Definitely not something which will become obsolete in 10 years. Definitely not something which is purely conventional, and is meant for everyday worldly transactions, with no higher meaning or even aesthetic appeal. Definitely not something which will be replaced with something better soon. Definitely not something which has no value of its own, apart from a secondary value of providing something else. Definitely not something which does not satisfy the heart or even the mind. Definitely not something produced by a mediocre person, especially if better things in the same category are available. Definitely not something which you would not want your own children to study. Definitely not something which has no scope for serious study. Definitely not something which you would not be glad about after you’ve done its serious study.
Then what?
A man ought to study the best of what the world has ever produced.
‘Best’ does not mean only the successes. It can include failures too. What matters more than the consequence is the inherent quality of the thing.
A man ought to study,
- Medicine
- Music
- Philosophy
- Language & Literature
- Politics
- History & Culture
- Geography
- Money
- Math & Science
- and some more things
Without ‘study’, man remains ignorant, a fool. Just behaving like animals, doing basic operations, just keeping himself physically alive.
However, do note that ‘study’ does not always mean an ‘intellectual study’. It can often be a more personalized experiential study. An illiterate monk is not ignorant, is what I want to say. An illiterate sculptor, is not a fool, and so on.
Study makes a man a gentleman. A gentle man. That’s what a gentleman means, a man who risen up from animal instincts and thus have become gentle, subtle, refined, receptive and reflective.
It goes without saying, that if all people were gentleman, the world would have been a much better place.
So, it is actually an important duty of persons in charge, to make people gentlemen. Who is in charge? The government is, at one level. Teachers are, at one level. Parents are, at one level. Great men and thinkers are, at one level.
Different people have different ability to learn. And also different tastes. So, we cannot expect everyone to follow the same content and same path for study.
But ‘study should be done’, that temperament is necessary for all to have. This leads to mastery in one’s work. And that leads to what we call ‘peak’ of a civilization.
The study can be fulfilling personally and beneficial to other people. When there is personal fulfillment in the study itself, man becomes content with himself, and does not crave other’s wealth. Society becomes harmonious and diverse, and it really blossoms.