Podcast 1.09 - Forever Looking to Learn
In "Forever Looking to Learn," I talk about the need to create situations and experiences that allow our minds to grow. I’ll share a thought by Michelangelo, and I’ll talk about a pleasant experience I had last week.
posted by Nature's Lead @ 11:38 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
"The soul is no traveller."
"Travelling is a fool's paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places. At home I dream that at Naples, at Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty, and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the stern fact, the sad self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from. I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated. My giant goes with me wherever I go."
You might recognize these words; they are Emerson's. Your idea seems to be a strange and interesting twist on his. You actually get closer to yourself by travelling, where as he made no ground - his soul remained in the same relation to himself whereever he went. I don't think your ideas are incompatible with his (nor that they have to agree), but I just thought you might be interested in this since you imply that Emerson has influenced you.
Thank you very much for that! That's excellent, and it directly relates to this episode. I just have two opinions on his quote as it relates to this episode.
First, by travelling, he actually did learn more about himself. He learned that what he was feeling and the weight of his character really was true and not escapable. The travelling, although perhaps sad in its outcome, helped him to realize that that's who he was.
Second, and more importantly, in my mind, he would feel that way because he is already so in touch with who he is. He lived a life following his pholosophies and was so mentally detached from the weight of society compared to the rest of us, that he was always, in a sense, on vacation from society.
In essence though, I completely disagree with his line about it being a "fool's paradise." This is an accurate point for him to make in support of his "Self Reliance" philosophy when it relates to him or anyone who is trying to look for escape from themselves, but for anyone who is looking to learn more about who they are, it can be a gold mine.
Also, I'm sure he'd never give back his trip to Europe in the 30s where he met Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Carlyle. He was inspired by Carlyle and maintained connections with him for the rest of his life.
Boy, it sure is easy to argue with someone who's been gone for almost 150 years!
I just wanted to say that I have just started listening to Nature's lead and I love it! This is my favourite episode so far! I look forward to catching up with all the rest!
Thank you, Morgan! That's great to hear. Glad you like it.
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