Beyond Formal Education: Embracing the Knowledge Revolution Through Reading

‘The Day of the Triffids’, in my opinion is one of the best science fiction novels of all time. In 1951 when the novel was published for the first time, science was, well, still backward and the notion of Star Wars and biotechnology was none existent, or in its infancy. Yet that is what the novel is all about. John Wyndham, the author of the novel could see the future with uncanny ability.

In the novel most of humanity is afflicted by blindness caused by toxic radiation from radioactive weapons placed in space, although victims thought they were meteor showers. At the same time, some intelligent, mobile, giant carnivorous plants called Triffids which were being reared for their excellent oil, sense the helplessness surrounding the humans and started breaking out of their confinements to start their attacks on them. In a short while the situation is very bad, especially in cities and towns. The dead are accumulating and there is no one to bury them. Soon food runs out. Soon diseases associated with mass death emerges. The survivors (which are relatively few) has to run away from the towns and cities. Their journey to the countryside is fraught of danger from Triffid attacks.

Soon small communities made by survivors emerge in the countryside. These communities realize that life as they knew it has completely changed. Soon a few modern amenities they managed to take away with from towns would be gone. The most cherished item becomes the book. With books they could learn to slowly recreate the modern society again.

Books has always been associated with the wellbeing of society in every dimension. Take spirituality for example. Whether Godly or satanic, the followers of all faiths have a book which is sacred and contains all the instructional materials which form the foundation of their faith. All professions were developed from material contents which were recorded in books. Can you mention an aspect of life in which books have not, and continue not be involved? All the people who have made great contributions to the world have one thing in common; they were/are avid readers or authors.

Development either at the individual, community or society level is highly tied to books. Books helps individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to broaden their mindsets and solve problems. Solving problems brings in personal development. When there is a critical mass of these individuals in a community or society, automatically development permeates the community or society.

As time evolves it is becoming clearer and clearer that formal education is not nearly enough to equip us with the knowledge and skills, we need to solve our modern problems effectively. All the same it forms the foundation on which functional knowledge and skills can continue to be built. I once read somewhere that the amount of knowledge that enters the world doubles every 18 months! What this means is that those relying on formal education only can safely be termed as semi-literate now, regardless of whether they possess a degree or not! Formal education can simply not cope with all the coming in knowledge.

To be a modern knowledgeable person reading must be an essential part of life like eating and sleeping. You may not die physically because you are not reading, but you will for sure die intellectually. You will become stupid and slowly your personal development will come to stand still. Declining personal development may affect your professional development, your earning potential as well as your various relationships.

Since as individuals we can’t read everything, it is prudent to create a priority list. Create your list based on those areas which you want improve in order to make a difference in your life. Entrepreneurship, health and wellness and self-help are my favorite areas. I have chosen these areas because all of them contribute to my survival and they also offer tremendous independence. With entrepreneurship skills I don’t need to worry about getting a job. Most of the time my biggest worry is about how to run my income generating assets more efficiently. Everyone needs to acquire knowledge and skills in the area of health and wellness. This will not only keep you out of hospitals and save you quite a lot of money on doctor consultation fees, but you will also take control of your health and wellbeing. Finally, we pay a lot of money getting others to do some things for us. What if you could do those things yourself? It means that all the money that you pay out, you could pay yourself.

So, guys try not to underestimate the power of books. Books can take you out of the list of the most stupid people, to the list of the smartest of the smart. If you don’t believe it go find the book ‘Gifted Hands’ by Ben Carson. In the book Carson details his journey from being the stupidest person in his class to one of the top neurosurgeons in the world. His remarkable transformation was brought about by his new reading habit forced on him by his mother.

Sometimes we would like to read but we don’t know where to find the books we are interested in. Amazon is a good place to explore. For anyone who shares my interest in reading areas, here are links to where you can get the best books on Amazon:

1. Entrepreneurship: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=wellbizempowe-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=f87818b2ccf4a2df136ec6b0d2db4c1b&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=3">100 Hot Books on Business and Money</a>

2. Health and Wellness: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=wellbizempowe-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=f63e09d2c640697fdcdae1d97c520ce1&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=10">100 Hot Books on Health Fitness and Dieting</a>

3. Self -Help: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=wellbizempowe-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=818c5afe6c847e1134cdcd2c63efe2e6&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=4736">100 Hot Books on Self Help</a>