The Importance of Engaging with Reality for True Understanding
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Chapter 1: The Value of Practical Experience
Engaging with reality allows us to gather insights that mere contemplation cannot provide. The renowned military strategist Helmuth von Moltke once stated:
"No plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the main enemy forces."
In straightforward terms, this implies that regardless of how meticulously you plan, the unexpected is bound to happen in the real world. But why reference a historical figure from the military?
I aim to illustrate the point that interacting with the real world enhances our understanding far more than relying solely on abstract reasoning.
Earlier today, I assisted a friend in setting up a banking security application on her new smartphone. These applications are essential for managing payments and ensuring that the bank verifies the user’s identity on the device.
We began by reviewing a tutorial provided on the bank's website, feeling confident in our grasp of the process. While it may not equate to a lunar mission, many banks create overly complicated procedures for app installation that can leave you anxious about potential pitfalls.
To our dismay, when we started the installation, we found that the actual steps deviated slightly from what we had studied. Thankfully, we ultimately succeeded in completing the installation.
Section 1.1: Learning through Real-World Interaction
Another illustration of the adage "practice surpasses theory" was presented in a YouTube video I watched this afternoon.
In this video, featured on the channel That Japanese Man Yuta, the central argument is that traditional Japanese grammar books fail to teach the language as it is genuinely spoken. While grammar rules can offer a foundational understanding, true proficiency in Japanese requires engaging with films and anime to immerse oneself fully in the language and culture.
This principle holds for any language. Reflecting on my own experience, during my school years, my command of English was quite poor, and I often received low grades. Although I wouldn’t label myself an Italian Hemingway, I can now write in English — albeit with occasional corrections from Grammarly — and I watch movies without needing subtitles. My grasp of English grammar remains limited, yet my intuitive understanding proves invaluable.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Role of Collective Illusions
Section 1.2: The Power of Doing
This illustrates that direct engagement with the world is crucial for comprehending how it operates. Thoughts — whether personal or those of others — amount to mere opinions unless substantiated by tangible evidence.
If you’re still skeptical, I recommend viewing another insightful YouTube video featuring Todd Rose, who discusses collective illusions.
In this presentation, Todd Rose employs various examples to show how we often accept certain ideas and concepts as truths simply because society or the media has led us to believe that they are widely held beliefs. We are influenced by these collective illusions.
The takeaway is clear: we must continually engage with reality and challenge unverified notions. Through active participation in the world, we can acquire more valuable information to guide us on our journey through life.