Ani's 2018 Log

[Cavesa]

It's funny how different backgrounds can lead a community to hate towards intelligence and/or education.

It makes perfect sense for czechs. Firstly, the exhumation of this nation happened because of a few failed intellectuals, who were simply not good enough to be respected and well known in the AU empire as a whole. So, they convinced the poor and unsuccessful people to rebuild a nation based on a mostly forgotten language, where they became the elites. So, the czech intelligence was growing from the real bottom. And then, after some brighter years, there was the communism, an ideology based on envy and jealousy, where the educated people were divided in two groups: a problem (to be solved in the uranium mines or at least hidden jobs with no public impact like window washers or stokers) and the so called "working intelligence". When it came to university (or even high school) access, the family background and relation to the party were much more important than intelligence or hard work.

And even now, a part of this nation (especially the older people) hasn't recovered. They believe intelligence is an undeserved advantage that should be treated only one way: exploited for the good of the nation that pays the schools and so on. Well, they won't have many intelligent people left in a decade or two, it seems. The best sign of success is getting out of this hole full of envy, that's one of the reasons I want to get out (and one of the main reasons why doctors in general are being treated so poorly). You should hear the waves of hate that arrive every now and then, when the school system is being discussed. They hate the better schools saving intelligent children from bullying and from rotting, as the lack of challenge is one of the main problems of our dumbed down general schools. Really, there are people who hate innocent children for being above average, and they even advocate bullying ("they surely deserved it by not treating others well and feeling superior"). Having too intellectual hobbies basically means "showing off and trying to be superior to the better, more deserving people".

It is no coincidence that majority of our great minds reached success in emigration or they suffered for their excellence. Or at least weren't recognised for their value (an example: the contact lenses were not an american invention. They were a czechoslovak one. The state got the american money and gave the inventor just enough to buy a nice radio).

That's why it amazes me that even the US can be so anti-intellectual. With all its advantages and problems, it is still a country based on individual success. A country of opportunity, which hasn't gone through decades of a regime based on envy. So how comes people are not more tolerant towards people interested in stuff like languages, culture, or science?

[aaleks]

And then, after some brighter years, there was the communism, an ideology based on envy and jealousy, where the educated people were divided in two groups: a problem (to be solved in the uranium mines or at least hidden jobs with no public impact like window washers or stokers) and the so called "working intelligence". When it came to university (or even high school) access, the family background and relation to the party were much more important than intelligence or hard work.

I was too young to go in university or college before the USSR felt apart but from what I know back then high education was available for many if not for most. There were some issues, related to ideology and the like, but in general it was like I said.

----------
Btw, I don't remember any bullying in my school. We teased each other as normal kids do but there was no real violence. And it was a very public-public school. But now...

NB! Everything I write are my and only my memories, other people who lived in the same country during the same time might have completely different ones.

[Xenops]

That's why it amazes me that even the US can be so anti-intellectual. With all its advantages and problems, it is still a country based on individual success. A country of opportunity, which hasn't gone through decades of a regime based on envy. So how comes people are not more tolerant towards people interested in stuff like languages, culture, or science?

I find that it's regional: Boston supposedly has 80 colleges and universities, plus famous ones like Harvard and MIT, so the population here will lean more towards education. In Idaho, none of the universities are noteworthy at all: in fact, they are cutting funding for the biological sciences. Massachusetts' public education is ranked #1 in the country, while Idaho is ranked #37 (which is actually an improvement: it used to be in the 40's).

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/how-states-compare

I think our country in general has also worshipped the physically fit, the charismatic individuals and the talented at sports. You could also say that it tends to worship extraverts versus introverts: the general population sees the latter as "anti-social".

[Cavesa]

And then, after some brighter years, there was the communism, an ideology based on envy and jealousy, where the educated people were divided in two groups: a problem (to be solved in the uranium mines or at least hidden jobs with no public impact like window washers or stokers) and the so called "working intelligence". When it came to university (or even high school) access, the family background and relation to the party were much more important than intelligence or hard work.

I was too young to go in university or college before the USSR felt apart but from what I know back then high education was available for many if not for most. There were some issues, related to ideology and the like, but in general it was like I said.

