Self education

[Mr. J]

I slept through school, dropped out following expulsion and never got a GED. I was awake in college but didn't really learn anything, I celebrated at a bar the day to dropped out. School sucks, but reading is great. I grew up reading novels and encyclopedias all day, but I quit reading for several years. Now, the Internet exists, so I constantly research bullshit at whim. I've developed an interest in conspiracy theory, so I study that as well as shit like contemporary world history and government surveillance. I've long been interested in human behavior and profiling, just because people baffle me. Their ways of socializing and the concept of "social norms" is incomprehensible. Maybe that's just because I'm an asocial ivy dress hat-wearing geek with no life. But I do command a wealth of useless information. Actually, no life is the best life and reading beats the Hell out of watching TV. No, I don't read newspapers and the only magazine I like is Playboy. News sucks, I'd rather just keep living in my own world. Hey, I already know the news: George W. Bush is a dickhead, the world is verging on maximum entropy while Big Brother and big business are shafting and enslaving us as jerk-offs try to take away our cigarettes.

Anyways, the more I learn the more it becomes apparent that I know jack shit. My God, there are actually people who know less than me; there's just no excuse for that level of ignorance.

[samalone]

I'm with you on the reading thing and I also agree that our society has become extremely ignorant, not to mention greedy. I have been reading novels most of my life, but never thought to read an encyclopedia. Now I wish I had a set of Brittanicas or something along those lines. In college I majored in English and history, both of which involved a lot of reading. (Not to mention writing!) I still enjoy reading about history and as of late have begun reading about topics that I know nothing about. I love learning new things; I've studied various religions as well as some art history. I, too, would rather read a book than watch t.v....the t.v. is a waste of brain cell activity, in my opinion. (Although occasionally I'll catch something worth watching on the history channel or the discovery channel.) In the city in which I unfortunatley reside, we have a wonderful used book store. (Books have gotten really expensive to buy new.) I spend hours there and sometimes don't even buy anything! I like the smell of old books and wandering around aimlessly through the sections that catch my attention. If I don't have a book to read, I tend to get incredibly bored. But, I'll read just about anything that is put in my hands!

[kaimuki girl]

Nope, can't say I relate to either of you two. I have always been a book worm. Stress muffin type student, obsessed with succeeding. NOT that it has helped me out any with my being diagnosed BP I a few years ago. Now, yes I do read a lot online, books, websites, all this crap just to see if there is something more useful for me. Yes, this is a totally selfish endeavor of mine. Seeking the CURE, like that's even remotely possible...... Personally, I like the news it reinforces that I am not that screwed up after all, there are plenty out inthe world more weird than us. Great, give me an award for comparison. Like a true BP I it is easy for me to feel superior somtimes and yet I know deep inside I am not.

Reading for me keeps me focused when the racing demons take over my brain. I guess that is why I still do it. School was my only way out of my crappy youth.

[Muddler]

I've only recently realised that what I took for determination is perhaps better described as obsessive behaviour. The web is an information source I'll mine for all I'm worth - in the belief that the nugget is there. Somewhere. That's education. Research if you're kind. I read voraciously, but never (these days) fiction. It's contrived rubbish of the same ilk as desperate housewives or grey's anatomy, for the most part. Except Hemingway & perhaps one or two others. I also never read newspapers & since watching TV news just pisses me off (even more than reruns of Friends), it's best I don't watch. Education is what you make of it. It's more available than ever & I think it creates your world view. Since government has taken it over education it has degenerated from Latin in primary school to remedial English in college. Self education is a good way to go. Class dismissed.

[NDCompuGeek]

Self education is great, but it can be difficult. I'm teaching myself all about how to fix up a house. Right now, if you gave me a hammer and a nail, one of three things would happen. One: I'd break the nail. Two: I'd break the hammer. Three: I'd break me. The nail would never get into the wall....

As for this disorder / disease, I have really educated myself about it. There are some great resources online (this place, NIMH, other places - just google "bipolar" and see what you get!), but as with anything on line, use discretion and a HUGE grain of salt when you evaluate the usefulness of other places.

This place is an oasis of intelligence, a respite from the condemnation, a warm welcome hug, and an ocean of understanding.

[Mr. J]

ND, teaching yourself to be a handyman is ambitious to say the least. I think destruction is all I'd accomplish. Good point about researching bipolar, I've recently been researching my medications and have learned a lot. Check out John McManamy, he's a good writer and a bipolar. His website, www.mcmanweb.com, is top-notch.

[Perry]

Speaking of John McManamy, I saw this upon the front page of his site and found it both apt and interesting:

Knowledge is necessity. Recovery starts with knowledge. I can't emphasize this enough.

Re Self-education, it has long been a hugely important aspect of my life. I remember reading encyclopedias as a kid - from cover to cover, practically bleeding the information out of them. I wasn't a tremendously competitive child nor adult; I'm too casual to be a tremendously ambitious adult; but I treat self-education practically as a religion. It feeds me.

[mylilpony]

If you don't like school try online I go to an online college and love it. You can do you asignments as close or as early to the due date the teacher gives you there is a good amount of reading and you are teaching yourself in a way. You have a teacher grade your papers and you do all the work reading reasearch and math if you are in a math class. Reading is a great stress reliever for me and keeps me from having excessive mood swings. I think it great to self educate but, i go to school so i can do something with it. I am glad you are reading and doing something productive that is pretty cool.

mary