In this thread here,
http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-29620.html
in post #24, PoosyWrecker made the mistake of asking me my opinion on a good program for humanistic education and leadership training. So, I’ll use the opening he gave me to pontificate on what I believe is a good way to compensate for the lack of humanities training in our educational system today. My guide has been the classical concept of the “nine muses”, where a well-rounded education should be composed of the arts, sciences, and humanities.
I’ve also been guided by the Renaissance educational treatises of Leonardo Bruni (The Study of Literature), Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (Education of Boys), and Battista Guarino (A Program Of Teaching And Learning). I've studied these books with great care, and found them to be very useful. My suggestions are broken down into several constituent parts.
I. Books.
Will Durant was one of America’s best historians and philosophers of the 20th century. He drew up a list of the “100 Best Books For An Education”. Here it is:
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/52411-w...-education
I don’t think anyone has yet improved on that. Will Durant was an amazing writer, philosopher, and overall human being, and I have learned a lot from his books. Very few will be able to work through all these volumes. I know I have not. But if you can even digest a few of these titles, you’ll be far ahead of most people.
II. Languages
The scholar or man of letters should know one of the classical languages (Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Hebrew), plus a couple modern ones. Which modern ones is the perennial question. There are many different schools of thought on this. But I think if you’re going to put the time in, pick ones that have a high payoff for you.
Each person will be different. I think a person should know one modern Romance language (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, etc.), plus a major language of Eastern Europe or the Middle East or the Far East (e.g., Russian, Arabic, Japanese) to be totally well-rounded.
III. Leadership
From an early age, a boy needs to mix with his peers and learn those natural lessons of hard knocks, give-and-take, and interpersonal relations that are indispensable for leading others. Group athletics are key, as is physical conditioning. Some people are always going to be natural leaders, but that doesn’t mean that every man can’t improve himself. There’s no magic formula here, except learning by experience.
My list of traits and qualities: (1) Be totally proficient in your field, since competence inspires devotion. People will be forgiving of everything except not knowing one’s business. (2) Humility. There are too many braggarts around. Try to see things from the other guy’s perspective. (3) Be in good physical shape. Never underestimate personal appearance. (4) Pull the trigger. As a leader, you will have to make tough decisions. Don't be afraid to pull the trigger when you have to. At some point, debate has to stop, and a final decision has to be made. Be decisive and occasionally ruthless. He who hesitates is lost.
Like anything, leadership skills grow as you get older. When you're a young guy in your 20s, don't make the mistake of trying to be Patton or Napoleon. Just focus on the core traits: know your business well (technical competence), be physically fit as best you can, develop confidence with women, have good interpersonal skills, and practice pulling the trigger. Finally, a sense of humor can overcome a lot of obstacles.
IV. Travel
Travel is a critical part of education. The ability to go abroad, and to leave one’s prejudices at home, is an essential part of development. It doesn’t really much matter where you go. Just go somewhere and reflect on what you’ve seen and heard. You will find that your place in the universe is much different than what your ego led you to believe.
V. Rhetoric
This used to be a true field of study, but has fallen into disrepute in the past 100 years. It’s the art of writing and making speeches. Being able to speak in front of a group is a critical skill, in my opinion. Rhetoric is a true art, in that it teaches us how to construct an argument for maximum effect.
The best guides here are: (1) read the great speeches of history, (2) study the writings of Quintilian and Cicero, and the ancient historians Thucydides, Sallust, and pretty much any ancient historian, as well as the Renaissance Italian writers, who were steeped in the rhetorical tradition, and (3) seek out opportunities to speak in front of groups or debate others. It’s a great way to sharpen your skills.
VI. Athletics and Physical Fitness.
This goes without saying. If we were living 500 years ago, I would also say that horsemanship and swordsmanship were also important. But maybe that’s asking too much.