----------
Btw, I don't remember any bullying in my school. We teased each other as normal kids do but there was no real violence. And it was a very public-public school. But now...

NB! Everything I write are my and only my memories, other people who lived in the same country during the same time might have completely different ones.

The access to education was restricted here. It depended on the jobs of your parents and grandparents, on your possible problems with the regime, whether you had emigrants in the family, sometimes whether you were willing to cooperate with the secret police (and rat out stuff on your friends). It depended on the decade we are talking about, it was the worst right after the 1948 and during the normalisation under the occupation (a standard question on application forms anywhere became "what do you think about the brotherly help we received in 1968?"). Some decades were less harsh but higher education was still not available that widely. And even those who could apply knew too well the price. My parents, at the end of communism, still chose not to even apply to the university so that they wouldn't have to bow to the regime too actively.

Well educated people were seen as a part of the enemy class. And foreign languages were probably the most suspicious area to be educated in. Because what would a loyal Czechoslovak (unlikely to ever be allowed to visit a western country) need English or French for?

Psychical bullying is just as real as the physical one, just harder to prove. The more creative bullies know that really well. And psychical bullying is definitely enough, especially when some teachers actively participate like in my case. I would love to believe I was an exception. But I've heard about this far too many times and I've seen it concern others too. It is not about "public" school, the better schools here are usually public, and the private ones are usually worse. It is about the type of school, sometimes the town, and so on.

That's why it amazes me that even the US can be so anti-intellectual. With all its advantages and problems, it is still a country based on individual success. A country of opportunity, which hasn't gone through decades of a regime based on envy. So how comes people are not more tolerant towards people interested in stuff like languages, culture, or science?

I find that it's regional: Boston supposedly has 80 colleges and universities, plus famous ones like Harvard and MIT, so the population here will lean more towards education. In Idaho, none of the universities are noteworthy at all: in fact, they are cutting funding for the biological sciences. Massachusetts' public education is ranked #1 in the country, while Idaho is ranked #37 (which is actually an improvement: it used to be in the 40's).

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/how-states-compare

I think our country in general has also worshipped the physically fit, the charismatic individuals and the talented at sports. You could also say that it tends to worship extraverts versus introverts: the general population sees the latter as "anti-social".

It's interesting, thanks for the explanation. It is sometimes not that easy to keep on mind the diversity of the individual US regions.
.....
Btw, just today (a few hours ago), I went to a second hand book shop. And the shop assistant and one of the clients were discussing the current world for a very long time. All that crap like: "people don't read books these days" and "women should go back to the traditional roles because few are original and really intelligent anyways" (said by the woman) and "we czechs are simply not warriors and blahblahblah, and we should stick to what is our nature" and others. I was so disgusted I almost put that German fantasy book for a great price back to the shelf. It is such a relief to go back from this ugly real world to this community. I must say this is my best source of intelligent, original, and inspirative people of various genders and nationalities!

And no wonder people go to the internet more and more (as the two complained), as even a bookshop is now a place where we can get offended several times in just a few minutes, despite being their book loving customer

[Elsa Maria]

Ani, I bought the Polyglot version of Drops. I think I will get good use from it. Did you go through the Cyrillic alphabet? I just completed the topic and there were some missing letters The missing letters are A, O, E, and T. Not sure what to think about that.

[Ani]

Ani, I bought the Polyglot version of Drops. I think I will get good use from it. Did you go through the Cyrillic alphabet? I just completed the topic and there were some missing letters The missing letters are A, O, E, and T. Not sure what to think about that.

I did! I did notice the missing letters. I forgot to mention that in here, I think. It's a pretty odd oversight. I was wondering if they only intended to have the letters most different from the English alphabet at one point and just ended up filling in everything but those few? Maybe we should email them and get it on their bug list.

