What is higher education?

Living in California we know an enormous number of extremely smart people.  I feel like there is a greater concentration of smart people here than in other parts of the country.  There are 3-4 world class education institutions within a 40 min drive of our apartment, there are dozens headquarters of companies on the cutting edge of their industries in the area, and there are several major research laboratories developing the next generation of technology so it is no surprise that we meet so many brilliant individuals in the Bay Area.  But I'm not trying to brag about the people I meet, but rather contrast my disinterest in education with their interest in education.  I feel like my experience in a technical college left me with little or no interest in organized education.  We have several friends that take classes for personal growth and many that take classes to elevate their careers.  I myself have taken classes to work towards a career change, but those seemed more like vocational training classes.  The few classes that I have taken for personal or career development after college I have struggled to maintain any interest in.  The HyWy made a good point though that she feels I learn best independently by absorbing what I stumble upon on the Internet.  I highly doubt that I will ever have the interest to pursue further organized education programs, but my thirst to learn more about certain topics will likely never be quenched.  As the HyWy has pointed out the trick is to find the way that works best for me and indulge myself that way. 

What makes art? The tools or the artist?

As a photographer one of my biggest pet peeves is when people tell me that they want a nicer camera so they can take 'better' pictures.  I believe that if someone is good at art regardless of the tools that are used their talent will show.  I'm not speaking to anyone's artistic abilities, because I'm also a firm believer that with a few simple tips anyone can take amazing frame-worthy photos.  When I first started taking photos that I thought were good they were with a standard point and shoot camera, but eventually I moved to a better camera.  I switched to a better camera not because it would make my photos better, but it would allow me more control over my own photos.  Once someone learns the way to control the parameters of a camera they can make their own photos better with a better camera.  I think learning the basic techniques and developing your eye with a simple camera is the best way to start.  The artist is the one who makes the art good. 

True Blood

A few weeks ago I decided to watch the first season of True Blood which I borrowed from a coworker.  I doubt anyone on this blog will watch the show, but if they do stop reading this post as it has some episode spoilers.  For those that don't know the series is about the coexistence of vampires and humans in a small parish of Louisiana.  The humans have found that the consumption of vampire blood has hallucinogenic and euphoric effects, which results in it being an illegal drug. 

One of the characters on the show is a wavy granola Berkeley type hippie.  She goes on about the interconnectedness of life and Gaia.  This already proved annoying to me, but what killed me about her was when she started taking vampire blood as a mind opening and expanding substance.  The way she acquired her drug was by capturing a vampire who lives a rather isolated life.  He keeps to himself and doesn't interact with others.  The girl keeps the vampire tied up in a basement and periodically extracts blood for sale and consumption.  She justifies her enslavement by saying that he is not alive and therefore can't be a slave.  This level of hypocrisy was the most disturbing thing about the show.  I know shows and movies are written such that they play with our emotions, but I've never been made to feel so furious at a show.  I think what angered me more is that I'm sure people in reality would believe this.  It bothers me that a distinction is made in order to justify slavery and that someone would be so blind as to not realize that such a fine line separates them from their slave.  By stealing another's blood the girl is in essence a vampire herself. 

Journeys (Part IV): What is reality?

This is the last post in the series started from my reading part of Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. 

I'm paraphrasing what Calvino wrote, we all must reserve space in our hearts for that which we are and that which we dream to be.  Both are assumptions.  One is necessary, but not yet reality and the other is dreamed, but exists only while the moment exists. 

This reminds me of a thought that I really like from a movie called Waking Life, which questions whether we are sleeping walking through reality or wake walking through a dream.  In both thoughts the question is raised about how we perceive reality.  Reality is necessary, but what is our awareness in that reality.  Conversely in a dream the only 'reality' that exists is in that moment.  So what is this moment?