The Teaching Dilemma

Published on Sep 7, 2015 (updated Jun 7, 2021), filed under philosophy. (Share this post, e.g., on Mastodon.)

Another dilemma. Maybe we’re here to learn, but is it at all said that we can be taught?

When we’re here to learn particular lessons, could anyone else really come and tell us what we came to experience?

When experience is the means of learning in this, psycho-physical reality, what does that mean for teaching important life lessons?

Clearly we’re not talking school education here (apart from experiences sought pertaining to school system experience), but working together to learn and grow as people. In other words: If anyone of us “got it,” is it at all clear that that person could transfer and teach his understanding? From what we see with the world’s bodhisattvas, it’s probably not: We may only be able to teach who’s ready to be taught—unless, perhaps we’re only learning from ourselves.

About Me

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m an engineering lead, guerrilla philosopher, and indie publisher. I’ve worked as a technical lead and engineering manager at various companies (e.g., Google); I’m an active web and tool developer (code optimization, digital defense), a contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and a book author (O’Reilly, Frontend Dogma).

I love trying things—in web development and engineering management, but also in politics and philosophy, where I hold to one idea in particular: that we can only be well if we take good care of everyone. Here on meiert.com I talk about some of my perspectives and experiences. (Please share feedback: Interpret charitably, keep it friendly, but do be critical.)