_________

Speaking of apps, I started using Petit Bambou. It is a secular mediation app similar to Headspace, but in French. I actually really prefer it to Headspace, I think. The woman has a lovely voice and the cues are better. It also has a nice unguided meditation timer & a neat little thing where you breathe with a lotus flower while it expands and contracts for a minute (or however you set it) to calm yourself. There are some meditations on stories and poems, some for different intentions (conscious eating, courage and fear, reducing stress), etc. It's a nice way to regain some of my sanity and feel like I'm learning at the same time

Petit Bambou has limited content in German too for anyone who might be looking for that (at least 3-4 months worth of guided méditations) .

[MamaPata]

Petit Bambou sounds great - thanks for mentioning it. I'm terrible at any kind of mindfulness or meditation but I keep trying. However, either tools are too expensive or I don't gel with the voices. I like the sound of this though, so I'm downloading it now! (I have very limited storage on my phone so it is likely to be sacrificed soon, but we'll see!)

[Ani]

Petit Bambou sounds great - thanks for mentioning it. I'm terrible at any kind of mindfulness or meditation but I keep trying. However, either tools are too expensive or I don't gel with the voices. I like the sound of this though, so I'm downloading it now! (I have very limited storage on my phone so it is likely to be sacrificed soon, but we'll see!)

I have to admit, Petit bambou isn't cheap it's almost as expensive as Headspace, in fact. But it's got 8 days free and the timer for unguided meditation is free.
I've been away from yoga for the last few years and I really miss it, but what I think I really miss is the mindfulness and meditation aspect, so this is really helping. It's kind of sad that I can't make myself do these things without an app but whatever there are also good meditations on YT (méditations guidées) if you want to keep it up but can't give up the space on your phone. I know that struggle well

[schlaraffenland]

I just went to give you the hugest hug and thank you. You get it.. you really get it. Before my decade of sleep deprivation, I never forgot anything ever ever. I had a teacher in 7th grade (12 years old maybe?) who asked me a question. I answered and he asked if I had written that information in my notebook. I said no, and in front of the class said, "oh.. I hate people like you. Store it all away like a f*****g computer" ... And my mom used to just look at me when I'd get on some intellectual binge and say "when I imagined what my future kids would be like, I never imagined they'd be like you" which was meant nicely but never felt it.
I've often thought that I should give up my "silly hobbies" for a Nobel prize worthy pursuit but I'd probably be sure that it was just hard work and a little luck that anybody could have done so even that probably wouldn't "fix" me.:-p

I want to give you and Cavesa the hugest hugs! I wish I'd gone to school surrounded by people like you (and many more people on this forum!). It would've been so neat to talk about all sorts of things under the sun with people interested in lots of different things, instead of being penalized for being interested in the world. (And, tangentially related to your note-taking experience above, I had a Spanish teacher who once threatened to fail me -- I otherwise had an A in the class -- because I wasn't taking notes. Ugh.)

As a logical continuation of this sentiment, I have to say it brings me joy that you're fully in control of your kids' education. I am excited for everything you mention that they are already capable of, and what they'll continue to learn and do in the years to come.

[Ani]

I want to give you and Cavesa the hugest hugs! I wish I'd gone to school surrounded by people like you (and many more people on this forum!). It would've been so neat to talk about all sorts of things under the sun with people interested in lots of different things, instead of being penalized for being interested in the world. (And, tangentially related to your note-taking experience above, I had a Spanish teacher who once threatened to fail me -- I otherwise had an A in the class -- because I wasn't taking notes. Ugh.)

As a logical continuation of this sentiment, I have to say it brings me joy that you're fully in control of your kids' education. I am excited for everything you mention that they are already capable of, and what they'll continue to learn and do in the years to come.

Wouldn't that have been wonderful, to have friends like this community close by? Makes me extra thankful for the internet in general that we can meet each other and make friends all across the world with people who "get" us...

====

After some little app study yesterday, I got a derailed by an audio book, Deep: Freediving, renegade science, and what the ocean tells us about ourselves. The science is a little light but the freediving stories and home-made-submarine and encounters with whales made it a "can't turn it off" type book. It is only 7.5 hours, so at like 1.7x speed I was able to do it all in one day. I'm feeling a little obsessed.. language learning is over. I'm going to go spend the next year head down in a pool trying to get my 3 minute breath hold