, graduate students and postdocs, industry players and employers, professionals and managers. Be curious. Be bold. Be inquisitive where mere curiosity does not suffice.
It will save a lot of uncertainty, even if it doesn't entirely remove it. It will be a Good Thing.
etched with acid at 2:53:00 pm
1 Comments:
Aye, and so begins the next journey.
Decisions, choices,
Life goes on.
Where will you go?
I'll miss them, but ah well, like I always say, even if we never meet again in this mortal life, we'll meet again in heaven.
/Sorrows
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