Life of Learning

While at work, I listen to all kinds of podcasts. Unlike a lot of people, I can’t work to music. It often distracts me, can actually make me angry and frustrated, and music rarely provides me any sort of peace or emotional feeling. I always find it odd when people say they can’t live without music. I can, and often do. But, hearing people talking in the background is comforting, focusing and allows me to feel grounded. I can look back and know exactly why this is, but that really isn’t relevant because I have no desire to change this aspect about me.

In my library of podcasts, I have the basic bitch true crime podcast, but it has the added value of paranormal and gender positive affirmations. I started listening to it in 2018 when i was welding during the night shift and these two ladies saw me through lots of hours. I also listen to a podcast about cults, though sometimes, I think they stretch the idea of what a cult is to have more content, but, it is still a fascinating topic for me. Those who have known me a while know I have gained a weird interest in cults. Then I have the fun ones, like “Every Little Thing” that is kind of a “I have no idea what this is, how this works, or where it came from” podcast where they answer these burning need to knows. I have a couple gardening podcasts, because I can’t get enough of it, one on the Tudors, because I have a minor interest in that time period, like a ton of other people, and a couple witchy ones, which I’ve mentioned before.

After those, I have the ones that are a bit deeper. They present concepts like social issues, how they started, where they are an how to fix them, Black culture, physics, philosophy, unique social mores and concepts, religions in literature and how they are reflected in the human experience, and so forth. I use the time to chew on ideas, thoughts and concepts I might not otherwise become acquainted with. Some I have listened to since 2018, some I only just recently discovered, but they all have offered some sort of interesting element that makes me stop and think, wonder and research.

I’m hoping to, sometime in the near future, create a podcast of my own, exploring these things, dissecting them, defining them and explaining them, but I have to say, I’ve taken on a huge undertaking. The easiest notes so far have been on how to research effectively and as non-biased as possible. The rest will end up being series of podcasts because there is just no way to discuss things like positive psychology, what are morals and what their purpose is, what meaning means to a life, etc. These are the deep topics that, in another life, I would have had all the time to research, notate and learn. Currently, I don’t, so I have to find the time. But I am certainly going to.

Life is about learning. When we stop learning, we stop growing. When we shut our minds off to new ideas, concepts and thoughts, and we only listen to and believe in those things that provide comfort, we cease challenging ourselves. We cease seeing ourselves as being a part of the world. The less we being to think independently, autonomously, and question what we hear. I see it all the time in the people I work with and deal with. People who have stopped asking the whys, hows, what happens whens and just accepted the information put before them as truth. It is frustrating and disappointing to me to see people mentally stagnate because it is easier, more comfortable and less demanding.

It is my hope that the day I stop wanting to learn is the day I no longer exist, or my mind has been lost to dementia.