This is what my experience teaches me about self-actualizing learning.
Start with a question: How has the concept of ‘self’ changed as a result of culture from the beginning of civilization to the present?
Go to the library and check out books on Medieval, Renaissance, Reformation, and Humanism history. I start here because my understanding now is that this concept has changed dramatically since the Renaissance.
Based upon what I discover from this history determines whether I need to move backward and or forward in history. I suspect I will then need to go both directions. Based upon that decision I will take out on loan from the library books on the Greek-Roman period, the three thousand years of Egyptian history, and modern history.
Depending upon what I find and upon my motivation to continue I suspect that at the end of several months I will have created an understanding of the matter.
During this period of study I will have written several essays all of which are for the purpose of organizing and discovering what I know and what I need to know to complete my quest.
Why would I undertake such an effort to understand a matter that has no money-in-it?
The only reason I would do this is because I wish to understand the matter in question. A person does not usually have time to do such things until about mid-life when the job and family do not require so much attention. However, if one does not ‘keep curiosity alive’ during the early years it may be that there will be no curiosity left when time permits at mid-life.
It’s not true that you don’t have time for this kind of learning before mid life. Sadly, the time of life when you should be doing this the most, and indeed it is probably easiest, is normally squandered on cheap beer and thrills.
I am, of course, talking about university students.
I have 8 contact hours a week, which is about average for an arts or humanities student in this country. Sciences have more. In any case, the rest of a student’s week can be put into this kind of learning.
I think it is the best way to learn. You learn so much more from seeking to understand something you are interested than being droned on at about some topic you dont really care about.
Whoo J! You are a delight to behold. If more young people had such an attitude your generation could easily correct the errors my own generation has made. I applaud.