Question: Swamiji, how can one balance specializing
in a specific area and having a general knowledge base in today's competitive academic environment?
- Ms. Krishnaveni, Chennai
Question: Swamiji, how can one balance specializing
in a specific area and having a general knowledge base in today's competitive academic environment?
Answer: Thank you, Krishnaveni, you have asked an interesting and challenging question. I don't advise you that you have to be a person like the one who is on our poster for this question.
It is possible to specialize in an area and to be well-informed on different aspects of the current academic environment. Many people have achieved this task.
First step, you must identify the specific area in which you wish to specialize. For this, stay curious in your search for knowledge. Explore different subjects as if you explore the playground, finding things that spark your interest.
As a second step, once you have identified the area or subject that you love most, learn all about it.
In your first step, you did learn about many fields, and would have got some general idea. To develop further, expand on the curiosity, i.e. read books, talk to seniors who can share their experiences, and visit relevant websites, museums, and zoos.
You know well that the human mind has tremendous capacity. With a curious mind, you may develop deeper knowledge, maybe even in more than one area, and the ability to connect what you learned in other domains too.
So if specialization starts from core interest... having basic knowledge about other things starts from other interests or hobbies that one is already doing or drawn to. Sri Ramakrishna, the great divine personality learned all religions like Christianity and Islam and their deeper spiritual values through intensely practicing Hinduism first.
So, the simplest answer to your question is as a formula below:
1. Focus on one thing at a time, whatever you want to learn and achieve.
2. Pay attention to everything you think and act.
3. The world will admire you soon.
Swami Vimurtananda
03 April, 2023
Ramakrishna Math, Thanjavur