Comments on: Grow Yourself by Meeting People and Reading Books http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/ Personal Growth and Effectiveness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:39:44 +0000 hourly 1 By: Donald Latumahina http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-213143 Donald Latumahina Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:52:26 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-213143 Julian, Yours is a really thoughtful comment. Thanks for sharing. Julian,
Yours is a really thoughtful comment. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Julian http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-213126 Julian Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:11:39 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-213126 Yes, I think reading is absolutely necessary, particularly to prevent being captive to the all pervasive "tyranny of the here and now". Read everything and anything. but remember, "some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested" - Francis Bacon. I think the first book one should read is <strong>How to Read a Book</strong> by Mortimer Adler, a great philosopher of the twentieth century. He shows you how to have a conversation with the author, and don't just absorb what he says, but rather examine it for yourself and see if it makes sense. You don't necessarily have to read only good books, but you should be able to discern and be a lover of truth, and take truth wherever its found, and discard whatever you consider false. For example, even though I am a convinced Catholic, I have gathered much wisdom from Bertrand Russell and other atheistic philosophers, although I do not agree with much of what he says. Of course, it is necessary to be a critical thinker and use logic and reason well. That is why Robert Louis Stevenson once said that some people are better off not reading because they absorb blindly without examining, reflecting, thinking, contemplating. Always learn, always question, always be curious. A wise man learns more from a fool than a fool from a wise man. Yes, I think reading is absolutely necessary, particularly to prevent being captive to the all pervasive “tyranny of the here and now”. Read everything and anything. but remember, “some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested” – Francis Bacon.
I think the first book one should read is How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler, a great philosopher of the twentieth century. He shows you how to have a conversation with the author, and don’t just absorb what he says, but rather examine it for yourself and see if it makes sense. You don’t necessarily have to read only good books, but you should be able to discern and be a lover of truth, and take truth wherever its found, and discard whatever you consider false. For example, even though I am a convinced Catholic, I have gathered much wisdom from Bertrand Russell and other atheistic philosophers, although I do not agree with much of what he says. Of course, it is necessary to be a critical thinker and use logic and reason well. That is why Robert Louis Stevenson once said that some people are better off not reading because they absorb blindly without examining, reflecting, thinking, contemplating. Always learn, always question, always be curious.
A wise man learns more from a fool than a fool from a wise man.

]]> By: ofurhie martins http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-101580 ofurhie martins Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:55:04 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-101580 the people we associate with either make us grow or they leave us devastated. SO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FRIENDS the people we associate with either make us grow or they leave us devastated. SO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FRIENDS

]]> By: Life Optimizer - Live your life to the max http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-3548 Life Optimizer - Live your life to the max Wed, 14 Mar 2007 02:39:36 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-3548 [...] ReadingThis is an essential part of my life. I love reading books and web sites (blogs included, of course) for one simple reason: reading allows me to absorb the thoughts of the best people in the world. It is as if I meet them personally and hear what they say.  [...] [...] ReadingThis is an essential part of my life. I love reading books and web sites (blogs included, of course) for one simple reason: reading allows me to absorb the thoughts of the best people in the world. It is as if I meet them personally and hear what they say.  [...]

]]> By: » happiness carnival - February 14, 2007Think Happy Thoughts Happiness Blog http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-2823 » happiness carnival - February 14, 2007Think Happy Thoughts Happiness Blog Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:37:24 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-2823 [...] Donald Latumahina presents Grow Yourself by Meeting People and Reading Books posted at Life Optimizer. [...] [...] Donald Latumahina presents Grow Yourself by Meeting People and Reading Books posted at Life Optimizer. [...]

]]> By: Verve Coaching:: Life, Growth and Leadership, Boston MA » Archives » Carnival of Powerful Living - February 19, 2007 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-2600 Verve Coaching:: Life, Growth and Leadership, Boston MA » Archives » Carnival of Powerful Living - February 19, 2007 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:24:06 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-2600 [...] Donald Latumahina presents Grow Yourself by Meeting People and Reading Books posted at Life Optimizer. [...] [...] Donald Latumahina presents Grow Yourself by Meeting People and Reading Books posted at Life Optimizer. [...]

]]> By: Donald Latumahina http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-2566 Donald Latumahina Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:08:43 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-2566 Interesting thoughts, Richard. I agree with you, we learn the most from people who can challenge our point of view. And the same thing applies to book. We learn much more from thought-provoking books then the books we are already familiar with. "Diversify your experiences". I like that. Thanks! Interesting thoughts, Richard. I agree with you, we learn the most from people who can challenge our point of view. And the same thing applies to book. We learn much more from thought-provoking books then the books we are already familiar with.

“Diversify your experiences”. I like that. Thanks!

]]> By: Richard T http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/comment-page-1/#comment-2379 Richard T Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:52:56 +0000 http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/02/10/grow-yourself-by-meeting-people-and-reading-books/#comment-2379 I think these ideas can be more elegantly be portrayed as: "Diversify your experiences" Surround yourself with clones of yourself, whether in friend, book, or blog form, and you'll likely learn very little. I see this effect pretty often. Sites like Craigslist.org make it particularly apparent to me that many people are seeking clones of themselves, perfected. In my experience, I've learned very little from people who do not explain the reasoning behind their opinions, whether they agree or disagree with my sentiments. "Assholes", curiously, are the most useful sort of person I've ever come across. People who challenge my point of view to the breaking point. That's where I often learn the most. Without that challenge to my currently coveted ideology: There is likely to be no growth and diversification of experience. I see much association between limited experience and things such as racism and other horribly stupid decisions. I think these ideas can be more elegantly be portrayed as:
“Diversify your experiences”

Surround yourself with clones of yourself, whether in friend, book, or blog form, and you’ll likely learn very little. I see this effect pretty often. Sites like Craigslist.org make it particularly apparent to me that many people are seeking clones of themselves, perfected.

In my experience, I’ve learned very little from people who do not explain the reasoning behind their opinions, whether they agree or disagree with my sentiments. “Assholes”, curiously, are the most useful sort of person I’ve ever come across. People who challenge my point of view to the breaking point. That’s where I often learn the most.

Without that challenge to my currently coveted ideology: There is likely to be no growth and diversification of experience.

I see much association between limited experience and things such as racism and other horribly stupid decisions.

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