A good baseline guide for overall fitness (and a good preparation for officer training) is to try to master the Marine Corps PFT (physical fitness test). There have been many articles written on this, and you can easily find them by Googling the right terms. Running, upper body strength, and abdominal strength are the key parts here.
http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-29620.html
in post #24, PoosyWrecker made the mistake of asking me my opinion on a good program for humanistic education and leadership training. So, I’ll use the opening he gave me to pontificate on what I believe is a good way to compensate for the lack of humanities training in our educational system today. My guide has been the classical concept of the “nine muses”, where a well-rounded education should be composed of the arts, sciences, and humanities.
I’ve also been guided by the Renaissance educational treatises of Leonardo Bruni (The Study of Literature), Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (Education of Boys), and Battista Guarino (A Program Of Teaching And Learning). I've studied these books with great care, and found them to be very useful. My suggestions are broken down into several constituent parts.
I. Books.
Will Durant was one of America’s best historians and philosophers of the 20th century. He drew up a list of the “100 Best Books For An Education”. Here it is:
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/52411-w...-education
I don’t think anyone has yet improved on that. Will Durant was an amazing writer, philosopher, and overall human being, and I have learned a lot from his books. Very few will be able to work through all these volumes. I know I have not. But if you can even digest a few of these titles, you’ll be far ahead of most people.
II. Languages
The scholar or man of letters should know one of the classical languages (Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Hebrew), plus a couple modern ones. Which modern ones is the perennial question. There are many different schools of thought on this. But I think if you’re going to put the time in, pick ones that have a high payoff for you.
Each person will be different. I think a person should know one modern Romance language (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, etc.), plus a major language of Eastern Europe or the Middle East or the Far East (e.g., Russian, Arabic, Japanese) to be totally well-rounded.
III. Leadership
From an early age, a boy needs to mix with his peers and learn those natural lessons of hard knocks, give-and-take, and interpersonal relations that are indispensable for leading others. Group athletics are key, as is physical conditioning. Some people are always going to be natural leaders, but that doesn’t mean that every man can’t improve himself. There’s no magic formula here, except learning by experience.
My list of traits and qualities: (1) Be totally proficient in your field, since competence inspires devotion. People will be forgiving of everything except not knowing one’s business. (2) Humility. There are too many braggarts around. Try to see things from the other guy’s perspective. (3) Be in good physical shape. Never underestimate personal appearance. (4) Pull the trigger. As a leader, you will have to make tough decisions. Don't be afraid to pull the trigger when you have to. At some point, debate has to stop, and a final decision has to be made. Be decisive and occasionally ruthless. He who hesitates is lost.
Like anything, leadership skills grow as you get older. When you're a young guy in your 20s, don't make the mistake of trying to be Patton or Napoleon. Just focus on the core traits: know your business well (technical competence), be physically fit as best you can, develop confidence with women, have good interpersonal skills, and practice pulling the trigger. Finally, a sense of humor can overcome a lot of obstacles.
IV. Travel
Travel is a critical part of education. The ability to go abroad, and to leave one’s prejudices at home, is an essential part of development. It doesn’t really much matter where you go. Just go somewhere and reflect on what you’ve seen and heard. You will find that your place in the universe is much different than what your ego led you to believe.
V. Rhetoric
This used to be a true field of study, but has fallen into disrepute in the past 100 years. It’s the art of writing and making speeches. Being able to speak in front of a group is a critical skill, in my opinion. Rhetoric is a true art, in that it teaches us how to construct an argument for maximum effect.
The best guides here are: (1) read the great speeches of history, (2) study the writings of Quintilian and Cicero, and the ancient historians Thucydides, Sallust, and pretty much any ancient historian, as well as the Renaissance Italian writers, who were steeped in the rhetorical tradition, and (3) seek out opportunities to speak in front of groups or debate others. It’s a great way to sharpen your skills.
VI. Athletics and Physical Fitness.
This goes without saying. If we were living 500 years ago, I would also say that horsemanship and swordsmanship were also important. But maybe that’s asking too much.
A good baseline guide for overall fitness (and a good preparation for officer training) is to try to master the Marine Corps PFT (physical fitness test). There have been many articles written on this, and you can easily find them by Googling the right terms. Running, upper body strength, and abdominal strength are the key parts here.