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Learning for joy, not just for a job
Have we become too pragmatic about what we choose to learn? If so, it’s our loss.
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With ongoing debate about work-life balance, we risk falling into the illusion that enjoyment can only come when we are not working or studying.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
May Lim
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Singaporeans are well known for their appreciation of food. Whether it’s waiting in long queues or travelling large distances just to get a bite, our hunger for good food never seems to diminish. But what about our hunger to learn? Do we have the same appetite for knowledge?
A few years ago, I chanced upon the book, Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide To Thriving In The Age Of Accelerations, by Thomas Friedman, a New York Times best-selling author. I also attended his talk, where he spoke about his greatest wish for his children growing up in a developed world: to survive in a competitive environment without feeling entitled and spoiled. His advice was to have a migrant mindset – a desire to learn, demonstrate resourcefulness, and overcome challenges. Essentially, he emphasised the hunger to learn. Do we possess that same hunger?
