Friday, January 7, 2011

Competing Interests

competing for time
mind and body disconnect
a fragmented life

--

So far my goal of spending one hour a day on mind, body, or soul, has been successful, but it hasn't yet had the effect I was hoping for. I've spent time reading and riding my bike, drinking wine with my sister and learning about some saints, but none of it seems to fit together.

In the days of the Renaissance, the great scholars desired to become polymaths, or people who had knowledge from different disciplines, excelled in the arts, and kept themselves in good physical shape. Now the ideal is ultra-specificity, narrowing the scope of your learning to a single field and concentrating all your efforts there.

Having narrowed my focus to the study of Spanish in college, I now wish I knew more about a variety of fields. I'm convinced that if I can figure out how they fit, I'll be a better person for it. The problem is that whenever I spend time reading, I feel like I am neglecting my body, and whenever I exercise, I feel like I am neglecting my studies.

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