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Lifelong learning is important. This is especially true in a world where the environment, geopolitics and communications are changing so quickly.
An internet full of bad science, social media that tries to villainize everyone who is different and an epidemic of mindless tabloid news have conspired to undermine the lifelong learning that should be one of the foundations of a vibrant society.
My dad and my old friend Ken Steel came to mind as I thought about enthusiastic lifelong learners. Neither went to college but both became students of history and the natural world. Having traveled with both of them, I can attest to the fact that neither of them ever passed up a historic marker or interpretive display.
Many lifelong learners are also enthusiastic travelers and this was certainly true of Dad and Ken. There was, after all, no better way to see other places and understand people different from them. Both did much of that traveling by bicycle, though Ken's bike travel was an order of magnitude beyond most mortal humans.
Earlier this month, I was scanning photos taken by Ken from a long bike trip 45 years ago and was struck by the number of historic signs he photographed. In between were images of the natural wonders we passed, went over (slowly) or rode down (faster than we should have). It was testimony to everything he had taught himself, just because he was curious.
Similarly, my father possessed the same sort of intellectual curiosity. On a trip to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, when I was in my early teens, I vividly recall his stops at every historic plaque we passed in the iconic colonial town. So frequent were his stops, the four children lamented the appearance of each new sign, "Oh, here's another one."
Dad also often read long books on historic topics. He watched Walter Cronkite each evening and subscribed to and regularly read several news magazines, the daily Altoona Mirror and the Sunday Pittsburgh Press.
Their professional endeavors as a telephone repairman and a firefighter also required important and ongoing technical training. Gaining knowledge from those reputable and reliable sources of the day served them well and I suspect they'd be disappointed in today's environment of chronic misinformation.
Lifelong learning is nothing new. The fact that some are doing less than they should, or learning from less than reliable sources, is concerning.
Practical, real-world or locally relevant lessons engage learners, not just among older folks, but among school students as well. As we struggle to slow astronomical absenteeism in schools, we need to find ways to engage children with lessons that touch their lives and get them excited about learning.
Learning new things, gaining a better comprehension of science, or understanding other people or cultures takes effort, no matter the age of the learner.
Curious, informed, politically aware and scientifically literate adults are created by life-long learning. Such folks, no matter their education or background, are much better equipped to understand the history and science behind our challenges, including a number of environmental ones.
Armed with such curiosity and knowledge, all of us will possess the tools to be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem.
John Frederick (www.johnjfrederick.com) writes about environmental issues twice each month.