What good is experience?

N

nutmeg

I'll give it my best shot with this analogy.

2 + 2 = 4

The sum total of our experience and education should equal the correct course of action.

As we live and gain experience we may try and change the answer and some how tweak a 2 and produce a result which equals 5 (some of us are stubborn and just don't accept convention) but in the end through trial and error we respect the answer.

Now armed with first hand experience and education we are hired for what we know and life moves on. Then one day someone with more money more power and a different agenda, directs you to make 2 + 2 = 5.

You're paid for your judgement and reply it can't be done. The powers that be say make it work.

Now what?

Proceed ahead with focus on damage control? Do your best but all the while expecting poor results and ultimately proving yourself right the endeavor was pointless, your experience be damned, maybe your reputation too.

I suppose you could quit and not even begin the project, but their is always that hope someone will come to their collective senses.

Nothing personal here, just an exercise and I could see where this situation could apply in many professions.
 
Possibly if you've got them by the balls, they will say that 2+2=5, but it will not be truly accepted that 2+2=5 until the next generation has been taught such. Stosh
 
Quote from nutmeg:

I'll give it my best shot with this analogy.

2 + 2 = 4

The sum total of our experience and education should equal the correct course of action.

As we live and gain experience we may try and change the answer and some how tweak a 2 and produce a result which equals 5 (some of us are stubborn and just don't accept convention) but in the end through trial and error we respect the answer.

Now armed with first hand experience and education we are hired for what we know and life moves on. Then one day someone with more money more power and a different agenda, directs you to make 2 + 2 = 5.

You're paid for your judgement and reply it can't be done. The powers that be say make it work.

Now what?

Proceed ahead with focus on damage control? Do your best but all the while expecting poor results and ultimately proving yourself right the endeavor was pointless, your experience be damned, maybe your reputation too.

I suppose you could quit and not even begin the project, but their is always that hope someone will come to their collective senses.

Nothing personal here, just an exercise and I could see where this situation could apply in many professions.
More...

NM,

Well if I interpreted your post correctly...

What I’ve been taught + What I’ve done = What I can do/ make happen

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And now for something totally different (think Monty Python) :)




Once I learn how to think = All things become possible

Obviously the solution(s) will be limited by whatever immediate physical constraints exist… but given enough thought even those constraints “may” be conquered – imo


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Aside…

Over time we’ve been conditioned / educated on what to think (easier for a few to control the many that way)…. In reality, and in order to really progress – we should have been taught how – but then the few would lose control wouldn’t they…





So what good is experience – for a few nothing… for the many – it’s likely their only gauge to their own/ another’s worth…. Which is unfortunately sad…, and very limiting – imo….


Just some food for thought

RN
 
Thanks for the replies all.

Re "epiphany" glad to know I'm not alone. RN, your thoughts are appreciated always insightful. Re food for thought, I think my main objective here is to keep this subject on the back burner and keep thinking.

I can understand that education plus experience can break the box, it's when might makes right, people put the screws to you and best to avoid those situations in the first place but you just don't know when or if this is going to happen. Nothing's simple.

Sometimes I envy the ignorant slob.:D
 
All experiences, good or bad, teaches us something. And it is up to us to use those learnings to attain our goals. So even a bad experience is not bad in the end afterall because we learned from it.
 
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