Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife
Grandfather says “sophistication” is overrated.
It has been fashionable for snoots to say that you lack sophistication if you don’t happen to share their taste for this-or-that school of art, music, or science. Good for you!
On the other hand, Grandfather says self-initiated learning — which is necessary as the basis for your imagination — is a different matter. He says never stop wanting to learn; march to your own drummer, in the direction you choose.
Sometimes that “unsophisticated” new direction is earth shattering — but usually not; so what?
It’s a good thing for Galileo that he didn’t follow sophisticated prescriptions in his day — otherwise somebody else would have advanced the theory of our sun-centered solar system.
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About the Author: RD Blakeslee is an octogenarian from West Virginia who built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. You can read more about him here.
Photos: Courtesy of the Blakeslee Family
When our family was preparing to leave Warrenton, VA for our new frontier in WV, a friend asked Grandfather what he would do there. He said (among other things) “Start a cattle herd”.
The friend implied “What do you know about farming? You’ve never done that”.
Grandfather replied “No, and I had never built a harpsichord before, but I managed, somehow”.
https://lenpenzo.com/blog/id44230-grandfather-says-the-diy-harpsichord.html
The cattle herd also got managed, somehow:
https://lenpenzo.com/blog/id46762-grandfather-says-hes-a-cowman-he-hasnt-been-a-boy-in-years.html
Folks, do not let naysayers enamored of “expertise” put you off your dreams!
The “government” school system is perhaps the most extreme example of where that leads: Only “accredited” teachers are allowed into that union-closed shop.