Lifelong learning: A Responsibility, Not an Option

The older I get the more I realize how important it is to be a lifelong learner.

If you need proof as to why, take a look at some of our elders.

People who were smart, and meant well who now can’t open an e-mail or understand what a PDF is.

This isn’t a criticism of their character.

It’s a reflection of what happens when someone stops learning.

At some point they decided that they had all the answers, that growth was optional, and that their existing knowledge would always be enough.

But change doesn’t stop, it keeps moving.

And now many find themselves left behind.

Sad part is that they were capable, but they chose not to keep up.

Their pride and complacency led them to believe they could continue living without adapting.

They were right in some cases, but that choice comes at a cost.

When you stop learning, your lack of understanding eventually becomes a burden on others and on yourself.

Simple tasks now require help. You give up autonomy, and open yourself up to exploitation.

Becoming both a liability and a target, all because you mistook a temporary period of competence for lifelong mastery.

This resistance to learning seems to stem from a mistaken belief.

That learning something new means you’re inadequate, when it’s the opposite.

Recognizing a gap in your knowledge isn’t a sign of weakness, but growth.

It shows you’re self aware enough to be self critical.

Learning is also an investment in your future in more ways than one.

As you grow older, your role evolves. You’re looked as a teacher by the younger generation.

Although the younger generation will naturally grasp certain technologies and ideas better than you, they’ll need your help.

They’re not your competition.

They’re an opportunity for you to use your experience to help them, not hold them back.

Otherwise, you risk repeating the same mistakes as those before us, applying outdated solutions to modern problems.

That said, at certain points the best answer is somewhere in the middle.

But finding them requires understanding of both the old and the new.

You’ll never bridge the gap if you ignored one side of it.

So be a responsible adult. Never stop learning.

Because if you do it right, your knowledge becomes a foundation for the next generation to build upon, not a trap for them to dig out of.

Inspiration that sparked these thoughts:

1. Robin Waldun

2. Odysseas learning content

3. Elderly person getting scammed

4. Reading The Beginning of Infinity (Not done)

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Thanks for reading

-OG