Mar 4, 2023·edited Mar 4, 2023Liked by Tommy Dixon
Being a high school dropout with an addictive personality that I struggle with to this day but I am in much better control of it compared into the past. Reading your thoughts on education is something I have never understood myself why is it regarded as being so important to people and the workforce in general.
One of the things people say about me is that my ability to quickly learn practical and sometimes complicated everyday things can amaze them at times. I've remodeled a bathroom from the toilet wax ring in the floor to the new skylight in the ceiling, swapped in a rebuilt engine in my Jeep and many other tasks in my life without a proper education in construction or in auto mechanics. To do these things on my own terms has prepared me in ways I tend to believe have made me a better, happier and a more useful person overall even with all the struggles in my life and in doing it by mostly trial and error. Plus having had a reliable career for over 30 years as a 47 year old is saying something too.
Keep up with your writings Tommy its something you should be proud of, you have a very natural style of bringing your thoughts and ideas about things in a very digestible way. 👍
Thank you for taking the time to read & leave such a thoughtful comment. Means a lot :)
You're hitting on a very important idea about the difference types of intelligence. Well-defined problems (that school prioritizes) are problems you can put on a test. In fact, standardized test items must be well-defined problems, because they require indisputable answers.
Things like teaching yourself how to build an engine can't be easily tested for, so they're disregarded. It's a big flaw with our education system.
It's not the current system that's the problem, but the fact we only have one system. That only praises one type of narrow intelligence. Some people fit really well into it, but many don't.
I very strongly identify with your grandma. I was book smart for a long time and it wasn’t until I had kids I realized I wasn’t going to find any answers in books. Wisdom is in having trusted elders, going for the walk, trusting your gut, knowing your neighbors, etc. I always call dad before asking google even if not the most efficient. I liked how you took one problem of overthinking and drew out the alternatives.
Being a high school dropout with an addictive personality that I struggle with to this day but I am in much better control of it compared into the past. Reading your thoughts on education is something I have never understood myself why is it regarded as being so important to people and the workforce in general.
One of the things people say about me is that my ability to quickly learn practical and sometimes complicated everyday things can amaze them at times. I've remodeled a bathroom from the toilet wax ring in the floor to the new skylight in the ceiling, swapped in a rebuilt engine in my Jeep and many other tasks in my life without a proper education in construction or in auto mechanics. To do these things on my own terms has prepared me in ways I tend to believe have made me a better, happier and a more useful person overall even with all the struggles in my life and in doing it by mostly trial and error. Plus having had a reliable career for over 30 years as a 47 year old is saying something too.
Keep up with your writings Tommy its something you should be proud of, you have a very natural style of bringing your thoughts and ideas about things in a very digestible way. 👍
Thank you for taking the time to read & leave such a thoughtful comment. Means a lot :)
You're hitting on a very important idea about the difference types of intelligence. Well-defined problems (that school prioritizes) are problems you can put on a test. In fact, standardized test items must be well-defined problems, because they require indisputable answers.
Things like teaching yourself how to build an engine can't be easily tested for, so they're disregarded. It's a big flaw with our education system.
It's not the current system that's the problem, but the fact we only have one system. That only praises one type of narrow intelligence. Some people fit really well into it, but many don't.
Thank you for the kind words! Keep in touch :)
I very strongly identify with your grandma. I was book smart for a long time and it wasn’t until I had kids I realized I wasn’t going to find any answers in books. Wisdom is in having trusted elders, going for the walk, trusting your gut, knowing your neighbors, etc. I always call dad before asking google even if not the most efficient. I liked how you took one problem of overthinking and drew out the alternatives.
Thanks for the note and the kind words :)
I completely agree. I love your examples of trusted elders, walks and trusting your gut. So good.
Thanks again for the comment. I appreciate you!
Incredible read Tommy, thanks for sharing your thoughts especially on intelligence and success/happiness!