Year 1, Day 213: Shakespeare Institute -- Academics For Everyone!

I suppose it is a significant point in anyone's life when they know they will never have to write another paper that does not pertain to anything they enjoy.  Oh sure, they will always *need* to write essays or papers to submit to stay in the academic game.  The universal "they" will ultimately need to take tests that do not wish to, a driver's test, a certification exam, a drunk test... but, there is a moment when people eventually realize, I don't have to write any more essays on stuff that I know practically nothing about.

And why not?

Playing the devil's advocate here, why don't we continue to write essays about things we know nothing of?  Wouldn't it, in essence, make us smarter or at least appreciate those that are smarter than us in a particular field?  The whole you-can't-knock-it-until-you've-tried-it adage seems to fit perfectly here.  In a world where academia is looked down upon by the cognescenti of entertainment (i.e. Hollywood producers who make millions of dollars putting Kim and Khloe Take New Jersey at the head of the Thursday night line-up), is ignored by the majority of politicians looking to score a few points with the ('Merican) fly-over states, and has become somewhat a parody of itself.   Insert UK and European references here to academia being a shadow of its former self.

If everyone assigned themselves an essay once in a while, to write about anything that they knew nothing of but came across and were fascinated by, wouldn't we all have a better idea?  A better idea about our own world, about our jobs, about our friends, about anything?  Wouldn't it get us out of our comfort zone and help us explore?

That being said, I don't have to write any more essays.  I've submitted the last essay having to do with my term's classes, and though I still have plenty to do before I finish my terminal degree, that's all on the stuff I came here for.  I'll have to keep this in mind when I feel like I want to write a four-thousand word essay on well, anything ever again.

Besides the monster PhD due in a few years, maybe I'll write an essay on 'Us against Them', the polarization of thought that occurs every time a teenager (or one of similar maturity) meets an authority figure.  Or sit down and edit a copy of Measure for Measure, just in case I have need of a one-hour version of it someday.  Or design my ideal theatre, complete with blueprints of the building and the actual performance space ('wait, actors don't need bathrooms.')  Imagine what I could do if I had that kind of free time on my hands?  Do I already?  Can minutes spent writing here be spent better somewhere else?

I wasted time, and now doth time waste me; - Richard II (V.v.)

Year 1, Day 213 - Words Written: 10,000 (+/- 300), Words Yet To Write: 4,000 (+/- 16,000).