Each week I’ll share a commonplace from what I’m reading or something I’ve come across that has sparked an idea. Keeping a commonplace helps to keep the mind focused on truth, goodness and beauty. When you train your eyes to discern them, you may find them in the most unlikely places imaginable.
Great Idea: The Beauty of Knowledge For It’s Own Sake
“There is a Knowledge, which is desirable, though nothing come of it, as being of itself a treasure, and a sufficient remuneration for years of labor.” - John Henry Newman
I stumbled across this quote in a book I’m currently reading titled Durable Design. I’m using it for my writing/rhetoric class. Though it was provided merely as an example, its wisdom was, I thought, significant to contemplate and hold on to.
What is the value of knowledge? If we could, like Dr. Frankenstein, piece together and embody the zeitgeist of our culture, how do you think it would answer this question? If I’m honest, I might be a little frightened to meet this thing, but I think my curiosity would get the better of me.
What’s the point of knowledge? Is knowledge power? A means to an end? What end? Wealth? Status? Domination?
I think our zeitgeist monster might opine upon the utility of knowledge, betraying a deep-seated cultural assumption that a thing’s value is measured chiefly in terms of its usefulness. Pragmatism is a strong modern impulse, but it is one we should approach with caution.
Think about how limiting a pragmatic approach to knowledge is. Could you ever justify pursuing knowledge unless you can see clearly the end it will lead to? “But even the very wise cannot see all ends,” I seem to remember a certain wizard saying (it was Gandalf in case you’re wondering).
There is a better way. If you are reading this, my guess is you are someone (or close to someone) who may benefit from contemplating and enacting a better form of masculinity. Of course, the principle of knowledge for its own sake applies broadly, but if we are to pursue beautiful masculinity, we must apply it with intentionality here.
What does this mean? Simple. Decide to pursue knowledge of something with no other intention. Let me suggest picking up a book of poetry.
Poetry inherently demands the cultivation of the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. It is an often neglected form, but I think it cultivates qualities that are essential to the beautiful masculinity we are after.
Replace your phone with a book of poetry by your bedside. It may seem cliché, but if you need a place to start, I suggest Shakespeare’s sonnets. Start by reading one each night or in the morning (or both).
If it isn’t something you are use to doing, it will be slow going at first. But set yourself the challenge. Do this everyday for a week. Read the same poem each day if you need to. Look up words you are unfamiliar with. Do this without devices around and set yourself the challenge not to pick up your phone or device until you have read a poem.
I think you will find that this pursuit is more “useful” than you may have realized it could be. If this is something you do (and I hope it is), drop me a line to let me know how it is going. I would love to know.
Stuart
Thank you for reading and subscribing! I’ve already received so many kind words of encouragement which were unexpected but very much appreciated. Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments or, if you have something you’d like me to address, send it my way.
These commonplace posts will be what my wife calls snippets. Smaller, digestible chunks that hopefully you find yourself chewing on for a while.