Learning is hard.

It’s hard because it necessarily means that you are elevating yourself to somewhere you currently are not. Running uphill feels harder than running downhill. Climbing a mountainside is more physically exhausting than falling off a cliff.

The problem is, falling often leads to a splat, whereas climbing leads to a peak. We should all be trying to ascend the hill of growth.

But what is real learning, anyway?

Mortimer Adler was a famous philosopher, most known for writing How to Read a Book. In his book, he explains why reading for understanding (as opposed to reading for information) is so difficult.

To grow in our understanding requires two conditions:

First, there is initial inequality in understanding. The writer must be “superior” to the reader in understanding, and his book must convey in readable form the insights he possesses and his potential readers lack.

Second, the reader must be able to overcome this inequality in some degree, seldom perhaps fully, but always approaching equality with the writer. To the extend that equality is approached, clarity of communication is achieved.

How to Read a Book, 9.

In other words, learning requires us to reach above us, and try to gain equal footing with the person teaching us.

In order to learn, you have to have the humility to recognize that there are those above you who can help you, and the discernment to figure out who those people are.

Humility

Learning is not possible without humility.

You can’t reach above you when you perceive yourself to be above everyone else. If reading is the act of reaching equal footing with the one teaching us, we need to acknowledge that there are those above us we can learn from.

All learning is like this. Even God says so:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 CSB

Learning starts by submitting yourself to a greater power, and receiving what you can from them.

Discerning

Your posture in learning opens you to receive, and discernment helps you determine who you receive from.

There are some people that have lots to say, but not much to give. Don’t bother wasting your time with stylized slop masquerading as substance.

So how do we figure out who we should listen to?