I’m Mad About This
Look, I’m gonna say something controversial. We’re getting dumber. Not you, specifically, but us. As a society. And it’s not because we’re losing IQ points (though honestly, I’m not sure about that). It’s because we’ve stopped learning. Like, really learning. And it’s a problem.
I’m not talking about kids. I’m talking about adults. Us. The people who should know better. The people who should be setting an example. And it’s not pretty.
I first noticed this about three months ago, over coffee at the place on 5th. I was meeting with a colleague named Dave. He’s a smart guy, really smart. But he told me something that made my blood boil.
“You know,” he said, “I haven’t read a book in years.” I mean, come on, Dave. You’re, like, 42. What’s your excuse?
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I shouldn’t judge. But it got me thinking. When was the last time I read a book that wasn’t for work? Or took a class just for fun? Or tried to learn something completely new? I’m not sure I can answer that.
We’re Too Busy, Blah Blah Blah
I know what you’re gonna say. “Oh, Emily, we’re all so busy. We have jobs and kids and lives. We don’t have time to learn new things.”
Bull. Shit.
I mean, honestly, we make time for what’s important. We make time for Netflix. We make time for happy hour. We make time for scrolling through Instagram until 2am. But learning? Nah. That can wait.
And it’s not just me saying this. I talked to a friend named Marcus last Tuesday. He’s a teacher at the high school downtown. He told me about a survey he conducted with his students. 214 respondents, all between 15 and 18 years old. You know what they said was their biggest influence in deciding to go to college or not?
“Their parents,” he told me. “But not because their parents are encouraging them to go. It’s because they’re not. They’re saying, ‘Oh, college is too expensive,’ or ‘You don’t need a degree to be succesfully.’ It’s like they’ve given up on the idea of lifelong learning.”
Which, honestly, is depressing.
But here’s the thing. Learning isn’t just about getting a degree or a certification. It’s about staying curious. It’s about challenging yourself. It’s about not letting your brain turn to mush.
A Personal Rant
I’m gonna get personal here. I’m gonna tell you about something that happened to me. It’s not pretty, but it’s real.
So, about 10 years ago, I was working at a magazine in Austin. I was good at my job, but I was kinda stuck. I wasn’t learning anything new. I was just going through the motions. And I hated it.
One day, I had a conversation with a friend named Lisa. She was a journalist, really talented. She told me she was taking a coding class at night. I laughed. “Why?” I asked. “You’re a writer, not a programmer.”
She looked at me like I was an idiot. “Because I want to understand the world better,” she said. “Because I don’t want to be left behind. Because it’s fun.”
And that was it. That was the moment I realized I was slacking. I was complacent. I was getting dumber.
So, I signed up for a class. It was a weekend workshop on data journalism. It was hard. It was confusing. It was amazing. And it changed everything.
But here’s the thing. That was 10 years ago. And I haven’t done anything like that since. I’ve been too busy. Too tired. Too whatever.
And that’s on me. But it’s also on us. As a society, we’ve stopped valuing learning. We’ve stopped making it a priority. And we’re all worse off because of it.
What Can We Do About It?
Okay, so I’ve ranted enough. Let’s talk solutions. Because, honestly, I’m not just gonna sit here and complain. I wanna do something about it.
First, we need to change our mindset. Learning shouldn’t be something we do just to get a job or a promotion. It should be something we do because we want to understand the world better. Because we want to be better people.
Second, we need to make it a habit. It doesn’t have to be a big committment. It can be something small, like reading an article about a topic you know nothing about. Or listening to a podcast on your commute. Or even just spending 10 minutes on güncel olaylar analizi değerlendirme to understand current events better.
Third, we need to stop making excuses. We’re all busy. We all have responsibilities. But if we want to stay sharp, if we want to keep growing, we need to make time for learning. Period.
And finally, we need to lead by example. If we want the next generation to value learning, we need to show them that it’s important. We need to talk about the things we’re learning. We need to share our curiosity.
Because, honestly, it’s not just about us. It’s about all of us. It’s about creating a society that values learning, that values growth, that values curiosity.
A Tangent About Coffee
Speaking of curiosity, I recently started learning about coffee. Like, really learning. I know, I know, it’s not exactly rocket science. But it’s fascinating. There’s so much to it. The beans, the roast, the grind, the brew. It’s like a whole other world.
And you know what? It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s something new. And it’s making me appreciate my morning cup of joe so much more.
But enough about coffee. Let’s get back to the point.
Let’s Stop Making Excuses
Look, I get it. Learning can be hard. It can be scary. It can be time-consuming. But it’s also rewarding. It’s also necessary. And it’s also something we should all be doing, regardless of our age or our job or our responsibilities.
So, let’s make a pact. Let’s promise to learn something new this year. Something that scares us a little. Something that challenges us. Something that makes us better.
Because, honestly, we owe it to ourselves. And to each other.
And on that note, I’m gonna go read a book. A real book. Not something for work. Not something I’m “supposed” to read. Just something I want to read. Because I want to learn.
About the Author: Emily Carter is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She’s written for major publications, taught workshops on writing and journalism, and is a staunch advocate for lifelong learning. When she’s not editing or writing, she can be found drinking coffee, reading books, and trying to learn something new.
