I had a little thought this morning walking to school. Coincidentally, there was an article in the morning news which introduces a term that best fits my though: over-education.
Do we really need to use our brain so much? I mean I sure enjoy it (when it works, less so when I am stuck and unproductive), but isn’t there something better to do with it? The human brain has evolved through thousands of generations of life and grown to a hefty size. Lots of folds to maximize the cortex area. So over the past millions of years Nature has decided that it is better for survival to have more CPU power.
Mother Nature doesn’t say what you should use your brain for though. Should you be reading papers about quantum codes, LDA topic-models, cutting edge web-development or philosophy? Should I maybe not study ANY of these and go help people?
I think it is clear that every person must answer this question for him/herself. What I want to draw your attention to is that any choice you make comes with its consequences. Think too much and then you won’t be able to stop thinking — like that prof I saw on my walk to school, who seemed deep in it… to the point of not looking where he walks.
You have to also keep track of the forces that are influencing your decisions. If society says it is good to be smart you might adapt to this “requirement” and make choices in your life that make you too smart for your own good. (By smart here I mean having technical knowledge above the common person). I know of at least a dozen friends of mine who are very bright individuals with advanced technical skills and developed rationality, but who are in reality deeply flawed characters because of their lack of basic everyday life skills. What is really dirty in this whole story is that large corporations will always want to hire these people because they know that their lack of personal life is an asset. Personal problems and awkwardness with people means you can pour all your energy, frustration and pain into your computer terminal.
If I don’t want to end up like them, I better start diversifying. Where is the fine line of balance between theorizing and doing? Where is the fine balance between cooperating with society and doing what is best for you?