Analogy of Born in Mecca

“We should be careful to get out of an Experience only the Wisdom that is in it …

And stop there;

Lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid.

She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again … and that is well;

but she will also never sit down on a cold one, anymore”.

Mark Twain,
given to Dad by Rachel,
Feb 28, 1987

When I was about 18 years old,

and returned home from college one day,

I said to Saline Blackson, the black woman who had had been my Mom’s maid for many years, and who had helped Mom raise me:

“Saline, I’m sorry I was such a damned nuisance to you when I was a little boy growing up.”

to which she replied:

“Oh Son, don’t worry about that,

Everybody has to go up Fool’s Hill,

before they can get to the Other Side.”

WHAT THIS MEANS TO ME:

1. Everybody does some foolish stuff when growing up.

2. A lot of Wise Adults expect and recognize our childhood foolish behavior as one of the “Trappings of Youth,” and

3. they Forgive us, and

4. They Expect us to “Grow Out” of some of it … someday.

Ordinary houseflies can be killed by:

Each of these weapons is extremely effective in Exterminating houseflies …

THE PROBLEM IS THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE WEAPON SELECTED.

Thus, when faced with a Problem,

the Enlightened General

selects the Smallest Weapon which will Do the Job …

WITH THE FEWEST SIDE EFFECTS.

Or in short, “DON’T NUKE THE HOUSEFLIES.”

Robert Jorrie
1978

A College Education is a most important thing.

Of course, one of its major features is that it is a “door opening” credential that will help you find a job better than you could get without it.

But its most important aspect is that no matter what discipline you study (other than art, music and education),

A College Education teaches you “How to Think.”

And that is the Most Important Aspect it Has,

for it Serves you all your Life.

Science and engineering are especially good training in the methods of thinking.

How I Think you should address attending College:

Try to learn to get as much out of it as you can

and make special effort to learn it in such a manner that you will remember as much of what you learn1 as you can …

and not just employ just enough memory to “get you past the exam.”

1 After all, you or your parents pay huge dollars to be taught it, so you may as well try to learn it in a manner that you can “keep” as much of the benefit as you can.