Orthopedic surgeon: Did you see that limping man? I think his ankle is fractured.
Physiotherapist: I think his ligament is ruptured.
Limping man: Bhai, koi baat nai hai.. meri chappal toot gayi hai! (Brother, nothing has happened.. my slippers have broken)
This incident reminds me of a side effect of education, that is, to interpret things in accordance with what you have studied. An economist would take the lack of money as the root of all evils; an M.A. in Philosophy would take money as the root of all evils. When the only tool you have is a hammer, all the problems look like nails. Education is such a hammer.
Do not take your education as a 'treat all solution'. Take it as a guide for certain situations in life. Mathematics can solve problems of physics, accounts, business, but not the problems of relationships. In a relationship, 1+1 can be 11 or even 0, while in maths it's always 2.
Another side effect of education is that it gives you a feeling of supremacy. If you are more educated than someone, you'd think of yourself better than him. May be you are excellent in your area of education, but a complete newbie or an amateur has fresh eyes which probably you wouldn't have. This makes that amateur better than you when encountered to situations needing a different angle. Your education traps you in a belief that you are better than others, and prevents you from learning more. And when you're not learning more, you're actually not just stagnant but your worth keeps falling. Time passes by, your age grows but net knowledge remains at the same level because of 'education trap'.
William Herschel was a musician and had no background in astronomy. He did not have a professional telescope, but he discovered several moons and Uranus planet.
Srinivasa Ramanujan never went to college. He turned out to be one of the greatest mathematicians in centuries.
Always try to stay a learner throughout your life. You may learn more from an amateur's question than from a superior person. Respect freshers and let them question you. Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people. Do not be a stupid by thinking that your education has given you all that you need. Ten different perspectives of the same problem is more useful than a single view to ten different problems. Freshers are called fresh'ers' due to the reason that they have fresh eyes. Try to view things from their eyes.
The worst side effect of education according to me is that it makes you closed minded. Anything which you don't understand becomes false for you. Anything that you are unaware of, makes you skeptical.
Two ghosts were talking.
Ghost 1: I saw humans today! They are scary!
Ghost 2: Ah! I don't believe in humans.
And apart from being skeptical, it makes you an incorrigible critic. A Freudian psychologist would defend the teachings of Freud even at the cost of criticizing Buddha's or Krishna's teachings. They won't give themselves a chance to try anyone who is not based on Sigmund Freud. This factor actually comes from deep down their insecurity. Throughout the major and important part of their education, they would have studied, followed and adulated Freud. Suddenly, when someone tries to shake their belief or show them a thing beyond what they know, a fear develops. Fear of breaking the "idol" of their "ideal". Hundreds of years ago, how they killed the man who said that the earth was round.
Do not take your education as a thumb rule to anything. Do not take it as something perfect. Do not let it be your destination. Let your education be a milestone in your journey and keep moving. MOVE ON. Do not sit on that milestone.
Education is a privilege, a great tool if used properly and if you save yourself from its side effects.
When Thomas Edison was a child, he was told by his school teacher that he was too stupid to learn anything.
Einstein was told by his teachers that he would never amount too much and was advised to drop out of high school.
Steven Spielberg applied to USC cinema school twice and was turned down both times. He is one of the most famous directors of the world.
And I don't think that I need to tell about the education of Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, Dhirubhai Ambani, and so many.
